Should I Trust My Contractor
Tiago Proulx
I paid him in full after 90% of the work had been completed. He had agreed to come back to finish the work but never did. I tried contacting him several times, but he blocked my number. I called him from a different line, and he answered the call, but hung up immediately after realising I was calling him.
After reading many stories similar to mine, I feel disheartened that I will ever see my money again. Rather, I would like to focus my attention to ensuring others do not have to experience the same with this contractor again. Those who conduct business in such a manner give the profession a bad name.
I 100 % agree that such trades needs to be exposed and should be out of work ASAP. If you don't speak such scammers succeed and run away with people's hard earned money. These are the people taking disadvantage of our system.
Scammers like that really bother me. Those of us that try to maintain a good reputation and keep our businesses afloat have a hard enough time trying to win over the trust of new clients as it is without stories like this getting out.
I 100 % agree that these kind of trades and contractors need to be exposed. They do a project as cheap as possible and give everyone a bad name. The best thing to do before hiring a contractor is do your research on them. Get references and don't always take the cheapest bid.
Well heres another perfect example of some of the things that are happening out there! These guys are rampant and this story is all too familiar, hate to say it but at least you had 90% of the work done! If he's blocking your calls he has no intention of coming back, hard lesson but as a client you should be holding back more so that these guys are not overpaid before work is completed!
The only way to affect him is to make sure the word gets out that these are the types of business principles he operates on! Thats why I tell our potential clients to check referrals, and go see the work if the work is good the clients will be more than happy to show it off! Word of mouth is the most powerful action, but you can also go online and see if theres a way to rate him or write a review on a forum!
I saw his ad on Kijiji after a friend of mine got her floors done through a contact there, and suggested I try it. I suppose it's a toss up who you end up with, and in future, I will never look there again for my home improvement needs.
I recommend this organization, although it may be too far for you. I have no affiliation, aside from the fact I opposed some these folks in the court room, and my experience is that their skill level and integrity is there. I do not however, know their representatives in Alberta. Do your reviews.
The answer is, yes, you absolutely can sue your contractor for overcharging. However, you must be able to demonstrate breach of contract, bad faith, dishonesty, or gross incompetence on the part of the contractor.
No matter what kind of contract you enter, a Scope of Work clause should specify all work to be done. The owner approves all suggested changes and reviews the costs. These are called change orders.
It is important to inspect and approve every change order. Many homeowners approve the first few changes, at a mild cost increase, then get gouged on subsequent changes once the contractor has gained their trust.
Is your overcharging contractor charging for materials and labor, or are they sneaking in bogus charges disguised as necessary work? The best way to be certain is to inspect the invoice, ask questions, and do not settle for vague explanations.
The contractor should not bill you for additional costs after they have sent the full invoice and received payment in full. At this point, the contract is complete. There is no more room for changes or negotiations.
Contractors may overbill to cover debts from a previous project. The contractor hopes to make the money back by overcharging you to recoup losses that have nothing to do with your project. This is a potential violation of the Colorado Construction Trust Fund Statute and could lead to you receiving triple the original damages.
Unscrupulous contractors anticipate conflicts because of the way they do business. Therefore, they are not above intimidating homeowners into paying them. For example, they could stop work in the middle of the project and walk away, claiming that you are breaching the contract by not paying. They leave vulnerable materials and unfinished rooms exposed to the elements until work resumes.
If a contractor took funds designated for your project and diverted them elsewhere, or stashed the money away for themselves, they could be on the hook for treble damages and even possible theft charges.
Your home/apartment is made of lots of different gas/particulate emitting products - (including plenty of green treated wood already) - a small piece added isn't changing the non-organic status of your home. It's location shouldn't be significantly wet or hotter then the rest of your home (except for a leak or 1hr showers) - even if it was it shouldn't effect much the off gassing potential into your home.
Are the walls closed in? If you're really concerned, it would take the plumber or a carpenter all of 5 minutes to swap it out if not. But Nick has it right - the 14" of PT in your house is not going to have any effect on anything unless you have some severe sensitivity to it.
As pressure treated wood is regularly used in the construction of playground equipment and picnic tables, the safety of children exposed to the wood is a major consideration in the selection of the chemicals used to treat the wood. Because of this, the modern non-arsenic treatments use chemicals that have very low toxicity to humans, and are easily processed or excreted by your body; there is not any known risk to children even with significant amounts of contact.
ACQ treated wood is corrosive to metals on the other end of the galvanic scale. So it's fine with copper piping but eats aluminium, uncoated mild steel, galvalum etc. As long as your plumber used coated or copper nails to secure the shower head it will be fine.
ACQ doesn't offgass the chemicals in it, they are released by moisture. So again, you are fine as long as your plumbing doesn't leak in the walls - and if it does you have larger problems to worry about.
I trust this is a scrap of new pressure treated lumber, not something with the old arsenic treatment that has been sitting around for years? Still not an outgassing issue, but in that case cleanup of any sawdust he left would be an issue.
Certain projects can be self-installed and receive Energy Trust incentives. Check the specific project incentive page to see which projects qualify for self-install incentives. We provide cash incentives for materials, but not for labor. Homeowner self-installed projects must follow the guidelines in our Specifications Manual and may require a Quality Assurance verification in order to receive a cash incentive. All other projects must be installed by an Energy Trust trade ally or a licensed contractor to ensure they function safely and correctly.
Many energy-saving improvements can easily be incorporated into your home remodeling project, such as insulation, windows, heating systems, water heaters and appliances. Before you begin work, check the requirements that qualify your project for Energy Trust incentives. Please note that any upgrades required for code compliance are not eligible for Energy Trust cash incentives.
Energy Trust does not offer cash incentives for standard solid doors. However, you may be able to receive a per-square-foot incentive for installing an exterior sliding glass door if it meets our efficiency requirements. Click here for more information.
No. Reflective white roofs can decrease the cooling load, but they can also increase the heating load. While they offer significant energy savings in warm climates, they are not very effective in Oregon.
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR is a whole-house energy checkup that helps homeowners track down energy waste and identify cost-effective improvements that enhance year-round comfort. Using state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, a trained and certified Home Performance contractor tests and evaluates your home for energy performance, health and safety.
After a three- to four-hour comprehensive home assessment, you will receive a customized energy- and cost-saving action plan that identifies improvements and explains how they will increase your comfort and safety. The cost for this service varies depending on the contractor you choose. Energy Trust offers incentives for many of the upgrades that may be recommended after a Home Performance assessment.
Testing and sealing your ductwork can trim your energy costs, make your home more comfortable and reduce indoor air pollution. Improperly sealed ducts allow heated or cooled air to escape before it reaches the rooms of your home, which costs you money.
Yes. Energy Trust provides income-qualified customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista with increased cash incentives for making qualified energy-saving home improvements and generate clean power. Learn more about Savings Within Reach and Solar Within Reach how to qualify.
You may also qualify for free energy-saving upgrades from your local Community Action Agency based on your income. Visit www.caporegon.org or call 503.316.3951 to find a community action agency near you.
No. Energy Trust works with builders to help them build more energy-efficient homes, and pays incentives directly to the builder to help reduce the cost of including energy-efficient equipment and building techniques. This cost reduction may or may not be passed along to homebuyers in the form of a reduced sale price. However, you may be eligible for cash incentives for new appliances or other upgrades if they were purchased separately from the home.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide an EPS or cash incentives for homes that have already been completed. Newly built homes must be designed to meet EPS requirements before construction begins and go through our verification process. It is not possible to verify built-in features, such as wall insulation, after the home has been completed.
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