How Would You React

TNGHomes

Let me start from the begining- my electrical sub took 4 weeks to rough-in a 2800sf Gambriel that I am building, he said it would take 2weeks. His guys would show up around 10am and leave around 3pm. I have had to have them change numerous outlet, switch, and lighting locations to where the plan specificaly stated. Thursday I found that they had not put in an overhead light in the dinning room for the chandieler or the switch for it. I had to personaly pull down the blue board and put them in myself. There was no wire run for the stove vent fan so again I had to do it myself. In the garage the switch boxes that are next to each other do not line up (off by an inch).
To add to the problems he has been sweating me for his second phase check, leaving voicemails saying I need my f'n money when he knows he isnt scheduled to be paid until the finish of the issues.
I am trying to keep a cool head on this one but I am ready to tell him to f himself and get someone else in thier. Typically I would have already **** canned him but again I am trying to not be a hot head anymore. What would you do?

firemike

Sometimes you have to do want you have to do. There is a time to be nice, but I don't think this is it anymore. 4 weeks to rough in a house that size. Talk about milking a job out. A couple months ago I helped an electrician friend and his partner rough in an 8,700SF house in 10 days, and it was split-wired for a generator.

I'm sure you have made him aware of all the problems that occured? Was he on the job daily or just send over his flunkies? (They don't sound like real electricians from your description) Did he offer any reasons for the short days and long project time?

IMHO---

First: I would definetly look for a new sub. If he could not get the job done, and offer any remorse or explination, then he just doesn't seem to care anyway. And if he doesn't care that his guys can't do a simple house rough-in right from a print, it ain't gonna get any better. He's got to go. A professional dosen't operate that way.

Second: I'm sure he already knows his guys are hacks, so at the very least he should have checked the rough when the boys were done just to make sure everything was right. That size house he should have been able to walk it in an hour or so to make sure it was right. He's got to go.

Third: If he would not take care of missing boxes and feeds he's got to go. Having to let you do his work is very poor ethics. I woould definetly make sure everything that you had to do was documented with dates, times, hours, materials, etc. Then I would back charge him at overtime electrician rates for your area, plus materials and standard markup.

Fourth: I would hope you have a signed contract with him. If so, I would abide by the terms of the contract, and pay him when it is called for, minus all the backcharges for work you had to do. Then say goodbye.

Fifth: I would get another electrician in there asap, explain the situation, and let him/her go over everything, I have a feeling that your problems might not be over.

How far along is the house? I am assuming it has passed inspections so far since you had blueboard up, but I would give your new electrican the heads up on what you had to do and what he/she is walking in on.

I have assumed projects under similar circumstances, it is an uneasy feeling at first because you don't really know how the previous contractor did things, and I really hate surprises when it comes down to the wire.

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-Mike-

KentWhitten

I would step carefully before hiring someone else. A sub is not like an employee. Grab the yellow pages and look up an attorney that gives an over the phone recommendation or go to

freeadvice.com

and ask if you've covered yourself before getting rid of him. You may be completely safe, but.....if not, it will be a legal nightmare

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If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place ~Lao Tzu

Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

Salmon Falls Cabinetry

mahlere

he's done...

was he excessively inexpensive to hire?

sounds like he is currently out of money and trying to cut corners and take on extra work to make up for it.

is he doing a big job for someone else? could he be trying to fit you in around that job? and that job not paying him on time, causing a cash crunch?

TNGHomes

I do have a contract with the electrician, he was to be paid in thirds. He was not the low bidder by any means. The payment schedule per the contract was One third for rough, one third at completion of plaster, and one third upon CO. The first third was paid and I have a lein waiver signed as paid, so as far as Im concerned he should have had no problem covering the rough- had it not taken a month.

Joe Carola

I know people who take pictures and videos of every room before insulation and sheetrock as a reference for that reason. Any doubt they look up each room and see what was missing.

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Joe Carola

firemike

I do that too, more for future reference for the framing and what might be in the wall for any future work, or questions a homeowner may have.

Once the insulation and drywall is up, it is a moot point now if something is missing, you either have to remove wallboard or drill and fish wires. My point is if someone is given a print, they should be competent enough to be able to read it or the employees they send should be able to as well. And they should be competent enough to keep track of the job to know when a circuit is complete or not. When you go through and make up all the boxes, there is where you double check yourself, unless your one that just pulls wire and stuffs them in the boxes without making them up.

