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THE WIDGE
05-30-2007, 02:29 PM
Hopefully someone can help me out and clarify a few questions.
Long story short i hired an Arizona Contractor to build a detached garage at my vacation home in LHC. Signed papers in late 03/06 and he said it should take no more than 2 months once he has permits which he got in early 05/06.
Fast foward to 07/06 called to get progress, only cement and framing done. Recieved a call back two weeks later after several calls made, "stucco and drywall this week." Ok i said.
This was the last time a heard from my contractor, I made dozens of calls, sent emails, and no response to get progress. Oh and yes nothing was getting done.
Finally in 09/06 drywall in, but still no call. I continued to send $ upon completion of each step. Stupid me!
Finally got email in late 11/06 that the garage is done. Drove up their to put boats in the garage. Not even close to being done.
1. Swamp coller not working
2.lights not working
3.A 3-4 inch gap accross the bottom of side door all the way accross door seal. He made door toward the rear of garage rather than front like plans indicated during cement. I could literally see out of my garage out this gap.
4. He had to cut a new doorway for the side door toward front. Ok he chiseled the sh@t out of it, leaving cracks and gaps under seal. It looked like hell.
5. he had to cut into main panel which is attached to my house to conect wiring for sub panel. He left it a mess and didn't flow the stucco leaving the pipe half showing.
6. Cut phone line and left it hang from the house.
7. Filled and covered RV septic tank near RV parking side.
8.Oh, the color to the garage is not even close to my house!
So long story short I was planning on renting to snowbirds, but could not due to delayed construction, and no comunication with contractor. I called and sent more emails with problems, still no response.
So, in late 02/07 or early 03/07 I fould the contractor while driving. He told me he was avoiding me because he was embarrased of his work and had every excuse in the book other than the truth. He was probably using my $ for someone elses job, and got to me when he could. I told him, fix problems ASAP and give me a call in a week.
No call!!however fixed most issues by 04/07. Still garage color doesn't match.
So I finally get a call in late 04/07 by his wife asking for final payment. i told her the garage is still not complete and I will not pay until it is finished. In fact I said I will not pay full amount considering the circs.
So now I'm getting emails about breach of contract and interest above the amount owed. I was ignored for six months, it took a year to build a garage, which still isn't done (color).
In all honesty I don't believe i should pay a thing considering the cirs, but I have agreed to pay $4k of the $6500 left, and they will not budge, telling me, "This is the fun part of my job" reffering to taking one to court. Wow, great costomer service.
Anyways, what recorse do I have, are they owed the full amount, interest, and what about my lossess going up every few weeks in the winter monitering project, loss of income on snowbird rental.
I've never had a problem like this and I'm not stiffing the guy.
Any advise would help!
Thanks

GUGS102
05-30-2007, 02:49 PM
Give them a call with the number and make sure it is a legit number. Ask them on the recourse. If you have emails notes, and pics of problems, I don't think you'll have a problem if it goes to court.
Maybe someone here has better info, but that's where I'd start. Good Luck. Lot of fly by night operations here in AZ. All the CA people with money to spend, they are gladly taking it any way they can...

drtywhat
05-30-2007, 03:02 PM
please call the Register Office of Contractors and file a complaint with them. NO contractor wants any complaints against his license. go the following web page and you will see where you can file a complaint. And if you or anyone ever needs anywork done please call me Jeff with Old Glory Development 602-369-6235 and I will gladly help (shameless plug)
http://www.rc.state.az.us/office.html

prosthogod
05-30-2007, 03:05 PM
I've been through this on a bigger scale and you need to call the regstrar of contractors today and file a complaint. Have all of your documentation. Once he gets the complaint from them he will have to get everything done to satifaction or he will get dinged on his license and have to pay some other contractor to do the work. That is the facts.

little rowe boat
05-30-2007, 03:12 PM
Please keep us posted on what happens with this.

