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Independent contractor walked off unfinished job after getting paid

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LukaszS1

Junior Member
Colorado

I hired an independent contractor to perform a few projects in a home I just recently purchased in Colorado. His project consisted of two parts, part one being removal of the existing popcorn ceiling in the home, fixing the imperfections, and priming and painting the ceiling. The second job consisted of fixing imperfections and painting the walls in those same rooms. He completed the first job, very sloppily, but it was complete. He reluctantly signed a receipt for the money that I pad him for job 1. For job 2, the contractor did the work and I was paying him in progress payments for each section he worked on. At the end though he asked for money upfront, and against my better judgement I did give him nearly the remainder of the money owed. Only $200 remainded. A day later he took the tools out of the home and never returned to finish the job. I am considering filing a small claim in small claims court, but I am concerned about making sure I have sufficient evidence to bring to court. I do not have receipts for the second progress payments, all except for one text message which shows the total balance after I paid a portion of the second contract. I have plenty of photo and video evidence of the shoddy workmanship on project 2, and what was left over after he walked out. I have also a written statement by a second contractor who came over also confirming the shoddy workmanship on project 2 and his price he wanted to charge me to fix it. Should I proceed with filing a small claim?
 


LdiJ

Senior Member
Colorado

I hired an independent contractor to perform a few projects in a home I just recently purchased in Colorado. His project consisted of two parts, part one being removal of the existing popcorn ceiling in the home, fixing the imperfections, and priming and painting the ceiling. The second job consisted of fixing imperfections and painting the walls in those same rooms. He completed the first job, very sloppily, but it was complete. He reluctantly signed a receipt for the money that I pad him for job 1. For job 2, the contractor did the work and I was paying him in progress payments for each section he worked on. At the end though he asked for money upfront, and against my better judgement I did give him nearly the remainder of the money owed. Only $200 remainded. A day later he took the tools out of the home and never returned to finish the job. I am considering filing a small claim in small claims court, but I am concerned about making sure I have sufficient evidence to bring to court. I do not have receipts for the second progress payments, all except for one text message which shows the total balance after I paid a portion of the second contract. I have plenty of photo and video evidence of the shoddy workmanship on project 2, and what was left over after he walked out. I have also a written statement by a second contractor who came over also confirming the shoddy workmanship on project 2 and his price he wanted to charge me to fix it. Should I proceed with filing a small claim?
Whether or not you should is up to you, but you did clearly get ripped off.
 

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