Another day, another shonky contractor

[Nat C.]

I have been using Thumbtack to find various professional for hire. Thumbtack is similar to Angies List and Home Advisor.

I placed an ad for a HVAC technician. I offered $250 for installation on each AC unit stating that I needed two units installed in two properties immediately and another two units installed next month. 

I had several offers to complete the work and ended up choosing a company that were close by. 

They did not turn up for the scheduled Tuesday appointment and they rescheduled for Wednesday. The tenants were arriving Wednesday night so it was certainly cutting it fine. On Wednesday the AC guy called me and when they were at the job to tell me it would cost an extra $250 due to extra work and materials they needed to buy. I wasn't in a position to say no, so I agreed.

They finished the job in the afternoon and text me pictures and said they emailed me the invoice.

The tenants arrived later that day and told me the AC unit wasn't working. I then looked at the invoice and saw it is for $1410. I questioned the the company on the additional $910 that I hadn't agreed to pay or been advised of and he said it was extra materials and labor.

To make it look even more like they are trying to pull the wool over my eyes, he said the quote of $250 per unit means $250 for air handler and $250 for the condenser. 

Presently I have a HVAC system that isn't cooling. He said they will come and look at it after I pay the $1410. At no point will I pay $1410, I will only pay $500 because that's what I agreed to. He said he will be placing a mechanics lien on the property. 

I did some reading on mechanics liens and I imagine I would have a chance to contest it and I have thumbtack correspondence in writing that the agreed price is $250 per unit. As mentioned he is claiming per unit pertains to air handler as one unit and condenser as second unit. 

How would my Bigger Pockets friends proceed?

[Keith Belzner]

This quote from the original post has me the most concerned. As a contractor when someone "offers" me the price for a job any reputable contractor will run. You call them they come out and THEY give the price not the homeowner. Now if you want to haggle from there thats another story but they are the ones with the knowledge of your problem. If you want some laughs look up craigslist ads offering jobs for work at absurd prices, for example people have offered $10 per hour for someone to come out and install a deck, not kidding. 

I have seen both sides, from a contractor and investor. Contractors will come to loathe investors who are cheap about everything and investors will complain that contractors are ripping everyone off. Cant we all just get along and make some money.