I hired a contractor to renovate my bathroom and do some other repairs, but things have gone wrong from the start. I was promised that the bathroom would be finished on the first day, but that didn't happen. The worker left unexpectedly, causing me to call the company, who reassured me that it would be done that day. Yet, it was still unfinished, and he even quit on the spot, leaving me hanging. Now I'm stuck with an old bathtub and unsure how to handle the situation since the manager is sending someone else to do only partial work. What are my options here?
3 Answers
First, check if you had any kind of written contract. If it's just verbal, that complicates things a bit. It's great that you haven't paid anything yet because it gives you some leverage. If you’re in a state that requires contractors to be licensed, you might want to look them up and check if they have a license. Research if your state has a way to file complaints against contractors—it could help you figure out what to do next.
Definitely take plenty of photos of the unfinished work. When you find a new contractor, ask them for a written estimate to complete the job. That way, you have documentation in case things get legal. The lack of a contract can be risky, but make sure you get everything in writing going forward to avoid these issues in the future.
Verbal agreements can lead to a lot of problems, as you’re seeing now. If you're able to patch things up with the original contractor, that might be a faster route to finish your bathroom. But moving forward, definitely get a new contractor who’s willing to take over. Just be cautious since they might not want to deal with the mess left behind.