A project abandoned mid-build
Deposit spent, work partly done, and a contractor who stops responding. Every additional trade that has to work around unfinished work costs more than it would have originally.
Common problems with general contractor work
What tends to go wrong, what it usually points at, and what your options are when the business that did the work won't put it right.
Change orders that were never approved
Extras appearing on a final invoice that were never agreed in writing, or agreed verbally and then priced differently.
Work that fails inspection
Where a permit was required, a failed inspection is documentation of the problem. Where a permit was never pulled at all, that's frequently its own issue.
Placeholder imagePhoto: close-up of a common general contractor defect, the kind of detail a homeowner would photograph
What to do about it
Document what you were promised and what you got, keep every invoice and message, and photograph everything before anyone “fixes” it. Whatever route you take from there, whether talking to the business yourself, a licensed attorney, or us, the case rests on that record.
This isn't legal advice
We're a consumer advocate, not a law firm, and this page is general information rather than guidance about your situation. If you need legal advice, speak to a licensed attorney in your state.
Dealing with one of these?
Tell us what happened and we'll tell you whether it's something we can help with.
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