Contractors

[mountainview]

I filed a police report. They said I could use the police report number as reference.

Edited by - mountainview on 05/25/2007 14:18:39

[Genxor]

This is getting pretty out of hand.

You didn't ask for opinions , but I would stop where you are with the ultimatum. Only would I proceed if my lawyer specifically stated to maintain control of their tools and supplies.

I totally agree they appear to be corrupt, and the 6k you feel he owes is nothing to sneeze at, but unless you are prepared to legally follow this through, there are repercussions from your actions.

Careys correct about the lein, and I too would not want a bunch of local construction workers pissed at me.

Contact them. Explain you were / are questioning why they did x , and you are prepared to do x for x amount, and move forward.

If you choose that route, explain that you were unsure of what to do, and a lawyer advised you to keep their tools and supplies.

Gee, this really is messed up, all the way around....

[mountainview]

I tried to talk to the guy and he said it would cost me more to take him to court than to get my money back. He is actually keeping a total of $9,700.00 with the floors not even complete so it is not exactly just $6,000. It's more like $10,000.00
Everyone really needs to warn each other if this company comes across your path just turn them away.
They are currently advertising in the tribune contracting out their services.


Edited by - mountainview on 05/25/2007 21:47:24

[Punamom]

If your permit is for contractor built and not owner built I would call your County framing inspector and complain to him. This worked for us when our plumber would not finish the work he was paid for.The inspector made him come back and finish.I don't think it would hurt if you were an owner builder either,these guys do not want to get on an inspectors bad side.
Good luck thats a real mess!

[mountainview]

Our permit is for owner builder. And I contacted my building inspector and I told him the company is not licensed because previously I told him they were.

[Jeffhale]

Sounds to me yawl are passing threats back and forth. "Cost you more money" " Give me back my money" Problem is, they ain't got your money anymore, so there's nothing, out of court to get. Their threat of costing more money is baseless, and typical, It's their opinion, and why how they operate this way, presuming there's nothing you can do.. It's a typical B.S. threat..

However, whether you realized it or not, it was a point of negotiation.. What is going to cost you is the anguish and lost time of the whole affair. Plus, actually getting your money back? There's a tough one... They are probably working under the table and will continue to, so while you could get a judgment against them, What's small claims around here? $5,000?, hopefully, I don't know, but small claims is the easiest, cheapest and quickest route.. Either way, collecting is far more complicated then the "law" makes it appear..

That's your problem in a nut shell..

So, what can you do.. Personally, I'd tell em, Oh, you like lean my property bro? GO FOR IT!!! Cause i gonna make your life hell. You gonna see the inside of jail, i gonna tell hundreds of people about you, get judgment and garnish every thing you own, Bro... You pay taxes, brudda?? I like find out,, O.K.?? So, yeah you get lien on me.. I like see, (keeping in mind, that this lien could turn into your evidence) Could, O.K. nothing for sure, but filed paper, cost them a bunch of money too, I forgot the details but a local fellow was explaining it to me and it's no peace of cake.. This is just food for thought. if you use this against them, be prepared to go the distance, otherwise, just try and keep these things in your mind while negotiating.. The ball is in your court and it all depends on how you serve..

The best thing to do, if it's possible is, get them to come back to work. Find some type of compromise. Get witnesses in negotiations, see if you can enlist any locals who'll hang around and listen, attempt to step in during negotiations, talk pigeon, speak to em in their own language..

No matter what you may or may not be able to do to them, your shortest route to your home (roof over your head) is finding a way to get them to work.. Otherwise, I hope for your sake, you've got enough funds, are a good shopper, and can pay somebody else to get to your goal. because win or lose, you ain't gonna be spending the cash you gave them for some time, if at all..

Quite a few years ago, I got taken by this girl in NY in an online auction.. Lucky for me she got greedy and started selling Harleys and diamond rings.. Because it was not until she went past the magic number, where the feds stepped in, back then, 20k.. She only got me for $200. the feds send me a check, from her divisions of returned monies, she was ordered to pay back.. I get a check every year, 'Like' 8 bucks.. Oh boy!.. 8 bucks a year buys me a lot, don't it, ha.. But that's a federal thing.. civil? Ha ha ha I've got plenty judgments from having been a landlord, back in Misery, (no ocean), When i run into somebody who owes me? I try small almost subliminal attempts to get em to volunteer where they live, work.. Never hate somebody who's ripped you off, always keep your enemies close, ha.. guess how many judgments i've collected?? 1, and that was ONLY because when this fellows company was served, to garnish his wages, the server gave it to the fellow I had a judgment against.. he just tossed it in the trash. The company became liable, and even though they fired him a week or two later? They were served.. Got my 2-300 bucks. otherwise, i only got judgments for tax write offs, and conscience (tax wasn't even worth it). moreover, I wouldn't bother because it's a waist of money and effort, unless! yaw really pissed me off, Only cost me 50 bucks in small clams court, for satisfaction of winning my issue.. For the next 5-7 years, canft remember at the moment how long the judgment is good for, whoever it was, didn't walk down my street. once judgment expired, if i bumped into em.. i'd tell em it's over, chat, be friendly whatever,, Providing they behaved themselves.. Otherwise, if they give me stink eye, whatever, just lets me know they still feeling guilty, Ha, In my never so humble opinion, guilt is harder to live with than money..

[mountainview]

I honestly think he just wants to walk with the $9,700.00 that he has with no opposition. He's I'm sure got away with it many times before so he's pretty confident that I'm one of his many customers who will let him slide.
It's going to be interesting to find out the results about the current suit that was just filed last month against them in civil court. I left a message for the recent victims to call me.
You know I feel like getting a sign and standing on the side of the road which says Do Not Hire Higa Construction! Ask Me Why!
If you do see someone like that on the side of the highway- you know it's me...give a honk!!!!





Edited by - mountainview on 05/26/2007 13:53:45

[Green]

So they're still advertizing in the paper, that's where we found them unfortunately !

[mountainview]

Yes they are still advertising and I'm sure they will continue until they steal from the wrong people and bear the consequences.

[macuu222]

I was the one who posted the topic on David Higa Construction last year. I can't believe he's still taking peoples money and getting away with it two years later.

We contacted for a rock wall, fencing, and a concrete driveway. We got one quarter of the rockwall done....and they took 3/4 of the total contract price....half to start, and then a few more draws when he said he need additional material.

It definately sounds like the same guy (about 5'7", skinny ...about 40years old, dark skinned, and hawaiian/filipino mix. He works with a few young kids in their early twenties who were his kids. Used both a white and blue (fairly new pickup truck) with a "Higa Construction logo" on the side of his truck that I found out later was "pasted on the truck". The business license number he showed me was not a contractors license number....but a "business tax id number"...and being new to the state...I didn't know the difference.

We filed a complaint with the State....but since he was not a licensed contractor....they couldn't do anything except fine him $500.00 for doing contracted over $1000.00. We then went to lawyer....but the lawyer wanted $5000.00 to proceed and their was no guarantee that we would get any of our money back ...and since we didn't have $5000.00 to throw away...we couldn't go any further.

David Higa (the contractor that took my money) lived in that subdivision off of HWy 2000 (saddle road)in Hilo just before that beautiful initial 7 mile stretch of nice paved road goes back to the old road (the speed limit goes from 45MPH, to 35MPH when you approach the 4 way intersection).

I would definately not give this guy another cent (if indeed this is the same contractor I had). I feel really bad that he's still taking advantage of people. I tried to do everything I could to get him to stop from continuing his operation and I posted on this site as well as others to warn people about this man.