Dealing with Bad Contractor
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:55 pm
Little Background here. Guy who we used for Snow Plowing, Driveway Repair and Dangerous Tree Removal we also hired for building us New Heated Shop. 20x30 building with 10ft bays on sides. Stick Build (not pole building).
Anyway I got him plans and list of materials and wanted bid. He convenced me to sale down a little saying "I can save you $$ and cheaper to heat". Anyway went went from 12ft walls to 10ft and little smaller.
Contract draw up. Way too much money up front. Total was $22,500 and he wanted 15k to start. I figured materials 8-9k and concrete. Ok I went with it, but my spidy senses went off. Another 5k after foundation done.
Materials delivered. Only wood and sheeting. No Metal. Wood got put up and was told "they are having trouble delivering Metal and it took 3 weeks". Yea sure. It was rainy and needed to dry out.
Finally back to work. Metal put on sides and they started on Roof. I went out and asked about "felt"? Was told not needed. He raised the walls by knocking holes in them on top and used boom truck. I asked about repairing them. Told me would not matter. Mattered to ME!.
Anway I let it continue on and went thru building with Fine Tooth Comb. Contacted Metal Sales and they sent me Installation Guide.
Sheeting he used was 7/16 - Calls for 5/8
No Felt. Calls for 30# felt
Tin On Wrong. Backwards in places. All should lay certain way.
Anyway that along with other things resulted in 2 page writeup with Building Inspector. I wanted that fixed along with Concrete Floor fixed or go into mediation. No Rebar used. Token amount of Rock. No taming down. No Stress relief.
We got letter from him saying how good he was and we made up things. Anyway his letter called us names and never addressed any issues at ALL.
We put lawyer on this before we wrote our letter. Going after his Bond (12k bond). We had to finish the building with another contractor. Had to rebuy metal because he stole some of it (Loaded it up with equipment).
Now the Icing. When new contractor started work they talked to building inspector and old Num Nuts Contractor drove by. Seems Inspector and him are Fishing Buddies.
Yesterday we had no water when I woke up. I checked breakers and fuses and everything I could think of. Went to 6" well (150ft from house, we live on 10ac). Bundle of wire beside pump and well filled with rocks and sand. Its looking like we can salvage the well. They got the cans of dirt out and will be back to try to clean out some sand and rocks with pump. Insurance will cover all but $1,000.
So after reading all this what would you do? I have camera on it now (Game Camera). Motion sensor in new building to warm me. Loaded Guns available. Call Phone and Flashlight. I know I can shoot him unless he goes after me. Cops took wire and cap to well to test for fingerprints. Yea right. Who would not wear gloves. Plus state crime lab is taking 2 years to do tests. Yea 2 Years.
We will go for the bond if it's available. Who knows I bet he canx his insurance police. I guess write it off as 12k plus 1k life lesson. I can do this, but want it to END.
Anyway I got him plans and list of materials and wanted bid. He convenced me to sale down a little saying "I can save you $$ and cheaper to heat". Anyway went went from 12ft walls to 10ft and little smaller.
Contract draw up. Way too much money up front. Total was $22,500 and he wanted 15k to start. I figured materials 8-9k and concrete. Ok I went with it, but my spidy senses went off. Another 5k after foundation done.
Materials delivered. Only wood and sheeting. No Metal. Wood got put up and was told "they are having trouble delivering Metal and it took 3 weeks". Yea sure. It was rainy and needed to dry out.
Finally back to work. Metal put on sides and they started on Roof. I went out and asked about "felt"? Was told not needed. He raised the walls by knocking holes in them on top and used boom truck. I asked about repairing them. Told me would not matter. Mattered to ME!.
Anway I let it continue on and went thru building with Fine Tooth Comb. Contacted Metal Sales and they sent me Installation Guide.
Sheeting he used was 7/16 - Calls for 5/8
No Felt. Calls for 30# felt
Tin On Wrong. Backwards in places. All should lay certain way.
Anyway that along with other things resulted in 2 page writeup with Building Inspector. I wanted that fixed along with Concrete Floor fixed or go into mediation. No Rebar used. Token amount of Rock. No taming down. No Stress relief.
We got letter from him saying how good he was and we made up things. Anyway his letter called us names and never addressed any issues at ALL.
We put lawyer on this before we wrote our letter. Going after his Bond (12k bond). We had to finish the building with another contractor. Had to rebuy metal because he stole some of it (Loaded it up with equipment).
Now the Icing. When new contractor started work they talked to building inspector and old Num Nuts Contractor drove by. Seems Inspector and him are Fishing Buddies.
Yesterday we had no water when I woke up. I checked breakers and fuses and everything I could think of. Went to 6" well (150ft from house, we live on 10ac). Bundle of wire beside pump and well filled with rocks and sand. Its looking like we can salvage the well. They got the cans of dirt out and will be back to try to clean out some sand and rocks with pump. Insurance will cover all but $1,000.
So after reading all this what would you do? I have camera on it now (Game Camera). Motion sensor in new building to warm me. Loaded Guns available. Call Phone and Flashlight. I know I can shoot him unless he goes after me. Cops took wire and cap to well to test for fingerprints. Yea right. Who would not wear gloves. Plus state crime lab is taking 2 years to do tests. Yea 2 Years.
We will go for the bond if it's available. Who knows I bet he canx his insurance police. I guess write it off as 12k plus 1k life lesson. I can do this, but want it to END.