Contractor performed work without a signed contract. Pay?

[Matt Nico]

Hey everyone,

I'll be brief. I recently had a General contractor come see a project of mine for work. Scope included building a couple walls, some light plumbing work, and a high voltage electrical wire for a dryer. We discussed the initial process of getting the permits, which I was told verbally it would be a fee of "$600-$700" for permitting + the county fee. I already had all the paperwork and plans drawn up.... The GC just had to submit them.

A couple days go by and I ask for the contract to sign so we can start the work. I was told that the permits were already submitted to the county, and the CG had already paid the plumbing contractor. I finally get the contract, which says $1,900 for permits. $700 for the GC permit, and $600 each for plumbing and electrical. I'm then told that the work the electric and plumbing contractors will do will be "Between $1,100 - $1,500".

I tell the GC this work should not have happened without signing the contract and to stop everything immediately. The CG is now requesting I pay the $700 for their fee for submitting permits and to pay back the Plumber who also filed a permit.

There is no signed contract between us, but the contractors did submit the permits.

Do I pay this or not?

Thanks in advance for input.

-Matt