Contractors Who Don't Pay List.

KingOfDrywall

In light of so many stories we hear about drywall tradesman not getting paid, I thought it might be appropriate to make a running list of contractors whom have a reputation of NOT PAYING. It seems as though they bounce from one drywaller to the next. If we keep ourselves informed, maybe we can really slow down this trend a little. I recently placed a post and had a board member privately email me and tell me he was a victim of the same company and he resided in another state. We can truly empower ourselves and keep eachother informed by doing this. Even better.....I would suggest if you know builders or other companies who pay well and on time, we should recognize them as well. I guess I will officially start. Hope everyone likes the idea.

KingOfDrywall

BUH Construction,McKeesRocks PA-Project: Walmart in Warren Ohio-HAD TO TAKE TO COURT TO COLLECT. His tactic was to pull my guys off the job everytime they nearly completed a designated area. When I pulled the guys off the job ,he says to me" you can't bill me, you didn't fully complete not 1 area".
Lukanec's Remodeling & Construction,Youngstown Ohio:hired us to do some ceiling textures. 2 times prior we had problems with his checls at the bank, but he did pay. On the last job, my guys collected a check and we noted it was post dated 2 days.
He had stopped payment on it. I called him and finally took him to court(he didn't show) and now I have a judgment against him. He even avoided the court summons to answer so I can detach his wages.There may be a warrabt out for him for faulure to appear.
Ron at Brinks Home Security/Job located in Lowellville Ohio: We do tons of repairs for companies like this. Relocating systems, holes in walls for wiring. This guy put his foot through a ceiling running the alarm wires. We came out did the repair instantly. He gave me a fax numner to sent the invoice 330-742-4030, and the number has been disconnected. I contacted the homewner and asked him plitely to pass the word on to them that I will file a civil action by the 30th of this month. It was agreed when I started that they would mail a check as soon as the home owner confirmed the work was completed. That was 20 days ago.
Sharpe Builders,Poland Ohio: Eventually paid, but not to the terms we agreed. Slow payer. If you don't raise hell to get the money, you won't get a cent from him.

joepro0000

New Alliance Contracting - aka Slater Construction: This guy is a rip-off, he owes over 100K to contractors, located in Pompano Beach, FL - Lou Boni - Owes me $1500.00, from a small residence job, claims he never got paid, but BS. I went to the owner, and they said they paid him. Hope the FBI shuts him down. Has been over 1 year now!

16 on Center - Matt Obrien - A drywall contractor who has taken over 6 months to pay me over 20K in debt - Orlando, FL. Good guy but can't trust him. Owes me from a Staples and Borders job I did.

G&A Contracting - Scam GC, fake company, did a project in Miami, FL and never paid us.
RJ Builders - Ruben- Known for not paying workers who worked in Fisher Island, wrote me a bad check for 4K and never seen him again. Owes over 30K another drywaller. - Miami, FL

Casino Drywall- Shut down my the IRS, but still operating under other names, ripped off hundreds. Personally, I never worked with them.

O'brien Construction, OB DRYWALL - Ripped me off by taking out 5% of my check every week to pay us cash, then at the end of the year gave us a 1009, and said that 5% was to cover insurance for us. BS- If were a independant contractor, we need to have our own insurance. Owner made off with 5% of every worker's pay everyweek. We thought she would take 5% off because she was paying us cash.
Fort Lauderdale, FL

PDI - Maria and some other girl -two young girls in their late 20's, think there GCS, but know nothing about the trades. Did not pay me $400 for hanging drywall, made up an excuse saying they had to take it all down and re-do it because it was wrong. How stupid is that. Told one of labors she'd pay him 100 per day, then treated him to lunch, and offered him a ride home after work so he did not have to catch the bus, and then when she paid, he got charged for gas and the food, and he only got 60.00. Unlicensed hack, who gets jobs from service magic.

fj5race

That would be a great thing to start up.However I think there will be more BAD ones than GOOD ones. I live in Maryland so if I come across any companies around this way I will keep you informed. I'm a Finisher myself. But know how to throw it up to.

Thanks

Custom Drywall Svc.

i always pre-lien the job.

years ago, some guy owed me around 25k. i threatened him with the pre-lien....he still wouldnt pay. thought i was bluffing when i told him im going to buy his house. didnt think i had the balls, let alone the money.

yea, he was wrong.

AtlanticWB

Just realize that in some stated, others cannot do that...by law.

__________________
screw it

evolve991

In the MD/DE area: Davitt/etc/etc and I believe they now go under TRED/AVON as
well.Known for years of changing names,banks,filing chapter 11 etc.
In PA: Lance McCoy. He lets you almost finish a job then throws you off for something "He told you about in the first place" and gets his illegals to finish it up,skips out on pay. Got me for 1200.00

__________________
Rockin' the suburbs since 9.9.1991 Shue Drywall .....Marylands Modern Rock Alternative....

Custom Drywall Svc.

if thats true, thats ridiculous.......do they have other ways then to protect the sub-contractor?

