The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is P.J. Deller Inc. They get the award for the following-

Pittsburgh has quit doing business with P.J. Deller Inc. until further notice after the company mistakenly tore down a West End house this week.

The city will not pay the company for the demolition at 3224 Motor St., said John Jennings, acting chief of the city's Bureau of Building Inspections.

County records show the house is owned by Harry and Lorraine Sweitzer.

Lorraine Nickel, now remarried, said she left the house, which was paid off, when she was injured in a car crash so she could recover while living with her now-husband. Her son moved in but did not want to remain in the house.

In October, Andre Hall signed an agreement to buy the property for the cost of back taxes. The home was in foreclosure and condemned. It was vacant for five years, Hall said.

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A court order dated Nov. 3 showed Nickel had six months to fix all unsafe conditions listed on the condemnation notice. Those conditions included deteriorated mortar, exposed rotted wood, missing shingles, broken panes, and debris and overgrowth.

When Hall visited the property Monday, he found workers tearing it down. Hall said he had paid about $5,000 to make improvements to the home, including paint, windows, lumber and slate for the roof.

Jennings said P.J. Deller Inc. was notified via telephone and in writing not to demolish the home. The house next door was scheduled for demolition, and Jennings said the company, in error, took down 3224 Motor St. as well.

That company deserves to lose alot more than city business for tearing down the wrong house. Well I'll do my part so far as the company's reputation goes, by naming P.J. Deller Inc today's Knucklehead of the Day. Put that down as a referral next time.