Forum: General Contractors
June 30, 2008
TREY (or Tray) DARBY: WORST CONTRACTOR EVER
This particular individual likes to sell himself as being a contractor in the Park Slope area. I used to live across the street from him on 6th ave and my landlady thought he was a pretty swell chap so she gave him some work. Not only could he not show up when he said he would, he over-charged her and said he could repair things he had no business repairing (such as an opening roof vent that, for 6 months, he had her believing the company simply wasn't sending the part fast enough. Another guy found all he had to do was change the fuse. There was no ordered part)
Knowing all of this, I gave him the benefit of the doubt thinking that the two of them had communication problems or whatever.
Fast forward to these last few months.
I called this so-called "contractor" to move an electrical switch and a security phone to destinations further down the wall. He proceeds make the light switch crooked and leave the new plaster all wavy and cracked.
Unfortunately, and completely to my error, I paid him the last bit of money owed on the job (the plaster hadn't dried yet so I didn't know the extent of the work that still needed completing) knowing that he would be back to do work for a neighbor (sadly, I had made the recommendation) and therefor easy to track down.
Not only did he stop returning my calls/texts, when I finally cornered him in my building, he had the nerve to promise that he would be up as soon as he was done with my neighbor. Since I wouldn't be available, another neighbor offered to stay home to let in this jerk. FOUR DAYS went by until he was finished with my neighbor's place with a promise every day that he would be over just as soon as he could. FOUR DAYS of either me or my poor neighbor waiting for this jerk.
To get to the meat of the story, my neighbor's place is finished, my wall is still cracked and wavy, and he still avoids answering my calls/texts. I would think he would simply finish it just to get me off his back.
June 29, 2008
Ripped off by a contractor ?
I just signed a contract with a contractor for a total amount of $13k. Just paid the 1/3 deposit and i just got quote from 4 other guys all around $3k. So clearly I am being ripped off by the guy I signed with (I know I should have not signed before getting additional quote - my mistake). But my question is: what is my recourse ? Can I take the contractor to small claim court for overcharging ?