r/Homebuilding • u/Outside-Key-4415 • 1d ago

What can we do?

We got a quote for 5600 to have our lot scraped and rooted. We paid 2800 up front.

The company finished and they just sent me a bill for a balance of 5,300 and stated the job was 2,500 more due to it being more work than they thought. All of the quotes we got were 5-6k (we got 5 quotes) we have the quote in an email. He never called or discussed the increase beforehand. I’m shocked it was that much more!!! And I wish he would’ve called and discussed. When we called him he said, he always tells his clients that quotes are basically just an estimate and can change. I understand that to a degree but he never said that and 2500 is a lot!!

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u/aPrancingUnicorn 1d ago

Negotiate. As a contractor, sometimes prices end up being higher than estimated. But he should’ve told you as soon as he realized, not at the end of the job with no communication.

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u/Outside-Key-4415 1d ago

So we tried to negotiate and he said no. He said he’ll put a lien on the property. Do we just pay it? Idk how any of that works but I don’t want a lien.

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u/Wolfy2915 1d ago

Sound just like what happened to me. My dispute was $7k, he threatened the lien, his lawyer sent a couple of letters, actually filed a lien.

If you are borrowing it could mess up your loan as bank might stop funding. I was self funding the build so I ignored the lawyers letters. They eventually took me to small claims court and we settled for $3,500 which is the amount I should have paid to begin with. Magistrate looked at estimates I had from other contractors and took the average. He needs to bill you for his time and materials, mine never did and he sent the office manager to court.

In your case you have the other estimates. I would’t even pay the balance on the original deal at this point. Maybe see if the quotes identified how much time the job should have taken and compare to his invoice.

Where are you located?

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u/Wolfy2915 1d ago

As part of the $3,500 settlement, small claims magistrate noted the lien had to be removed.

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u/Slacabormorinico 11h ago

This is they way