Reporting a destructive builder/contractor

[bibsoconner]

Given all the members that have multiple properties, I thought somebody might have encountered this problem…

The house next door to use is undergoing renovation. The building company, Leviton Builders owned by Jim Stephenson, is incredibly destructive of other properties. They have spilled paint on our lawn, walked across our yard and destroyed plants, etc. The latest episode was they drained their mortar buckets on our yard. I have spoken to the owner to no avail. Either he doesn’t pass the message along to his workers, or they simply don’t respect him. Either way, I think it’s time to report him to the city or appropriate authorities. Who would you report this to? Surely a builder/contractor can’t walk all over other people’s property and destroy plants etc. Is there some sort of watch dog agency for builders?

I suppose on a positive note, you now know who to hire if you want to aggravate your neighbors! (Actually, I wouldn’t recommend him as apparently he does shoddy work).

Thanks!

[Hobie]

Dude, take photos and small claims for damages. Pretty simple. Send letter to owner and builder noting property line and trespass on your property. Include damage costs to this point.

If they don’t comply and pay, small claims.

[FlyerInHi]

Very sound advice Hobie.

[Hobie]

Set up a video cam asap.

[spdrun]

Unscrew their truck’s tire valve cores when they’re busy and not looking. No permanent damage to tires, but maybe they’ll get the message if they have to keep pumping…

https://www.raneystruckparts.com/valve-core-tool/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmsrxBRDaARIsANyiD1oPNB6FyrSs2jlzx_OWS1xFKHPvdx7tUSkJBG8Dz5Mh0Zf_nWqxl5MaArsEEALw_wcB

[ucodegen]

[quote=Hobie]Dude, take photos and small claims for damages. Pretty simple. Send letter to owner and builder noting property line and trespass on your property. Include damage costs to this point.

If they don’t comply and pay, small claims.[/quote]
If any of the trucks have the contractor’s name/company on the trucks, track down and call the contracting company. The ‘foreman’ may not know that some of the subs are lazy, disrespectful of the neighborhood. If talking to them does not yield results, you can go for a complaint against the contractors license.

Video evidence would be very useful in this case.. photographic evidence would be second.

Vandalism of the trucks may make one feel better, however you may enter into a sh*t throwing contest with people who have better tools to do damage than you.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=spdrun]Unscrew their truck’s tire valve cores when they’re busy and not looking. No permanent damage to tires, but maybe they’ll get the message if they have to keep pumping…

https://www.raneystruckparts.com/valve-core-tool/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmsrxBRDaARIsANyiD1oPNB6FyrSs2jlzx_OWS1xFKHPvdx7tUSkJBG8Dz5Mh0Zf_nWqxl5MaArsEEALw_wcB
[/quote]

That’s very ghetto behavior, like keying someone’s car. It’s the sort of thing the riff-raff would do. You know, people who live in “ghetto” neighborhoods are afraid to complain about bad behavior because of this type of physical retaliation. Therefore, people have to live surrounded by drugs, noise, etc….

[spdrun]

Keying a car means permanent damage. Valve core removal means the tires can be reinflated and reused with mild inconvenience. Dumping paint and cement in a stranger’s front yard is far worse than this.

[FlyerInHi]

Good point, spdrun. But I think that stealth retaliation is bad. It makes people believe they can’t legitimately complain lest something happens out of nowhere. That’s how neighbors live in fear

[svelte]

In my younger days I went the retaliation route on a few folks.

The older and wiser (and more valuable) I got, I decided it was much safer to take the high road. That way if things get really really nasty, my hands are clean and they can’t come after my assets. And win anyway.

I have used video cameras – home and auto – successfully to defend myself. Those things are worth every penny I paid for them. They’ve paid for themselves actually.

[Author]

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