Just last week I had a good contractor friend recommend a guy to do some work for me because I need to have it done in a hurry. I wanted him to install shower screen at the condo I was going to rent out. Anyways, we met once before he started work and we settled the price at 3k for both bathrooms for tempered glass shower screen with handles etc all included.

1st day of work, morning he call me saying he will arrive at the place at 10 am, I went to the unit since 9.30am to open door for him becos normally contractors come early. This bugger showed up late at about 11.30pm, I was already damn pissed because I have other work to do not just wait for him whole day. Anyways, late evening when I inspected work done I found that finishing was sub standard, 1st time I see such workmanship from chinese contractor.

Ok nvm I spoke to him and the next day he sent his son to come rectify the problems. I was standing there instructing his son to make the silicone finishes in between glasses look nice because he had them spattered all around the edges, he just wiped some off and left the rest there basically take me for an idiot pretending I can accept such results. Ok nvm, it was his son so not my call to lecture him, his son just wanted to do things quick and leave. Before he left I wrote him a check of 2.2k.

Of course soon the father called asking me why only 2.2k. So I said that's what I think his work done is worth. This guy must have something wrong up his brains, once he hears this he completely transforms 180 degree into a foul-mouthed, profanity laden brute hurling all sorts of insults at me. Since this is not the first time dealing with contractors like this, I politely asked him to calm down. He didn't and keep on shouting, I told him if he wants the rest of the $$ he either rectify the problem or don't bother to show up. That's when he tries to threaten me personally, telling me to watch out and he will come look for me etc. This guy would rank top 5 on my list of 'out of control contractors'. I took pictures of his work done and his issued invoice and reserve the right to call the police and have him arrested for threatening remarks.

Any other sifus here have contractor dispute stories??

This post has been edited by northface: Apr 26 2012, 05:23 PM

Better watch out. He'll come for you tonight with a nice blunt machete

Guess he don't have C4, so no worry lar

Just put it this way, he is mobile your house is stationary. Advantage on his side. Is best to settle dispute on the table. Maybe his understand of good workmanship and youra is difference.

ask him to clear out his shyt... and pay him the rest..

You should voice out if u not happy with his workmanship. As u said sub standard from th first place. And then if second day u didn't see him. You should call him and tell him your problem , workmanship poor bla bla bla....

So any others have stories abt contractor disputes?

This contractor of mine has no intention of touching up his bad workmanship. He just wants to get paid in full but not full work done. Besides, this is a condo I really want to see what can he do about me not paying him. Because it is not like I cheated him, the work is subpar and does not deserve full payment.

The lesson is never pay contractor in full until he finishes work, even if known the contractor for a very long time. When got problem then only can ask them to rectify.

this is right.. hahaha...

but my situation different...

work finished oredi but still this farking customer wont pay even single cent... ( destruction job / roboh kedai job... )
hacking walls/partition (bricks) & carry out the all batu2 sampah from level 1 to ground floor.. (in shopping complex.. need to carry the sampah about 500meters ) working 5 person @ 11night to 6morning x 2days..
also i give muka to him.. he saw me other day still act like nothing debt to pay.. wtf??? just charge him 3000 only.. he agree.. also said it was cheap..
i wont/never ask him for that money.. i think he dun have money... thats ok... BUT... until he selamba saja sms ask me to join his vacation...
im like "woah this b@stard have money still wont pay me.." im i ask him to pay... he reply "oh ok" until now no news...
he think we all his free barua or what???

this all happend because he was my farking friend!!!!...
what a lesson... i wont accept job from my friend anymore...
its hard to tell... dont want to shame him but.. you know what you need to do la..
friend still friend... but i have to pay others worker... build your job, but using my money kah?
damn...

This post has been edited by mav_850: Apr 26 2012, 08:22 PM

Not all your friend like this one....
But u should know their character if he is your true friend.

Some contractor r damp cool, finish job don't want to collect payment. My cabinet guy come to my house n passed me the invoice yesterday night after i moved in to the house nearly 5months .....

Yup , I agree relative / friend also will encounter problem from both end.
Worse is when the term "relative or friend" is used/bandied around during negotiation.
I have similar experience here

For property owner better to pay more to big established company with clear cut payment in contract like my friend.

For Contractors charge more with a clear payment guideline., better ensure that all details are clearly stated out in b/w.

For both property owner and contractor, make sure you have the capital for the job before you both start.

we kesian at him... but like what i say... you know what you need to do...

keep contact when when when to start the work..
when done.. we contact for payment terus senyap...
at least IF dont have money.. every month pay rm100 we still accept.. but terus senyap... then jumpa pun buat tak tahu saja...
suddenly can ajak pergi makan angin lagi... WTF la...

luckily we not reno his house at the same time kalau tidak habissss....

