Let me lay the facts down first
#1 The Contractor is a flooring specialist. a old highschool friend. (however) we have been out of touch until last year.
#2 there is NO AGREED PRICE.
Let me start this very long story off with "Jason" the Contractor, and i reconnected and he laid some carpet in a house for me. the job was done at under regular cost and the work was fair.
I invited Jason out to our new home and he raved about the options and the great things he could do.. So he offered a 10% over material cost install of complete flooring in our home.
This is where things started getting a bit sticky.. Jason absolutely drug his feet, He ripped up the old flooring and 3 weeks later we still didnt have new stuff.. i was very patient as i wasnt paying him.. ((However i did write a check as a good will gesture at the end of the project)) After alot of phone calls and begging he came out and in completed 90% of the flooring in a days time, however he left our stairs bare for another two weeks before he could get back out to finish. so i wrote a check and that completed this job..
While on the last Job Jason ranted and raved about what a "Custom top end job" he could do with our countertops and backsplashes.. I was sore about the flooring job however the end result turned out nice so other than a big time issue i had nothing to complain about.
My wife and i priced out granite countertops, back splashes, new stainless sinks.. the works.. and then i recalled Jasons offer.. He came out and looked it all over again, he quoted two days and $xxxxx in material.. it was about $1,200 less than having Lowes home improvement do the countertops and he was including the backsplashes.. It was a no brainer.. I also told him i was now a paying customer. (although a fee for labor was never discussed).
The Headaches start. After talking to Jason and we decided on the correct time for this job to happen, I scheduled a week off work (vacation time) a whole month in advance. 36 hours before the jobs start time i txt message jason asking what time to expect him and he informs me that about 2/3 of the building materials have not arrived and the job is now on "Hold".. Im pi**ed.. I used up a weeks worth of vacation time for this.. Moving on and after i cooled down a few days later i asked, "where are my materials" that i had already paid for in full in advance ? "i dunno, we are trying to track them all down now" I wait a week.. nothing, i call him and advise him he has 48 hours to either refund my $$ or locate my materials and give me a 100% start date.. He snaps to attention and within 24 hours he knows where my stuffs at and we have a new start date..
FRIDAY: Jason does arrive on the correct start date and he starts "Demo" he removes my sink and countertops in about 90 minutes (with me doing the heavy lifting) by 11:30am a emergency on another job site comes up and Jason bolts.. never to return that day
Saturday: Jason arrives 2 hours late and starts "the build" of my new countertops, He is moving so slow its pathetic.. then he comes out with he injured himself a few days prior and is having splitting pains.. over 8 hours he cuts the wood and attaches it to my cabinets.. I pay attention, and healthy professional could have done what he did in 2 hours.. his constant smoke breaks and breathers for pain take up the majority of the day.
Sunday: He starts installing the granite countertop and stone backsplash, Today he makes decent progress..
Sunday evening my wife and i come home and notice alot of whoops/errors/poor craftsmanship.. in these expensive materials we have paid for.. we are not thrilled at this point with the overall look of the job. However most can be fixed and he promisses to do so... and his quoted 2 day timeframe is growing..
Monday he applies sealant to the stone backsplash and he installs our new stainless sink, Thats it.. he does not plumb the sink.. another 8 hours and about 2 hours working.
Today Tuesday Jason is called away to a more urgent job and never comes over.. Our Job is not done, its only at about 70% at this point.. He called and promissed to do the 3Rd coat of sealant on the stone and plumb in the sink Wednesday.. and Friday start the grout work and Reinstall the outlets etc..
This brings my thoughts to my fellow BITOG'ers.. Put yourself in my shoes.. Yes i hired a "old friend" yes he's worked on my house for penuts before and did a decent job on the floors, However im looking at this job, and the overall job this go around, How do you judge what to pay this person ? He's hinted at $300 a day for his normall services but i think thats a ripoff considering everything.. I know there are alot of details here.. besides "dont hire a friend" what say you ?
