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Hello. Just trying to get an idea of what to do next, before sitting down with an attorney. Last fall we were flooded in a federally declared disaster. Found a local mitigation company that had good reviews
so we called. The owner came out and said, no problem and that they would be happy to be the general on the project for the rebuild. Checked with labor and industries and yes they were registered. So great. A couple of weeks go by and nothing, so we finally have to hire people ourselves to start tearing out the home. This company eventually gets out to the house, tear out a couple remaining sinks and toilets, tear out the insulation in the crawlspace and set up fans and spray some mold killer. Then they disappear for two to three weeks. I call, call, call... no response. I email, email with no response. Finally I send a registered letter... just like my emails... telling the owner they had the budget and he was not authorized to go over without my permission. That the insurance was at a specific amount and they were not authorized to exceed it. Two months go by and we find out he billed/estimate the insurance company over $50,000 which they said no... talk to the homeowner. He was billing for work he did not do. He then sends us a bill/estimate for $25,000. We tell him that there is no way he will be paid for work he did not do and that he had no right to speak to the insurance company without letting us know. That he had the budget and had it it writing not to exceed the budget. Also, that he was double-dipping on items that were not allowed by FEMA. Months go by - we are now into May and pass each other at the local big box store. Next day we get another bill reduced by $1,000. We tell him that we will be happy to pay, but for work that he actually did, to take the bill or estimate back and correct it. We lay everything out for him. Haven't heard anything back and we are almost at a year. Come to find out that he was registered, but as a clean-up company and secretarial, not as a general contractor. His bill / estimate states that he only hires licensed and bonded subs, which he couldn't as a sub himself, infact he was not authorized to do any kind of plumbing removal. Find out he went from five clients to over two-hundred over night with the flood. What are our damages other than extreme aggrevation... being misrepresented as a general contractor who was not... spending extra months living outside the home and having to be the general ourselves and move back into a partially completed home? We were fortunate, we had insurance. What about all the other clients who he was able to scheme money out of? We have not attempted to contact him in a couple of months. The legitimate work he and his company did should be compensated for... but he misrepresented himself? What do we do? Sorry for the length. And yes, forums are no replacement for an attorney. I just need some suggestions. Thanks so much.
so we called. The owner came out and said, no problem and that they would be happy to be the general on the project for the rebuild. Checked with labor and industries and yes they were registered. So great. A couple of weeks go by and nothing, so we finally have to hire people ourselves to start tearing out the home. This company eventually gets out to the house, tear out a couple remaining sinks and toilets, tear out the insulation in the crawlspace and set up fans and spray some mold killer. Then they disappear for two to three weeks. I call, call, call... no response. I email, email with no response. Finally I send a registered letter... just like my emails... telling the owner they had the budget and he was not authorized to go over without my permission. That the insurance was at a specific amount and they were not authorized to exceed it. Two months go by and we find out he billed/estimate the insurance company over $50,000 which they said no... talk to the homeowner. He was billing for work he did not do. He then sends us a bill/estimate for $25,000. We tell him that there is no way he will be paid for work he did not do and that he had no right to speak to the insurance company without letting us know. That he had the budget and had it it writing not to exceed the budget. Also, that he was double-dipping on items that were not allowed by FEMA. Months go by - we are now into May and pass each other at the local big box store. Next day we get another bill reduced by $1,000. We tell him that we will be happy to pay, but for work that he actually did, to take the bill or estimate back and correct it. We lay everything out for him. Haven't heard anything back and we are almost at a year. Come to find out that he was registered, but as a clean-up company and secretarial, not as a general contractor. His bill / estimate states that he only hires licensed and bonded subs, which he couldn't as a sub himself, infact he was not authorized to do any kind of plumbing removal. Find out he went from five clients to over two-hundred over night with the flood. What are our damages other than extreme aggrevation... being misrepresented as a general contractor who was not... spending extra months living outside the home and having to be the general ourselves and move back into a partially completed home? We were fortunate, we had insurance. What about all the other clients who he was able to scheme money out of? We have not attempted to contact him in a couple of months. The legitimate work he and his company did should be compensated for... but he misrepresented himself? What do we do? Sorry for the length. And yes, forums are no replacement for an attorney. I just need some suggestions. Thanks so much.
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