257
05-30-2007, 03:23 PM
I think you should post his name like so many do with boat repair
shops so no one else has this problem
my 02

THE WIDGE
05-30-2007, 03:52 PM
OK, this is the response I recieved today after my first email response to the outstanding bill. talk about customer service. No California discount here, I would have gladly paid for what was offered up front. Why should I pay full pop for sour milk!! The *** portion is the response portion** Have fun reading, my jaw dropped.
Matt, I have responded in red to some of this.
This is the LAST TIME we will have this conversation. I am tired of beating a dead horse!!!!
Linda McSweeney
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 10:15 AM
To: lmcsweeney
Cc: Widger, Matthew
Subject: RE: final invoice and information
Linda and Mike,
As per our conversation last month, I’m not interested in the garage being color matched with paint, even if it is some kind of everlasting paint. I feel $1,100.00 is not reasonable as a credit toward the final bill, and that is just your cost to complete what should have already been done. This project took a year to complete, and to be honest it still isn’t complete i.e., stucco wrong color to house. Linda, we signed papers in late March of 06, had my plans to me by the second week of April 06, permits pulled shortly after. I was told by Mike that it would take no more than two months to build once permits have been pulled, worse case three months. Ok, with that in mind, I figure worse case it takes four months, which still puts that date into mid to late summer. But March-April of 07 is completely ridiculous. I would have never gone with your company with that kind of turn around.
***OK, that was a typo on my part in the last email. The $1100 is not for paint but to RE-STUCCO the garage. You do not have a choice as we have the right to make this correct. We have spoken to the ROC and you my friend do not have a case. We have the right to correct anything that WE did wrong relevant to the contract. Then, we have the right to make any necessary corrections. We have been more than fair to you and you are simply trying to get out of paying your final bill. As for the timing of this project. The permit was issued May 16, 2006 and the final was issued on November 30, 2006. That is 6 months and 14 days. As per your contract, you are required to make your last payment upon receipt of the Certificate of Occupancy. You are in breach of contract and have been since November 30, 2006. WE, on the other hand, do have a case. I can now sue you for breach of contract plus interest on these monies. This part of the business I do for fun. I longer you wait to pay, the more money I make. You decide. **
The purpose of the garage was to store our boats in a separate garage while we rent to snow birds in the winter. I could not rent out the house this past fall and winter do to construction going on, or actually lack of construction which resulted in a loss of $1,200 per month. I sent numerous e-mails to Mike, and made over 20 calls to Mike with no response from July to December. I literally had to find him on the street in March to see what was going on with my garage. Mike sent an e-mail that the garage was done in Dec, which caused us to come up and bring our boats to store. Well the garage was not done. In fact the swamp cooler did not work. The side door had a 3 inch gap all the way across the door width, no outside lights worked, the wall to the attached garage at the sub panel was a mess and was not completed, stucco wrong color, and my RV septic tank has been filled and covered.