Darren@Partners

We can't pre-liean in MO or KS. MO gives us 6 mon. to file, KS only 3 -- definitely need strongers laws. City should contact Bank & all Trades re: payment prior to issuing occupancy permit or turning on water--probably never happen. Here's my list: Mike Yancik (MYC) owes 3-4K, mostly on repairs; Jay Wilson (JWP, Northland dev.) owes me 26K, including 15k on his personal house; FDIC owes me 14K on Columbian Bank & Trust seizure; Brian Flinn(estimator for Grayling & co.) owes 1800 on personal house; Craft Builders (Lee, Chad, Bernie Ullman) owe over 25k. It's a wonder I'm still in business! Can't be too careful these days. Some of those losses go back to 2000, but most were in the past 12-18 months. **** Don't do any foreclosure work for a Bank w/o either a retainer, irrevocable letter of credit, or being collateralized (your name on a deed until paid)-- this from the FDIC directly. Once your lien rights are gone Civil Court only recourse, only one that gets paid then is your LAWYER! Banks always hold 1st position so if you do get a lien on, you can't collect a dime until the bank recovers ALL its $. ****Most Res. work now is owner/builders and I get 1/2 when hung, other 1/2 on Spray day**** Doesn't always work, but ask where Construction loan is and intro. self to Loan officer prior to starting. We're all going to see more of this and need to educate ourselves on our legal rights and stick to our guns. If you get that sick feeling in your gut(about your $), it's probably already too late! Don't be afraid to walk away, let someone else have the work & the worry. Good Luck!

Darren@Partners

One Drywall Contractor in Blue Springs MO shot and killed builder over $1100. Don't think he'll ever collect.

joepro0000

Darren,

Wow i'm sorry to hear about your tough losses. I hear 2009 is going to be a busy year, and hope everything works out great. I hope those people who owe people all get shut-down or beat up badly.

FOR THOSE ABOUT

Those who die will be the lucky ones!! AARGH!

creativeph

I am tired of the contractors who dont pay and get away with it. I have said that there should be a website for all trades for subs to report on the contractors who don't pay. Especially the tricks that they pay and how others handle them. There should be a reporting end and an area of how to potect yourself as a business owner. I was just going thru the files of the contractors who owed money and we have no recourse other than to spend more than they owe us in legal fees to get back money that is owed. I am a plumbing and heating contractor located in NY. We cannot lein the job I know that this is a practice they use in NJ but it is not done here. If it is a residential job you have 4 months to file a lien (aprpox cost $250 and it is for 1 year - to extend you need an attorney and you need to foreclose on the lien - $$) The contractors know that all they need to tell the homeowner is to wait out the year and it will be gone. Commercial projects I believe you have much longer.

I would love to see a National list of contractors who do not pay with a contact person on who they can speak to about the situation that occurred in order for them to be put on the list.

This economy you really have to know who you are doing business with - this is no time to take chances.

Darren@Partners

Another way to make 'em pay....Send them a 1099 for the unpaid amount. Check w/ your bookkeeper on the details. If they can't pay you bet Uncle Sam will get 'em

KingOfDrywall

That's actually a brilliant idea Darren .As a matter of fact ,you might as well send them the 1099 with not only the original labor and materials costs, but any interest and fees added on as well. I have a few judgments that I haven't collected them yet. Out of laziness I didn't pursue beyond the judgment. The courts told me for another $25 I can order a garnishment through my local court. I am taking all my stuff to the courts next week just so I can either collect it or not. The ones I can't collect on I may sell them to a debt collection agency. IN any event, I do like the idea of sending them a 1099, however if I elect to do that ,I am gonna add on interest and fees. Not only that, but if the contractor who stiffed you decides to call you after you send him that inflated 1099 , it'll be a good oppurtunity to try to tape record him or get some current information to pursue him legally. Maybe you can get him to pay a partial on it with a check----once you got a check for any amount you're golden. You can take that to the court and get a bank garnishment because you now have his account nymber and routing numbers. IN any event Darren......I really like the idea of the 1099. That's something I never really tought of before.

Darren@Partners

Thanks King. Beware if you collect something the following year/s you'll have to report it somehow. I have my bookie looking at the rules and will report back when I know the details. So before you add interest and collection fees, check with someone in the know as Jan. 31st fast approacheth. If the offenders go to the local municipalities for variances or TIFs, email every alderman, code officer etc. about their payment practices. Might not stop 'em but also might cost 'em on inspection day!

Apple24

silverstilts

Pre Liens may help but a few years back i did a home and the contractor kept bugging me to turn in my invoice He needed some money , well i did but guess who kept the money , I finally went out to the home that i did and the new homeowners were already living there , i talked to them and told them how the contractor would not return any phone calls , so i went and filed a lien against not only the contractor but also the homeowners and property ,,,, i sure got a phone call asap from the contractor asking what the hell i was doing.... i told him all he had to do was to pick up the phone and let me know what was going on and don't be turning his problem into mine , he told me that because i did not file a pre-lien he did not have to pay me ,,,, wrong when the bank realize what was going on they couldn't close on the loan because of a lien i filed against the homeowners , they called me up and asked what amount was owed almost $10,000. they cut a check and sent it to me , but the dirty bast*** 1099 me for that job along with the bank ,,,, i got the last laugh he committed fraud , the IRS kinda frowned on that one , don't know the fine but it wasn't cheap.... so there are ways to collect money due , sometimes they work and sometimes you just have to collect by other means ..... it's called ingenuity

KingOfDrywall

I like when they always try to turn it around on us....LMAO
The way some of them act, you'd think it was illegal for you to collect money that's owed to you. I once went to a builders house, very politely knocked on his door and he flipped out. I said, "Well ,you said you were so busy that you couldn;t meet up with me so hear I am......making it easy on you". He said he couldn;t believe I was on his door step. I replied " Yeah.....I'm a great guy, very patient and willing to come to my good paying customers homes when they are so busy they can't meet me" Than I said, to him that I even saved him the cost of a stamp. I told him I'd gladly wait in my car in the driveway as along as he needs me to so he can gather his check book......hahaha. He was pissed but he paid. By the way.....after he cut the check he says to me "You'll never work for me again"......LMAO!!!!!!!! as if I'd ever work for this chump again.....get real. he hasn't built a new house yet.

Whitey97

That's perfect. So perfect you've given me the idea to go do that myself!