construction cost, agreement, and billing

Which load? :-)

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom
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Reply to
bigjim

i'm confused. i thought that's what doctors, dentists, grocery store owners, car dealers, barbers, shoeshine boys, oil companies, and every other business i can think of does. why are contractors in a different class? you don't like the price, go elsewhere.

Reply to
marson

On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:20:12 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, Jud McCranie quickly quoth:

How many weeks does it take to put in a foundation?!? Dig a day, frame a day, pour a day, inspect another day. That's about half a week.

Well, next time you'll know to get actual costs from the contractors who are doing the "cost plus" estimates, won't you? Rats!

-- Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely. -- Rodin

Reply to
Larry Jaques

"Larry Jaques" wrote

Wow. We took a lot longer. Of course there was excavation, form up, footer rebar, type two fill, steel mesh, and oh, yeah, the plumbing. Those plumbers can take a week by themselves.

I guess your foundation was for a shed, and not a real house.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Do you think because a contract was not in writing, it doesn't exist? Do a search on verbal contract. Verbal contracts are every bit as enforceable as written ones, though what was agreed to is much more difficult to prove. And you have no way of knowing what exactly the OP is talking about that was in writing, or if legally, that changes the enforceability of an oral contract. For example, if I hand someone a written description of furniture I'm selling and then we verbally agree to their buying it for $1000, that is an oral contract that is enforceable.

Now, I agree that states will have different laws as to what types of contracts are not legal if done orally, and must be in writing. In all states, AFAIK, contracts for sale of real estate must be in writing. And in his state, a contract of the type he signed may very well have to be in writing too. But to figure that out, he needs to consult a local lawyer, not rely on internet advice that he doesn't have a contract and can ignoere it because he didn't sign anything.

By him telling you that you didn't need

ARe you a lawyer familiar with the laws and case precedents in his state?

I'd start with a lawyer.

If he is

Reply to
trader4

How is a car a known markup? As the other poster pointed out, a consumer has no way of knowing the actual price the dealer pays for the car, which is between the dealer and the manufacturer. There are guides that can give you a general idea, but dealers get all kinds of actual deals from the manufacturers in the form of incentives to sell certain models, volume rebates, etc.

Reply to
trader4

Jud,

You should try to resolve this amicably but I think you are in the right. You say that the contract reads in part "The owner will be responsible for the construction costs stipulated as well as any cost incurred due to alterations in the agreed upon plans." So look in the contract for the stipulated cost of the supervisory labor. If it's not stipulated it's not your problem. But, as always, local customs apply so you really should buy a couple of hours of legal advice. Giving a lawyer $800 once may be cheaper than paying this fellow $ 800 every week for 3 months. If you like this contractor and think well of his work you may want to negotiate some sort of understanding about this supervision that you both can live with.

Dave M.

Reply to
David Martel

Either that's information garnered from a home improvement TV show (they're not filmed in real time and frequently gloss over or entirely ignore the schedule), or you're in a part of the country which doesn't have much in the way of foundations (slab on grade with haunched perimeter). It'd still take more than half a week unless the house had no mechanicals or complexity.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

wrote

But, trader, if all you say about verbal contracts and other points of law you have brought up are true, why in the world would they need to see a lawyer? They can just follow your advice here and bend over the barrel to this guy.

I suggested that they contact agencies and a lawyer. Please work on your reading comprehension.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

On 15 Sep 2006 06:00:44 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, "RicodJour" quickly quoth:

Right, SoCal and SoOr, so no complex foundations or massive excavations for frost lines, etc. The half a week can take months due to delays in inspection, etc.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

On 15 Sep 2006 06:00:44 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, "RicodJour" quickly quoth:

I forgot to answer that part: Those pours only take half an hour. ;)

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

Yup, IMO, whether he is on site all the time or not, the main thing is when something goes wrong he's responsible and that's worth paying for.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Hmmm, If the contractor is reputable guy with integrity he'll do honest job building a good house. But if he is crooked, this kind of arrangement is risky. Over the years I have 5 houses built all by same guy. We communicated very well and he knew what I want/wish. He gave me a piece of paper with all the things specified, we shook hands and never been disappointed. Still there are people like that.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

I think you're the one that needs to work on comprehension skills. You didn't suggest contacting a lawyer. Here's all your conflicting advice:

So, now you tell him he doesn't have a contract, which is a very bold statement on a critical legal issue, given you're not a lawyer or even in his state. Then we have this post:

at >this point. If you keep him, he's pissed. If you chuck

Hmmm, what happened to just letting the guy do his job and not starting a war? And no where in all this is the advice to consult a lawyer, which is where he should start, because he needs legal advice to establish where he's at and what his options are, not a consumer affairs war, though that might be appropriate later.

Reply to
trader4

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