Expert: Dan Griffin - 10/4/2009

Question
QUESTION: I actually have a contractor already and almost finish with his work. Its a room addition on top of the garage. It has a walk in closet and a granite top in sink of bathroom. It cost me 41250. I live in CT. When I ask some friends most of them said its too expensive, few said that that is cheap. It will add an additional 400 sqft to my house. They sheet rock most of the garage and placed a wooden floor. You think I paid too much into it, considering the project now did not finish on time, Its been 3 months and they are still doing the bathroom.

ANSWER: Alvin, you have already made a contract with your builder, I assume.  I don't live in Connecticut and so I am really not familiar with costs there, nor can I see the neighborhood, quality, type of construction, etc.  You also do not mention how many square feet are involved.

I would expect to pay $50-100 per SF no matter what was being done.  
Things that can make a remodel more expensive:
This sounds like a second floor job.
Access can be easy or extra difficult
High end materials could be specified
Inspections/inspectors can cause delays
Weather can cause delays
Lead time on some materials


If you are happy with the work being done, and if the work is being done for a pre-agreed upon price, and the original estimated time of completion is reasonably close I just don't see what the problem is.  Completion dates are often the source of friction.  So many contractors are overly optimistic about completion times - me included.  Contractors also suffer from burn out as they get close to the end of a job.  The thrill of the next job, a new project, a challenge are much more exciting than finishing that old job where you already solved all the big problems.  I know this isn't fair to you or any owner, but it is fact.  Sometimes a pep talk, bragging on the work, or acknowledging the things I just mentioned will help motivate much more than threats or begging.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I think I mentioned that the extra sq footage that will be added is 400sq ft. They cut the original masters bedroom and made it into a hallway to have access to the new room. We live in a subdivision, Im not sure if that helps. The contract said 2 months and itsgoing to be the third month already,, my main concern is that its getting close now to my son's baptism and there is still clutters and sharps in the house. I mentioned to him that it should be done by that time and he said no problem. Now I have only 1 week to go for that date and Im getting anxious. So I started thinking already that I payed a higher price but still the job was not completed on time. Am i being reasonable or Im just being stressed?

ANSWER: Alvin, you are obviously being stressed.  I assume you have not paid this man in full and that you retain enough money from the original contract to pay to have the work completed.  A usual amount is 10% held in retainage.  It is still better to work with your contractor than to create an adversarial condition.  Letting things get to a one week deadline is sure pushing it.

If you feel you have gone as far as you can get by being nice, write a letter and send it by registered mail stating all the current facts.  In the letter state that you will be "back charging" for any work you need to perform to make the situation usable.  This letter will put things on an adversarial plane, so be prepared to deal with all issues in writing.  Only you can decide if you can do any of the work or perform clean up and doing away with or covering sharp things.  Keep good track of time spent, preferably documented by a third party.

If your city requires a contactor's license for your builder, contact them.  If you have an attorney, get his advice.  I hate it when a job gets to this point, but it happens so often.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I spoke to him in length last night and he said that he will promise to get the whole place done by wednesday which is 3 days from now. There is not really much work to be done, only the bathroom which is all sheath rocked already and tiles in place in main floor, no tiles in shower floor but the shower wall is tiled. If only they will work more, because like last friday they didnt showed up, I gave them a call because he didnt call and he said he was not feeling well, when he promised me before that the place will be done by friday so we can prepare the house, He took so many days off and even accepted a small job that took him off for the whole week.  Another thing is my contract with him is 40,000 but he overcharged me with 1000 because he said apparently under estimated the price for the eletrician's work. Is that really variable? Now I was thinking of not paying him that if he does not finish this place in the time he promised. I would probably just close the room and the garage put all the clutters in there and make sure with prayers no kids will get hurt.

Answer
If you had a written contract going in, it is not your fault that the electrical bid was low.  Stay with your original quotation.  That is one of the problems of being a contractor.  It sounds as if you guys aren't parting buddies anyway, and you would probably not be giving him A-1 references.

I have gone to an owner before the work was done and showed them where a material shot up horribly in cost (think copper last year) and asked for some help or to split the increase.  They would be well within their right to say no.  Some have, some have not.