QUOTED $3122, WAS BILLED $7607 AND MECHANIC'S LIEN WAS FILED
Received an estimate from Elite on October 16, 2019 in the amount of $3122.54 for pool wall/stucco repair to a Townhouse Community on the Island. The work was completed and was invoiced on December 12, 2019 for $7607.09 before tax. The additional labor and materials cost billed were never communicated to the HOA management company or HOA board members. Elite charged an additional $4484.55 without prior approval or a courtesy call to notify someone of the changes. When the HOA management group questioned the difference and bad business practice of not notifying of the changes owner Ray Chacon’s immediate response was a legal threat: “you couldn’t do one job without the other being completed, I know he was going to work with you as best as he can, however the invoice will be owed. We would not want this issue to escalate into liens against your property, it's in everyone's best interest to work and try to resolve this cost that was completed at this property” This response was received one day after the invoice was issued. Payment of the previously agreed upon amount was paid to Elite in the amount of $3122.54 plus tax. On January 22, 2020 we received a Notice of Filing Affidavit of Claim Filed for Mechanic’s Lien from Elite’s attorney. The lien was filed at the County Clerk’s office on January 14, 2020, just over 30 days from the invoiced date.
For those unit that were listed for sale this lien would cloud the title and could result in a loss of sale. On January 30, 2020 a demand letter was received from Elite’s attorney threatening to notify all homeowners of the lien and threatening further legal action if the unauthorized charge of $4484.55 was not received within 7 days. Selling/closing of one of the units has occurred and an escrow holdback of $4500 has taken place because a contractor’s bad business practices. Save yourself the trouble and go with a different contractor.