What would you guys do if you were in my shoes?

mellowlynx68 said:.........

Seriously... how on earth is your inbox already slammed right now????

Just clear it out...

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa hey, take it easy on me! ...

Go ahead and vent to us like we're your therapists—we're listening.
It’s way better to let it all out here than to take it out on some poor contractor.

Can't wait to hear the rest of this story 🙂

👋

talk about a massive saltiness

You just don't understand the soul of a wounded American.☕

mellowlynx68 said:You just don't get the wounded American soul☕.

Ha ha ha... look, I'm a Woman from Indianapolis😉...with Midwestern, Appalachian, and Ozark genes swirling around in there... plus some Canadian blood too, my great-grandmother was actually a countess...

Now, you try putting all that together and what do you get? A hell of a... combination of sheer persistence, pure stubbornness... and a desperate need to be in charge. I'm the one calling the shots here... and I don't back down.🤣🤣🤣🤣

I'm not about to let some small-town nobody pull my strings...🤣😂😂what does he think he's doing? Who does he think he's dealing with?

Bury a pig in the backyard, dig it up three months later, and then just dump it on the doorstep.

I honestly have no clue who decided to write something like 'because just $67'

$67:
grocery money for the whole week
a student pass to Washington, D.C. and lunch at McDonald's
modding a PS2 with a chip
some fancy shoes
a shirt from some random boutique

with $67, you know how much water supplies you could secure for those poor kids in Africa
how much food you could buy for all those starving animals at the shelter

it’s just plain moronic to think this is only $67, seriously, anyone who says that clearly hasn't lived through a day without food or water before 🧐

if I were you, I'd be digging my heels in, and actually, the smartest move would be to demand the receipt for all that nonsense—the pipes, the water heater, or whatever else—or just straight up ask for a refund $167 ☕

Man, I had to really dig through all these posts to make sense of this mess, but honestly, most of the mistakes I’m seeing seem to be coming from your side of things.
1. First mistake—you’re claiming he lives nearby so he shouldn't charge for gas, blah blah blah. Look, I’ve never heard of a contractor—especially one working out of a garage—charging you for fuel just because they have to drive to the job site; besides, it’s in his best interest to actually show up and work if he wants to get paid.
2. Second mistake—accepting an estimate that doesn't break down the individual cost of every single part and the specific labor fee. Is that really how you start a professional project?
3. Third mistake—letting him pick up the materials for your house. Would a brick really fall on your head if you just took a day off, drove around, and picked everything up yourself at prices you actually recognize, then just paid him for his labor? And for heaven's sake, you definitely shouldn't pay anything upfront, or you'd end up in this exact situation.
4. Fourth mistake—there's a certain level of naivety here, because after all this, you're still talking about giving him even more $333 when you weren't even happy with the work in the first place. Why didn't you just hire someone else?

Anyway, let's get back to those $67.
If it were me, I’d get them back one way or another. A little "subtle" suggestion without any witnesses tends to clear things up pretty quickly; that way, there's nothing anyone can prove, but he might start wondering if it's really worth dealing with the headache over $67.

In my opinion, you got played, and I don't think involving the kids is the right way to get your money back. I mean, what have they done to deserve being dragged into this awkward mess, forced to deal with the fact that their parents are being taken advantage of by thieves and liars?

You really need to settle this face-to-face. But try to keep a cool head so things don't spiral out of control.

I don't want my post to come across as an insult or anything like that; I'm just offering my perspective on the whole situation.

Raymond Robinson37 said:Man, I had to slog through just about every single one of these posts to make sense of it all. Quite a chore, really. But honestly? Most of the mistakes I’m seeing seem to be coming from your side of the fence.
You’ve got it wrong. You say it’s "close by," that he doesn't need gas money, blah blah blah. Give me a break. I have never—not once—heard of a mechanic charging for travel time just because they’re driving a few miles down the road. And let’s be real, if they're working out of some shady garage in the suburbs, they want the job just as much as anyone else. It's in their best interest to get the work done, isn't it? Why would they make it complicated?
Wait, hold on. There’s a mistake here. A quote that doesn't break down the individual cost for each part versus the labor? Seriously? Is that really how people are running businesses these days? I mean, if you're actually going to step into a professional job, shouldn't there be some transparency? It feels sloppy. Just a lump sum without any detail... who even does that anymore?
Mistake number three: letting him handle the shopping for your house materials. Honestly? Would the sky have fallen if you’d just carved out a single day to drive around yourself? You could've picked everything out, locked in the prices you actually agreed on, and then just paid him for his labor—whatever he claimed it was worth. And for heaven's sake, you wouldn't pay a dime upfront. Why would you? So you don't end up stuck in this exact mess. Is that really too much to ask?
Fourth mistake—and honestly, I’m starting to see a bit of that classic naivety creeping in here. Because after everything we've been through, the idea of just handing over even more? It's a lot. Why do we always fall for the same patterns? It feels like we're just throwing good money after bad at this point. Is anyone actually surprised anymore? $333 So, you weren't happy with the job. Fine. But if it was such a disaster, why didn't you just hand it over to someone else? Why stay? Just curious.