*** Bla Bla Bla. None of these “alleged” items would have prevented renters and plus, I don’t care about your problems Matt. This is just a bull shit ploy to not pay your bill. As a matter of fact, you did have a boat in your back yard, NOT IN AN ILLEGED UNSAFE AND UN SECURE GARAGE, your words, for about 3 months and did not seem to have a care in the world. ***
So obviously we took the boats back home. We are not going to leave our boats valued in excess of over $60,000 in an unsecured garage with access to anyone working on the garage. In regards to the power connect listed in your invoice. When Mike and I discussed the plans I told him the garage needs to be wired under ground. In fact I showed him a large 4 inch tube in the bottom of my wall near the power service to run wires. In fact I told him they can trench along side garage when there excavating for slab. Now your invoice indicates I’m being charged extra for that when this was discussed prior to bid.
***The project was held up for nearly a month as the city would not allow the frame to go up with the power line running overhead. We never agreed to put the power under ground at no charge. Why would we do this? You’re a smart business man, does this make any sense to you? BUT, because Mike is nice guy, he gave you the option of placing a power pole along the side of you wall to re-route the wire around the garage for ½ the cost of the underground, you chose the underground!!!! ***
So basically in short I do not plan on paying the final bill, even minus the $1,100. I am willing to pay $3,000 as a final payment. With this payment I would not want you to paint garage, just walk away.
** Sorry, NOT going to happen!!!**
This has been a tough year dealing with this project going back and fourth checking on progress, no calls or e-mails replied to, just a mess. In honesty I can’t believe you would actually ask or feel you should be fully compensated for this project. Even Mike apologized when I found him, and he said he was avoiding me and my calls and he was embarrassed of his behavior. I was always on time and paid my bills when asked, that money should have been used to complete work on my garage, not floating other work, which is the reason why the delay in the build and lack of communication on Mike’s side started. A garage is not complicated to build, and does not take a year.
I have full documentation including pictures, emails, contract, and phone calls if this goes further.
*** BRING IT ON MATT! I welcome the challenge. The way I see it you have two options.
1. You stop requesting the “California Discount” and pay your bill. We have rights too and I am completely confident that not only will you lose this battle, your integrity will be harmed. I believe it is not a positive thing for a police officer to have an attachment of any kind or any pending litigation against him/her? Or
You pay your final draw in full!!!! And we change the color of the garage and dig out your RV drain. This is all that is left to do as per you! We will do NOTHING until you pay your bill. If you decide not to make payment and I do not receive it within the next 3 days, I will file my complaint with the local courts. Don’t forget Matt, I do this part for fun and will wait for ever for the money. You can’t beat the interest of the courts system at 13%.
The ball is now in your court, you decide. By the way, I do have integrity, a lot of it, you obviously do not and think that I am a fool. We as business owners, are so sick of the “California Discount”
Please contact me should you have any questions. I await your response. . I await your check!!!!
Best regards,
Matt Widger
Best regards,
Linda McSweeney, V.P.
Arizona Coast Construction, Inc.****

