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Pier and Beam foundation, 1925 house

5K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  NewOldHomeOwner 
#1 ·
Hi...I'm new....:)

I am also new to home ownership, so bear with me.....

I recently found out that the contractor I had hired, did NOT get an inspection done on foundation repair work he did on my house (pier and beam).

I have had the conversation with him on NUMEROUS occasions, the first one being he was to get a permit and talk to the city about it. Now, upon doing research, there was no permit and also he keeps trying to convince me that there is no need for any permit or inspection?

How do I know it was done right?

I had someone RELIABLE come out and he said basically I was taken advantage of....(I could have had an entire new foundation done for what I paid for the minimal work that was done).

I am PO'd to say the least.

Anyway...I am waiting to find out what to do next, someone is helping me...with this.

I just called the contractor again last week and discussed the permit issue and he told me again, that there was NO NEED for one....

:furious:

Doesn't he have to guarantee his work for one year?

It will be one year in May.

I've been trying to get the itomized invoice from him since JUNE of last year. He keeps giving me excuses.

Any suggestions?

I just need some input I guess.

:whistling2:

He came highly highly recommended by the person who sold me the house...
 
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#2 ·
Hate to say it because I hate litigation but you might want to talk with an attorney soon and at least fire a letter across this guy's bow. And, depending on what the lawyer says, a letter to the attorney general for Oregon might be in order also.

However, it would not be prudent for any on here to comment much because we don't know the contract you entered into with this person and obviously do not know the work done. We also cannot come out and look at it.
 
#6 ·
Well, if I do that, I want to do that last....let's hope it doesn't have to come to that. :(

I still need to find out what is needed to satisfy what the city would need, etc.

Hate to say it because I hate litigation but you might want to talk with an attorney soon and at least fire a letter across this guy's bow. And, depending on what the lawyer says, a letter to the attorney general for Oregon might be in order also.

However, it would not be prudent for any on here to comment much because we don't know the contract you entered into with this person and obviously do not know the work done. We also cannot come out and look at it.
 
#3 ·
I think the first thing is to find out from your municipality whether a permit was truly needed. Some places don't require it for repairs to existing structures. Then get an opinion from more than one contractor. If you are going after him, go armed with all the facts, BUT, be aware that you probably won't get far on the price issue alone. If he did the work and it is not defective, but you overpaid, you likely won't have any grounds to pursue him. A price opinion from a competitor after the fact won't get you much.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I'm still trying to find that all out, I've been getting the runaround so far...first I was told I need a permit, now I'm being told other things, such as a land use permit has to be issued, also, the city does not do permits for my house, cuz I live in the wrong part of town (industrial) I wish that they would have told me this way back before..all they said was I needed a permit, now they changed it. ...its getting more and more complicated, and I'm getting confused. :mad: Also, the contractor's board said "don't call the county or they will co me out and fine you for no permit" so I'm scared to call them.

I've gotten an opinion from 3 different contractors, they all say it should be permitted and inspected because this is what supports the house up.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I agree about the price issue. And I hate it when other contractors come to a job site they never saw in a before condition and start spouting off about what should have been paid and could have been done for the money. That is just plain tacky!

What concerns me is that you cannot get an invoice out of the guy. That is kind of weird and a strange way to do business, IMO. Not sure why you paid him in the first place without having one? I could see an advance and progress payments but I would not have given him the last chunk until invoiced and any issue you had were resolved. Did you have a signed contract with this person (a lesson for next time if you did not). Live and learn I suppose.

As for calling the municipality? Good idea to a point. Just make sure you are ready to quickly slam the lid back on that potential Pandora's box! Last thing most people want in Illinois is increased attention from a City or municipality on a project that might be missing a permit or inspection!

I wasn't saying you "go after" the guy by the way. Sometimes it just takes someone in a different capacity---like a lawyer---to ask the same questions and all gets resolved. No threats of skinning a person alive or worse, suiting them. Just a nice phone call or letter. Odds are if you were to go after the guy legally, you will never collect anyhow.
 
#8 ·
Tacky? No, I don't think it is tacky, I'm not HIRING this guy, he knows everything there is about foundations, he is a friend of someone I happen to know, they are looking out for me. :thumbup:

The fact I cannot seem to get any final invoices from this guy has been a huge red flag.

I find it odd that all this work was done, and I have no inspection report. How do I know if it was even done properly?



I agree about the price issue. And I hate it when other contractors come to a job site they never saw in a before condition and start spouting off about what should have been paid and could have been done for the money. That is just plain tacky!

What concerns me is that you cannot get an invoice out of the guy. That is kind of weird and a strange way to do business, IMO. Not sure why you paid him in the first place without having one? I could see an advance and progress payments but I would not have given him the last chunk until invoiced and any issue you had were resolved. Did you have a signed contract with this person (a lesson for next time if you did not). Live and learn I suppose.

As for calling the municipality? Good idea to a point. Just make sure you are ready to quickly slam the lid back on that potential Pandora's box! Last thing most people want in Illinois is increased attention from a City or municipality on a project that might be missing a permit or inspection!

I wasn't saying you "go after" the guy by the way. Sometimes it just takes someone in a different capacity---like a lawyer---to ask the same questions and all gets resolved. No threats of skinning a person alive or worse, suiting them. Just a nice phone call or letter. Odds are if you were to go after the guy legally, you will never collect anyhow.
 
#9 ·
I have not waited until now, I've been asking for the final paperwork, etc, for 7 months now. I've been told many times he would come out "tomorrow" or "in a few days" or "this week" to finalize all the work that has been done. I am thinking he just thinks I will go away..but I won't go away until I am satisfied. He knows I have never done this before....I've been talking to other home owners.

Then I talked to the city.

Then I talked to the contractor's board.

I also talked to a few other contractor's and they find it odd that there was no permit and no inspection for all the money I paid to have this done.
 
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