Contractor Nightmare - New Jersey

[Marcos Torres]

Hello All,

I need some advice or guidance. I’m currently on the process of a rehab on a duplex. I hired a contractor who told me he would be able to finish the job in 2 months. I awarded him the $57,000 contract and work commenced. We are now on month 6 and he’s still not complete. I’ve been paying him little by little but he takes his sweet time. He still has significant amount of work, and i only owe him $10,000. I’ve expressed to the contractor that i will not pay him the remaining $10,000 until he completes the job. He didn’t like that i was holding the money and has walked off the job.

Any suggestions? I’m worried he’ll put a lien, but i need to finish this rehab and want to hire someone else. 

Can he argue that we didn’t have a concrete time line in writing, and I’m the one who breached by hiring someone else?