Contractor Fraud

[Antifreeze]

What is the name of your state?
Colorado

We have a contractor who started on our addition (20X20) and Handicap improvements in Dec 02! Now it is Oct and he has 87% of the money and we have less than 50% of the work done?

He checked out fine when we started the BBB said he had no unusually or excessive compliants!
He refuses to finish unless we give him the remainder of the money!
He has walked off of the job at least 4X with the permit.
He won't return calls.
He refused our letter (cert. Return rec). I also sent a copy of the letter in the regular mail.
When I checked him out on the internet I found he has over 20 small claims cases against him and almost all are unstatified!
The regional building department has several complaints agianst him for the same type of scams, rip up the house, long delays without calls and missed appointments.
According to his cost sheet we need about 20K to finish, we have $6,700 left.
We contacted several lawyers and most said it would cost more or the same (20K) to go all of the way and then we would have to collect? He has claimed Chapter 7 in the past to avoid settlements.
Any way I can notify him and other (Newspaper ?) that is is gone and he he is responsible for any outstand charges that he incurred?
Sorry but this is the short version!
Thanks

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

What is the name of your state?
Colorado

We have a contractor who started on our addition (20X20) and Handicap improvements in Dec 02! Now it is Oct and he has 87% of the money and we have less than 50% of the work done?

He checked out fine when we started the BBB said he had no unusually or excessive compliants!
He refuses to finish unless we give him the remainder of the money!
He has walked off of the job at least 4X with the permit.
He won't return calls.
He refused our letter (cert. Return rec). I also sent a copy of the letter in the regular mail.
When I checked him out on the internet I found he has over 20 small claims cases against him and almost all are unstatified!
The regional building department has several complaints agianst him for the same type of scams, rip up the house, long delays without calls and missed appointments.
According to his cost sheet we need about 20K to finish, we have $6,700 left.
We contacted several lawyers and most said it would cost more or the same (20K) to go all of the way and then we would have to collect? He has claimed Chapter 7 in the past to avoid settlements.
Any way I can notify him and other (Newspaper ?) that is is gone and he he is responsible for any outstand charges that he incurred?
Sorry but this is the short version!
Thanks

My response:

Since you've discussed this with an attorney, and have now discovered his "checkered past," what is it that you'd like from this forum?

IAAL

 

[Antifreeze]

Re: Re: Contractor Fraud

My response:

Since you've discussed this with an attorney, and have now discovered his "checkered past," what is it that you'd like from this forum?

IAAL

I looking for answers? To see what I can do about things myself? Does this sound like fraud?
Should I post a notice in the local paper?
Can you have more than one small claims case for the same project against the contractor?
It may be a lost cause in our case? But I'd like to see that he has trouble doing it to someone else!
Any suggestions would be a great help!
I will be pulling a new permit and will finish the work!

 

[HomeGuru]

Now how much of the work is completed?

 

[Antifreeze]

We have walls framed and the OSB is on, the roof is shingled.

The plumbing has had the rough inspection, Electricial is roughed in but the GC put the inspection on hold.

He poured a concrete plate for the Handicap shower but it has a 4" lip and has to be removed!

The wall around most of our doors has been ripped off since Jan. for the door widing.

Since my first posting he has closed his office and the phone is disconnected! He has had his Lic. in the next county put on hold because his ins was canceled.

Thank you for you reply!
Preston

 

[HomeGuru]

OK.