All Forum Posts by: Leland S.

The code guy said to leave the mantel off... because I think we need a different fireplace altogether for any mantel.

Hi folks, should I buy or build a fireplace mantel? Trying to keep it nice but cheap. 

And I know, I really hate the tile, I think it mismatches the floor. My parents selected it and now I'm stuck. 

I was thinking of this piece: 

http://www.mantelsdirect.com/Products-Accessories/vail/vail-60-inch-wood-fireplace-mantel-shelf#prettyPhoto

Attached is the photo of the fireplace.

@Josh Braun

1) Found on home advisor, no references (I was having my parents handle this for me and told them to find someone with good reviews and references, but they apparently didn't have them)

2) I do have a copy of his license now I looked him up, but prior to, no

3) I signed his open ended contract listing hourly rates. Didn't scope it at all but gave general estimates saying it was easy and could be done in 2 weeks. 

4) I didn't know about the lien stuff and he didn't sign anything for lien release. Even still I paid all invoices up til the disputed one. He has a large deposit of mine as well to cover most the disputed invoice.

5) My parents were local and reviewing their work and provided me the feedback as well as my occasional visit. When they finally got to trim out I saw how terrible the work was I stopped them and disputed the charges. 

The online attorney source connected me with a local attorney I consulted. 

@David Zheng Agree these are all things to be worried about. I am constantly monitoring the property. 

@Natalie Schanne I did tell him to fix the issues free and he declined saying to pay him to "finish" the work. Basically he wouldn't admit to any problems as fault including where his electrician removed existing vent fan I had already paid to install and damaged my cabinets, did terrible tile and drywall work, wired things incorrectly (to my spec), installed the doors improperly so they couldn't lock... etc etc. I am having new contractors redo all the work and providing itemized receipts for all the rework items to provide as evidence. Now from here I have to figure out what it takes to remove a lien he said he put on my house. 

@Kyle Nelson Most of the stuff is just bad work. To say they can install drywall that is bubbling up and has to be repaired, damage cabinets with gouches, hooking up electrical incorrectly or not to spec (some not to code), is just as valid as anything. I had a spec for them to follow in the contract.

@Account Closed they are licenses and insured, i don't know about bonded

@Brian Pulaski No way.. after seeing the quality of work and level of problems, I fired them, documented everything that needs to be fixed. They damaged my cabinets, did shoddy work everywhere. I asked them how much it would cost to finish already and they blew passed that to get where I was with all the issues. What they wanted is me to keep paying them insane rates to fix all their problems. I don't have the budget for that and it's not right for me to pay them twice to get something right, or to fix damage or removed items that weren't in the contract. The contract listed my scope of work. I fired them and have moved on hiring other people to fix their work, which all the new contractors found even more issues and cited how poorly their work was. I believe I am coming out with less money in the end and will provide all the receipts as a claim against them. 

@Arlen Chou I checked his license is active with the state. And his LLC as well. He did say he wouldn't come back til I pay him. Anyway, I will talk to a lawyer and see what the best route is. I spent 17k on his materials bills, which he only gave me receipts for a few hundred dollars. I know he over charged on his electrician contractor, so maybe thousands of dollars worth? I figure at least get a lawyer to call or write letter of demand.

@Heather Bettis Thanks for the offer to help. I will look them up. I have reported to Home Advisor... unfortunately all they can do, and said they will do, is try to arbitrate between the parties to find a resolution. I need to send them all the documentation. But I really don't think they will admit anything to them or care about what Home Advisor has to say, reason being they have only 2k to loose if they do nothing, but lots of costs associated with paying for my damaged items and fixing their work. 

@Ryan K. I highly doubt they will sign any documents. A lawyer I spoke with online through RocketLawyer said it will probably cost me $1000 attorney fee to generate a demand document such as that and said I may as well split the difference of what GC thinks I owe him vs what he thinks he owes me (about 2k) and call it a day. Now maybe I could do that and get him to sign a Mechanics Lien waver (learned about from RocketLawyer) and he might do that.. then I can work with paypal and credit card to do charge back. I'll ask lawyer about that.

Update: contractor stating I need to pay for them to "finish" (ie fix) the work and if not they will get a lien on my house... what fun. 

Hi Folks,

Clarify some things:

I had already done 3 mo of work prior to this GC. This GC was off HomeAdvisor.com. They did get out a legit permit for the house I verified with the county and discussed with them. I did not ever get any evidence they are licenses, insured, or bonded... I had my parents doing this work for me and they failed and I didn't enforce. We had an open ended contract for their hourly rates, that's all they put down, plus a list that I created for the work to be done, no time frame, but said it must be a finished quality. The contractor deviated from that list many times with subs doing work I never asked, like the electrician running RJ-45 Ethernet wiring throughout the house for some dumb reason. Electrician also removed lights and work I had installed by another contractor arbitrarily. The project is in Nashville area, not Mountain View. 

The contractor sent me an email stating they will come out and look at the stuff as they "can't tell" from my images and list what the issues are... right. I replied and said I don't trust their team to fix anything and think they need to file an insurance claim using quotes I get from other contractors to fix. 

My question now is do I relinquish them from the permit now and get moving on working on the project assuming I have all evidence in pictures and documentation, or do I wait longer to switch over the permit to do anything else to collect their guilt?