** 1 Need Advise On Unsatisfied Contractor Work!

[w3ita 0]

Hi all,

I actually engaged an Interior Designer which I am not satisfied of. The work is fine, but his service is terrible. He did not oversee the work being done but worse of all, he did not contact me to ask how was everything. In fact the only time he contacted me was about making the payments (the stages payments)...

Now that the work is done, I am left with the final 5% that suppose to pay him. However, he did not contacted me for 4 weeks after the final work and there was no news from him at all ..

Now after like 5 weeks, he beginning to call me. Probably to ask for the final 5% ... I thought that since he did not even bother to take care of his client's well being, why should I make that payment to him.. I believe I have the right not to pay as he anyhow decide to come and go as he pleases and don't bother to know the work done by his workers.

Please advise if there is any legal way I can do about this issue? I need your advise badly... Anything that can help me? Thanks!!!!

w3ita

[neubie 2]

as long the workmanship is fine, why bother about his poor service attitude? the ID is not your personal butler or banker. would u have preferred one that sweet-talks to u but never delivers what he promised? important thing is any defects highlighted to him is made good asap prior to next milestone payment.

[marshmallow 0]

Hi all,

I actually engaged an Interior Designer which I am not satisfied of. The work is fine, but his service is terrible. He did not oversee the work being done but worse of all, he did not contact me to ask how was everything. In fact the only time he contacted me was about making the payments (the stages payments)...

Now that the work is done, I am left with the final 5% that suppose to pay him. However, he did not contacted me for 4 weeks after the final work and there was no news from him at all ..

Now after like 5 weeks, he beginning to call me. Probably to ask for the final 5% ... I thought that since he did not even bother to take care of his client's well being, why should I make that payment to him.. I believe I have the right not to pay as he anyhow decide to come and go as he pleases and don't bother to know the work done by his workers.

Please advise if there is any legal way I can do about this issue? I need your advise badly... Anything that can help me? Thanks!!!!

w3ita

as long the workmanship is fine, why bother about his poor service attitude? the ID is not your personal butler or banker. would u have preferred one that sweet-talks to u but never delivers what he promised? important thing is any defects highlighted to him is made good asap prior to next milestone payment.

if the work is already completed, workmanship is satisfactory and the house is already in hand-over condition, there is no reason not to pay him even though you don't like his attitude. ID is hired for interior design and not there to concern about your well being.

in fact, i'm surprised he hasn't chased you after 4 weeks... most contractors/ID would have already chased you for payment within 2 weeks of completion.

and, for some ID companies, they actuall have supervisors and IDs and their role are separated, ID concentrates on design only so they rarely go up to the house after handing over field work is to the supervisors. maybe this is the case for the ID you engage?

[Tiler Seng 57]

Hi all,

I actually engaged an Interior Designer which I am not satisfied of. The work is fine, but his service is terrible. He did not oversee the work being done but worse of all, he did not contact me to ask how was everything. In fact the only time he contacted me was about making the payments (the stages payments)...

Now that the work is done, I am left with the final 5% that suppose to pay him. However, he did not contacted me for 4 weeks after the final work and there was no news from him at all ..

Now after like 5 weeks, he beginning to call me. Probably to ask for the final 5% ... I thought that since he did not even bother to take care of his client's well being, why should I make that payment to him.. I believe I have the right not to pay as he anyhow decide to come and go as he pleases and don't bother to know the work done by his workers.

Please advise if there is any legal way I can do about this issue? I need your advise badly... Anything that can help me? Thanks!!!!

w3ita

Hi w3ita, from your statement, the work was delivered satisfactory except for his unattendant- before your sight..

does that mean somebody else in his company did the coordination work or did you do it yourself?

if you're talking about 5 weeks ago, your house completion should be right before CNY, i assume your ID must have

left for Holiday or has just trying to close their 2010 account, and just found your outstanding.

Allow me to suggest, you should make a immediate payment if works are complete satisfactory & in time.

