Big Log Builders

Review: No building permit pulled before demolition and electrical/mechanical improvements. HVAC not paid for by contractor.

Contract signed on July 22, 2013, for remodel of commercial store between our company and J Sansom of Big Log Builders. Contract states "full permits in 3 weeks". 2 months later, the building permit was still not pulled. By this time, contractor asked three times for payments. In total $37,400 was paid to Big Log Builders by check. First payment was on July 10 for 5,000 to start work on the permits. Second payment was 27,400 on July 23 for HVAC, framing, demo, plans, permits, engineering, drywall and ruff trades. The third payment was 5,000 on August 27 to pay a mechanics lien on the property for the HVAC supplier. This payment included permits and a new HVAC to be acquired by Big Log Builders.

We didn't get the permits and his subcontractor asked us for the money for the HVAC. $3,055 was paid for the HVAC, which should have been included in our contract agreement.

The HVAC unit was taken from the shop and immediately afterwards we were asked by the contractor to pay for this unit.

Big Log Builders provided us with drawings for the permits. We took the plans to the building department, but these plans were not in the correct format and were unacceptable to acquire a building permit.

The contractor had some electrical and mechanical permits pulled without a building permit. Contractor told us these were permits to start construction, but are in fact not. No work can be done without a building permit.

We have tried to get in contact with him and asked him to sign an end contract agreement, but he didn't respond. He even asked us not to contact him.

The contractor told us we need to hide some things from the plan in order for it to get approved. This is unacceptable for us so we couldn't work with him any more.

Several other mistakes were made in the work he and his subcontractors did. One wall was tiled over before plumbing and electrical work was done within the wall. Now we need to fix the mistakes with a new contractor. HVAC ductwork was installed but was not agreed by the owner.Desired Settlement: We are asking for a refund of $37,400 and the $3,055 we paid for the HVAC, 5 months lost rent for the permit delay which is $17,000, and the cost to fix the mistakes (tile wall and mechanical ductwork) $13,000. We also want him to sign an end contract agreement with us and agree to no more payments from other subcontractors or suppliers.