THE WIDGE
05-30-2007, 03:52 PM
OK, this is the response I recieved today after my first email response to the outstanding bill. talk about customer service. No California discount here, I would have gladly paid for what was offered up front. Why should I pay full pop for sour milk!! The *** portion is the response portion** Have fun reading, my jaw dropped.
Matt, I have responded in red to some of this.
This is the LAST TIME we will have this conversation. I am tired of beating a dead horse!!!!
Linda McSweeney
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 10:15 AM
To: lmcsweeney
Cc: Widger, Matthew
Subject: RE: final invoice and information
Linda and Mike,
As per our conversation last month, I’m not interested in the garage being color matched with paint, even if it is some kind of everlasting paint. I feel $1,100.00 is not reasonable as a credit toward the final bill, and that is just your cost to complete what should have already been done. This project took a year to complete, and to be honest it still isn’t complete i.e., stucco wrong color to house. Linda, we signed papers in late March of 06, had my plans to me by the second week of April 06, permits pulled shortly after. I was told by Mike that it would take no more than two months to build once permits have been pulled, worse case three months. Ok, with that in mind, I figure worse case it takes four months, which still puts that date into mid to late summer. But March-April of 07 is completely ridiculous. I would have never gone with your company with that kind of turn around.
***OK, that was a typo on my part in the last email. The $1100 is not for paint but to RE-STUCCO the garage. You do not have a choice as we have the right to make this correct. We have spoken to the ROC and you my friend do not have a case. We have the right to correct anything that WE did wrong relevant to the contract. Then, we have the right to make any necessary corrections. We have been more than fair to you and you are simply trying to get out of paying your final bill. As for the timing of this project. The permit was issued May 16, 2006 and the final was issued on November 30, 2006. That is 6 months and 14 days. As per your contract, you are required to make your last payment upon receipt of the Certificate of Occupancy. You are in breach of contract and have been since November 30, 2006. WE, on the other hand, do have a case. I can now sue you for breach of contract plus interest on these monies. This part of the business I do for fun. I longer you wait to pay, the more money I make. You decide. **
The purpose of the garage was to store our boats in a separate garage while we rent to snow birds in the winter. I could not rent out the house this past fall and winter do to construction going on, or actually lack of construction which resulted in a loss of $1,200 per month. I sent numerous e-mails to Mike, and made over 20 calls to Mike with no response from July to December. I literally had to find him on the street in March to see what was going on with my garage. Mike sent an e-mail that the garage was done in Dec, which caused us to come up and bring our boats to store. Well the garage was not done. In fact the swamp cooler did not work. The side door had a 3 inch gap all the way across the door width, no outside lights worked, the wall to the attached garage at the sub panel was a mess and was not completed, stucco wrong color, and my RV septic tank has been filled and covered.
*** Bla Bla Bla. None of these “alleged” items would have prevented renters and plus, I don’t care about your problems Matt. This is just a bull shit ploy to not pay your bill. As a matter of fact, you did have a boat in your back yard, NOT IN AN ILLEGED UNSAFE AND UN SECURE GARAGE, your words, for about 3 months and did not seem to have a care in the world. ***
So obviously we took the boats back home. We are not going to leave our boats valued in excess of over $60,000 in an unsecured garage with access to anyone working on the garage. In regards to the power connect listed in your invoice. When Mike and I discussed the plans I told him the garage needs to be wired under ground. In fact I showed him a large 4 inch tube in the bottom of my wall near the power service to run wires. In fact I told him they can trench along side garage when there excavating for slab. Now your invoice indicates I’m being charged extra for that when this was discussed prior to bid.
***The project was held up for nearly a month as the city would not allow the frame to go up with the power line running overhead. We never agreed to put the power under ground at no charge. Why would we do this? You’re a smart business man, does this make any sense to you? BUT, because Mike is nice guy, he gave you the option of placing a power pole along the side of you wall to re-route the wire around the garage for ½ the cost of the underground, you chose the underground!!!! ***
So basically in short I do not plan on paying the final bill, even minus the $1,100. I am willing to pay $3,000 as a final payment. With this payment I would not want you to paint garage, just walk away.
** Sorry, NOT going to happen!!!**
This has been a tough year dealing with this project going back and fourth checking on progress, no calls or e-mails replied to, just a mess. In honesty I can’t believe you would actually ask or feel you should be fully compensated for this project. Even Mike apologized when I found him, and he said he was avoiding me and my calls and he was embarrassed of his behavior. I was always on time and paid my bills when asked, that money should have been used to complete work on my garage, not floating other work, which is the reason why the delay in the build and lack of communication on Mike’s side started. A garage is not complicated to build, and does not take a year.
I have full documentation including pictures, emails, contract, and phone calls if this goes further.
*** BRING IT ON MATT! I welcome the challenge. The way I see it you have two options.
1. You stop requesting the “California Discount” and pay your bill. We have rights too and I am completely confident that not only will you lose this battle, your integrity will be harmed. I believe it is not a positive thing for a police officer to have an attachment of any kind or any pending litigation against him/her? Or
You pay your final draw in full!!!! And we change the color of the garage and dig out your RV drain. This is all that is left to do as per you! We will do NOTHING until you pay your bill. If you decide not to make payment and I do not receive it within the next 3 days, I will file my complaint with the local courts. Don’t forget Matt, I do this part for fun and will wait for ever for the money. You can’t beat the interest of the courts system at 13%.
The ball is now in your court, you decide. By the way, I do have integrity, a lot of it, you obviously do not and think that I am a fool. We as business owners, are so sick of the “California Discount”
Please contact me should you have any questions. I await your response. . I await your check!!!!
Best regards,
Matt Widger
Best regards,
Linda McSweeney, V.P.
Arizona Coast Construction, Inc.****