[jaskel 2]

Hi all,

I actually engaged an Interior Designer which I am not satisfied of. The work is fine, but his service is terrible. He did not oversee the work being done but worse of all, he did not contact me to ask how was everything. In fact the only time he contacted me was about making the payments (the stages payments)...

Now that the work is done, I am left with the final 5% that suppose to pay him. However, he did not contacted me for 4 weeks after the final work and there was no news from him at all ..

Now after like 5 weeks, he beginning to call me. Probably to ask for the final 5% ... I thought that since he did not even bother to take care of his client's well being, why should I make that payment to him.. I believe I have the right not to pay as he anyhow decide to come and go as he pleases and don't bother to know the work done by his workers.

Please advise if there is any legal way I can do about this issue? I need your advise badly... Anything that can help me? Thanks!!!!

w3ita

I don't believe you have the right to withhold his payment or not even don't want to pay him for the work done. Its was like ordering of furniture, u paid the deposit, they delivery 10min late and u don't want to pay them the balance just because they are late and the boss of the furniture shop don't bother to know what time will the driver be arriving at the customer's house. This is so unfair and u still want to go to legal way so that u can don't pay the balance which the ID can actually go for legal way to get you pay instead.

When I first saw the title was thought of that maybe another victim of irresponsible ID/contractor but look like the ID is the victim instead. U by all means have the money to pay but trying to pin points all little little issues so that u can don't pay it (is this greedy or what?). If u are not happy with his services, u can just don't recommend him to your friends or relatives but not in this manner when work is done and don't pay him the balance. Its was u this type of house owner that made the relation of trust between ID/contractor with the house owner not there. And also the terms and conditions of the contact longer and longer. Imagine the older days where your parents don't even have any contact with the contractor at all. That the trust they have with each other.

Edited March 9, 2011 by jaskel

[JCase 0]

Skating on very thin ice on this issue. If the work is completed satisfactorily and on-time then I really doubt that you will any case to withhold payment.

[marshmallow 0]

wah bro you're like pouring your frustration out...

I don't believe you have the right to withhold his payment or not even don't want to pay him for the work done. Its was like ordering of furniture, u paid the deposit, they delivery 10min late and u don't want to pay them the balance just because they are late and the boss of the furniture shop don't bother to know what time will the driver be arriving at the customer's house. This is so unfair and u still want to go to legal way so that u can don't pay the balance which the ID can actually go for legal way to get you pay instead.

When I first saw the title was thought of that maybe another victim of irresponsible ID/contractor but look like the ID is the victim instead. U by all means have the money to pay but trying to pin points all little little issues so that u can don't pay it (is this greedy or what?). If u are not happy with his services, u can just don't recommend him to your friends or relatives but not in this manner when work is done and don't pay him the balance. Its was u this type of house owner that made the relation of trust between ID/contractor with the house owner not there. And also the terms and conditions of the contact longer and longer. Imagine the older days where your parents don't even have any contact with the contractor at all. That the trust they have with each other.

[jaskel 2]

Skating on very thin ice on this issue. If the work is completed satisfactorily and on-time then I really doubt that you will any case to withhold payment.

This I'm totally agreed.

Normally house owner will withhold balance payment for 2-4weeks to see the workmanship of the reno as only when they stayed in the house, they get to experience all the stuffs so any defects they can ask the ID/contractor to come back to rectify it before paying them the rest of the payment as they have their own concern too if they paid the balance after HO which I'm totally understand.

Words of mouth is very important to ID/contractors, and providing after sale services are very important to them too. Don't think most of them want to do 1 time job only (of course there is those hit and run out there somewhere), this is their source of income coming from.

As from this forum u can see how many ID/contractors that have bad workmanship or services had been blacklisted from those who looking for an ID/contractor and how many with good workmanship and services had been loaded with lots of ppl asking for them to do their reno.

[jaskel 2]

wah bro you're like pouring your frustration out...

