cancel granite installation

[kacher]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL

A few weeks ago I agree to granite installation. Since then I have changed my mind. No work has been performed, and no money has exchanged hands. They do not have my credit or bank information as I was supposed to pay when they came out the first time to measure.

I would like to cancel the contract, but since it's been more than 3 days what will happen. They have no way to bill be for any cancellation fees.

Thanks.

 

[tranquility]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IL

A few weeks ago I agree to granite installation. Since then I have changed my mind. No work has been performed, and no money has exchanged hands. They do not have my credit or bank information as I was supposed to pay when they came out the first time to measure.

I would like to cancel the contract, but since it's been more than 3 days what will happen. They have no way to bill be for any cancellation fees.

Thanks.

It seems like you have a contract the other party may enforce. Their real damages might be the profit they would have made.

 

[justalayman]

Is there anything in your contract regarding cancellations?

If not, have you asked them about cancelling the contract?

 

[LdiJ]

It seems like you have a contract the other party may enforce. Their real damages might be the profit they would have made.

I am not sure that I agree if they have done no work yet, not even measuring. Its also very difficult to determine what profit any particular job might bring. Contractors certainly plan and budget for a profit but stuff happens and the profit rarely comes out to be exactly what was planned and budgeted for.

 

[justalayman]

I am not sure that I agree if they have done no work yet, not even measuring. Its also very difficult to determine what profit any particular job might bring. Contractors certainly plan and budget for a profit but stuff happens and the profit rarely comes out to be exactly what was planned and budgeted for.

A contract is a contract. If a deal is struck, while many parties will simlply allow the contract to be cancelled, more often than most people think, a party, such as the contractor in this case, may be due the benefit of the contract, even if there has been no performance.

Their costs start the moment a customer calls and wants an estimate. It takes time to work up an bid (I work in construction where working up a bid can cost thousands of dollars in man hours). Those costs are not billed and if the bid is not won of course that goes into general company overhead expenses but it is a cost attributable to that specific job.

A contractor in this sort of situation can calculate fairly closely what their profit would be. They have experience (I presume) to judge their typical costs for a similar installation. Take that from the contract price and you had your profit.