Great Northern Builders

In June of 2010 I accepted bids for removal of old shingles, installing drip edge,installing Ice and water shield, demolition charges of old roofing and installing 25-26 squares of architectual roof shingles. The bids were all about $9,000.00. I negotiated with the contractor and we agreed he would take 392 2x6x8 wall studs and 2000 board feet of rough saw lumber that I had stored in my barn for the cost of labor and I would buy the materials. Both he and his father were building new homes and they could use the lumber. He agreed to do the project towards the end of August. He subsequently took all the lumber and wall studs in July. He called and kept extending the start date and I agreed as long as he got it done before the end of September as I could get rid of the demolition at my local recycling center up to September 30th. He finally called sometime around mid October and said he would start the next day which was Monday. On Thursday afternoon they showed up and put all the equipment in my barn and said they would start Friday. I was gone Friday morning when they cam and took all their supplies. I tried to call him and he had changed his number. I finally found his partners(father) number and asked him when and if they were going to do my roof. His response was "he advised his son (partner) not to do the roof because they did not have insurance to work that high"! By this time my roof was leaking so I hired one of the other bidding contractors to do the job but they could not come before January some time. At least they did come when they said they would and did a very good, clean professional job. I sent the dubious contractor a bill for the materials that at this point I felt they stole and I included the extra cost for demolition charges and the extra labor it took to do the job in the Winter. I did not even try to get any money for ruined interior roof. I have tried various methods to work this out? even tried mediation with the State Atty. General.That too has just recently failed. I was out over $6,000($4700 in materials and $1300 +/- )and he admitted to me on the phone that he owed me and did plan to pay me but he only offered $700 and that was "when he had some money". The attorney General's office suggested I take court action and put him on Angie's list. So I have. I have since found out through friends that this company has done similar things to other people in this state so I put this out there to protect other people and try to encourage others to put their experience on here.