. When I'm a house owner, I get cheated by contractor. When I first started off as a contractor, I also kanna cheated by a few house owners. So I'm fully understand the two sides concern. Most of the house owners are very kind and they always advised me to collect payment promptly from other house owners and shouldn't be doing first then collect after completion. Maybe due to my style of work, I always do first, money talk later (those engaged me knows better), that some of them really took advantage of it (most are those added stuffs after signed the contact and don't pay for it as they don't sign on the revised contact).

I believe that if both can put themselves into each other shoe, both will have a better working relation. Beside buying of house and car, renovation is the next biggest item amount that the house owner paid for. Of course they want it to be everything swee swee cos they are staying there for very long time not any other people. So ID/contractors should understand it and do it as is doing their own house, workmanship, quality of work, etc. Whereas owner should also understand ultimately they are all human beings, hiccups do happen, as long as is rectify swee swee, just keep it cool. Isn't life will be better for everyone this way.

I hope in the coming future that there is an authority that will control the work of renovation eg, as to become a renovator, u need to pay a deposit of $100K, if there any disputes, the authority by using their expertise will decide how much to pay the owner from the renovator, if the renovator don't pay, they will use the deposit amount to pay. Whereas the owner when doing renovation, they will pay to the authority in full and the authority will pay the renovator slowly due to the amount of work done. The authority will have the final said on the verdict. Isn't this fair to everyone? The owner won't scare that the renovator run away with the money, and the renovator won't scare the owner won't pay up. Maybe I should suggest it to Mr Mah

Edited March 9, 2011 by jaskel

[PapaYeo 0]

Hi all,

I actually engaged an Interior Designer which I am not satisfied of. The work is fine, but his service is terrible. He did not oversee the work being done but worse of all, he did not contact me to ask how was everything. In fact the only time he contacted me was about making the payments (the stages payments)...

Now that the work is done, I am left with the final 5% that suppose to pay him. However, he did not contacted me for 4 weeks after the final work and there was no news from him at all ..

Now after like 5 weeks, he beginning to call me. Probably to ask for the final 5% ... I thought that since he did not even bother to take care of his client's well being, why should I make that payment to him.. I believe I have the right not to pay as he anyhow decide to come and go as he pleases and don't bother to know the work done by his workers.

Please advise if there is any legal way I can do about this issue? I need your advise badly... Anything that can help me? Thanks!!!!

w3ita

Think the problem here is not that the ID never oversees the work in your house. If the ID didnt do that, dont think your house will be 'fine', as you mentioned it. No work can go on without supervision and sometimes, long discussions with his sub-contractors. I strongly believed that your ID knows your requirement, he knows his duty and he delivers.

Only thing is that he didnt spend much attention to you, or he didnt report the progress to you. Anyway he did what you wanted, this is most important.

Some IDs will leave you alone after hand-over. Giving you undisturbed time to move in, unpack and settle down. He gave you 5-weeks, that a good long time.

Anyway, legally or not, you will have to pay him in full for all jobs done.

[Lovely 0]

Hi all,

I actually engaged an Interior Designer which I am not satisfied of. The work is fine, but his service is terrible. He did not oversee the work being done but worse of all, he did not contact me to ask how was everything. In fact the only time he contacted me was about making the payments (the stages payments)...

Now that the work is done, I am left with the final 5% that suppose to pay him. However, he did not contacted me for 4 weeks after the final work and there was no news from him at all ..

Now after like 5 weeks, he beginning to call me. Probably to ask for the final 5% ... I thought that since he did not even bother to take care of his client's well being, why should I make that payment to him.. I believe I have the right not to pay as he anyhow decide to come and go as he pleases and don't bother to know the work done by his workers.

Please advise if there is any legal way I can do about this issue? I need your advise badly... Anything that can help me? Thanks!!!!

w3ita

Whatever advises now is asking u to pay that poor ID the balance. And that the best help u received so far from the foumers.