Lousy Contractor

Deane
by Deane
What can a person do about a contractor who did not finish a job? He did a metal roof & has been working on the siding off & on for 2 months. His workers did a poor job on the window trim(J channel). He cut corners, reusing the 50+ year old drip strip on the roof & some of the siding starter strip. He said he would throw in shutters for doing over $20,000 worth of business with him, then tried to get out of that by saying they didn't have my size?! Older home with 70+" windows. I had looked them up on Home Depot website & told him so. So he got them. They were put on unlevel & this is not all of the story. What can I do??? And, I was stupid & paid him off, believing he would fix everything & "make everything right"?!?!?!? WRONG!!!icon icon
WARNING - Get EVERYTHING in writing or it won't happen!!!

  14 answers
  • William William on Oct 19, 2017

    You can file a complaint with your state licensing board and your local building department. Notify a TV station that follows up on bad contractors. All else fails you have to take him to court.

  • Nancy Nancy on Oct 19, 2017

    If you didn't pay him, that is always a bargaining point. I whole-heartedly agree with William's advice.

  • Sis15104622 Sis15104622 on Oct 19, 2017

    Never give anyone money up front !!! We had the same problem. I went to our bank (BofA) loan, they were no help. But then, I called the contractors licensing board. The came back, (the contractor) and jack hammered the cracked cement, and poured new concrete. I hope this helps.😇

  • Ebbjdl Ebbjdl on Oct 19, 2017


    Get everything in writing, your so right. You need to contact the Better Business Bureau, contact the attorney general of your state, try to documate everything that happened in sequence. Try your best to write a story as to what happened when. Let me know what state you live in , I can better help you.

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 19, 2017

    Was this Job done by Home Depot outside services?

    • Deane Deane on Oct 20, 2017

      No, it was done by a local business man from Huntingburg, IN. (Southern Indiana)

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 20, 2017

    Where did you find out about him,was he a recommendation

    • Deane Deane on Oct 23, 2017

      In the local newspaper - The Daily Herald - Jasper, IN(Southern Indiana)

  • Sis15104622 Sis15104622 on Oct 20, 2017

    Diane, in 1975 I used the phonebook. But, you can ask Siri. Just say, hey Siri what's the number for the contractors licensing board. Make sure you say the name of your state. I hope this helps 😇

  • Sharon Sharon on Oct 21, 2017

    By all means file a complaint with the state contractor's licensing board. When hiring any contractor, look them up online and see if they have previous complaints and whether they were resolved before you hire them.

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 23, 2017

    I would report him to a local business complaint board,contact your local news channels.Do not let him get away with anything.

    • Deane Deane on Oct 26, 2017

      Thanks, Janet, still waiting for him to return a screen they ruined when they RIPPED off the old siding, hasn't finished putting on the snow block, hasn't covered back porch posts. ......... I could just cry for being so stupid!!

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 26, 2017

    Do not beat yourself up....We all try to think many would not take advantage.You need to believe what goes around comes around. With a good fight he will get his.

    • Deane Deane on Oct 26, 2017

      Thank you, Janet. I know you're right. And I should help him get his!!

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 26, 2017

    you got that right.take photos ,have records ready,copy the complaints that have been noted.GO FOR IT

  • Sharon Henry Sharon Henry on Oct 26, 2017

    Call your local city or county planning commission and they can probably help you more as they know the local rules and ways to handle the problem.

  • Walter Bercarich Walter Bercarich on Oct 27, 2017

    Don't give him the final payment until you are satisfied with the job and he corrects everything. Once you pay him he's not coming back.

  • Sharon Sharon on Sep 17, 2021

    Look this contractor up on your state Contractor Licensing Board. See if he has a license, has insurance, and then file a complaint. Take good pictures of all the defects. You can also file bad reviews on Yelp and other sites...... boy I had a contractor go nuts when I did that, he demanded I take it down and told him to go F himself. And then I filed a bunch more bad reviews all over the web.