Home has been unliveable for over a year and a half
4/18/2011 at 9:56:39 AM
My mother-in-law hired a contractor to renovate her home. The project was quoted to take 3 to 4 months, and a contract was signed for $80,000 in December 2009. There have been several changes to the contract, and the project at last update was to cost $149,000. To date, the contractor has only completed work on the basement, but has ripped out everything on the main floor. In the last six months all he has done is install the flooring.
He claimed to need more money at several intervals to pick up more supplies, so mom kept giving him more money, but the supplies never turned up at the house. The house is unliveable, having no kitchen, no bathroom upstairs, exposed wires etc. and now the contractor is claiming he does not have the money to finish the project, even though she has given I have told her to get a lawyer and go to court, but she fears that he will claim bankrupcy and that she will be left with nothing.
Is there anything else we can do?
4/19/2011 at 11:49:14 AM
maybe a lien on his company....
4/28/2011 at 4:15:41 PM
Hi Mandi,
First take him to court to get a judgement on him, and then place a lien on his company.
Get a lawyer so you can get the maximum back from this guy.
Bill Clawsie
Clawsie Contracting
4/30/2011 at 9:41:57 AM
Hi Mandi- Bill has a good point- but I'd bet you'll never see this guy in court- unless he's sueing someone. A lien is a good idea provided you are within the time perameters- but most any action taken will mostly be wasted time & energy. Do your homework- hopefully you have signed contracts, change orders (for a job like this to jump $70,000 there had better be some change orders), payment reciepts, inspection reports, photo evidence of the job site, etc. Take all of this to a lawyer & see if he can dig into this contractor's history to see if he's pulled this shit before. If the contractor has a past of flying by night, you may be out of luck. If he has even an ounce of integrity, he may offer up some kind of retribution. Good luck.
5/19/2011 at 3:00:54 PM
Hi Mandi,
I hate hearing about these situations!! It's very difficult to assess the situation with out first knowing numbers. You said he completed the basement and has demolished the main floor and installed the flooring. I realize he has left her home in an unlivable mess but the work he has completed will have a dollar value to it. You said mother has given him some money. How much? I certainly hope she did not pay him all of the money. If she is a senior citizen, you may have a criminal case. I would absolutely hire a lawyer to handle this as well I would call the police and see if they will investigate. Depending how his company is structured, he may be able to be held personally liable even if his company has no money or goes bankrupt. Again, you definately need a lawyer. Good luck and I hope her house once again becomes her home and quickly!
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