Several Mistakes
Not to offend but for future reference for you and others reading this thread, you made several mistakes.
First, you let them finish the job. When it was obvious you weren't going to be happy with the job you should have shut it down. By waiting until they finish while you are right there the whole time it looks like you are just trying to negotiate a cheaper price after the job is complete. I don't think for a minute that this is what you did, just pointing out appearances in case you take someone to small claims court.
Next, you helped them. Two major flaws there. One, this is dangerous work particularly if people aren't used to working together. Slates like to nip fingers off and destroying a back is quite possible too when two people aren't working together properly. Two, now all the issues can be blamed on you! "You insisted this was what you wanted." One on one or maybe two of them against you, you are in poor shape if you go to court.
Now it is time to talk about straightening out the mess. After six months I would say you have gave the company every chance but how well documented is that six months? Demanding the company owner come out with the next crew would have been the smallest thing I demanded. If that didn't work I would have had the table covered properly and then sent a photocopy of that bill along with a demand for payment, certified mail.
It typically will cost more when someone has to come behind a botched job than if they had been called in to do it to begin with. I had a few people a year come to my auto shop wanting me to finish a job they started or someone else started. First question was cost. My stock answer was that it would cost more than if I had done the job from the start! Often they had expected a discount.
Hopefully your cloth is salvageable. Sometimes all you can do is take a licking and learn from it. Small claims or another court may or may not be worth your bother. Chances are these people have more experience than you appearing before a judge.
Hu
Not to offend but for future reference for you and others reading this thread, you made several mistakes.
First, you let them finish the job. When it was obvious you weren't going to be happy with the job you should have shut it down. By waiting until they finish while you are right there the whole time it looks like you are just trying to negotiate a cheaper price after the job is complete. I don't think for a minute that this is what you did, just pointing out appearances in case you take someone to small claims court.
Next, you helped them. Two major flaws there. One, this is dangerous work particularly if people aren't used to working together. Slates like to nip fingers off and destroying a back is quite possible too when two people aren't working together properly. Two, now all the issues can be blamed on you! "You insisted this was what you wanted." One on one or maybe two of them against you, you are in poor shape if you go to court.
Now it is time to talk about straightening out the mess. After six months I would say you have gave the company every chance but how well documented is that six months? Demanding the company owner come out with the next crew would have been the smallest thing I demanded. If that didn't work I would have had the table covered properly and then sent a photocopy of that bill along with a demand for payment, certified mail.
It typically will cost more when someone has to come behind a botched job than if they had been called in to do it to begin with. I had a few people a year come to my auto shop wanting me to finish a job they started or someone else started. First question was cost. My stock answer was that it would cost more than if I had done the job from the start! Often they had expected a discount.
Hopefully your cloth is salvageable. Sometimes all you can do is take a licking and learn from it. Small claims or another court may or may not be worth your bother. Chances are these people have more experience than you appearing before a judge.
Hu
