Forgotten by the "contractor"...what can I do?

NKUSigEp · #1 01-12-2011, 12:28 PM

This is my first home and I am a very handy person. However, I enlisted the help of a "friend" of mine who is a contractor and has been doing remodeling for years. He helped me get started on redoing my bathroom and basically left me to my own devices to finish it - which it turned out pretty great.

Then came time to put in a window in the shower - which he said he could do in a couple hours (back in September). He sized and ordered the window, it came in, we tore out the old one and then put the new one in. However, it still has to be trimmed around to keep the elements out and to make it look nice...a feat that has yet to happen.

After 8 times of him saying "I WILL show up" and then not showing up at all without calling, texting, emailing, telepathy, etc, I'm tired of putting up with it. Is there anything I can do? I realize I'm pretty much screwed out of what I paid for the window and everything, but do I have any legal recourse at all to recoup anything? Or is there a site I can check out with more info?

Cabazon · #2 01-12-2011, 12:35 PM

Are you paying him to do this work, or just paying for the materials?

MJ5150 · #3 01-12-2011, 12:53 PM

The easy part is left. Do it yourself. Why did you pay in full before the work was complete? That's your fault.

I have friends who will get behind in returning my messages, but what kind of friend is this anyway? Eight no-shows?

-Mike

Selta · #4 01-12-2011, 01:35 PM

I'm with the "finish it yourself" crowd. Did you actually contract him to do the work?

DerHoggz · #5 01-12-2011, 02:49 PM

You have a window in your shower?

Oraflora · #6 01-12-2011, 02:57 PM

I would hire someone to finish what he started.
It will cost "more" than you have already paid this friend, but it will also keep the elements from doing any/more damage to your home if parts are exposed that should be covered.

In the end, what ever you spend to finish the job the right way will be worth it, rather than letting a window, wall and possibly more get ruined by the elements.

rtslinger · #7 01-12-2011, 03:24 PM

Yeah I agree with Oraflora, hire someone else to finish it if you can't get to it yourself, waiting on the other guy is just a waste of your time. if he is licensed? You can put in a claim against him with the BBB, also you can get your State involved if you care to go that far you may not be the only one and he may lose his license because of his record. If you have proof you paid this guy you could also sue in small claims court. either way good luck

Indiana Mike · #8 01-12-2011, 03:51 PM

I say finish it and realize that it may not be a good idea to rely on him in the future.

NKUSigEp · #9 01-13-2011, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

The easy part is left. Do it yourself. Why did you pay in full before the work was complete? That's your fault.

I have friends who will get behind in returning my messages, but what kind of friend is this anyway? Eight no-shows?

-Mike

There's no easy way to do it with how he tiled right up to the edge of the corners. I can't have a clean edge because that's the side with all of the cuts and none of them are perfectly straight, and there's no leave to put an edge piece there. I haven't paid him but I told him that I would and he never asked for money. So I don't know what the deal is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerHoggz

You have a window in your shower?

Yeah...most houses in Cincinnati do. Just that mine happens to be 37x36 which is stupid if you ask me, but it's there and that's how all of the 1950's and 1960's ranch and cape cods are around here. I wanted to do glass block but NOOOO, Mrs. NKUSigEp didn't want that!

sbass traveller · #10 01-13-2011, 10:19 AM

Yep, contractors get a bad rep cause of guys like this...

Do you need to finish just the inside trim, or the outside flashing too? If you have a sill - or room to put a sill - that comes flush to the tiles you can use plastic trim (wood or MDF has a chance of rotting, even if you seal it with paint) to cover all the nastiness, plus careful caulking should help with any draftiness in addition to foam or fiberglass insulation which you probably already have. The outside capping can get a little tricky, especially if you don't have the press/bending tool to work with the aluminum flashing (assuming that's the route you're going... it's the only way I'm familiar with).

I'd take some pics of it on a digital camera, and pop over to your local Home Depot to talk to some of the staff there if you decide to DIY. A lot of the people there are pretty knowledgeable about the departments they work in, and local building codes and whatnot. They can probably give you some good tips anyway.

