Liability - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Bill · 08-03-2008, 09:47 AM

Without mentioning any names because of possible problems with this guy here goes.

I know this guy who started out working for himself. he had to frame in a basement. I was not there so I do not know all the details. There was a HVAC line in the way, the one that carries the freon. The HO told him to just push the line back so it will be behind the wall. So he did. Next day, AC dont work, HO calls HVAC man who comes out and charged about 900.00 to fix the leak caused by this guy moving the copper line out the way and filling the system with I think 10 pounds of freon (I think, I am no HVAC man, so.....)

Now the HO says its the contractors fault, the contractor says its the HO because he can not prove the AC worked the day before. I told him it dont matter, you are NOT a licensed HVAC man, there for you have no right to even bend the line out the way to begin with. He said well the HO told him to do it, I said the HO told you as a company to move it which means you get an HVAC tech to come out and do it.

hard lesson for a newbie.

dkillianjr · 08-03-2008, 12:24 PM

Yup I'd say thats just one of those hard lessons learned. I know I've learned a few things the hard way, heck I'm sure everyone has. Maybe not in the past but now I'd be scared to death to move or touch something like that. I would deffinetly call a HVAC guy. I hate to say it, but I would say the $900.00 is on the contractor.

Dave

MGSProperties · 08-03-2008, 12:35 PM

well atleast the lesson is under a thousand bucks, it could be much worse. As long as he learns the lesson fast its a cheap tution.

Bill · 08-03-2008, 01:31 PM

Yeh, I told him if he tries to go to court the Judge would ask him "Son, show me your VA HVAC license, Whats that? You say you are not licensed?"

wellbuilthome · 08-03-2008, 10:49 PM

Ive tweeked lots of A/C lines out of the way .Ive even cut a few .I would not of tweeked it until it had a hole .If i couldent move it with out risk i would call in My A/C guy He gets 300 bucks to pull out the gass move the pipe and refill . I would add 30% mark up . charge the HO .

wyoming 1 · 08-04-2008, 10:05 AM

I agee I have many a friend say "well the owner wanted it that way" if its not to code or the right way it could come back to bite you. I had an ho once that wanted me to change out a deadbolt to one keyed on bothe sides I explained they were against fire code and I would not do it. She was pi$$ed. But I would bet the house that if a grandkid died in a fire trying to get out that door the judge would not say dismissed on the grounds of but she told me to.