THE WIDGE
05-30-2007, 03:52 PM
OK, this is the response I recieved today after my first email response to the outstanding bill. talk about customer service. No California discount here, I would have gladly paid for what was offered up front. Why should I pay full pop for sour milk!! The *** portion is the response portion** Have fun reading, my jaw dropped.
Matt, I have responded in red to some of this.
This is the LAST TIME we will have this conversation. I am tired of beating a dead horse!!!!
Linda McSweeney
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 10:15 AM
To: lmcsweeney
Cc: Widger, Matthew
Subject: RE: final invoice and information
Linda and Mike,
As per our conversation last month, I’m not interested in the garage being color matched with paint, even if it is some kind of everlasting paint. I feel $1,100.00 is not reasonable as a credit toward the final bill, and that is just your cost to complete what should have already been done. This project took a year to complete, and to be honest it still isn’t complete i.e., stucco wrong color to house. Linda, we signed papers in late March of 06, had my plans to me by the second week of April 06, permits pulled shortly after. I was told by Mike that it would take no more than two months to build once permits have been pulled, worse case three months. Ok, with that in mind, I figure worse case it takes four months, which still puts that date into mid to late summer. But March-April of 07 is completely ridiculous. I would have never gone with your company with that kind of turn around.
***OK, that was a typo on my part in the last email. The $1100 is not for paint but to RE-STUCCO the garage. You do not have a choice as we have the right to make this correct. We have spoken to the ROC and you my friend do not have a case. We have the right to correct anything that WE did wrong relevant to the contract. Then, we have the right to make any necessary corrections. We have been more than fair to you and you are simply trying to get out of paying your final bill. As for the timing of this project. The permit was issued May 16, 2006 and the final was issued on November 30, 2006. That is 6 months and 14 days. As per your contract, you are required to make your last payment upon receipt of the Certificate of Occupancy. You are in breach of contract and have been since November 30, 2006. WE, on the other hand, do have a case. I can now sue you for breach of contract plus interest on these monies. This part of the business I do for fun. I longer you wait to pay, the more money I make. You decide. **
The purpose of the garage was to store our boats in a separate garage while we rent to snow birds in the winter. I could not rent out the house this past fall and winter do to construction going on, or actually lack of construction which resulted in a loss of $1,200 per month. I sent numerous e-mails to Mike, and made over 20 calls to Mike with no response from July to December. I literally had to find him on the street in March to see what was going on with my garage. Mike sent an e-mail that the garage was done in Dec, which caused us to come up and bring our boats to store. Well the garage was not done. In fact the swamp cooler did not work. The side door had a 3 inch gap all the way across the door width, no outside lights worked, the wall to the attached garage at the sub panel was a mess and was not completed, stucco wrong color, and my RV septic tank has been filled and covered.
*** Bla Bla Bla. None of these “alleged” items would have prevented renters and plus, I don’t care about your problems Matt. This is just a bull shit ploy to not pay your bill. As a matter of fact, you did have a boat in your back yard, NOT IN AN ILLEGED UNSAFE AND UN SECURE GARAGE, your words, for about 3 months and did not seem to have a care in the world. ***
So obviously we took the boats back home. We are not going to leave our boats valued in excess of over $60,000 in an unsecured garage with access to anyone working on the garage. In regards to the power connect listed in your invoice. When Mike and I discussed the plans I told him the garage needs to be wired under ground. In fact I showed him a large 4 inch tube in the bottom of my wall near the power service to run wires. In fact I told him they can trench along side garage when there excavating for slab. Now your invoice indicates I’m being charged extra for that when this was discussed prior to bid.
***The project was held up for nearly a month as the city would not allow the frame to go up with the power line running overhead. We never agreed to put the power under ground at no charge. Why would we do this? You’re a smart business man, does this make any sense to you? BUT, because Mike is nice guy, he gave you the option of placing a power pole along the side of you wall to re-route the wire around the garage for ½ the cost of the underground, you chose the underground!!!! ***
So basically in short I do not plan on paying the final bill, even minus the $1,100. I am willing to pay $3,000 as a final payment. With this payment I would not want you to paint garage, just walk away.
** Sorry, NOT going to happen!!!**
This has been a tough year dealing with this project going back and fourth checking on progress, no calls or e-mails replied to, just a mess. In honesty I can’t believe you would actually ask or feel you should be fully compensated for this project. Even Mike apologized when I found him, and he said he was avoiding me and my calls and he was embarrassed of his behavior. I was always on time and paid my bills when asked, that money should have been used to complete work on my garage, not floating other work, which is the reason why the delay in the build and lack of communication on Mike’s side started. A garage is not complicated to build, and does not take a year.
I have full documentation including pictures, emails, contract, and phone calls if this goes further.
*** BRING IT ON MATT! I welcome the challenge. The way I see it you have two options.
1. You stop requesting the “California Discount” and pay your bill. We have rights too and I am completely confident that not only will you lose this battle, your integrity will be harmed. I believe it is not a positive thing for a police officer to have an attachment of any kind or any pending litigation against him/her? Or
You pay your final draw in full!!!! And we change the color of the garage and dig out your RV drain. This is all that is left to do as per you! We will do NOTHING until you pay your bill. If you decide not to make payment and I do not receive it within the next 3 days, I will file my complaint with the local courts. Don’t forget Matt, I do this part for fun and will wait for ever for the money. You can’t beat the interest of the courts system at 13%.
The ball is now in your court, you decide. By the way, I do have integrity, a lot of it, you obviously do not and think that I am a fool. We as business owners, are so sick of the “California Discount”
Please contact me should you have any questions. I await your response. . I await your check!!!!
Best regards,
Matt Widger
Best regards,
Linda McSweeney, V.P.
Arizona Coast Construction, Inc.****

