MAYDAY! Contractor sucks!

MAYDAY! Contractor sucks!

Investor · Clarksville, IN · Member since 2012 · 226 posts · 96 votes

I just moved out of my primary house, which I am converting to a rental.  I hired a LifeStyles Unlimited (real estate investors club) recommended vendor from their magic vendor list.  Regardless, it appears that this guy is in over his head with the mediocore quality of work that is being done.  All I wanted was popcorn scraped, ceilings prepped, knockdown texture to applied consistent with knockdown texture that is in the master bedroom. Replace existing doors with 6 panel doors, and paint interior of house.  Also there were a few cosmetic areas of wall textured that needed to be touched up

Job was suppose to be done yesterday, then today.   I have been out of town.  Not concerned about timeline.  Went by today and now I am concerned that a troop of Boy Scouts could do better work.   The popcorn was scraped , in the process ceiling was gouged, popcorn remains at edges, torn seams, no prep work, some type of texture was applied, I would hardly call it knock down, not consistent witt the master bedroom.  Painting is amature hour. He painted light fixtures and other hardware.   6 panel doors have turned out to be 4, no biggie they look good, so I am ok with that, but not consistent with scope of work.  None of the touch ups too the few areas that I requested were done.  

I am so at a loss for words or what to do at this point.

Kick him to the curb?  It'll cost me more than the original job to fix his "handy" work.  I have paid him 60% of the job already up front.

Give him a chance to remedy his mess?

Really at a loss what to do at this point.

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J ScottPro Member
Moderator
Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
11y

Lessons:

- Don't leave new contractors unchecked for multiple days at a time.

- Don't pay large sums upfront.

- Have written contracts and scopes of work.

- Check previous jobs before hiring.

See this reply in the discussion

94 Replies

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  • Contractor · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2013 · 647 posts · 205 votes
    11y

    Good to hear, hope it works out well for you.

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 415 posts · 299 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Donald Hendricks:

    I am in contact with Lynn Andris, Executive Vice President of Lifestyles Unlimited and we shall see what resolution can be worked out.  I will update when that happens.

     Updates? 

  • Investor · Clarksville, IN · Member since 2012 · 226 posts · 96 votes
    11y

    Nothing to report. There was an offer, but it was nowhere close to acceptable. 

  • Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2012 · 119 posts · 104 votes
    11y

    @Donald Hendricks in your email you said the settlement of the full amount you asked for in 4 monthly payments from the vendor and a lien release was acceptable to you. Is this not the case?

  • Investor · Clarksville, IN · Member since 2012 · 226 posts · 96 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Lynn Dee Murrow:

    @Donald Hendricks in your email you said the settlement of the full amount you asked for in 4 monthly payments from the vendor and a lien release was acceptable to you. Is this not the case?

    The post above was on the 24th of February and I was referring to the offer of $700.   As you are well aware, the second offer of payment in full in 4 monthly payments was not received by me until the 27th of February.  I agreed to that offer on the 27th.

    On the 2nd of March I got another email from Natalie asking both Scott and I if we agreed to the terms, I replied to that email that I concurred with the agreement.

    Only thing we are waiting on at this point is the vendor, Scott Flynn to make his payments.

  • Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2012 · 119 posts · 104 votes
    11y

    @Donald Hendricks Wonderful!!

  • Investor · new york, NJ · Member since 2014 · 137 posts · 13 votes
    11y

    do not think a GC license is the same in all states or that it will protect you - in CT all it takes to get a GC license is like $200 and a postage stamp - these guys can do roofs too - I think in NY you actually have to demonstrate you know about roofing to get a roofer license - check the procedure before you think a piece of paper means more than it does, and keep in mind the BBB and/or the state may not help you and that it will likely be your money that gets drained if you sue an LLC

  • Investor · Clarksville, IN · Member since 2012 · 226 posts · 96 votes
    11y

    UPDATE:   Contractor paid me back in full and Lifestyles Unlimited invited me to surrender my membership with a full refund.  They took their toys and kicked me out of the sandbox.

    In part this is what the VP, Lynn Andris had to say.

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 415 posts · 299 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Donald Hendricks:

    UPDATE:   Contractor paid me back in full and Lifestyles Unlimited invited me to surrender my membership with a full refund.  They took their toys and kicked me out of the sandbox.

    In part this is what the VP, Lynn Andris had to say.

     Congrats.  I hope they learned a valuable business lesson - if they would have rectified the problem immediately, they could have avoided the complaining and bad publicity.  

  • Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2012 · 119 posts · 104 votes
    11y

    @DavidBegley David as soon as it was brought to our attention we took action.  Our members can always bring issues with vendors who are on our vendor list to the Vendor Director of the city they are in, the VP of the vendor Program, myself or the founder and owner of Lifestyles Unlimited. We do what we can to open up communication and find solutions that keep the rehab moving forward.

    I am glad Donald was able to receive his money back and get his rehab completed.

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 415 posts · 299 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Lynn Dee Murrow:

    @DavidBegley David as soon as it was brought to our attention we took action.  Our members can always bring issues with vendors who are on our vendor list to the Vendor Director of the city they are in, the VP of the vendor Program, myself or the founder and owner of Lifestyles Unlimited. We do what we can to open up communication and find solutions that keep the rehab moving forward.

    I am glad Donald was able to receive his money back and get his rehab completed.

     Thanks Lynn, I was under the impression that this had been going on since the 4th quarter of last year, or at least 6 - 9 months, and was just recently remedied.  I would have gone ballistic after only a few weeks because such a delay could be the difference between a net profit or a loss.  Yes, I'm glad Donald was able to get reimbursed for the shoddy work - he's a much more patient man than me.  

  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Donald Hendricks:

    UPDATE:   Contractor paid me back in full and Lifestyles Unlimited invited me to surrender my membership with a full refund.  They took their toys and kicked me out of the sandbox.

    In part this is what the VP, Lynn Andris had to say.

    I give them credit for refunding your money.  While they should have been nicer about it (first rule of customer service is if you're going to acquiesce to the customer, do it with a smile so they leave with a good impression), most other companies wouldn't have offered the refund...

    In fact, had she written a nice note along with your refund offer, I'd probably be recommending them right now.  But, this just sends the message that they only offered it after being strong-armed.

    Missed opportunity on their part...

  • Property Manager · Livonia, MI · Member since 2011 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y

    wow,  what a saga! the commpany could have avoided this whole mess, but they thought you'd go away after just venting about the problem.

    it's too bad for them - this thread will live on forever with their name stained all over it.

  • Investor · Clarksville, IN · Member since 2012 · 226 posts · 96 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @George P.:

    wow,  what a saga! the commpany could have avoided this whole mess, but they thought you'd go away after just venting about the problem.

    it's too bad for them - this thread will live on forever with their name stained all over it.

    Indeed.   This went from crap work, to it being about me telling Scott Flynn of Road Runner Construction to never return and how I was unreasonable for doing so.  It is apparent heneither had had the skill set to do the work or manage subs properly.  The position of Lifestyles Unlimited was that I was to give him as many chances as necessary to remedy the shoddy work.  To that, I say no.

    I was remiss in posting an update to this thread.  The situation was completely resolved in less than 3 months, but only with the assistance and pressure of the Biggerpockets community.   Because of the power of this community and the savings incurred, I upgraded my membership here as I now see the true value of Biggerpockets.  Thank you everyone.

  • Greg H.Pro Member
    Moderator
    Broker/Flipper · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    11y

    We have all been ripped off and/or had shoddy work by a contractor that was referred to us or even recommended by an organization if we have been doing this long enough

    I hold an organization like Lifestyles Unlimited that charges big $$$ to individuals to mentor them and has a preferred vendors list to a higher standard

    At least they eventually step up to the plate by refunding your money, but it was classless to take a shot at you on the way out.  Hopefully, people will review threads such as these and be able to make an informed decision before joining

  • Investor · san antonio, TX · Member since 2015 · 1 post · 2 votes
    10y

    I've had the same experience from the Lifestyles vendor list.  It sucks.  Craigslist is just as good.  Weed out the bad and start your own list of good people to use.

  • Contractor · Portland, OR · Member since 2015 · 5 posts · 0 votes
    10y

    I'm a contractor myself, deal with all kinds of clowns saying that their subcontractors and/or contractors. If you don't know what you're doing it could be a nightmare. Believe me I've been there. Craig could be a good resource, but I feel that's where you get the most disappointment as well. I usually ask for one or two references if not possibly a portfolio of work done in the past. 

    I'm here in the Portland area feel free to contact me if you have any questions. 

    Anthony. 

  • Investor · Clarksville, IN · Member since 2012 · 226 posts · 96 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Brian Thoms:

    I've had the same experience from the Lifestyles vendor list.  It sucks.  Craigslist is just as good.  Weed out the bad and start your own list of good people to use.

    What....?   Say it aint so.

    It is hard to believe that no one from Lifestyles Unlimited has come to defend their brand yet.   

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