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FIND YOUR DREAM HOME OR APARTMENT
My father hired a contractor to put in a elevator 6 months ago. The contractor came and did all the work except the elevator has not come in. The contractor is blaming the supplier and the supplier is blaming the contractor.
Do we have any legal grounds to go after the contractor? They keep saying that it is being shipped but never shows up. Please help.
As a homeowner, and not a contractor, I can say that most contractors I have delat with have been cheap, morons. While I am sure there may be some good ones out there, I have yet to find them. The best I can tell homeowners is that make sure you get all receipts from contractors so you know the quality of what they bought and what you are paying for. If not, they will buy the cheapest and charge the most.
And try and watch what they are doing when they are actually doing the install. You may not see the bad job they do because its been covered up.
And its OK to ask lots of questions..so do it!
THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE THE PROS WHO DO THIS FOR A LIVING AND WE GET IT WRONG SOMETIMES. NOW YOUR TELLING SOME KNUCKLE HEAD THAT DOESN'T KNOW A SCREW FROM A NAIL THAT THEY SHOULD ORDER THEIR OWN MATERIALS AND SAVE?
MOST CONTRACTORS WILL WALK (RUN) AWAY FROM THAT JOB. IM NOT SAYING DON'T BE AN EDUCATED CONSUMER BUT DO YOU GO BACK IN THE KITCHEN AND HELP THE COOK MAKE YOUR DINNER, GO BACK IN THE SHOP AND GRAB A WRENCH TO HELP YOUR MECHANIC?
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE RIPPED OFF INSPECT THE JOB EVERY DAY AFTER THE CONTRACTORS LEAVE. ANYTHING THAT LOOKS WRONG PROBABLY IS. TALK TO YOUR CONTRACTOR THE NEXT DAY. SHOW UP ON THE JOB EVERY NOW AND THEN , A COUPLE OF FRIENDLY APPEARANCES GOES A LONG WAY ON IMPRESSING THE CREW. AND ASK QUESTIONS. GUYS WHO DO THINGS RIGHT WILL USUALLY WANT TO SHOW OFF THEIR WORK AND ARE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN WHY THINGS ARE DONE CERTAIN WAYS.
Iam a contractor. and I agree with some of the views here. and dissagree. with some views. some of the experts suggest. that if you charge the lowest on a bid. that some how that may make you some kind of scammer. that isnt always the case. just cause a contractor drives and older vehicle or charges less doesnt make them a fly by knighter. Ive been in the roofing buisness for over 30 + years. most my workers are family members. all of us have over 20 to 30 yrs experience. an honest contractor should be able show proof of cetificate of Insurance and licences. as for showing proof of materials most building materials stores will print off a receipt for materials to show the customer what they are getting and cost. i have no problem giveing transparentcy to the customer. and they call the store. and go right down a list . I also give a 10 labor warranty on all my labor on roofing. because believe in putting my money ware my mouth is. even though my state only requires a 1 yr. warranty. if do the job to spects and doit right. there is no reason you cant do it.. and I never had to go back and fix any thing in over 30 years. theres a lot of contractors who dont take pride in what they do. and only out for the money. who thinks its ok. to gauge the customers. and they are the ones who make me sick. I dont drive a brand new truck so i dont have to soak the customer for every thing they got. the ones that do. they know who they are. and shame on them. they are the ones that make hard on us Honest contractors. call me a snitch or what ever. but if i know your out there scamming people i have know problem exposeing you to the home owners or police.
I'm a licensed and insured general contractor in the Denver, CO area. Each city here has its own licensing requirements, some have none at all. Electricians, plumbers and hvac I believe are all state-wide licensed, but ususally need to be registered in whichever city they are working in. I do alot of my own work, but do have skilled laborers I use as well when needed. There are alot of shady so-called contractors out there for sure that I have to compete with, and they make me very mad and my job that much harder. I usually ask for at least 25% up front for materials and some labor cost, (I can't be anyone's bank) and do what I call "landmark" draws, (agreed upon completions, usually at rough-in inspection, drywall completion, etc.) often another percentage, and they are all laid out in the contract. If homeowner does not do the draw, I pack up and leave. When job is done, I do a walk thru with client, have final inspections and once everything is signed off, ask for final payment, once it clears, give client a lein release, and job is done. I always do change orders and ask for immidiate payment on changes so neither side has to argue over it at end of job. I do on occasion install client's material, but always make sure they understand it is not included in warranty. I do mark up material I supply, to pay for my time and resources used for getting material. This way usually works, and respect for your client goes along way in getting respect back.
I've been in the bussiness for 17 years. The thing homeowners and the people on the other side of this coin don't understand is It also costs the contractor time chasing materials. Every one claims thier time is valuable, well so is the contractor's time. Why should the contractor give list price for material when he has to spend his time and fuel picking the stuff up. If I give you a price on materials, You better bet that I will also get compensated for my time.
If you spend 3 hours chasing materials specified by the Homeowner, then 8 hours at the jobsite, should you only get paid for 8 hours? The contractor should be fairly compensated for time spent and not have to pay out of his pocket to pricematch the local hardware or some online price guide. It would compare to ordering something and not have to pay the shipping charges.
Try taking bacon and eggs into an restaurant and having the cook fix them for you at half price (labor ) it wont happen i have done several jobs where the homeowner bought the materials either they didn't get enough or way too much and then got the wrong type cause they went down to the local home improvement store and someone there told them to get this that and the other stuff. i tell homeowners i don't try to tell you how to do your job please respect me enough to do the same for me. If a homeowner has something they want installed out of the ordinary i usually do it but with a no guarantee clause in the contract and i tell them exactly why i cant guarantee it . Also the owner that keeps coming by and wants me to "just move that over one inch or attach that here instead of over there " gets the add on or changes to agreed job description charges " i do have a satisfaction upon completion of work in my contracts and have only once had someone not pay for work i did until i fixed a leaky fixture.
some contractors are crooks and most clients are skinflints its all part of the job.
go to www.nari.org
