Contractor Complaints
CONTRACTOR-HOMEOWNER DISPUTES
Paris Pressley has plenty of experience and skills in helping homeowners settle issues or a dispute with their contractor. As a Master Building Inspector and Georgia Licensed Residential Contractor for over 45 years, he has the background, experience and knowledge to get results for you.
We get several contractor complaint calls from homeowners asking to help them with a home renovation project, home repair or home improvements they were having done that has failed. Most times the contractor complaint is where they have not completed the work, has done the work improperly, walked off the job, failed to do the work as agreed, got most of the money but not finished or asking for more money but has already been paid.
Finding the right contractor for your home improvement, home repair or home remodeling project is a major task. Determining who is the best choice for the project and who can do the work right takes a lot of research and time on your behalf. You have to know who you are dealing with and verifying they are really qualified to do the work you want done.
First, how do you find contractors that can do the work you want done? There are pros and cons in any search. Referrals can be good but there are risks if you cannot verify the work they can do. I hear failed projects: "He was working for my neighbor, I looked on the internet for a contractor, they were working on my friend’s house, I saw a sign on their truck, they were passing out flyers, my co-worker told me about them...". Searching this way is OK to find a contractor but you have to check their credentials, verify their licensing, verify their insurance, go see some of their work and projects if you have a large or complex job needing to be done. And this still may not be enough.
Georgia regulates and issues licenses to residential contractors who do major home improvements, remodeling, wall removal, additions, basement finishing, structural repairs, structural changes, fire damage repair, tree damage repair, termite damage to structural components and so forth. They have regulated these contractors since 2010. Gorgia licensed contractors are also required to have $250,000.00 in liability insurance and commercial vehicle insurance. These contractors should have a business license in the city or county where their address is as well. It is advised to verify this information before agreeing and signing any contract. Check with the state licensing board before you let someone work on your home. Even some state licensed contractors fail to do the work right or not complete the job also.
Handymen, general home repairmen and specialty contractors doing general repairs i.e. painting, carpet installation, bath tile installation, flooring repair, window glass repair and window replacement, siding repairs, door replacement, drywall repairs, floor repairs, kitchen cabinets and counter tops, flooring replacement, floor finishing and light house repairs that do not affect structural components are not required to have a state license but should have a business license. However, many of these repairmen will not tell a homeowner they are not licensed and qualified to do major repairs, renovations and improvements.
If you have a dispute with a contractor and cannot get them to complete your job as agreed, they got your money but not done the work, taking too long to complete the job or asking for more money, give Paris Pressley a call. He can help you solve that problem.
Bordin Contractor Dispute
Client: Ingrid Bordin
Address: 310 Forestgate Ct. Sandy Springs, GA 30350
Inspection Date: 5-15-2026
Mrs. Bordin called Paris Pressley with a contractor complaint because she felt they improperly repaired areas on the exterior of her townhouse and did not do the job as expected. She said they were to removed damaged wood, trim and compressed board siding, make repairs and install new siding and trim where agreed. She said she Googled siding installation and found they had not followed manufacturer’s requirements and building codes. She also started to have water intrusion at her attached storage room after the work had been completed. She said she was having difficulty getting the contractor back out to look at the problems and correct the issues.
Paris was asked to inspect the conditions at her townhouse, verify the defective work, write a report to help get the work completed properly, or get Mrs. Bordin’s money back from the contractor.
ITEMS
SIDING AT ROOF SHINGLES
Cannot see roof-to-wall flashing (coming to daylight) at the townhouse wall siding on the right, connected to this townhouse when viewing from the rear yard
WATER INTRUSION
The owner stated and has photos showing there has been water intrusion after work was completed and water pouring between fire walls at her storage room.
SIDING REPLACEMENT
The owner showed photos she took during the siding repair and replacement that recorded the work in progress.
PERMIT REQUIREMENT
General repair work to single family, duplex, multi-family, or non-residential structures do not need a permit if total work is less than $10,000.00.
Contractor-Homeowner Dispute Burch
Client: Kevin and Nancy Burch
Address: 3540 Lochmill Dr. Loganville, GA. 30052
Date: 4/15/2026
Mrs. and Mr. Burch’s home had a fire and was considered a total loss by her insurance company. Her insurance company paid the full replacement cost. She had the original structure removed, chose a homebuilder, so she thought, for the new build and they started the construction of the new home. Mrs. Burch contacted Paris Pressley with a complaint that her building contractor abandoned the project during construction. She discovered that the contractor was not fully qualified and licensed to build homes or do new construction. However, she did not find that out until after the home construction was turned down by the building department and the contractor had already collected $225,000.00.
Paris was asked to review the engineer’s findings, verify defective framing and building components, determine what it would take to correct or replace the defective work, and get the home construction back on tract if possible.
ITEMS
GROUNDS
The soil erosion control materials are deteriorated and silt screens are missing. The original screen installation was not doubled and is now incomplete. In Georgia erosion control devices must go all the way around the perimeter of the lot and terminates only at the gravel driveway where there must remain proper ground cover. There are construction debris in the soil and can see soil erosion and soil loss at the front and sides of the house
BUILDIING GENERAL
The structure is considered a partial shell only. The building lumber has been exposed to UV rays, water penetration at several areas. Some building materials are damaged, some needs to be replaced, some worn and some weathered.
FRAMING
There is defective wall framing, missing wall framing components, improper location of walls based on owners plans and agreements. The owner identified door frame openings are not the right size for doors at areas and or improperly located as agreed to be installed
ROOF FRAMING
There is defective roof framing, improper roof rafter spans, missing roof braces at several areas. Roof rafters over the attic of the right side of the house are undersized for the load and span.
