Has anyone dealt with something like this? I'm not sure what my options are.
contractor abandoned project halfway. I've been dealing with this for about 5 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.
The contract was signed 21 months ago. I am not sure I have the original signed copy. The total amount in dispute is approximately $50,000.
What are the risks if I pursue this? What's the likely timeline?
Have you tried reaching out to your state's consumer protection office? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.
Have you tried reaching out to your state's bar association? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.
NAL, but from what I've read, you should file a complaint. Of course the details matter a lot here.
Have you tried reaching out to your state's bar association? They sometimes have free resources or mediation services.
I went through almost the exact same thing.
The thing that gets people is escalating to a supervisor/manager. I'd recommend following the formal complaint procedure instead.
(1) Send a written notice giving the contractor 10 days to resume work or you'll treat the contract as abandoned. Send certified mail and email. (2) If they don't respond, hire a new contractor to complete the work. Get at least 2 quotes for the completion cost. (3) File a complaint with your state's contractor licensing board — abandoning a project is grounds for license suspension. (4) File a claim against the contractor's surety bond (if required in your state). (5) Sue in civil court for: the difference between what you paid and the value of work actually completed, the additional cost to hire a replacement contractor, any consequential damages (hotel costs if the home is uninhabitable, eating out, storage). Document everything: the original contract, all payments, photos of the incomplete work, communications, and the cost to complete. For $45K contracts, many construction attorneys will take these cases on contingency or reduced fees because the facts are usually straightforward.
I just learned that indemnification clauses can be mutual or one-sided. Always push for mutual indemnification — if they want you to indemnify them, they should indemnify you too. It's basic fairness.