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-Mike-

Joe Carola

Mike,

I was just saying that the video or pictures are good to have. I agree with you 100% on what you said above. You electrician is a bozo and so are his employees. You should also deduct every second you put into fixing what you had to fix. Her has no excuse.

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Joe Carola

mdshunk

Your story is a real bummer, and there's no excuse for it. I'm ashamed those clowns are in the same trade as me, but I have to ask.... What happened to the last electrician or electricians that you used to use? I wonder if they were burned by some means (not necessarily money) so that you're now stuck scraping the bottom of the barrell? It seems like you've been in business a while, but it also seems like this is your first experience with these particular electricians. Maybe I'm wrong? I think most builders have one main electrician they like to stick with, and probably a "backup" guy for when things get jammed up.

It's a shame there isn't an "audition" for subs like actors and actresses go through. It sure would save GC's a lot of headache. You really don't know how a sub performs until you hire him for a job. Better luck with the next guy. I guess you'll have to ride this one out until the house is done and punched out well, then never use him agaiin, since you do have a contract.

Just a personal note... I think you did the wrong thing by installing the dining light and the vent hood wire yourself. If you did that on a job I wired, you'd also have no warranty on anything. I'd rather have you call me so that I can swing by and put them in quick. Actually, I'd hope I'd never screw up that bad, but if I did, I'd like to know about it.

TNGHomes

Thanks for the feed back, I really appreciate it. I also take pics of everything in every room, I keep my jobs very well documented. I had just over looked those couple of missing outlets. As far as Im concerned with letting him go is Hes already been paid for all of his time and materials for the rough (1st third=6500) If he wants to go to court, bring it on. Not to be a total dick but I doubt hes got the funds to fight me considering how hes been dogging me to pay him early. I also feel with his lack of showing up consistantly, I wouldnt want to give him anymore money anyway.

TNGHomes

MDshunk Im glad you got in on this one, I have a ton of respect for you and your knowledge. Im not sure if you recall (I havent been on here consistantly for awhile) but this is my first GC experience. So yes this is a learning experience, I had called him to let him know about the missing wiring and he said " Im broke, and cant afford to have my guys go back there until next week". Considering there work ethic and speed it would have probably taken a week to install the f'n two wires. With the plasterers going to town I didnt want to set them back or the rest of the trades longer than they already had.

mdshunk

Oh, my. Yeah, I guess you did the right thing then. These guys are bigger clowns than I thought. I guess you'll know what to look out for next time.

My biggest fear for you at this point is that you've noticed obvious things they forgot. What did they also forget that isn't obvious to a GC? Things like missing home runs, 3 ways wired up wrong, etc. The electrician inspector doesn't check stuff like that. He just checks to make sure it's safe. He doesn't check to make sure that it will actually function. Don't let me scare you, but that's just a little head's up on what another electrician happens to worry about for you.

TNGHomes

Thanks guys, Appreciate your wisdom and concern as always....Ill let you all know how it turns out...

L. B. Condulet

Do I have this right? $19,500 for a 2800' house? And the electrician is broke?

This EC is a first class a-hole. His desultory and apathetic approach to quality control is shameful. I hate hearing stories like this.

Danb

In most casses the law will go with intent. if the contractor did not do as was intended and you hire a replacement. you can actually charge back additional costs. I got hit with similar in 1990. I ended up having to finish the electrical my self. when the contractor returned i told him to F off. he did. Can't ensure the same for you though. hard for a contractor to sue when he did not do the work.

Grumpy

First off I wold have touched nothing. I would have sent him something in writing documenting what neeeded to be done. I would have stated that he is interfiering with my cirtical path and that if he is unable to complete in the agreed upon schedule that you will have no choice but to hire someone to complete the work and back charge him the difference.

All the above is canned crap builders have told me before.

mdshunk

That probably works great in a large market. In a smaller market area, it's darned near impossible to get a tradesman to pick up the pieces of another. Everyone knows (or knows of) everyone else in their trade, and they don't want to step on toes. Also, they sorta wonder what you might have done to that guy, and see red flags, even if you didn't do anything wrong to that last guy. Sorta like the good old boys thing.