CONCRETE FLOOR AND FOUNDATION
The original foundation and floor slab were smaller than the new house floor area. It is advised to verify are the footings and foundations properly located where the newly located weight bearing walls are currently located.
Tarantino Predrywall Report
Client: Arthur Tarantino
Address: 190 Guthrie Rd. Whitesburg, GA. 30185
Date: 11-25-2024
Mr. Tarantino called Paris Pressley with a contractor dispute due to his new home construction framing and building components had failed county inspections and the builder and crews had walked of the job. The builder disagreed with the county building department turndown saying the work was okay. The builder stopped work when Mr. Taratino requested the builder fix what the county inspector said. The builder refused to make corrections and changes. The county recommended Mr. Tarantino contact a R5 building code inspector to inspect the conditions, make recommendations and monitor the construction process.
Paris Pressley was retained by Mr. Tarantino to inspect the home, find all of the defective construction items and write an inspection report so that the homeowner and contractor would have a clear description and guidelines of what needed to be corrected to pass county building inspections.
Le Boyer Contractor Complaint
Client: Danny Le Boyer
Address: 159 Misty Way Dahlonega, GA. 30533
Date: 6-12-2026
Built Date: 2005
Temperature: 90
Mr. Le Boyer contacted Paris Pressley because he had a deck replaced that appeared to have some defective conditions and a bathroom remodeled that appeared to not meet his expectation. He said he complained to the contractor but got no results. He was concerned that the deck may be unsafe and had defective construction. At the Jack and Jill bathroom, he noticed finishing work that looked as if it was not good quality. He stated the contractor had been calling him several times asking to be paid. Mr. Boyer said he told the contractor he had concerns that the work did not look good but the contractor did not come out to verify the complaints he had.
Paris was hired to inspect the deck and bathroom to validate if the work had been done properly or not. As a R5 Residential Building Code Inspector, Paris was also asked to point out all building code violations, safety and related issues with the deck.
ITEMS
Rear Deck Replacement
- The support posts are not notched and bolted to the rim joists and some posts bottom brackets are in the soil below the patio.
- Missing handrail at the stair railings (top rails cannot be used for a handrail, must be a 2 by 2 or a 2-inch round rail for grasping).
- The deck floor is connected to the house cantilever where there should be double joists on each side of the cantilever that is supported on the ledger at the house band. Cannot use the cantilever floor only to support that section of the floor ledger.
- Missing metal ties at stair stringers attached to the lending and deck floor.
- Missing flashing where the siding terminates under the floor ledger connected to the house (water can drip down from the floor flashing and get behind the jchannel and siding).
Jack And Jill Bath
- Missing bead of caulk where the door frames end at the flooring.
- Missing bead of caulk where the toilets rest on the floor.
- There is a rubber boot connecting the sink waste pipe to the existing waste pipe at the hole in the cabinet floor (should have been PVC coupling glued together).
- The right toilet is not square in the room (turned to the right slightly).
- There was no water at the sinks and tub when the faucets were turned on
Kayla Water Intrusion Report
Client: Kayla Truxton
Address: 1073 Mayson Turner Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30314
Date: 6-5-2026
Temperature: 81’
Age: 2022
Paris was called for this inspection because an investor was complaining that a contracting company had made repairs at their two-story home that had a continuous water leak. The home still had a leak somewhere after the repairs were done. Paris was asked to come in and take a look at the building to find out where the water intrusion was coming from. The contractor stated they thought they had fixed the leaking but did not. The representative said they could not determine where the water leaks at the interior beam, on the main level in the house, was coming from. And the drywall had been replaced twice.
Paris Pressley was retained by the representative to identify where the water was getting into the building, how to make repairs and write a report to describe step-by-step what is needed to stop the water from getting in.
ITEMS
Roof
- There is no metal cap with turned down rims on both sides of the top of the parapet walls all the way around the roof perimeter. Contractors or roofer installed only a piece of 1 by 8 cement fiber board on the top of the wall and left off the metal caps. Water is pouring over the board and entering the joints where the siding ends under the cap board. This water intrusion is running down into the wall behind the siding all the way down to the first level exterior walls. The roofer did install the rubber fastener or metal transition strip under the board (to hold the roof rubber onto the wall) which is correct on the roof side of the wall and installed a bead of 50-year caulk seal at the metal strip. It is advised to have a sheet metal contractor install the cap flashing as required.
- Verify the 1st level roof covering over the front door entry and foyer is flashed at least 4 inches up onto the walls under the siding above this roof. Also, it is required the siding should have at least a 2-inch clearance from the roof covering to prevent water absorbing into the siding and to create an air space between materials for drainage.
- Because there is a missing metal cap on top of the parapet walls around the roof perimeter and a gap between the siding and the underside of the cap board, there may be water entering the exterior walls behind the siding at many areas. Can see bulging siding at the right side of the side door.
Exterior Envelope
- There is missing flashing over doors and windows.
- Contractors installed flashing on the face of the window molding at several areas but the flashing must be under the siding above the window trim to flash water away.
- There is missing Z flashing between siding panels where there are horizontal joints. Contractors installed only battens over the siding joints and caulked the seams and some seams have started to open up allowing water to penetrate openings between the battens and siding.
- There is a large gap under the front door threshold and floor that can allow water on the floor to get in and cause rot to the floor framing and rim joist under the door.
- There appears to be missing flashing where the siding terminates at the front porch floor. There should be a air gap of at least 1 inch between the siding and the porch floor
Blaney Builder Complaint
The Blaneys contacted Paris Pressley to inspect their home because they had a complaint with their builder not building the home as agreed and to their satisfaction. The builder walked away from project with all contractors when the owners would not pay more money after a agreed amount for the build. They stated the builder refused to return unless they give his company more money. The owners asked Paris to verify if the builder and contractors were doing the work and installations properly.
