All Forum Posts by: Abraham Kauffman

"The mechanic's lien is created by operation of law when the services or materials are provided. However, the lien dissolves unless the party claiming the lien files a certificate of lien with the registry of deeds of the county in which the property sits within 90 days of the last supply of labor or materials."

A lawyer said they can file a lien if they just change a doorknob. That with the above makes me curious about buying materials. They even sent a copy of the receipt from the supply house for the 10/8 one, finishing items and light boxes.

I bought a three unit apartment building sometime earlier this year. Was just going to redo it and sell it.

Hired some electricians to take care of it. After they inspected it, they gave me a verbal estimate of $4,500.

Couple months went by, bunch of things happened and I got tied up in other business, $14,000 bill shows up.

I went to look at it... Honestly... they completed maybe $2,000 worth of work. Everywhere it's start and stop, picking here, picking there, just the service was completed.

I question their labor logs. Which are ridiculous. Looks like some days they're charging up to three hours of driving time. They'd come to the site, clock out to another job 40 mins away, and clock right back.

Excessive trips to parts store half hour away for stuff that should be on their truck.

Months later still insisting they've got $6,000 of material there. I know for a fact there isn't as I've inventoried it. Less than half that. Another electrician said tear everything out. 

I talked to a lawyer. He said if they put a lien on it, it could be up to two years! See if they'd settle...

They wanted $10,000. Said nah...

State of Maine allows them 90 days since last time there to put a lien. They started threatening, managed to drag it past that 90 days. Got a invoice the other day that shows they bought material on 10/8. They've been fired since 8/8.

Someone today said I have a babyface, and they're probably just trying to take advantage of me. I play dumb when I meet contractors, I guess I do that to sorta gauge their honesty. They have a positive online reputation. It's not my first rodeo, just first time with something that might end up in court. Been to court once, it's expensive. 

I know the answer is just give it to the lawyer. Just throwing this out there while I mull it over and finalize it in my head. Everything is in a folder ready to go. Luckily I didn't put any money down for them and I signed nothing (could've been a blessing, but in this case probably better off). 

I was getting all excited as I got two single family homes to wrap up in December and then I could revisit the apartment building. Now I'm not sure if they've caught onto the 90 day thing and that's what the invoice from 10/8 is from to try to string it out. I know it'd be a relatively easy win, but I'm not going to touch the building until I know it won't get held up. 

im playing with using a structure for purchasing commercial or commercial with rental units that involves an investor putting up the down payment and my side holding the mortgage. The investor would get 30% net, rest paid 50/50 until the down payment is repaid then 50/50 thereafter. 

My biggest question is if there should be some sort of fee for essentially doing the foot work, finding the property and going through all the steps given the down payment is being paid back. I was playing with 2% of purchase cost of the building. The amount would be a part of the total cost of the building, not charged to the other party  

 You can really pay the Home Depot card off with a credit card?