Legal Question in Construction Law in California

This is a Construction Law issue: I hired a licensed General Contractor to replace (3) old doors on my house in California. He submitted an estimate for $900.00. There was no written contract. When the work was completed, I payed him. Within a couple weeks, the doors warped badly. When I had him come back to look at them, he said we needed thicker solid core doors. He charged another $175.00 to replace the doors. After a couple more weeks, these doors also warped.

He got the door manufacturer to agree to swap out the warped solid core wood doors for fiberglass doors. Now he wants to charge me another $724.00 to install the fiberglass doors along with new frames. That will bring our grand total to $1,799.00. Almost twice the original amount.

My question is: Is it appropriate for me to insist that the contractor eat this final amount and make the repairs at his own expense? Or should I pull money out of my pocket again to pay him a third time to replace the doors for what he would consider to be circumstances beyond his control? Thank you.

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Asked on 2/21/12, 9:47 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

It depends on who picked the doors. If he selected or recommended the doors, it is between him and the door manufacturers to pay for his time for the remedial work. If you specified the doors and they were not suitable, then you have to pay for the changes.

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Answered on 2/21/12, 11:24 am


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