Steve Payne
How many contractors take the money and run?
Canadian Contractor Business PropertyA reader responds to contractors posting here that they are frustrated with deadbeat clients: "How many contractors take the money and run, leaving handicapped and old people stranded?" says John. B.
John. B replies to the contractor who posted that the courts are next to useless in helping contractors to get paid by deadbeat clients.
“Are you guys kidding?
I’m a homeowner and business owner [who has] had extensive work completed by poor contractors – and [have had] the threat of a lien being placed on my residence.
I quickly realized how easy it is for contractors to place liens on property – and how expensive it can be for homeowners to get rid of a lien or a bad contractor.
As far as renewing a mortgage, any homeowner can do so with a lien on their property, as long as they use the same mortgage company. It’s only when a homeowner wants to change mortgage companies or sell that it becomes an issue.
Contractors know when they have messed up. Homeowners are not always the bad guys. How many contractors take the money and run, leaving handicapped and old people stranded?… It goes both ways.
If a contractor wants to place liens on properties, then that information should be made public and both parties should be allowed to show their sides…
Each party should post pictures and let the public… decide who is being most unreasonable. Would be much cheaper than having to hire lawyers to do up all the paperwork, even for small claims court!”
Edited version of a post by John B. on Nov. 14
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I would say that both John and the contractor made some very poor choices. John as a business owner should know and understand what it takes to do a proper business transaction of any magnitude after all he wasn’t buying a hamburger.
The contractor should have developed a contract with timelines, a payment schedule and scope of work, as well as the homeowner’s responsibilities, all there in black and white. That way there is an expectation that both parties will perform to what is planned for and stated. When everything is spelled out there usually are very few problems, unless something unexpected happens or the individual is morally challenged to begin with and generally this usually shows up before a commitment is made by either party. I find it funny that John thinks hiring a lawyer is expensive, if he and the contractor would have sat down and discussed their respective issues it never would have gone that far in the first place. And by the way a builder’s lien is not a guarantee to get paid. In my mind all it is, is a demand to pay up Bubba!!
“I’m a homeowner and business owner [who has] had extensive work completed by poor contractors”
The last half of this statement says it all.
Sounds like John B didn’t bother doing his homework.