Builder wont finish job

[kd1964]

Hello
We got a verbal contract with a builder to build garage for 35,000, but so far have paid 41,000 and he wont finish job unlesss we pay another 10,000.00 which he says is outstanding.

Garage is now left no electricity and no footpaths, etc. However he says he is bringing us to court but as it is we have paid over the odds, any invoice we got was not broken down, just a total to be paid.

My husband made minor adjustments, nothing major. we bought our own garage door etc.

Please advise as we are so upset and I am loosing sleep over this but there is no way he is owed another ten thousand. We are left with a garage not completed and still owing money.

My husband and I were present when the verbal contract was agreed.

Any advice much appreciated
K

 

[DavyJones]

Ask for a complete breakdown of the bill, Did he tell you of extra cost as they occured?.
once you have an itemised bill things should be clearer. one thing for sure is the builder will not want to go down the legal road as it rarely ends well for either party. try your best to be civil and ye should come to some kind of arrangement.

 

[kd1964]

Thanks for the reply. I verbally asked for an itemised bill but he said he would sent it but never did.
No he didnt mention any extra cost, only when bill was sent to us and queried did we know it was going to be alot extra.
We have been civil and my husband even offered to split the difference (even though we feel we are one hundred percent right) but we dont want the hassle of legal action but he wont hear of it , wants what he asked for.
He phoned me two weeks ago saying that he is not coming back to finish job, no reason given.
Thanks again
K

 

[DavyJones]

and he had the cheek of saying he was going to bring you to court!
I would get a price to finish works and then I would talk to my solictor regarded the possiblity of sueing the builder for breach of contract.

 

[kd1964]

thats a good idea, i will get a price to finish the whole thing off, but would I be better off then to leave the building as it is until this is resolved.

To make it worse, this guy is my father in law thus the verbal contract. All in the family agree with us.
K

 

[Caveat]

To make it worse, this guy is my father in law

Oh no!

He sounds like he's bluffing then and being foolish too - he's threatening to take his own son to court?!?!

Maybe a bit of a hothead - play him at his own game as DavyJones says.

 

[kd1964]

Believe me, he would have no prob bringing his own son to court, we heard since other family members had problems with him (pity they didnt tell us).
I suppose we need to see a solicitor now cos we are not willing to hand over any more money. Hate going down this route though. Should we hold off until we hear from his legal team or visit solicitor now
K

 

[MOB]

Send him a letter

"Dear Dad,

You agreed to build our garage for €xx. We ordered extras and variations as follows [itemise] and we have now paid you a total of €yy. You promised an itemised bill for extras and variations, but you never delivered on this. You promised to build us a garage, but you haven't delivered on that either. We are now getting the garage finished by another builder. When this is done, we will send you the bill. "

Don't bother with further attempts at getting him back in to finish the garage. Take no further action against him. Unless you absolutely can't afford to do without the money, do not bother going to court. A sum of 5, 10 or even 20k is not worth it in terms of the hardship which will result in the future from having had litigation in the family.

I would settle for making clear to him that he is not welcome at your house, and that you do not want to meet with him or have any communication with him unless and until he pays up. Life is too short.