Jordy
05-30-2007, 04:09 PM
Linda McSweeney, V.P.
Arizona Coast Construction, Inc.****
Interesting, I can't find any Arizona Coast Construction, Inc. in the Registrar of Contractors' database. Contracting without a license is a pretty serious deal. Nothing under McSweeney either. They're incorporated under her name and that exact business name with the Az. Corporation Commission. Now about that contractor's license.. Hmm.... :idea:
Seems as though they're having some problems with the Corporation Commission too:
Corporate Status Inquiry
File Number: -1202386-3
Corp. Name: ARIZONA COAST CONSTRUCTION, INC.
This Corporation is NOT in Good Standing for the following reasons:
2006 ANNUAL REPORT WAS RETURNED ON 01/11/2007

Starloans
05-30-2007, 04:35 PM
The ex GF got into a dispute with a contractor for about 4K on some tile work. She took him to the store and put the exact tile in his hand. Bathroom #1 wrong tile, well, put the right tile in the next bath. Bathroom # 2 wrong tile, well put the right tile in the Kitchen. Kitchen, wrong tile. He did have a license when he was remodeling the house. When she takes him to court, the first thing the judge says is lets see your contractors license. It had just expired a few days before. Judge says pay her 4K in 30 days or she will go after your bond. They were in court less than 5 minutes. San Diego court system. LOL
First thing is find out if they have a license.
Good luck

126driver
05-30-2007, 04:51 PM
If the guy was never a licensed contractor as it appears, there is no bond to attach, nor is there any recourse through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors recovery fund. The Registrar's office will be interested to hear about this guy and you can file a complaint, but it won't get your garage finished anytime soon. You hired a "contractor" without checking his license first?! Nice customer service btw. Real professional. :mad:

THE WIDGE
05-30-2007, 07:35 PM
I plan on calling Arizona Contrator Reg tommorrow. Other than making a claim with them, WHAT else can I do. She send a notice from AZ Lien Service Inc, obviously filed a lein. How can i have this removed. I'm leaving to Havi tom night, can I do anything at the city level, or get more info, or do something to prevent the next guy like me.
Thanks again, i blew it and should have done more homework. It's funny the guy hung out for more than 2 hours talking about boating and bad experiences with boat repair shops while drinking a beer with me prior to signing the contract. And now i can't get a call from the guy. My bad.

RaceFace
05-30-2007, 07:50 PM
I plan on calling Arizona Contrator Reg tommorrow. Other than making a claim with them, WHAT else can I do. She send a notice from AZ Lien Service Inc, obviously filed a lein. How can i have this removed. I'm leaving to Havi tom night, can I do anything at the city level, or get more info, or do something to prevent the next guy like me.
Thanks again, i blew it and should have done more homework. It's funny the guy hung out for more than 2 hours talking about boating and bad experiences with boat repair shops while drinking a beer with me prior to signing the contract. And now i can't get a call from the guy. My bad.
Unfortunately this is a tough, expensive to learn! Listen to these guys on the thread....take it to the board. If they cant or wont do anything, time to take it to court. My father-in-law ran into the same crap a few years back. Turns out the AZ board of Contractors doesn't like ANYONE working without a license. This guy tried to say he was working under his brothers license. So the brother came in to vouch for him....and lost his license!
Leins end up tied to your property....nothing happens until you either sell your property or refinance. They show up on the pre-lim in escrow and must be paid before closing. Hang in there and fight this SOB tooth and nail!!!
Good luck!!!

