All Forum Posts by: Dan Jones

Everyone, thank you so much for your advice.

@Prashanth Mahakali

Your guideance has been very help. I will stay focused on the goal of getting this flip finished and deal with the bad contactor after.

@Mindy Jensen

I have documented dates and taken pictures every time I have inspected the property. I also have my phone records that show how many time I have tried to get in touch with them. I have made some progress with my JV and I am looking into options to finish this project on my own. I do not have an attorney yet. I don't know when its time to bring one in and how much it will cost relative to the potential lien.

I don't feel comfortable posting names right now since I am still trying to work something out with all parties. That said, if things do not work out I would be happy to share those details.

@Diana Rdzanek

Thank you for the advice. I take decent notes on a daily basis. It paints a decent picture of the timeline and issues.

I am getting no response at all from the GC. I am pretty sure they do not intend to contact me directly.

I plan to ask other contractors their opinion of how much the completed work is worth.

I may take you up on your offer to connect me to an attorney if it comes to that. Many thanks for your advice and guidance.

I am having problems with a flip. Basically, I did everything wrong. I entered into a JV with a guy who was going to act as project manager.

He started the project before I signed an agreement with him and before I had agreed (I asked many times to refine and finalize it with specific feedback) to an SOW. I am not sure if he ever showed an official SOW to the GC and I suspect that there is no written contract with the GC.

The GC made fast progress on the paint so I wired 4K to my JV partner in good faith. I kept asking to get the signed agreements and SOW, but kept getting excuses, etc.

Fast forward a bit and things went south fast, still no contracts (as far as I know), I wired another 4K, and now all work stops.

The GC said that he never agreed to the things in the SOW my JV partner shared with me. He said he is 90% done with the project and needs a payment, that my JV partner requested 3K of additional items (what was the original agreement? and the additional items? was all this verbal?), etc, etc. and he is now threatening to file a lien.

The project is no where near 90% done. Maybe 30-40% done.  

He (his office assistant) said the agreement was for 10K.  I am not even sure if he wants 90% of 10K, 90% of 13K, or some other number he will make up if/when I hear from him again.  

It sounds like the GC is pulling numbers out of the air. He will not return my calls. I got all this info from my JV partner and one conversation with his office assistant.

Also, I am pretty sure he is not licensed which is a major problem since I can't pass inspection from the city unless he is licensed and pulls permits.

I feel like I am getting scammed from all ends here and would love to hear some advice on how to protect myself at this point.

IMO he has received more money than work completed (at inflated pricing).  

I would like to get a different contractor to finish the job, but I am concerned this guy will file some huge lien against me saying I owe him a ton of money.  

I took a ton of pictures to document the "lack of" work.  Is this enough?  Should I get another contractor to write some kind of affidavit.  Do I need to get an attorney at this point?

This is in the Chicago Illinois suburbs if that helps at all.

Thanks