Time for a little background

I started this blog in the middle of things, as it were. Here's how it all started.

Back in February I hired a too-expensive architect from PA, whose philosophy of energy conservation we liked. They recommended a couple PA contractors, but we chose a local one, figuring that proximity would improve efficiency and reduce some cost. Besides, my wife knew the contractor's wife. And the guy talked a good line, promising, among other things, to have people on site every day once the project started. The project got underway in late June.

The plan is to put a 27' square, two-storey addition in the crook of the L-shaped original house, and remodel the garage into living space. We figured on a budget of about $200,000. The addition is to have more living space and an art studio downstairs, and a couple extra rooms upstairs--a bedroom for each girl, a library, a laundry room, and some storage.

When we finally got the final drawings, he told me that the permitting process was finished, then I worked out of him that it had been submitted and he would pick it up the next day. It turned out that the permit people wanted the drawings to be sealed, which he claimed was highly unusual, and due to the county's unfamiliarity with timber framing.  The timber framing people had to significantly alter the drawings because they were incomplete, or something like that. He reported to me that the county had said the drawings were among the worst they had seen, and were willing to write me a letter to that effect, and he said he'd deliver me a copy of this letter. I reminded him several times but I've seen no letter.

To date, late November, we have given him $152,000 dollars not counting $800 to the surveyor. As of right now, we have a poured foundation for the addition (see the photo at the top of this blog) and some stud walls in the garage. There's drain, gas line, footings, and water and electric to the sheds under the concrete. I ran the water and electric myself. They forgot to build one of the footings, and two other footings were out of place and had to be enlarged before the cement could be poured.  His crew removed the siding and front entrance. The only written document I have states, among other things, that removing the siding was to be my responsibility. It also says I do the demolition of the walls to be removed when the addition is attached. (For the record. We aren't anywhere near that stage yet)

Another part of his line at the beginning was that he would provide me with a signed A105 document, a standard contractor-homeowner contract developed by the AIA. He was not going to charge for this, whereas the architect would, so we went with him providing a copy, which he never has. Everything has been verbal. I finally created a substitute document (I hope it isn't too plagairized) that I'll ask him to sign next time I see him.