Built Right Construction

This barn was to be built for $25,000. There were problems from the beginning. Firstly, Dan (the owner) had trouble securing a building permit. He had let his insurance lapse. Secondly he had delivered trusses that were 4-12 instead of the 6-12 pitch we had agreed to. Since these trusses were within code, I let that pass. We agreed that the $25,000 was to be paid in three drafts. First draft $12,500, second $7,000 when the structure was completely framed up and ready for the concrete floor,and third $5500 when the project was finished. The first draft was paid well in advance of the project begin date of July 9. During the pole setting stage, well before the structure was framed, Dan wanted a $2000 advance claiming a temporary financial hardship. Against my better judgement I advanced him the $2000 to be subtracted from the second draft. He panicked when he realized this was an out of state check and would take a few days to clear. Dan was not happy when I paid him $5000 after the barn was framed. He wanted the full $7000 with the $2000 applied to the final payment. This is how he operates and it is extremely unprofessional. Dan had labor problems throughout the project. Employees would not show up when expected. I helped many days especially during lifting of the trusses and working concrete. There would be days of work and days when no one would show up. I phoned Dan numerous times and he always had reasons why no one was working. Finally, July 31, Dan had the stone (the foundation under the concrete) delivered. But he left the site before the delivery was finished and I was left to pay $813. He told me that just to subtract that from the final payment. Extremely unprofessional! Progress on the barn stopped with the concrete. Everything was completed except for the application of the steel to the roof and sides and installation of the overhead doors and clean-up. For the month of August Dan provided one excuse after another as to why the steel, supposedly ordered late July, had not arrived. Finally,on August 30 I went in person to the vendor's place of business and to talk with the manager as to why the steel had not arrived. He informed me it had arrived, but the check form Built-Right Construction had not been endorsed. I realized my building would be left to the elements and untreated wood (trusses, stringers) would suffer if not soon covered. I purchased the steel ($5900). Dan promised to have a full crew finish the barn in just a few days. One day's work is all I got. Dan was "paying" his crew with unendorsed checks. This included his brother, the only experienced employee, besides Dan. To save my barn I paid his brother and a helper (over $1000 collectively) to apply the remaining steel. I also had to pay $2400 to have two overhead doors installed. I have paid $5000 over the contracted price of $25,000. Do not hire this company. Dan Bean does not enter a job with the idea of being professional, honoring the terms of a contract and finishing a project to the expectations of the client. He is looking to take as much money as he can from a client and doing as little work as possible. He constantly complains of being a small company and having little business experience. Yet he claims to being in business 5 years. He complains of labor problems, but instead of doing much of the work himself he is out bidding for business he has insufficient resources to handle.