What should I do if the contractor I hired botched the job then ghosted me?
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You have several options you can explore:
1. Send a Formal Demand Letter
You may want to start by writing a formal demand letter to the contractor.
2. Hire a New Contractor
You could hire another contractor to fix the problem and complete the work correctly.
3. Check for a Contractor’s Bond
Review your paperwork to see if the contractor is bonded.
A bond acts like insurance — you can file a claim and the bonding company may pay you money to get the job done.
4. File a Small Claims Lawsuit
If letters and communication haven’t worked, filing a lawsuit in your local small claims court is likely the next step.
In construction contract disputes, where a contractor breaches the agreement by performing defective or incomplete work, the property owner is typically entitled to recover:
- The difference between the original contract price and
- The actual cost to complete or repair the project to meet the agreed-upon standards.
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The contractor I hired for a water problem in an underground garage misdiagnosed the problem, and now I have two useless drains in my floor and still a water problem. I have text messages of the contractor stating he misdiagnosed it and will make this right.
I’m sorry to hear about the issues you’re facing with your contractor. Have you tried to resolve the situation with the contractor directly?
Yes, he said he’d make it right in text and then ghosted me.
Have you kept a record of all communication with the contractor, including the text messages where they admit to misdiagnosing the problem?
Yes.
Is there anything else the lawyer should know before I connect you? Rest assured they’ll be able to help with your contractor issue.
Yes.
Hello! Legal Eagle here, and I am an attorney specializing in your area of law. I’m more than happy to help you with your situation!
Did you get a second contractor to come out to help?
So I haven’t heard back from you in a while on this, which is no big deal! Without the information I asked for, I can only give you this general answer:
You have several options you can explore:
1. Send a Formal Demand Letter
You may want to start by writing a formal demand letter to the contractor.
2. Hire a New Contractor
You could hire another contractor to fix the problem and complete the work correctly.
3. Check for a Contractor’s Bond
Review your paperwork to see if the contractor is bonded.
A bond acts like insurance — you can file a claim and the bonding company may pay you money to get the job done.
4. File a Small Claims Lawsuit
If letters and communication haven’t worked, filing a lawsuit in your local small claims court is likely the next step.
In construction contract disputes, where a contractor breaches the agreement by performing defective or incomplete work, the property owner is typically entitled to recover:
- The difference between the original contract price and
- The actual cost to complete or repair the project to meet the agreed-upon standards.
