Finding a good contractor
To avoid getting ripped off by a building contractor (you’ll hear about it later), always check the contractor’s credentials by calling the Better Business Bureau and the building inspector in your county. Never just accept the references provided by the contractor. The contractor will only provide information from those who have been satisfied with their work. Notes are generally useless.
Don’t just pull the contractor’s name from a newspaper or a bulletin board to build a local supply store. We ask the local building inspector to recommend someone. The inspector is the one who is most knowledgeable about the quality of the work and the professionalism of the contractor.
Contract
Do everything in writing in your contract. Ask the building contractor size each job to make sure you get what you expect. Don’t assume that just because someone seems nice, they will keep their word. Crooks are good actors and actresses. They are professional liars and know how to scam honest people.
Have a contract to write the completion date from the contract. Some employers say that it cannot be done because the weather can be unpredictable, but a reasonable date must be set. Ask for a clause that provides refunds if the work is not done in a timely manner.
The contractor will never pay more than half for the job, even if the bank is involved. When all is said and done, your bank probably doesn’t care about you. When you sign for a loan, you are responsible for seeing the job done. If the employer defaults, it is more than likely required to pay the loan payment anyway. The bank has given you the money, and you will have to pay it back, regardless of what the lender does or doesn’t do.
If the contractor is unhappy
If you are not happy with the work or the time the work was completed, don’t wait to get a lawyer involved. Perverted contractors try to talk about anything, and they have as many excuses as they have nails. If you feel that you should be receiving alms, contact your attorney and private attorney. The contractor can buy time to either leave the town or file for bankruptcy.
Don’t count on getting the help of your local attorney. Each county has a different view of what is not theft. My county is good at getting money for a job and not getting it done. You may find that you are of the same opinion and remain emotionally drained and financially depleted.
My history
In March 2004, my now husband and I hired a contractor from Albion, Indiana. We hired a company, I’ll call it “Demolition House”, for a 24′ by 28′ two car garage and an 8′ x 14′ breezeway attached. Hiring someone is one of the most costly mistakes we ever make. I am sharing my experience with this crooked contractor so others can learn from my mistakes and avoid wasting more money and effort.
Mine is now ex-husband and I was still married when the decision was made to renovate our home finally. The garage and aura just waited so long to perform. I was hesitant to hire Albion, a contractor that had worked for us before and it took about four months to complete the addition of space to our basement. I was afraid that he would take an untimely period for the next job, but my husband insisted on hiring him at the time. He felt that the man would do the job for a reasonable amount of time, and since we had used his services in the past, I was sure he was a good man. will do the job. It couldn’t be more wrong.
The first thing that angered me was the contract he proposed. He wanted all but $2,000 down on the $15,700 job. This sent up a big red flag, but because it was our bank financing, and the business was well-liked, we went along with the proposal. Albion Contracts wrote the contract to say that $13,700 was paid up front for materials, the remainder was for labor that was to be paid for the completion of the work. The contract signed with the banker stated that they would impose financial penalties on the remaining money in the construction account if the job took 120 days longer. Every three months thereafter, they would face a penalty for any money left in the account. That is, he would lose the price if he took the job for more than four months. This clause further increased my belief that the contractor should complete the job in a reasonable amount of time. Although the details of the contract initially sent up a red flag that the bank had fallen into, I didn’t think it would be a problem.
Months after the contractor received the money to start the project, he still hasn’t started it. The summer had come before a truckload of materials had been delivered and dumped in our backyard. The wood remained there all winter in the open, exposed and bent and blackened. We contacted Albion’s contractor several times, and he had an excuse for not starting the job. The weather is often used as an excuse. Eventually the excuse turned to a lack of equipment, but through the spring, summer, and fall, frequent showers and light rains, the excuse didn’t start.
Finally, after five months, the foot was cast for the foundation. Now I have problems with my husband and personal. The garage and driveway are not completed for many reasons. He had insisted on this to the employer, but he had hoped that the man would do what he was expected to do. The contractor became aware of our personal problems, and began to use the instant divorce as a reason for not doing his job. Ironically, it was the excuse that sparked many disagreements. At first I believed his excuses and felt somewhat sorry for this poor, miserable man, but I soon realized that he was a con-man.
