First thing is to contct the bank/ CC company and get a chargeback on your card. He had no right to charge it to your card, and unless you signed the slip, the merchant is SOL. His fault. Check the lcoal procedure and any contract conditions if any, but send him a letter giving him x days to start work, and Y days to finish. If he doesn't do it, sue him but don't expect to be able to collect. start looking for someone to finish off Been there, done that Geoff
send him a letter giving him x days to start work, and Y days to finish. Been there, done that
Be sure to send it registered and certified, so in a court case you can prove you sent it to him, and if if comes back unopened (of course you kept a copy) as may well happen, don't open it.
If you really hate his guts, try listing the amount he charged on your CC for another job as "forgiven debt". This is a red flag that usually puts the IRS on someone's tail. zemedelec
My guess is that you hired someone who doesn't really know/specialize in the work you hired him for and he charged you way to little. Now he's walking away from the job for the combination of the following reasons:1) he's in over his head and doesn't have the skill or manpower to finish and can't afford to hire help, 2)there's no more money coming in off the job and he's got bills to pay so other clients (or his day job) are getting his attention. Let me ask you a question, did he start out only working weekends and late afternoons. Does he have a bonifide company with references? What size is the patio, how long and high are the retaining walls, how large are the ponds? and what does "that sort of thing" entail exactly. Also how high and large is the treehouse?
Sounds like you are both to blame, he's unprofesional and you didn't research the guy and my guess is you have received 20K in work (or close to it on a 30-40K job. I could be wrong but this sort of situation happens all the time. Another thing, I suspect that if he did finish he would have done things wrong and maybe it would have cost even more to correct after the fact. Your yards been torn up for a year? wow, I'm surprised you let it go that long! Sue him if you want to, but I think this was destined for failure from the beginning cause your price sounds low for a long list of tasks. THe patio alone can cost 20K if done right (depends on the layout and elevation and type of paver/stone/concrete etc.
My guess is that you hired someone who doesn't really know/specialize in the work you hired him for and he charged you way to little. Now he's walking away from the job for the combination of the following reasons:1) he's in over his head and doesn't have the skill or manpower to finish and can't afford to hire help, 2)there's no more money coming in off the job and he's got bills to pay so other clients (or his day job) are getting his attention. Let me ask you a question, did he start out only working weekends and late afternoons. Does he have a bonifide company with references? What size is the patio, how long and high are the retaining walls, how large are the ponds? and what does "that sort of thing" entail exactly. Also how high and large is the treehouse?
Sounds like you are both to blame, he's unprofesional and you didn't research the guy and my guess is you have received 20K in work (or close to it on a 30-40K job. I could be wrong but this sort of situation happens all the time. Another thing, I suspect that if he did finish he would have done things wrong and maybe it would have cost even more to correct after the fact. Your yards been torn up for a year? wow, I'm surprised you let it go that long! Sue him if you want to, but I think this was destined for failure from the beginning cause your price sounds low for a long list of tasks. THe patio alone can cost 20K if done right (depends on the layout and elevation and type of paver/stone/concrete etc.
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