Alright, let's get back to those guys... $67.
Honestly? I’d find a way to get them, by any means necessary. A little quiet, off-the-record threat—nothing that leaves a paper trail—usually smooths things over pretty fast. If there aren't any witnesses, there's no proof, right? But once you plant that seed of doubt in someone's head... once they start wondering if the headache is actually worth the payout... well, things tend to change. Just something to think about. $67.

I think you got played, plain and simple. And honestly? Using kids to squeeze money out of people... that’s a low blow. Is that really how we're playing it now? What did those kids ever do to deserve being dragged into this mess? They shouldn't have to deal with having thieves and liars for parents just to satisfy some bottom line. It's messed up.

We really need to get this sorted out, like, right now. Fast. But at the same time? Maybe we should take a beat and keep our heads on straight. We don't want anyone crossing the line, do we? Just... let's try not to lose it.

Look, I’m not trying to start a fight here, and I definitely don't want anyone taking this as some kind of personal attack or an insult. That's not my intention. I'm just laying out how I see things. My perspective, that's all. Is it that complicated?

Thanks.
I guess I’ll try adding something else. Might not change much, who knows?

Gasoline? Please. We knew from day one there wouldn't be any extra charges for that. He only started making up these ridiculous fees at the very end when they finally called him over to clear out those carts he’d managed to block off with pipes—he actually ran a pipe right over the wheel! He shows up, grumbling and acting like everything was our fault. I even tried telling him, "Hey, we have stuff stored in the pantry under the stairs, let me move it," but he just brushed me off, saying it wasn't necessary. So, once he finally gets the carts out, we hit the inevitable wall: what happens next? The problem is, we already handed him a grand upfront, and we were willing to cough up maybe another thousand just to get him to finish the job. Mind you, he was still trying to squeeze another three thousand out of us just for labor. I told him straight: you've already been paid for the work, considering you took three thousand and barely finished laying the pipes. That's when the whole thing blew up. He’s trying to bill us six thousand for the total job, while we're sitting here wondering why on earth we'd pay someone fifty percent more than a legitimate contractor who actually provides a receipt and a warranty. It makes no sense, does it?

Where exactly did he say he was walking away from the job? That he’s done? That he won't be doing any more of that nonsense? Seriously... what kind of move is that?😲
So, they said, "Fine, just give us back that thousand bucks..." and then—get this—he starts acting like some kind of philosopher. Suddenly he’s lecturing me about how we didn't provide enough upfront, or how he ran into these unexpected overhead costs he only noticed later... and then he brings up gas money. Seriously? I was honestly seconds away from slapping him right then and there. I had to bite my tongue just to keep from losing it.

The price list... look, everything was laid out right there. We had the total clearly marked, but we didn't want to just hand over one big lump sum. That’s not how it works. We wanted to break it down properly—show the cost for the piping, the raw materials, all those little miscellaneous parts... you know? And then make it clear that the labor was baked into that figure. It was straightforward. Why wouldn't we do it that way? It makes sense, doesn't it?

You know how it goes. You try to hire a contractor, a freelancer, anyone actually working for themselves, and what do you get? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They won't even pick up the phone unless they’re the ones calling the shots on the supplies. It’s like if they aren't the ones picking out the lumber or buying the hardware at Home Depot, they just don't want to bother. Why would they? Why deal with someone else's cheap materials when they can just control the whole process? It’s all about the control, isn't it? Or maybe they just don't trust anyone else to do it right. Either way, good luck getting anything done without handing them the credit card first.
Everyone kept pointing that out... I mean, why wouldn't they? They just swoop in and grab the discount. That's how the game works, isn't it?
Well, here we go again... we’ve finally hit that rock bottom moment where even the water heater becomes an issue. He just wouldn't get one. Just wouldn't budge. So, what did we do? We went out and bought one ourselves. Honestly, the guy was a total wreck for three days straight—just pacing around, fuming, refusing to even look at us or say a word. Why? Because apparently, it wasn't "fair." He had this whole plan to buy it himself, but he wanted to hold out for a 25% discount just so he could pocket the extra cash. Is that how it works now? Just holding everyone hostage over a little bit of savings? Who knows.