Wah can share your cabinet guy contact?

my contractor was okay, but he could have done a better job if he was supervising his workers, we had to call them back many times to just get one job done proper and ultimately we had no choice but to hold back the last payment due to unsatisfactory work. always remember you have the right as a consumer/customer to demand for what you expect and have agreed for, dont be too tolerant and tend to just accept things and have a "tidak apa" attitude.. you have paid money and although you have a budget, always be smart in making sure every penny you have spent is for what you have asked for.

Apologies if I offend you with my 2cents..
I kinda felt that you are also unfair to the contractor. While I understand that you are unhappy with the workmanship, and we may also side you on this since none of us likes a
ugly work, but you shouldn't just write a check of 2.2 in this manner without warning. Imagine if you are the father, and your son blur blur bring back 2.2 only, u will jump also.

Firstly you know that the son only cleaned up part of it, why not instruct him to clean 100%
to what you need? (normally we also tell contractor that it is a eye sore to us, they will typically understand)

then you proceed to give 2.2 only without warning.

If I am you, i will:
1. Point to the son where I want him to touch up/clean up
2. If he don't know or can't, I call the father to discuss. If the son is incompetent,
I will tell the father I write 2.5 first, and provide the rest when he comes again.
3. If contractor felt it cannot be like this, I will say no choice, its really bad job plus
wife will complain
4. If he starts to get unfriendly, then a showdown or police involvement is justifiable la..

take note I am not saying you are entirely in the wrong.. just that unknowingly you caused
a misunderstanding by saying "thats what I think its worth". The comment is very raw and
unpleasant. This will lead to sticky situations like he finding trouble with you etc. Maybe your
backing is good, or maybe his backing is good, no matter what, it is simply not worth a unpleasant confrontation over RM3000 project.

Perhaps you misunderstood, I pointed the place where touch up was needed to the son. He looked at it, gave it a wipe with his fingers then considered it 'done'. When I asked him again, he said in cantonese "done already ma"!. Like I said, it's the contractor's son so when it comes to this juncture I decided I shouldn't say more because it was pretty obvious he didn't want to get it done.

I paid in 2.2k because I know he will call back asking why. But when he call back he started insulting me instead of asking me how to rectify problem. If you are an experienced contractor, when your client pays you less it usually means something is wrong, and if you start by scolding your client chances are it will be very hard to get anything resolved.

I made this thread so others can put in their stories on bad contractors as well, I've renovated 10s of properties I have my way of dealing with contractor problems. You might think my method is wrong but everybody has their on way of resolving disputes.

To me, set the expectation right. I don't know how bad is bad when you mention bad workmanship maybe you can post photo how bad the quality is.

What I understand, silicone all contractor will also just wipe using hand or clothes mine even better use credit card

Yea I forgot to post a pic, I'll post a pic tomorrow after I take some.

Funny thing is this contractor just called me, this time turned into a meek little mouse because he wants the remaining $$ and promised to come fix the problem himself.

I wouldn't want to pass any judgement here but I feel as a customer you did exercise the only leverage you would have on the contractor that is to withhold making full payment. The contractor probably isn't professional either as he shouldn't have raised his voice at you. Looking at the situation now the message to him is clear if he wants full payment he needs to fix the problem. All said and done he would be in a worse off position because u you probably never use him again nor would you recommend him to others.

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Added on April 28, 2012, 10:46 amAnd please post a pic of the installation to see how poor was the workmanship.

This post has been edited by alexL75: Apr 28 2012, 10:46 AM

Just words only la, like I said my normal contractor no time to do so he introduce another person. Normally no problem with the ppl he recommend, but this one just happen to be a nightmare.

Sorry didn't take pics today yet just came back from bersih!

From far away looks ok.

Close up nightmare.

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Added on April 28, 2012, 11:36 pmAdded pictures for yall to enjoy.

This post has been edited by northface: Apr 28 2012, 11:44 PM

Show of force is never good unless your intention is to bully like gun boat diplomacy.

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Added on April 29, 2012, 12:26 pmWhat a waste of silicone glue!!! Look like the son can never take over his father's business/skills.

Anyway, if i were you i would just cut out the silicone and buy a tube and diy. Why? even if they come again to do it it will be more or less the same unless they bring some indon with experience. As human sometimes we want to forget unpleasant things and life go on and go forward. Little bit rugi does not matter and see the ulgy thing will only bring back bad feelings. Just DIY and when you dont see the ulgy silicone you forget this part of your life and be happy. Life is too short to hate anyone for so little things. If you cant diy find someone else. It is only a one or two hrs job. You can nego with him say you found someone and i am going to pay you in full minus this little one/two hrs job. Invite him to see the old pix and the rectified jobs.

Why would he now soft? Ppl cari makan susah. the senses has come to his head. So you should do the same.

This post has been edited by stevie8: Apr 29 2012, 12:26 PM