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At this point, perhaps hiring an arbitrator or third party would ease the pain of the last part of the process. "You and my wife seems to be at odds, so I have hired a professional to make things more easy."
In stuff like this, well over half of it can be avoided by doing things IN WRITING and having a paper trail. Whenever I hear or read "we just agreed to it without formalizing it" my eyes roll. I'm sorry it happens, but sometimes avoiding small confrontations like "what do you mean you won't agree to this in writing?" only lead to much larger ones.
Honestly pretty surprised at these comments. The nature of building (just like any complex project in any industry) is that attention to operational excellence is key. Most people suck at this - including builders.
Sounds like your builder is not managing you as a client properly. He has (presumably) built hundreds of houses and you not. If something is not going to plan (be it lumber prices changed or you decided you want to redo something that had already been locked) it is on him to clearly communicate and articulate what the consequences are.
I had a big issue with an outbuilding that we built before - contractor messed up on multiple counts and went way over original timeline. My attorney sent him a nice letter and we parted ways, both inconvenienced but at least on our terms. I had someone else finish the job.
Some good responses. Appreciate the comments. I work in practicality and common sense.
I don't let emotions run to high or low. This is a new one. The builders personality literally did a 180 after lumber prices soared and he made sure we knew about it every time we saw him.
That said, the abrasive bullying attitude was a shocker and the stretching the truth and then simply not doing things we paid him.
You are correct, everything in writing. Again it won't kill me financially, but it really is the principle and that he lives in the neighborhood, but his true colors really showed.
I agree you are getting one side, its an anonymous message board of millions of people.
One thing I do know, yelling and cursing at women or anyone is not fine, esp when not warranted.
This is an excellent question! Every buyer "should" have a realtor representing them- even when you are having a custom home built by a builder. Unfortunately, most do not- and don't see the advantage of actually paying someone to be a mediator on THEIR SIDE!
In this particular scenario that the OP is in, it could have made all the difference in the world (at least from this side of the fence).
Lumber prices did go crazy in the summer. The builder likely got in over his head, and lost money on your project. The only thing that will cure the problem is more money. If that's not going to happen, hang it up and move on.
If that's not going to happen, hang it up and move on.
Right! Just walk away from a signed contract. Yeah; that solves everything!
If- and this is a REALLY BIG “IF”- the builder is really losing his ass because of the lumber prices, then he doesn’t know how to run his business. Builders biggest single budgetary item is lumber. And lumber is a commodity that fluctuates in price day-in and day-out. Smart builders will contract with wholesale lumber suppliers to board/ft cost on either a 6month (rarely) or 12month contract. That basically freezes the prices of his needed lumber for the contracted period.
So, a pandemic shouldn’t raise alarms during that contract period- and it shouldn’t be a source of complaint. But, since it seems to be (on this side of the fence) I’d say he might be a good builder- but he sux at business!
"lumber prices did go crazy in the summer"....still crazy. I just paid over $5 for studs.
Regards
gemstone1
That’s RETAIL!
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