I hired a contractor last September for a major renovation on my 80's split-entry home, which includes a new roof, siding, and the installation of windows and doors, totaling about $44K. However, they did a poor job and didn't complete the work, despite me paying them twice for a total of $32K. After months of silence, they reached out to finish the job and collect the remaining balance of ~$12K. They've now offered to reduce the fee to ~$8K for unfinished work or $5K to walk away. I'm hesitant because I'm unsure they can fix their previous mistakes. Here's a breakdown of the major issues and a timeline of everything that's happened. Should I let them come back to finish it, or just cut my losses and pay them nothing?
3 Answers
Just tell them to take a hike. Offering to walk away for $5K sounds like a cheap way for them to escape responsibility. You've already invested heavily in a project that didn't go well; it's time to cut your losses. I suggest getting quotes from other contractors—make sure to keep those as protection in case they threaten to sue you.
No way! Just tell him where to go. You don’t owe them anything after all the trouble they’ve caused. Focus on finding a qualified contractor who can actually fix the problems for you.
I think your best bet is to hire a reliable contractor to finish the job. You don’t want to risk more shoddy workmanship from the current contractor. It’s frustrating, but paying another person might save you from even more headaches down the line. Plus, at this point, they've already ghosted you for months, so trust is a big question mark.
I totally agree! It's tough to let go of the money, but you might end up spending more time and money if you let them continue with the work. Sometimes it's worth investing a little more to get it done right.
Good call! And remember, they might only have a limited time to file a lien, so keep track of that. It seems like they're trying to intimidate you into paying.