Havasu1986
05-30-2007, 07:53 PM
Sorry to hear.:( i'm glad I went owner / builder with my RV garage. I did it in 3 months scheduling from the O.C. and making weekend trips. :)

monkey rage frank
05-30-2007, 08:29 PM
WoW, Should of hired that Japanese Guy. I know a good Judge in BullHead.

sfury
05-30-2007, 08:34 PM
I have not posted before - but the issue of this thread hits home. I just finished with both a Registrar of Contractors action and a civil court action against the contractor who built our home in Havasu - victory in both. Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against contractors - just against slimy contractors. As members have already posted Arizona Coast Construction is not a licensed contractor nor are the principals of the corporation. Additionally the corporation's status is in question. My one question is that they represent the final inspection was signed off? Do you have a copy - if not tell them to provide it immediately or you can obtain one from the city. However, even if the final inspection for the plans submitted to the city was signed off that does not mean that the contract was performed in full. Basically tell them to pound sand - you will not pay them another dime until the project is 1) finished by them to the specifications of the contract or 2) by a sub-contractor to the specifications of the contract - to which they will be liable for the charges of the sub or 3) let them file a civil complaint and explain to them that they will need to represent to the court that they are not licensed, the corporation with whom you have the contract is not in good standing, the contract has not been performed to specifications and make sure that an exhibit is the lovely letter from the contractor representing that "this part of the business I do for fun" - obviously this is thier standard operating procedure. You may also contact the Havasu court to find out how many complaints they have filed against people - and the result - and how many complaints have been filed against both the individuals and company. Just my two cents but the main problem is that too many people will let these issues slide and accept shabby workmanship and poor customer service - if you stand up for yourself they will generally perform to the standards they should have originally adhered to. :idea:

RaceFace
05-30-2007, 08:39 PM
I have not posted before - but the issue of this thread hits home. I just finished with both a Registrar of Contractors action and a civil court action against the contractor who built our home in Havasu - victory in both. Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against contractors - just against slimy contractors. As members have already posted Arizona Coast Construction is not a licensed contractor nor are the principals of the corporation. Additionally the corporation's status is in question. My one question is that they represent the final inspection was signed off? Do you have a copy - if not tell them to provide it immediately or you can obtain one from the city. However, even if the final inspection for the plans submitted to the city was signed off that does not mean that the contract was performed in full. Basically tell them to pound sand - you will not pay them another dime until the project is 1) finished by them to the specifications of the contract or 2) by a sub-contractor to the specifications of the contract - to which they will be liable for the charges of the sub or 3) let them file a civil complaint and explain to them that they will need to represent to the court that they are not licensed, the corporation with whom you have the contract is not in good standing, the contract has not been performed to specifications and make sure that an exhibit is the lovely letter from the contractor representing that "this part of the business I do for fun" - obviously this is thier standard operating procedure. You may also contact the Havasu court to find out how many complaints they have filed against people - and the result - and how many complaints have been filed against both the individuals and company. Just my two cents but the main problem is that too many people will let these issues slide and accept shabby workmanship and poor customer service - if you stand up for yourself they will generally perform to the standards they should have originally adhered to. :idea:
Just out of curiosity Sfury, who was the builder? If you don't want to tell publicly, please PM me.
Thanks

Marty Gras
05-30-2007, 08:52 PM
That same company is advertizing in the local paper. They are offering an "RV" garage @ $49,900.00, "on your property". I do know that the wife (was or is) in the title company or loan broker business. It just seems that everyone in this town has had problems with contractors, myself included. Just beware that as soon as you get off of the phone with the local BOC office, they will be calling and warning the contractor you just spoke about. I have found the local BOC office to be "the contractors friend" and in no way interrested in YOUR PROBLEMS! I had a block wall guy "walk away' from his mistakes, legal contract, and unfinished work, the local BOC WAS NO HELP AT ALL! Good luck! IT'S A GAME TO THEM IN THIS TOWN! "Your roll of the dice has made you fall into contractor hell in Havasu". "You may not pass GO, you may not collect $200!" "You may pass the lawyer's offices and go directly to the gun store!" "You may park your boats indoors or you may go to jail" "You may 'out' the contractor with pictures and help your friends" "You may choose other methods"

Bradman
05-30-2007, 08:58 PM
Sorry to hear.:( i'm glad I went owner / builder with my RV garage. I did it in 3 months scheduling from the O.C. and making weekend trips. :)
I did the same, owner/builder and took about the same amount of time. It also cost almost $19,000.00 dollars less than what I was quoted from a builder.

