All Forum Posts by: Seyi Kongi

Thank you Tony and Gregg.

The GC filed lien 6/13 for $12,600. Im working on finding a lawyer. Thank you for all the links, I will be filing a complaint as well.

Thank you!

Thank you Brendan and Gregg

This rental is located in Akron, OH. The general contractor (GC) is not proposing to do anything beyond what the insurance estimate covers. He plans to repair only the damaged portion of the roof and match shingles, for a total of $34,000, which includes tree removal and roof tarping.

I received a $5,500 written quote from a tree company, and that’s the amount I approved for the removal of the branch. I was never informed of any price increase before or after the work was done. I only found out that $10,200 had been submitted to my insurance after reviewing the claim estimate.

That same tree company is actually the one who referred me to the GC, who later did the tarping. After the fact, I called the tree company and confirmed they had submitted a revised invoice for $10,200 directly to the GC, but again, I was never made aware of this before it was sent to the insurance company.

My insurance company approved $34K estimate for the repairs which is what the GC is saying is his cost. Check was issued to me directly, allowing me to choose whichever contractor I want to work with.

The GC is refusing to honor the original $5,500 quote and, along with the tree company, is now claiming the increase to $10,200 was due to needing a second crane on removal day. 

I’m disputing that because:

• The original quote was provided after an on-site walk-through,

• I was never notified or asked to approve the higher cost,

• And I had another quote for $4,500, which I told the GC about early on.

Now the GC is demanding $14,000 total, broken down as:

• $10,200 for tree removal (the disputed amount),

• $2,400 for the roof tarping, which i belive is too high

• $1,500 for what he’s calling a “breach of contract” fee.

He says he is filling a lien for this amount, which will only be removed after his been paid.

If anyone has a referral to a solid real estate or contract attorney in Ohio, especially someone familiar with construction disputes, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Thank you

Hi everyone, I'm an out of state investor in Akron, OH, dealing with a tricky situation on one of my rentals, and I could really use some advice, especially from those with experience in insurance claims or any attorneys in the community.

What Happened:

Three weeks ago, a tree branch fell on my rental in Akron, OH. I called two local tree removal companies and received quotes after walking the property:

• One for $4,500
• One for $5,500 (they had immediate availability, so I was leaning toward them)

While speaking with the $5,500 company about referrals for tarping and roof repair, they referred me to a general contractor (GC) who they’ve worked with on roof repairs in the past.

The Contractor

• I called him after and he says he works with insurance companies all the time, and that I’d only be responsible for my $5,000 deductible.
• He asked me to sign a contract (which I did), stating he’d act in my best interest and perform all work based on what the insurance approves.
• After inspecting the property, he called the same $5,500 tree company to remove the tree branch. (I assumed it would be billed at the quoted price or even a slight premium which would have been ok).
• I asked for the invoice for the tree branch removal, and he says will be handled with insurance, I then asked to be copied when he sent the invoice to the insurer, he said he would, but he never did.

The Problem:

I later received an estimate from my insurance company for $34,000, which includes:

• Partial roof repair
• Chimney repair
• Minor drywall patching
• $10,200 for tree branch removal
• I was caught off guard, I already had a written quote for $5,500, and no one informed me the price had changed.

When I questioned the GC, he said the price increased because a second crane was needed. However:

• There was no communication from the Tree company or the contractor about any price change — not before, during, or after the work.
• I then called the tree company directly, they confirmed the new $10,200 figure (matching what the contractor submitted to insurance without my knowledge), but they also confirmed hey have not been paid yet, despite the Contractor claiming he already paid them.
• I asked the Tree company, why I wasn’t informed of the price change after the original quote for my approval/authorization, he wouldn’t answer, just kept on saying it was the new price they had to get a second crane in to remove the branch

My Concerns:

• The GC refuses to give me a detailed breakdown of the $34,000 or scope of work to be completed/quote. He says the insurance estimate is the quote.
• I believe this is overpriced for the scope of work (only a partial roof repair, chimney fix, and minor interior patching).
• I’m currently seeking 2–3 additional quotes from other roofing companies to compare.
• I'm also worried about how this claim might impact my insurance premiums or risk being dropped, especially since I have other properties covered under the same insurer and LLC.
• I’ve never filed a claim before, and I know insurers often ask about claim history when purchasing or refinancing.

My Questions:

1. Am I able to terminate the agreement with the contractor?
2. If I decide to terminate my agreement with the Contractor, am I obligated to pay the $10,200 tree removal charge, even though I only authorized the $5,500 quote?
3. Since there was no communication or approval for the price increase, do I have a valid basis to dispute that charge?
4. Has anyone else had a similar experience with inflated costs like this? What’s the best way to protect myself legally and financially?

Thanks in advance for any guidance, referrals. I want to make sure I’m smart here before moving forward.