I told him straight up—we aren't some bunch of amateurs who don't know how to handle their business. I made it clear that I know exactly how to play my cards right when it comes to the bottom line. Honestly? I just don't have the patience to sit there and wait on him while he drones on with his endless, useless philosophy. Why do they always do that? Just talk and talk... as if anyone actually cares.

4. My husband was such a naive idiot... I wouldn't give in, we went at it for three days straight, arguing about how there was no way we were paying upfront before they even started the second half of the job.
The second I stepped out to run an errand at the local CVS, he starts hounding my husband, and my sweet, clueless man actually hands over the cash... you know the old line... what did he say... (he doesn't say it anymore 🤣)... that if we just settle now, we won't have to deal with as much in the fall, and things will be easier... yeah... right... "easier." As if.

THE MONEY: Dealing with him? Forget it. In the beginning $167 it was such a massive scene, screaming loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear, leaving everyone wondering what the hell was going on... then the phone calls kept dragging on for days. Eventually, my husband had to threaten to call the cops to his house right then and there unless he handed over the money immediately. They brought it right up to the fence.

I made sure to let her know right away that I’m still owed my $200... he just brushed it off, saying his wife would handle it.

Ehh... so now, I caught her chatting with the neighbor and told her not to forget she owes us. She played dumb, acting like she had no idea, claiming they hadn't even borrowed anything... until I reminded her. Then it clicked. Suddenly she remembered. But get this—she hasn't received a single cent in three months (she told me that again just two days ago)...

And the kids... the little one actually wrote to me, saying she's sorry she has to use her profile to reach me, but figured it's easier since I have no intention of spending more on phone bills or coming by... and hey, since the mother spends all day scrolling through Facebook anyway, she can read it there.

Maybe while she's at it, she can let them know what kind of slander their parents are spreading... though honestly, what's the point? Those girls are just like them. Same character, same temperament... sneaky. Especially the older ones... you can see it in their eyes. One of them just snapped at my kid for no reason; everyone else was playing, but because he was the youngest and "in the way," she just lashed out and chased him out of their yard. Seriously? What a jerk.

To top it off, the girls have started telling people that we stole their damn charcoal grill and burned it... claiming we actually owe THEM a ton of money.
At this rate, they'll try to claim we never paid for anything at all.

And why haven't we hired anyone else? Listen... we asked. Not a single contractor or any of the big companies would work in stages. It’s always "do the whole thing at once and pay the full amount upfront"... we're talking roughly $4,000... and they expect you to finish the whole job in seven days! Can you believe that?

The only genius who agreed to work our way said he didn't care because he lives right near us.

Way too close...😢😢

That’s what happens when you hire amateurs instead of pros ☕
Honestly, just pay the premium upfront so the job actually gets done right the first time 👍
The absolute worst move is trying to save a buck by hiring some guy you know through a mutual connection. It always ends up costing you way more in the long run 🙄

A friend of mine went through this exact nightmare. She was doing a full gut renovation on her condo and decided to go with an old contact of a friend. The guy ended up completely wrecking her brand-new hardwood floors and tiling 👎
She refused to pay him the amount they originally agreed on because of the damage 👍

Now he’s out there running his mouth telling everyone she screwed him over 🙄

Seattle, I already explained the whole mess up above... nobody wanted to take on small individual jobs. Everyone wanted the full project done all at once, and they wanted their cash in hand within ten days max...

That was really the only sticking point... it was all about the money... immediate payment... and now look at us, scrambling to scrape together enough for the radiators... and don't even get me started on what we still need for materials... god...

I don't see any other way out... I’ve got my little photo album ready... folks, please, jump in... buy something...🙏 (honestly, I'm even putting the house up for sale 🤣)... just so we can pull enough together for the radiators by autumn... we've got zero heat in this house right now...😁

The heat is coming back... and I have a feeling this next part is going to be a scorcher.

