I recently hired a contractor for some renovation work on my house. He's been using the large barn next door, which I just bought, as a workspace to stay cool during these hot weeks. However, I returned home late one night and noticed some suspicious activity in the barn. There were newspapers on the windows and lights on despite it being after 9 PM. My husband and I quietly approached, and when we got close, the lights turned off quickly, indicating someone was definitely in there.
To make things even trickier, the contractor had a dispute with a biker guy he hired, who brought in his friends to intimidate him over money. So, I'm not sure if the person in the barn was my contractor, someone from the biker gang, or potentially a squatter. My husband thought he saw a cot inside, which could have been left by the previous owners since they didn't clean out the barn before we moved in.
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed about how to handle this since I've already paid the contractor a portion of the fee to work on our barn and I planned to hire him for additional work on the new house as well. What would you all suggest I do?
3 Answers
I’d suggest just cutting your losses and starting over with a new contractor. It seems like things are getting sketchy over there, and you don’t need that stress. Getting someone reliable right from the beginning could save you a lot of trouble down the line.
If your contractor hasn't responded, I think a non-emergency call to the police to check things out might be wise. They can come and do a welfare check. Plus, if you're planning to do anything with the barn, knowing who's there is crucial. Just make sure you handle it during the day when you can see what's going on safely.
Honestly, your best bet might be to call the police. It's definitely a safety concern and they can help you figure out what's going on without you having to put yourself in a risky situation. If it turns out your contractor’s just been using the barn for work, they can sort it out. Better to be safe!
That sounds like a good approach! I’ll definitely check it out in the daylight tomorrow. I just want to be cautious since I don't know if anyone’s inside.