Contractor Problem

[Joe A.]

Hello-

I hired a contractor to rehab 4 bathrooms in a SFH (my primary residence). The work is about 70% complete but for the last 2 months the contractor has stopped showing up. Maybe once a week if we are lucky. Always a different excuse. I have called him approx 20 times in the last 3 days with no call back. What should I do? Unfortunately we have paid him the majority of his money due. We are in NJ. He is licensed and valid with the state but there is little record of the company online. Thanks.

[Doug Shapiro]

Hi Joe,

It may be in your best interest to just hire a new contractor (fire the current one) and to move on with your remodel.  

You may very well win in a small claims court, but how much money and time are you going to waste either trying to get the contractor to finish the job or reimburse you for work that was never completed?   My advice is to put your pride aside and to move on.  

I was in a similar situation where it took one of my contractors over a month to do some relatively simple remodeling work.  They were extremely unresponsive to calls and emails, and rarely showed up.  What should have taken 1 week ended up taking 5 weeks with only 80% complete.  I finally just had a talk with the contractor and showed them exactly what hadn't been completed and asked for a partial refund on what I'd paid.  Be sure to just state facts.  They were okay with it, and the very next day a new contractor I hired started work.  

Just don't waste your time, money, and energy on contractors who don't perform.  As noted, you probably paid them too much too soon, but now is the time to hire someone else to finish the remodel.  

Jay