My advice, stay away. If you have the time, read below and you will see why:
We met Shawn while looking at properties to buy, on which we could build our dream home. Later we met with a handful of other contractors from whom we planned on getting bids as quickly as the plans were done. However, it took longer than anticipated to get things ready for bid and my wife started getting nervous we would not get through the HOA and permitting fast enough to get started on the house this year. However, Shawn offered to get going as soon as the plans were done, as long as we paid him for the bids. He wanted $8000, just for his time to bid the home/roadway, then if we didnt use him, he got to keep the money. My wife in her haste, convinced me that this contractor, even though we had not actually got references (at that time), seemed like a go-getter and would get things moving. So, after some negotiation and despite my better judgment, I foolishly signed a contract for $8000 ($5000 for the home bid/$3000 for the driveway, civil portion). Although we did negotiate that the money was to be applied towards his final fees and not just a retainer.
As he got started on the bid, Shawn started to warn us the driveway, which is long and up a steep hill, was looking like it was going to cost double the anticipated amount (compared to prev estimates). Because this was significantly more and would put our final home value at less than what it was going to cost to build, my wife and I informed Shawn that we may not be proceeding with the build and needed some time to re-consider.
We’re not certain, but it seemed, that sensing we may not be moving forward, Shawn cashed the deposit check for the full $8000. Mind you, the structural plans were still not done, nor had we seen an official bid for the civil work. However, Shawn discovered I had put a hold on the check; I had done it right after giving it to him. Previously, I didnt know if he was just going to disappear, as he seemed so focused on getting our money, that, and so many people had advised us against paying for bids. So, I had placed it on hold, planning on removing the hold once bidding was actually started on both and I was sure I wasn’t being taken. Shawn, upset, tried to call me, but I was busy at work, so he calls and berates my wife, making her cry. Once off work I called, apologized, and explained what I had done and why. He rightfully demands payment and I send him a check for the $3000 owed for the civil bids, expecting that he in return, will send the official civil bids to me, confirming he had done the work for which he was paid. During our conversation, he did not explain why, if he was worried we werent going forward, he hadnt just asked us to write a check for the $3000 owed up till that point.
Over the next several days we speak and I ask for the bids, something to show he had actually gotten bids, to which he responded by email calling me stupid and illiterate b/c I refuse to meet with him in person at that point. After a few days, I do receive an email with two sets of numbers, nothing else. No names or contacts, by which I can verify theyre not just made up figures, or contact information for the people bidding them, should I want to proceed w/ another contractor. Maybe he has no legal obligation, but if I pay $3000 for a bid, even if I terminate services with that individual, I guess I expect the decency of getting the contact info passed along to me, the person who paid for the time spent obtaining it.
Ultimately, he did pass the information along, which is the only thing I ever requested. He is upset that I have shared our story. Frankly, I feel it makes us both look silly.
Anyway, both of us made mistakes along the way, but Shawns conflict resolution skills seem lacking and in a business where there can be so much stress on people, I cannot recommend him as a contractor. Learn from my many mistakes-be smarter. Ultimately the decision is yours. Good luck!
Submitted by Cdub on 10/06/2017
