Contractor dares me to go to contractor board/file a bond claim

Basically, this crappy negligent contractor is here at the moment to do the repairs I asked but said he's going to do it half-assed and doesn't care. Dares me to go to file a complaint or bond claim since he "knows how difficult" it is to do theses things (and probably knows it won't work out in my favor).

(full story below)

We're in Los Angeles. So this contractor we hired re-did our roof in time for last year's rainy season. Little did we know, they majorly fu*ked it up and didn't change the drains on the roof, so water leaked all into the attic and then eventually into our house (collapsing ceilings etc.)

They came and fixed all that, re-did the work, drains, ceilings and dried out the attic.

Only after the rainy season did we find out that they took out tiles (we have Spanish style roofing) and then didn't replace them, leaving a huge ugly metal gutter sticking out in the middle of the roof above our door--very visible.

Now the contractor first says he won't fix it because "it's so hard to find the tiles" and that he'd probably have to redo the entire section rather than putting new tiles in, and that's too much work.

Since this contractor is licensed and bonded, I know I have two options:

- File a complaint to CSLB, but there's no guarantee that the complaint will do anything

- Make a claim against his surety bond, but I'm reading that that even is unlikely to result in any financial recuperation since the bond company has in its best interest protecting the contractor and to not pay out.

The option I want to take, at this point, is to get financial damages and then hire another company to fix their mess. I don't trust this guy to fix it, even if he agreed to it.

Any advice? Thanks!

Welcome to the site. Sorry about your problems, we do have members near you that will give you advice on the laws and rules there.
Where I am the courts or what ever would just make them come back and fix it, So your better bet would be to have it fixed by others and present the bill, he has turned down the work already.

Your other option is to find an attny who practices construction law, and is probably the most reliable source for "being made whole".

The contractors license board, while acting on your behalf regarding the finding of fault, recommending remediation, acts only on their behalf when accessing fines payable b y the contractor.

They have subpoena power, can and will suspend the contractors license and bond.

An attny has the ability to go after all of the contractors assets.

Keep an active record of all date/time of any communication you have with the contractor.

If you elect to record any of the conversations, CA is a 2 party state so inform him of your action.

Clay shingles are still fairly readily available. There is a large roofing supplier on Ingelwood ave off the 405, or South Coast Shingles. It's the cement tiles that are difficult to replicate.

There is also a place in Fontana area that carries discontinued and used tiles to match older roofs.

I would get a hold of CSLB. They will do something, I have seen it first hand. They will first try and force him to fix the issue or replace the entire roof and then if it does not get resolved they will suspend his license or revoke. You would need to be persistent with them and follow through. I am not sure why any contractor would go this route, seems odd to me.

Have you contacted his insurance company for his general liability policy? I sure hope he has one.

When you are in the right never give up no matter how hard it gets. This is your home and it's sacred to you and your family- nobody has the right to screw it up.

My brother was a paint contractor in NorCal and from the tales he's told me I am positive that the contractor will have to pay for everything including the time you've put into getting this resolved. That will take a lawyer and some time but it will happen unless you give up.

Phil