MJ5150 · #11 01-13-2011, 10:20 AM

Can you post a pic of the side you are trying to finish. I have a couple ideas.

-Mike

Floyd Eye · #12 01-13-2011, 10:26 AM

Seeing as I am a contractor who specializes in this kind of work, I am going to guess that you need the exterior of the window capped with aluminum. To do this yourself you will need a brake. Your friend was doing you a favor in the first place so obviously you have no recourse. My suggestion to you is to call a siding company. Maybe find someone on CL who does this. It shouldn't cost more than $75 to have the exterior window frame capped. Do the interior trim work yourself. Use 100% silicone.

Windows in showers are always a bad idea. Water destroys wood and causes mold inside walls.

Jim Nazium · #13 01-13-2011, 02:16 PM

After a couple of similar experiences, I no longer ask friends to do stuff for me that is their line of work. They don't want to charge me full price, since I'm a friend, but then they don't give it their full attention and priority, because they aren't getting paid full price. Then I can't really b!tch when it takes too long, etc.

Lesson learned. No business bewteen friends.

To the OP, I'd suggest calling another contractor in to finish the job properly, and don't nag your friend. If he asks, just tell him you were in a hurry so you hired someone else. Good luck.

NKUSigEp · #14 01-13-2011, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Seeing as I am a contractor who specializes in this kind of work, I am going to guess that you need the exterior of the window capped with aluminum. To do this yourself you will need a brake. Your friend was doing you a favor in the first place so obviously you have no recourse. My suggestion to you is to call a siding company. Maybe find someone on CL who does this. It shouldn't cost more than $75 to have the exterior window frame capped. Do the interior trim work yourself. Use 100% silicone.

Windows in showers are always a bad idea. Water destroys wood and causes mold inside walls.

He WAS doing me a favor but I think there comes a point after numerous no calls-no shows that favors becomes "problems", especially when I offered to pay him for his work. I know windows in bathrooms aren't generally a good idea but I didn't have any say in that since it's an older home. There's no wood though, just tile, brick and cement board. I did the crown moulding using a plastic composite material too and it turned out great.

Yes, the outside needs aluminum and I have 2 of the 3 pieces needed to do it that he bent up and brought over (why there aren't 3 I don't know). I think I can finish the inside but the outside I'll need that 3rd piece of aluminum for.

NKUSigEp · #15 01-13-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbass traveller

...I'd take some pics of it on a digital camera, and pop over to your local Home Depot to talk to some of the staff there if you decide to DIY. A lot of the people there are pretty knowledgeable about the departments they work in, and local building codes and whatnot. They can probably give you some good tips anyway.

I work at the Depot and have talked to a few of the guys in millwork and basically they keep telling me to talk to someone else. Apparently what seems to me like pretty standard stuff like a interior trim kit for a window, doesn't exist unless it's one of the pre-fab shower stalls.

Webtroll · #16 01-13-2011, 09:19 PM

Mrs. NKUSigEp wants a real window to your shower?

Where exactly do you live? MUHAHAHAHAHAHA

Stumbo · #17 01-13-2011, 10:00 PM

Since you work at HD, see if you can get some references to some reliable handymen. Get a few estimates and go from there.

Also, since contractor's/handy people purchase from HD, maybe you can find out who does the most buying from your location. Seems to me that whoever does the most buying is the busiest contractor.

If you haven't already, I suggest adding an exhaust fan to the bathroom. It's great to be able to get the moisture out w/o letting the cold in, especially during the winter. Adding a timer to the fan switch is handy so you can leave it on for awhile while your bathroom dries out after a shower or clears the air after a major deuce.

Stumbo · #18 01-13-2011, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Can you post a pic of the side you are trying to finish. I have a couple ideas.

-Mike

+1

NKUSigEp · #19 01-14-2011, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webtroll

Mrs. NKUSigEp wants a real window to your shower?

Where exactly do you live? MUHAHAHAHAHAHA

You can't see through it - it's a textured glass but I forget what it's called.

Webtroll · #20 01-14-2011, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

You can't see through it - it's a textured glass but I forget what it's called.

Ah, never mind then