Should I fire my contractor?
Carla Petrillo
5 years ago
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5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoRelated Discussions
If I were to replace my oil-fired boiler-should I??
Comments (12)Thanks Baymee: Looked at that fuel comparison, seems like oil replacement is the best option. At my age (61) I also have to look at payback time. Here in B.C. Canada, we have gotten a price for a new 86% effecient oil-boiler at $3600 installed. And we already have a 250 gallon tank. Wheras, the propane boiler is $7500 plus, including installation. As for daddo, yea, could look at cheaper fuel, but we do buy the more expensive bio-fuel. 20%canola-80%oil. Eases my conscience a bit-lol. Just in case you guys were wondering what it costs to heat a 1700 sq.ft. home here, it goes like this= 4 cords firewood-$660-60 gallons propane-$275, and this years total oil bill was-$720. or approximately $1700 per year. I suppose in todays world, that isn`t all that bad. The reason for the different heat sources is this old house is a four level split. *And when the power goes out cause of a wind storm, we like to have that back-up. Thanks again for the feedback. George...See MoreCan I fire my contractor?
Comments (3)You may find it most productive to insist on a face to face meeting with your contractor. Explain how frustrated you are but you still want him to complete the work, as agreed. Write out a schedule of work and have him sign off on it. If he fails to meet the timelines, there should be a financial penalty. Also, agree upon milestones for payment. This will motivate him to complete milestones in order to get paid; no work, no pay. If you feel the contractor has abandoned the site. You can serve him with notice of intent to hire a replacement contractor. You have the right to hire another contractor to complete the job and deduct his invoices from the amount you own the first guy. If you choose to go this route, you are choosing a battle. You may want to consult a lawyer in your area as to how to go about this....See MoreShould I compensate my contractors for delays that I caused?
Comments (5)I am a Project Manager for a software company, and I am working with contractors doing various work throughout my house. So, I can see both sides here. In my work, I can have multiple jobs going at once, so if I'm held up by the customer with one job, I can easily shift focus to another. I know with many skilled trades, that is not so easy to do. My shipment of hardwood was held up for two days. We had no notice, so he couldn't schedule work, and his other jobs would have taken too long, or he couldn't get a hold of them to fill that time. It meant he was basically out two days of work. However, if you're talking two months of work, then they should have been able to fill that time. Over the past year I've had several lapses in work, and I tell the guys that once we get to a point feel free to take on other jobs until I have enough for for a solid day or two. I'm understanding and respect their time, and I know they appreciate that. At the same time, they should have a grasp of the project and be able to foresee some things coming. ie, not having the doors/windows. They should have made contingencies for themselves for that eventuality. I think the fact that you acknowledge the fact that you were the source of the delays and are willing to accept responsibility for that is wonderful. I'm going to suggest that you "split the difference" here as I truly believe blame was on both sides here, not just yours. I would tell them how much you appreciate their work, their time, and their understanding, and let them know that you will pay them an additional $5k in the final payment (upon completion of work). To reignite their interest in the project, offer the other $5k as an incentive if they are done by a certain (reasonable) date....See MoreShould I complain to my contractor?
Comments (27)"But I'm no woodworker. Maybe this is just the way it works? I'm new to this sort of thing. Should I let them try fixing it with caulk?" It's not the way it's supposed to work. Caulk is used to hide small cracks on surfaces that are painted, for example where trim is applied to walls. No responsible cabinetmaker would use caulk to fix sloppy work. And the chipping may be more noticeable after the caulking settles into the chips and highlights all of them. I can't tell you what you should do, but I can say that what he is proposing would embarrass a true, pro cabinetmaker....See MoreCarla Petrillo
5 years agoHelen
5 years agothinkdesignlive
5 years agoMint tile Minneapolis
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoCarla Petrillo
4 years agoCarla Petrillo
4 years agoartemis_ma
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoHelen
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agothinkdesignlive
4 years agoCarla Petrillo
4 years ago
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