Just wanted to say how sorry I am for you! This should be a 'somewhat' fun time, but you are enduring a NIGHTMARE! It will pass... and someday you will forget it! Our first house we built (20 years ago) was also a nightmare. I was far into my pregnancy and had to deal with the builder going bankrupt and leaving us holding the bag. It is very much like childbirth - as some labor and complications are far more difficult then others (had one of them too!) It will someday become a distant memory - and you might go on to have more children or build another house! We never did have any more children, but we are building our 4th house!

Blessings and best wishing!

You need to research the lien laws in your state. Where I am if a sub had not worked on a job for 90 days (I'm pretty sure that's the time period, I haven't read the statute in awhile) they can't fine a lien. That is why, where I am, it is important that once you are in a dispute you don't let them back - it restarts the clock.

Good luck. I hope it works out for you. I would get a third written bid for the soffiting, just in case you have to go to court. And make sure the materials and venting requirements match what was in the original contract.

I'm sorry to hear that this is still dragging on for you. And I hope the town's inspectors help work out a way to make sure everything is safe without tearing the garage down.

I do have a question about your soffit though. What type of contractors do you look at for that work? Siding Contractors? Framers? Trim Carpenters? We're doing brick veneer, so we don't have contact with any siding people yet.

bdpeck, I believe that our soffits were done during by the framing crew.

ehoops, I'm so sorry this is still dragging on for you. I keep thinking you are through the worst of it and then you get "hit" again. It must be a nightmare. Please let us know how everything turns out.

Jaymie

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone. I can't wait for the day when I can post fun pictures of floors, cabinets, etc. Until then thanks for enduring my long miserable posts. I just needed to vent yesterday.
Charlotte- we had trim carpenters do the soffiting they were also going to do all the trim work on the porch including decking, ceiling and posts (we have a lot of posts).
We haven't heard back from the Town inspectors yet to see how they'll handle the garage. I'll update when we find out. :)

bepeck......anyone who installs vinyl usually installs the 'boxing' in for soffits.

bepeck, I am sooooo sorry for your plight. We went thru (*&*( before it was all over, can honestly say I would never do it again. But....when I sit here in my beautiful home, just the way I wanted it, dreamed of it, I think, oh how wonderful it is. Unfortunately, you have to go thru these idiots to get it finished. How low do you go, right? Hang in there, it will eventually get finished, I feel your pain, I am so sorry!
V

I'm so sorry you have to go through this. It's so unnecessary what people will put you through. I hope this gets settled quickly, for your sake.

Wow- your situation seems a lot worse than mine ehoops. Why are these people able to get away with this??? And you know it isn't the first time....

Although our situation is only a single floor of a house, it is still potentially ruinous for us financially if we are unable to recover the funds to fix it. I really don;t know how we are going to overcome it.

Best of luck- I hope that you eventually, can be happy in your new home.

Mike Holmes from Holmes on Homes needs to come stateside more often. Maybe we could tempt him with the balmy weather (compared to Canada).....

Check the laws for filing liens in your state. In California the sub-contractor has to give the property owner notification that HE CAN file a lien within 20 days of the job starting. If that time frame has passed then he can't legally file a lien. Also if someone does file a lien against the property (at least in Cali) then they have to perfect that lien within 90 days for it to be legal. That would require going to court to actually place the lien. You may be OK here. Check the laws ;-)

Thanks again for everyones kind thoughts and words.
As Jenellecal mentioned there are lien laws in California that if not followed correctly afford the sub contractor no rights to lien. So last week I wrote our problem subs a very detailed letter referencing California Civil Codes pertaining to sub contractors and lien rights. I reminded them that they NEVER filed a 20 day pre-lien, therefore they had no rights to place a lien on or property. I also mentioned that if they did place a lien and it was considered "false" (which it would be with no pre-lien), we would have to have an attorney expunge the false lien from our records and would have recourse to go after the claimants for up to $2,000 in legal fee compensation. We haven't heard from them. Hopefully, they got the message.