Have you had any bad experiences with people calling themselves “contractors” lately?

Sure, there are plenty of great ones out there, but I’ve heard a ton of horror stories over the past few years about contractors doing shabby jobs or not even finishing jobs at all.

What’s going on out there?!?!

In today’s story, a woman explained why she’s fed up with a contractor she hired to paint her house…and let’s just say that things aren’t going well.

Read on and see what you think about this situation.

AITA for withholding $200 from a hired contractor?

“I, 44 female, recently hired a painter to paint the trim around my windows.

She came in looked at the work and quoted me based on painting trim from white to black. While difficult, I have several family members who professionally paint, and if proper paint is used, and techniques this is a two coat paint job all day.

Uh oh…

Once she started I was immediately concerned. She was making tons of mistakes as well as going through tape like toilet paper. It made me question her ability. All in all I figured if I really needed to I can go back over missed areas quickly. I didn’t want to nag.

Once she got to my basement I ended up adding a couple pony walls on top of frames. Think small rooms top 1/3 of wall. Having added the walls so then she wanted to invoice before the job was completed as she needed money.

Huge mistake.

Trying to be accommodating, I obliged. At this point all but 2 window frames were done. So I suggested to her I will pay first quote in full. Instead of removing the 2 unfinished windows, because you painted 2 of the partial walls. This clears up all work completed.

Then quote me the 2 remaining bedrooms , the walls and windows. Makes sense right….LOL, no.

This got all messed up!

Somehow we ended up so lost in translation. She assumed I paid for all windows, no walls. Therefore when she quoted me bedrooms she quoted me just the walls not the windows! Sends quote, sounds good. I tell her to proceed.

So not only does this original 3 day job end up taking 2 weeks. Mostly due to her no showing or her showing up at 10 am and gone by 2 pm.

This was really annoying…

Frustration is setting in. I’ve now moved furniture daily away from wall, and she’s not showing up When she does the work is sub par but she’s nice and I’m trying to not be picky.

Then the final day comes.

She proceeds to text me all day at work how the walls aren’t perfect and lines are harder. She needs to charge more. Okay, fine. Not impressed but whatever. Please just finish already.

She tells me she’s done. I get home.

Walk up to my door ….black paint smeared on front of my untreated pine door….mortified. Took photo sent. She claims didn’t see it. Not sure how she even managed to get paint on exterior door. Fine. Go downstairs to see rooms. White streaks on all walls.

This was a disaster!

Not because it needs 3rd coat, because you clearly see all the brush strokes, second coat applied way too soon. Walked into basement living room, none of the touch ups i marked out done. Tape removed but not corrected. Go back to second bedroom, window frames streaky again second coat applied too soon.

Upset message her. Show photos of missed places and streaks. Makes excuses and says if I want a third coat she needs to charge. This didn’t need a third coat it needed to be properly primed and proper time to cure.

She claims to have done a primer coat and 2 coats black paint in 5 hours! I refused to pay any further. Asked for invoice and said I’ll do all the fixing myself.

Here’s where it gets fun.

She invoiced for living room walls, the living rooms walls to my knowledge are paid for on first invoice. She argued no. That first invoice was just windows. Even though 2 of the windows where not done.

So now I’m realizing her quote for bedrooms was literally for walls without the windows, something I don’t think any contractor ever has quoted as it makes no sense. So now my quote is also higher than anticipated plus the work isn’t done and my front door is damaged.

We started exchanging in a verbal disagreement. Her refusing to acknowledge her also miscommunication and misunderstanding of the first invoice.

This was getting ugly…

The conversation got heated. She became not only defensive but aggressive. I told her several times to leave it alone and when we are both calm discuss it. She wouldn’t. I had to block her.

The conversation ended her demanding full invoice regardless of job incomplete and damages to door.

The next day she began emailing me threatening legal action. Now let me be clear. The first invoice I paid was $,1400. This new one $609. So she’s becoming enraged over $609 even though no walk through or touch ups have been done nor addressing how she plans to rectify staining my door.

She in the email refused to step back in my house to do her the finishing work as she claimed it was minor. I also explained and sent photos of stained door which is claims is not her problem as would of fixed it but now refusing again, since refusing to come to finish.

Therefore I addressed the final payment based on damage and not completing job. I deducted half the cost of the quoted bedroom walls. No joke $190. Fair. For touch ups not done,.walls not completed and damaging my door.

I sent her a very professional break down of my reasoning and sent EMT for rest of money owed. This lady is threatening me up and down and now harassing me via email.

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What a waste of time…

We are apparently going to court over $199.50 because she assumes zero responsibility for miscommunication, poor work or damage.

A part of me feels sorry for her and her crazy behavior the other part is like no…you didn’t finish the job, you damaged my property and you attacked me to the point of me needing to block you at 10 pm at night.

AITA if I allow this to go to court of proving a point of how inappropriately she is behaving?

Which, let’s be honest, this will never make court. A judge will laugh at the waste of time.”

Here’s what readers had to say.

This person weighed in.

Another reader spoke up.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a man who stops helping his neighbors out with his snowplow after they complain about his farm.

And this Reddit user shared their thoughts.

Things really shouldn’t be this hard, right?

No way!

This whole thing went off the rails!

This simple project turned into a huge disaster…