Need advice on dealing with contractors

[Georges A.]

Guys I need help here.

I finally accepted a bid with a contractor to replace my triple decker deck which is a big project that involves demolishing the old deck and putting a new one (15k incl adding gutters and putting asphalt in the backyard).   Previously the old deck (that was almost falling apart) had the stairs going circular (which is not up to code in Boston anymore) which gave my deck a lot of space. I have requested multiple times from the contractor to provide me with plans so I can see how the new deck will look like and he always made up excuses not to provide them. They were working VERY fast and in 5 days they are like 70% done (and bc of my lack of experience I let them work 5 days without showing me the plans) I realized that the new stairs done the right way are taking LITERALLY all my deck space. So now when I open the balcony door I have stairs in front of me and I can put barely 2 chairs on each side - NO MORE DECK... So now I feel that I am paying 15k for an expensive fire escape rather than a deck and I feel I am getting ripped off. As I called the contractor today and asked him to stop everything until the plans are provided his tone was pretty aggressive which is now making me consider immediately stopping the whole project  and not pay him and if court is the way to go , so be it.  

Now I have mostly dealt with handy men and this is the first time I deal with contractors. This particular contractor was shady (tried to get paid earlier than his schedule, claimed the property passed "first inspection" while all they got was a permit, etc....)

Please advise how I should move forward as I am meeting him tomorrow. I know the general feeling on the forums is either (1) fire him / cut your losses or (2) suck it up and move forward as some of it is my mistake for not insisting on receiving the plan (god knows if they're even following a construction plan). 

PS: Our contract does not state anything about termination. It's a relatively small document that just states that they will build me a triple decker deck and that I pay them in 3 installments.  1 at the beginning, 1 when it passes inspection, and 1 at the very end.

please advise 

[Manolo D.]

True, but then again, we are dealing here with a shady contractor and an investor that only dealt with handyman, as mentioned on the first post and "PS", it is not probably a 3 paragraph contract, or maybe 1 with 3 sentences. Basically it falls down on he said she said type of contract when it comes to court.