The Wrong Way to Close-Out a Project
A few years ago, Eric Novelli, a Tennessee contractor, agreed to have Wagner Heating & Air install the HVAC system in a new 3-story home Novelli had under construction. There was no written contract.When work was done, Wagner called for final inspection by the City of Chattanooga. The inspector found no deficiencies. Two months passed. Novelli didn’t make a final payment on the job. Instead, Novelli showed up at the inspector's office with pictures showing what he claimed were defects in Wagner’s work. A senior building inspector re-checked the job and found some problems. Wagner made repairs and called for another inspection. This time, the entire system passed. But that wasn’t the end of the story. When Wagner presented his final bill, Novelli wadded it up, threw it away and told Wagner not to come back to the job. With no other option, Wagner filed a claim for $12,000.
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