Faceaz
05-30-2007, 09:39 PM
I think he's basically done himself in, with his own emails. Payment is for services rendered, by his own admission he is not complete. I would make up a bill of all monies lost by not being able to rent the house, include storage bills for the boats if possible. I would send him the bills & tell him you will make final payment when the work is complete & you have been compensated for your losses due to his failure to perform. Let him know you will be filing a complaint with the registrar, if he does not complete the work within 48hrs.

Havasu Carrera
05-30-2007, 10:15 PM
1. The registraur process will take 9 mos or more!
2. Good luck Bro. Welcome to Havasu and the I got fu.... club.
3. I have allot of great info on local people who do good work if you need any info pm me. Take care and sorry to hear about your problems but they are a way of life in Havasu.:mad: :devil: :jawdrop: :idea: :confused:

Thorsinc
05-30-2007, 10:24 PM
Interesting, I can't find any Arizona Coast Construction, Inc. in the Registrar of Contractors' database. Contracting without a license is a pretty serious deal. Nothing under McSweeney either. They're incorporated under her name and that exact business name with the Az. Corporation Commission. Now about that contractor's license.. Hmm.... :idea:
Seems as though they're having some problems with the Corporation Commission too:
Corporate Status Inquiry
File Number: -1202386-3
Corp. Name: ARIZONA COAST CONSTRUCTION, INC.
This Corporation is NOT in Good Standing for the following reasons:
2006 ANNUAL REPORT WAS RETURNED ON 01/11/2007
I found a Mc Sweeney Michael Edwar
ROC188058
But this licensed is listed under Gold Coast Construction. Not Arizona Coast Construction. If this is the case ( Same MC Sweeney) wouldn’t Arizona Coast Construction Inc. be operating with out a licensed if it was never changed over to the new company? It’s late and I’m board

Havasu Sun
05-31-2007, 05:01 AM
the builder had to pull a permit to build the garage. Do you have a copy? Is it still posted on the job site? Reading the permit should answer alot of questions about if he is licensed. The permit will show who pulled it.

zudnic
05-31-2007, 05:37 AM
I would cut personel written contact with them. Get a lawyer to send them a letter that you consider the bill in dispute. Dont sue or make the threat, let them sue, it's easier to defend over bringing suit against someone. Send the message that you are willing to play hard ball and doubt they will pursue legal action against, its cheaper for them to settle.
Lawsuit threats like when the Police start asking questions its time to get a lawyer. Threatening someone with a lawsuit is barratry and a criminal offense in some jurisdictions. Such threats always come from someone without legal counsel, if they had an attorney they would have been warned against making rash threats. So you can ignore any threat of a lawsuit that doesn't come with a summons attached. Never jump the gun and meet these threats with filing suit. Getting a lawyer to stop contact merely gives more weight to their threat that you believe they are going to drag you through court. Lawyer can also manouver better with how you can deal with this for best court outcome in your favor.

THE WIDGE
05-31-2007, 04:29 PM
Thanks for all the info guys! I will follow up on all the info mentined, I'm leaving to Havi in a few to enjoy a few cold ones.
Any more info will help, and I'm curious if anyone else has delt with this company, or knows this guy personaly.
Thanks
Matt

THE WIDGE
06-03-2007, 06:44 PM
Just an update. My contractor does have a license, and it's under Gold Coast Construction. He has now two complaints with the register, mine and another, he also has a resolved complaint somewhat recently.
Now it's the waiting game and hopefully things will work out. This process helps push him towards corecting the problems. I was hoping there would be something more long term (documentation) to prevent this from happening to soneone else.
Thanks

Marty Gras
06-03-2007, 07:21 PM
Ask the "ROC" for the list of disputes against this contractor durring the life of your contract. From when you signed the papers until today. Those desputes that were being corrected and those on-going. You may just get the ammo you need to bring legal action. Don't ever go into court without WRITTEN PROOF in your favor.

hava life
06-03-2007, 07:32 PM
The registrar will be easy to deal with all you do is tell them and show them, provide any contract and follow up, do not miss the appointment and you will have no problem from the sound of this. It does not take to long to get the complaint reviewed but if you do have an issue with the contractor doing the repairs then you will more then likely go before the the televised judge who is usually out of Phoenix. Don't take any sh*t from this clown and keep records of what he sends to you.