Thanks otis.
#1 The Contractor is a flooring specialist. a old highschool friend. (however) we have been out of touch until last year.
#2 there is NO AGREED PRICE.
Let me start this very long story off with "Jason" the Contractor, and i reconnected and he laid some carpet in a house for me. the job was done at under regular cost and the work was fair.
I invited Jason out to our new home and he raved about the options and the great things he could do.. So he offered a 10% over material cost install of complete flooring in our home.
This is where things started getting a bit sticky.. Jason absolutely drug his feet, He ripped up the old flooring and 3 weeks later we still didnt have new stuff.. i was very patient as i wasnt paying him.. ((However i did write a check as a good will gesture at the end of the project)) After alot of phone calls and begging he came out and in completed 90% of the flooring in a days time, however he left our stairs bare for another two weeks before he could get back out to finish. so i wrote a check and that completed this job..
While on the last Job Jason ranted and raved about what a "Custom top end job" he could do with our countertops and backsplashes.. I was sore about the flooring job however the end result turned out nice so other than a big time issue i had nothing to complain about.
My wife and i priced out granite countertops, back splashes, new stainless sinks.. the works.. and then i recalled Jasons offer.. He came out and looked it all over again, he quoted two days and $xxxxx in material.. it was about $1,200 less than having Lowes home improvement do the countertops and he was including the backsplashes.. It was a no brainer.. I also told him i was now a paying customer. (although a fee for labor was never discussed).
The Headaches start. After talking to Jason and we decided on the correct time for this job to happen, I scheduled a week off work (vacation time) a whole month in advance. 36 hours before the jobs start time i txt message jason asking what time to expect him and he informs me that about 2/3 of the building materials have not arrived and the job is now on "Hold".. Im pi**ed.. I used up a weeks worth of vacation time for this.. Moving on and after i cooled down a few days later i asked, "where are my materials" that i had already paid for in full in advance ? "i dunno, we are trying to track them all down now" I wait a week.. nothing, i call him and advise him he has 48 hours to either refund my $$ or locate my materials and give me a 100% start date.. He snaps to attention and within 24 hours he knows where my stuffs at and we have a new start date..
FRIDAY: Jason does arrive on the correct start date and he starts "Demo" he removes my sink and countertops in about 90 minutes (with me doing the heavy lifting) by 11:30am a emergency on another job site comes up and Jason bolts.. never to return that day
Saturday: Jason arrives 2 hours late and starts "the build" of my new countertops, He is moving so slow its pathetic.. then he comes out with he injured himself a few days prior and is having splitting pains.. over 8 hours he cuts the wood and attaches it to my cabinets.. I pay attention, and healthy professional could have done what he did in 2 hours.. his constant smoke breaks and breathers for pain take up the majority of the day.
Sunday: He starts installing the granite countertop and stone backsplash, Today he makes decent progress..
Sunday evening my wife and i come home and notice alot of whoops/errors/poor craftsmanship.. in these expensive materials we have paid for.. we are not thrilled at this point with the overall look of the job. However most can be fixed and he promisses to do so... and his quoted 2 day timeframe is growing..
Monday he applies sealant to the stone backsplash and he installs our new stainless sink, Thats it.. he does not plumb the sink.. another 8 hours and about 2 hours working.
Today Tuesday Jason is called away to a more urgent job and never comes over.. Our Job is not done, its only at about 70% at this point.. He called and promissed to do the 3Rd coat of sealant on the stone and plumb in the sink Wednesday.. and Friday start the grout work and Reinstall the outlets etc..
This brings my thoughts to my fellow BITOG'ers.. Put yourself in my shoes.. Yes i hired a "old friend" yes he's worked on my house for penuts before and did a decent job on the floors, However im looking at this job, and the overall job this go around, How do you judge what to pay this person ? He's hinted at $300 a day for his normall services but i think thats a ripoff considering everything.. I know there are alot of details here.. besides "dont hire a friend" what say you ?
Thanks otis.
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