Phone starts ringing... neighbor’s calling me out to the driveway. I head out there and what do I see? Our dear old Uncle Perry is over at their place—you know, the main character of this whole ridiculous soap opera we call life. Honestly? My mood just plummeted the second she laid eyes on him.

What an absolute clown. He rolls up to the neighbor's place, then suddenly she’s blowing up my phone, and now here we are—shouting at each other through a chain-link fence in their backyard. Seriously? Is this what my life has become? Just standing out here trading insults over some wire? Unbelievable.

They jumped down my throat immediately, questioning why I was swearing at them. All I did was write "P...m..." and call them out for being nothing but corrupt liars. What's the big deal?
If that’s the last straw... honestly, I’m just done. I mean, seriously? Is he actually going to stand there and publicly accuse us of stealing and burning his stuff? Like, really? Does he think we have nothing better to do? Just... wow. Unbelievable.

So he tells me it doesn't work anymore—as if I actually care about that part of the story. And then, get this, he clarifies he didn't say they set it on fire, just that they "burnt it out." You know, like when an engine finally gives up the ghost? Just fried. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here thinking about all the time I actually spent working on the damn thing. What am I supposed to do with that information?

So I tell him, "Look, your wife told me exactly that," right? And what does he do? He just looks at me like I’ve lost my mind and tells me I’m deaf. Like, seriously? She said it, plain as day, and now suddenly I’m the one who can't hear? It's always the same thing. Total gaslighting. Why does everyone think they can just rewrite reality whenever it suits them?

Here I go again... honestly, I just want my money back. Is that really too much to ask?
So... what's the deal? What even is this...? $67Oh, come on... give me a break. Are you kidding me? He’s seriously claiming he doesn't owe a dime? It’s the same old story, isn't it? I feel like such an idiot sometimes—how many times have I been played like this? Like that time I lent a thousand bucks to someone who swore they'd pay me back by Friday, only to realize I was just donating to their lifestyle. And now here we go again. He’s standing there, dead serious, insisting he never even borrowed the money. How does that even work? How do you just forget a debt?

How can you guys even ask that? After we spent three days straight moping around like idiots... he didn't say a word about it. Nothing. He just looked at me and said, "Fine, whatever you want." Then he hands over five hundred bucks. So now I’m sitting here wondering... where's the other five hundred?

He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind and asks, "How do you not know how to do the math?" Honestly... what is it with people? Is basic arithmetic suddenly a superpower now? Seriously.😲
I mean, give me a break... we already handed you guys 500 bucks! (And honestly, my wallet was screaming at me the whole time...) But even after that, I’m still sitting here hunting down my own 200 just to cover the sewing supplies. Makes sense, right? Not really.

And I just said the most honest thing... that maybe I’m not exactly sane. I mean, his wife actually brought me an entire bag of candy just because of that! Can you believe that?😲

I’ve never seen it happen, and honestly, I haven't even heard a whisper about her giving anyone so much as a piece of candy, let alone anything else...

I said... no... he didn't... she did... I mean... whatever. It isn't even like that. And besides, I wasn't exactly hunting her down for candy, was I? I wanted the cash. We can always work something out... let him just buy me a massive bag of chocolates, but make sure there's a receipt for... $67!!!

He just walked away, waving like nothing happened... while I’m standing here practically screaming at his back. As if that makes a difference. You still owe me twenty bucks, buddy. Seriously. Twenty bucks.🤣

I feel like I should weigh in here, because it reminds me of a story a buddy of mine told me about a situation almost identical to this, just a slightly milder version of the mess you're in.

Basically, they were getting gas lines installed, and the contractor decided to use his wife's cousin to do the work, thinking it would be a bit cheaper. Before anything kicked off, the guys told him he should put together a formal estimate—you know, total cost for materials and labor—so he’d know exactly how much cash to set aside (he wasn't exactly flush with extra funds, much like the rest of us). He crunched all the numbers and gave them a clear figure; if I recall correctly, it was around $1900. So, he went ahead and did everything exactly as planned, everything seemed fine, and once the job was finally wrapped up, my friend hands over $1900 to settle the bill. That’s when the contractor hits him with the news that it actually ended up being a bit more expensive, claiming they needed $2833 instead. My friend basically told him, "Look, here is $1900 as we agreed, the work is done, and if you don't want this money, you're free to walk away; I'm not going to ask you twice." The guy took the $1900 and then just vanished into thin air.