He arrived on April 4th 2005 and after my father had reviewed the work done so far, he contacted the County Building Inspector Noble. The inspector was overwhelmed, and after a substitute inspector had examined the matter, he placed a “cease-of-work order” on the office. The contractor was ordered to correct the areas needing attention and to call for another inspection as soon as possible. Many things were found wrong through the office. A fire wall was not placed between the living area and the attached garage, the floor deflector was used for the ceiling, and our propane water heaters it was found that carbon monoxide bursts into the atmosphere below the floor. These were a few issues, but worst of all, the contractor knowingly put me and my family at risk without care and concern. He became well aware of the ventilation problem and did not attempt to correct it. In fact, he tried to hide the ventilation pipe from view under the wind by placing waste material in front of it. The contractor clearly did not care about the job and was not going to do any more work. our house We were forced to hire a plumbing and electrical crew to properly flush the water heater before he became seriously ill or worse.
On April 11, 2005, the foundation was finally inspected. We were led to believe that we were getting a trunk foundation rather than a foundation foundation, but unfortunately it was not specified in the contract. I was not surprised because then I realized that we were dealing with a very ugly person. We just wanted to get the job done here. The house was already in the forecourt, and the sale was a long-term dream. In hindsight, it’s a good thing we didn’t sell our house, because knowing what we know now, the new owners would have filed a lawsuit against us.
The contractor never called the inspector for another required inspection. But he also spilled concrete flour on the ground without looking. A noble County Building Inspector came out at my request. He was very upset that the contractor did not call for an inspection before pouring the floor. The inspector used a large rock to sound the floor and listen for hollow spots. He then realized that the ground had not been properly compacted before pouring concrete. Now we are stuck with a concrete floor that could eventually fail.
I had to get out of the city soon, but I had big problems dealing with the road and the wind. My parents, whom I gave power of attorney, went to the office of the famous County Prosecuting Attorney. I knew that the contractor was having an auction, and I wanted to stop him. The contractor hired an announcer to auction his house and personal property. It was my opinion the contractor was going to skip town. For I knew now that I had no intention of completing my duty. My parents took the document of the unfinished business, and arranged for our attorney to pursue my valuable information. The lady, who was second in command, heard the case and told my parents what a “bad” use it was, but it was not a crime in Noble County.
How could this not be a crime? The contractor received money for a job he did not complete. Not only that, when the work was done, it was very outdated and much of the code did not fit. How could this theft not happen? I didn’t get anything. I would not accept any help from a prosecuting attorney. This perverse contractor allowed me to cheat and go on to cheat others as well.
On September 19, 2005, I sent another letter to the Noble County Indiana Prosecuting Attorney. The father also sent a letter, begging him to protect the law, “to stop this man.” Neither the father nor the civility gave me an answer. The prosecuting attorney turned his back on me.
I gave my husband and this employer every opportunity to do the right thing and complete the job that was once promised. I have been married for almost two years, and my new husband and I are still fighting for justice. We have hired an attorney to represent us in an effort to try and work with the contractor to resolve this problem. The contractor’s manager gave excuse after excuse and never kept his word.
I sought a default judgment against the contractor in the amount of $13,100 because he never responded to the court’s allegations. This money is yet to be seen. To pay someone else to complete and correct the work this person did and did not do well. A hearing is scheduled for January 5th to determine how the previous employer will pay this debt, but then he will be in jail.
The former owner of “Home Destruction” was arrested for doing the same to someone in Whitley County. He was arrested for a class D felony “night scam.” He himself of the signatures of the defendants. I was informed by Whitley County of the charges pending against him in Huntington County, that you should do the same to another man.
If the Noble County Prosecuting Attorney would listen to my pleas for help, other people can’t be scammed by this contractor. Not only did I come to the prosecutor before this contractor was auctioned off. if anything had been done at that time, I would have been able to recover my losses. But there are at least two others who have been scammed, and I can never get my bill back.
I am not safe in Noble County. It’s clear to me that people can get away with scamming people here. If it weren’t for the wonder of Central School and the desire to pursue my children’s education there, I would move out of this county, where contractors are allowed to steal citizens’ money.
Report:
- Contact your local Better Business Bureau to look into a potential home building contractor. Don’t rely on the Better Business Bureau alone when making the hiring decision. Also, check your site’s manufacturer names for specific contractors. www.bbb.org/
