[Rick K]

ouch

http://www.autojunk.nl/clips/view/152095

[magnetic1]

Remodeling fail:

[HateDCRoads]

Why you don't want to live in the district.

I had a rental car (luckily not the P-Car) towed once and they didn't even put it in neutral or release the e-brake - just dragged it all the way to the lot and flat-spotted the tires.

Problem is that tickets/towing in DC/Arlington are just a total racket intended to flow money toward friends of those in power.

Responsible government fail.

[SilverStreak]

Originally Posted by magnetic1

Remodeling fail:

Ach! Don't worry about that, drywall has structural value

Seriously, is that your place? Looks like an ugly discovery. Do you need some fixes?

[Fritz]

what? somethings wrong with that??

I hope those walls aren't structural. If they are just for hanging drywall over a basement foundation with no weight on them, then that's only a partial fail.

[magnetic1]

Originally Posted by SilverStreak

Ach! Don't worry about that, drywall has structural value

Seriously, is that your place? Looks like an ugly discovery. Do you need some fixes?

Actually no... but we had a similar near-disaster. Luckily we stopped their work, fired them, hired someone else and sued them. We got a judgement, but since these shady contractors dont have anything in their names, we cant get any $ out of them.

Here is our story: (apparently karma came for one of the two guys)

http://kitchencons.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html

[Dr K]

Originally Posted by magnetic1

Actually no... but we had a similar near-disaster. Luckily we stopped their work, fired them, hired someone else and sued them. We got a judgement, but since these shady contractors dont have anything in their names, we cant get any $ out of them.

Here is our story: (apparently karma came for one of the two guys)

http://kitchencons.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html

Sorry story, Eric. glad you got it fixed. Of all the places in the house to end up with a messy wall, behind your dryer has to be the least noticeable, but that doesn't excuse the contractor for messing this up in the first place.

We had 2 big remodeling jobs done 2 years ago - Basement and MBR/bath/closet. Our contractors didn't give tight estimates, and worked by the hour, and paid strict attention to detail. We wanted somebody less expensive for the basement (hell, it's a BASEMENT) but due to a low ceiling had trouble getting people to work on it. We'd heard so many stories like yours that we went with people who we'd watch work at our neighbors and knew were good, and that it would be expensive. We had a later workman come in after they were done in the basement; he was surprised anyone had done that level of work in the basement. Despite knowing it would be $$$, it ended up at least 50% higher than we'd thought (my comment - we could have done an addition which included a garage and a lift, and a new bathroom on top of it, and just left the basement the way it was...), but a couple of years later we're really happy with the work and the quality. Here's a photo of their plumbing (they have a plumbing contractor friend who is just as compulsive).




Note how they put the plumbing in the I-beam, and by boxing it in the way they did, they were able to have the ceiling over that part only 1/2" lower than the bottom of the I-beam.

Peter

[SilverStreak]

Originally Posted by magnetic1

Actually no... but we had a similar near-disaster. Luckily we stopped their work, fired them, hired someone else and sued them. We got a judgement, but since these shady contractors dont have anything in their names, we cant get any $ out of them.

Here is our story: (apparently karma came for one of the two guys)

http://kitchencons.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html

Sorry that happened. Crap like that gives guys in my profession a very bad name. I also don't understand how real crooks like that and a few others I've met stay in business, get loans etc. Stunning.

A first clue is when the "contractor" advises that you don't pull a permit. I don't know if this guy did that but he must not have had a permit. Some jobs are small enough not to but for me as a rule if electrical work is being done pull a permit. An inspector would have screwed that guy pretty hard unless they were cronies which happens too. Other option is do it yourself but I have found that usually takes waaaay longer than wives will tolerate

[magnetic1]

Originally Posted by SilverStreak

Sorry that happened. Crap like that gives guys in my profession a very bad name. I also don't understand how real crooks like that and a few others I've met stay in business, get loans etc. Stunning.

A first clue is when the "contractor" advises that you don't pull a permit. I don't know if this guy did that but he must not have had a permit. Some jobs are small enough not to but for me as a rule if electrical work is being done pull a permit. An inspector would have screwed that guy pretty hard unless they were cronies which happens too. Other option is do it yourself but I have found that usually takes waaaay longer than wives will tolerate

Honestly I dont even remember them asking me about pemits. I didnt know it was needed. I prolly should have ran the wiring myself, it isnt hard (Im a EE afterall). But since the project was contracted, I figured Id let them do all the work.

They definitely are hurting now. At least one of them. He wants to work out a payment plan with me b/c he cant renew his permits w/ this judgement hanging over him. That or there is something with money going on behind the scenes and doesnt wanna pay us. He wanted to give us $200/mo, we got it to $500, but he refuses to give a lump sum initially which raises some red flags. But this guy could also easily file for bankruptcy too, so I think it might be better to at least get SOMETHING now.

Back to your regularly scheduled FAIL.

[roundel]

[QUOTE=magnetic1;244775]But this guy could also easily file for bankruptcy too, so I think it might be better to at least get SOMETHING now.[QUOTE]


Good news is that bankruptcy will not protect the contractor from a judgement. Bad news is that squeezing money out of a contractor is not easy.

I have a rather large judgement against a contractor who screwed me on my 1st
attempt at building a garage. I got my judgement before he got his bankruptcy which peeled away several other of his victims. I get a couple hundred here and a couple hundred there. He is not even making a dent in the interest. I plan on remaining part of his life forever.