Whether you are renovating your primary residence, building on new land, or working on an investment property, you will want to have a contractor whom you trust to execute your vision thoroughly and fully. So, understandably, you may grow alarmingly stressed when your hired contractor leaves a construction site unfinished for large periods of time, while the costs of your project are piling up, and you cannot seem to get a hold of them in the meantime. If you notice this sudden and drastic halt in construction activity, you must act immediately and strategically. Please continue reading to learn how to handle a situation where your contractor suddenly abandons your project and how an experienced New York City real estate attorney at Zimmet Law Group, P.C., can intervene in this urgent matter.
How do I know if my contractor legally abandoned my real estate project?
Real estate projects take time, so you may initially be unsure whether your contractor is moving at a normal pace, and you are simply paranoid about getting abandoned. And so, besides simply falling behind schedule, below are tell-tale signs that your contractor may have legally abandoned you:
- The contractor may continually miss your phone calls, leave your emails and text messages unread, and otherwise fail to update you entirely.
- There have been weeks of no work progress, and your contractor repeatedly breaks promises about resuming construction soon.
- Construction crew members originally assigned to your real estate project may be slowly disappearing without warning or notice.
- Significant pieces of construction machinery, tools, and materials may be slowly removed from the work site.
What should I do immediately after my contractor stops showing up?
You may search for a reason why your contractor stopped showing up that is legally excusable. Namely, if you are aware of the poor inclement weather conditions in your area lately. Or, you have proof that your contractor is experiencing legitimate supply chain disruptions or permitting problems beyond their reasonable control.
If you cannot justify their reckless abandonment of your real estate project, though, you should get to work on preserving evidence for a legal case. More specifically, with the help of your attorney, you should initiate the following actions:
- Take photos and videos of the conditions of your real estate property and the incomplete work on the construction site.
- Gather and store the contract you initially entered with the contractor, along with any invoices, payment receipts, etc.
- Collect any written communications exchanged between you and the contractor throughout the real estate project.
- Secure the construction site (i.e., security presence, fencing, etc.) to preserve the tangible evidence that exists here.
Importantly, despite what your instinct may be, you must not fire your contractor in the middle of your legal action. If you do, you may allow your contractor to argue that you breached the contract, and possibly even attempt to demand payment as a penalty for doing so.
With all that being said, please do not hesitate to work together with a skilled New York City real estate attorney. The team at Zimmet Law Group, P.C., will have your best interests at heart always and will fight for justice to reign in your favor.
