Nearly everyone wants to gouge their GC's eyes out by project's end. But you aren't even to second base with this guy and feeling uneasy. That tells me you should find a new GC.

However, as a practical matter. I would tell him what you need to feel comfortable and politely make it clear that this is a matter of getting the job or not.

I wouldn't work with a GC who is pressuring you not to pull permits. That, combined with all the other little things you mentioned, would equal a big "no" for me.

And then do I "owe" him money for plans...?

Walk and you don't owe him a thing. It's not like you signed a contract. :)

Did he draw the plans? If so, you owe him something, but I agree with everyone else ... too many red flags early in the game. Cut your losses and move on.

Walk, run from this contractor. Anytime contractors do not want to pull a permit means they do not plan on doing quality work that would pass inspection.

As you probably already know, if a permit is not pulled the city can make you tear out all work done. This means loads of money down the drain.

Find a reliable contractor and be sure the work is done right.

Definitely have a signed contract stating a beginning and finish date of the project. State no payment until project is completely finished and passes inspection.

HOW should I sever ties...?

I wonder ---- is the $400 - $500 more to make the electric pass inspection?
Also when/if you ever want to sell people are smart today and check for permits on any work done.

I bet I saved $200K on my "new" house due to a lack of permits.

What plans did he draw up exactly? Plans you'd developed with your own KD/GW friends? Did he actually do anything more than give you a list of prices for everything? Cuz that's what you'd expect from anyone giving you a bid.

He spent time with you, then he lied to you. So you're even. Tell him you'll think about it and have some other GCs to interview and then go find some!

The plans are of the kitchen--nothing fancy, as we are not moving anything, changing structures. The cabinets will be replacing 15 year old buider grade cabs, and new granite countertop. One cabinet will move out to be flush with the fridge. Other than that, it is pretty much the same.

He came out once and measured and talked. He talks A LOT.

He came out again and talked about the "final" bid but we realized he hadn't done two small things we'd asked for. (One cabinet, one set of drawers each moved out three more inches).

We went to the granite yard with him, but he was also spending time with another client.

I typed in "permits" on the search up here, and if anyone in this thread hasn't done it, or is considering not doing it--read that thread! Wow.

I thought you meant real plans. Have to agree that you're not obligated to him for any reason.

Did you get other bids? If not, it's definitely time. And get a written contract when you find someone. You need to protect yourself and your home.

Will get other bids TOMORROW....

Sigh.

It's a pain, but better the guy you don't already know is a sleaze than the one you absolutely know is one!

Don't feel guilty or let DH feel bad--it's their job. They give lots of bids and some take a lot of work to prepare. And they don't get them all.

Contractors who are generally honest will occasionally not get permits at the homeowners' request, because the homeowners do not want to fix something which they know isn't up to code. Any contractor who suggests not having permits is violating the law, ethics, and licensing of his profession.

All you owe him is a call thanking him for his bid and saying that you've decided to go in a different direction. Do not engage. Do not offer money. Do not explain. If he's such a talker you're scared you'll be sucked in, send it as a letter. Just one sentence saying you're not going to hire him (politely). Don't commit anything else to paper that someone can construe to mean something you didn't mean to say. Close it with "Sincerely".

It's not necessarily true that you owe him nothing without a written contract, but if you're still in the bidding process, proven by the fact that you don't even have a proposal yet, you certainly only owe him for what you've agreed to pay for. (A sense opinion; I'm not a lawyer.) Some designers, for instance, charge a fee for the proposal, which you agree to ahead of time, and which you owe if you cancel after they've had a chance to start work and before you receive the proposal. If you didn't agree to a fee ahead of time, you owe nothing. All people who do this kind of work expect to only get a certain percentage of the jobs. If he had ordered cabinets it would show that he thought you had an agreement, and you might owe, depending on the rest of the circumstances (i.e., whether he clearly jumped the gun, or whether you gave him reason to think you wanted him to start work).

Ask around. Someone might have cancelled at the last minute (for personal reasons) on the best GC around. You might be able to slot into his Summer schedule.

The gut instinct that you're feeling now will only intensify after he starts the job. It sounds like you know what the best decision is already.

We hired a contractor who was recommended by a friend, but he initially was hard to pin down on timeframes, applying for the permits, etc. There were a few other minor things that we weren't thrilled with. But he had the best price so we went with him despite our misgivings. In hindsight I wish we had listened to our instincts and decided he just might not be the best fit for us. In reality he is too busy to manage all the jobs, so our small job is taking much longer than it reasonably should, including having to delay cabinet delivery. When you're living without a kitchen, or guys aren't showing up to do work at your house, it's extremely frustrating. In your case, the permit issue would be a big red flag for me.

I hope you make the decision that's right for you and don't let guilt sway you one way or the other! Advice from someone who's living through it...

Yikes!

Thanks guys....sad to have to postpone when I was getting so excited, but probably for the best.

Since the last time I wrote I have looked at the excel spread sheet--looked so professional--and there are all sorts of silly things in there. Lighting/electric is spread across 3 categories, probably to appear cheaper. Painting is listed, although we intend to do that ourselves (we've painted the whole house). Things I didn't ask for are in there.

Bad news.

you have been expressing concerns for some time. trust your gut. walk.