OT: Anyone know a good lawyer? Options

[chunger]

hey guys,

Construction troubles. Need a lawyer to consult with about sub-contractor gone wrong. I have a solid case and am trying to settle up the small amount of money involved. . . (under $4000) but would like to consult with someone to make sure I'm on the right track and that I indeed have a claim, and indeed he violated 2 sections of California Business and Professions Code.

Please let me know if you are a lawyer and do this kind of little stuff. . . or if you have any good leads to someone I can talk to about it. This isn't a project buster, as I've already lined up my own crew to finish the job at a considerable savings, but it's set me back time-wise and is agrivating (IMG:style_emoticons/default/Yack.gif)

thanks,
'Chung

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[chunger]

Ha haa. . .

They don't teach you jack at Berkeley's architecture school undergrad. Except how to talk all funny so normal people don't understand you and you sound like you know what you're saying.

Actually, I probably could have learned a lot. I was just too busy being "artsy" and it was fun.

I noticed a couple of you guys work in construction management of one sort or another. . . thought I'd post my numbers to check and see if I'm off base.

Scope of Contracted work:

completed RC-1 23 hours
install remaining steel ~24 hours
install sheetrock ~380 hours (2 layers 5/8")
tape/mud ~24 hours
primer ~8 hours
paint (2 coats) ~16 hours
----------------------------------------------------
total ~475 hours

total hours completed:
Alberto (I hired/managed him) 22 hours steel
Rich (contractor's guy) 1 hour steel
-------------------------------------------------------
total time actally completed ~23 hours
%complete .048421



5/8" sheetrock
5271 square feet/ 32 = 164.7 pieces * $5.50 = $905.85
taping supplies $150
paint $300
fasteners $60
--------------------------------
total: $1,415.85 = materials cost (contractor pays for)

So, here is how the equation sets up.

(contract price - materials cost) * (percent of work
completed) = value of work

(12,200 - 1,415.85) * (.048421) = $522.18


So here's how I broke down money so far:

$1500 contract insulation cost (complete)
$200 fix drain (2 hours not in contract)
$522.18 value of drywall work (%4.84 complete)
$750 steel materials (contractor paid for)
---------------
$2972.18 total
- $6000 deposit
---------------
3027.82 total refund owed

I'm offering to settle at $2500 which I think is a nice gesture and lends a good profit margin given:

$522.18 total value of work
- $374 22 hours alberto (my guy actual cost)
- $20 1 hour Rich ( his guy actual cost)
-----------------
$128.18 24.5% profit margin on labor
+ $527.82
------------------
$656 profit on job his guy spent 1 hour on.

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I think I'm being nice. . .and furthermore reasonable. Had he come in for 3 more days w/ 24 more total work hours, percent complete would have jumped to 10% and he would have got $1078.00 total value of work completed. . . and increasing from there if he came in. . . but, his guy came in for 1 hour. This is contracting. . . seems this is how you calculate profit margins in contracting.