The takeaway here is this:

1. Once the job is finished, the person holding the cash is the one calling the shots.
2. Never hire anyone you actually know; in most cases, money has a funny way of ruining even the best relationships.
3. He was backed into a corner and had zero leverage. It was either pay the $1900 or end up losing way more than $1333 (since he'd already fronted the cash for materials while his friend was still scrambling to find the money).

He went into this expecting to deal with idiots, but in the end, he's the one who ended up looking like the fool.

I really hope you can collect what you're owed soon and make the most of that $67 however you see fit. 🙂

rapidrider3 said:The hot sequel is coming...
...

He just walked off waving... while I’m standing here yelling... you still owe me twenty bucks! 🤣

I'm actually choking on my laughter. 😂

I know you're probably cringing by now, but honestly, I've started laughing like a maniac. I can totally picture you pointing your finger at him and shouting as he leaves 😂.

rapidrider3 said:Thanks.
I should probably add a few more details.

1. Regarding the gas—it was obvious from day one there wouldn't be extra charges for that. He just made that up on the last day when he finally came over to clear out our cart that he’d blocked off with pipes (he actually ran a pipe right over the wheel!). He showed up grumbling, trying to blame us for the mess (even though I told him we had stuff stored in the pantry under the stairs and I'd move it, but he insisted it wasn't necessary)... once he cleared it, we started talking about the next phase of the job. Since we'd already handed him $1,000 upfront, we offered him another $1,000 max to wrap things up (because he was asking for another $3,000 just for labor). I pointed out he'd already been paid enough, considering he took $3,000 for labor but had barely finished laying the pipes... that's when the argument kicked off. He was valuing the whole job at $6,000, but there's no way he can be 50% more expensive than a licensed contractor who actually provides an invoice and a warranty.

I really needed to mention this part. 😂
He dragged a pipe right over the wheel. 😂
I'm going to lose my mind 😂.

mellowlynx68 said:I’m actually going to choke laughing here. 😂

I know you’re probably sick of this by now, but honestly? I’ve reached the point where I’m just hysterical. I can see you perfectly—pointing your finger in the air, shouting at them like 😂.

😂😂😂
Exactly. Just pointing a finger up in the air and yelling... (well, me... you're totally out of it, dammit... those $67...) and then there's me, just being stubborn. Even if I never see a single cent of that money, God knows they’ll remember me for the rest of their lives... that’s the goal, really... just letting them know that not everyone is a pushover and some people actually endure things...

mellowlynx68 said:Had to quote this one again. 😂
He ran the pipe right over the wheel. 😂
I might just kill myself 😂.

Yeah... we had a stroller (we haven't used one in years) sitting under the stairs... and I told him my stuff was underneath... suitcases, ice skates, rollerblades... he said it wouldn't be a problem. I even told him, "just don't puncture anything and we're good"...

He didn't puncture it, but he jammed the pipe behind the wheel, and the wheels got stuck tight against the corner... we didn't even dare try to lift the pipe, and since there was only a couple of inches of space, just a tiny gap, he somehow managed to nudge it out himself... but man, he was grumbling the whole time... good grief...

🤣 This whole situation is turning into a complete joke by the day...

Honestly, you might as well just make a sign that says, "Hey neighbor, where did all my $67 go?" and wave it right in their faces. 🤣

Laura Evans3 said:🤣 this whole thing is turning into an even bigger joke by the day...

What if you just made a sign that said "Hey neighbor, where'd my $67 go?" and pointed it right at their front yard? 🤣

😂😂😂 Now that is a brilliant idea!!!!

How did I not think of that myself??? 🤣🤣🤣

rapidrider3 said:She’s never seen anything like it, let alone heard of her giving anyone even a single piece of candy, much less anything more substantial...

So, the husband just swiped everything and vanished to some party, is that how it works?☕

slywolf45 said:So, my husband just packs up everything and bolts for some party, huh? Just like that. Gone. Total vanishing act.☕

Not exactly... I wouldn't be rushing to grab a meal from those guys. Everything they touch comes with a massive markup. It’s ridiculous. Even today, my neighbor had to come over just to call me on the landline because I didn't want to risk checking my cell and seeing some insane roaming charge or hidden fee. You know how it goes. Why pay an extra dime for nothing? Just seems like a scam at this point. 😂