Need opinion of what to do?

1. Did a proposal with an architect/builder to do my house. Dec. 2005.
2. March 2006, gave him check for $5th.
3. As of this date, he has made 2 trips to my property and has done
nothing.
4. He told me, Pipe works was coming to demolish in a week or so.
Nothing happened.
5. He said, he was coming to do measurements for plan. DID NOT
happen.
6. He said he was coming to do elevations. DID NOT HAPPEN>
7. So, to date, He has DONE ZERO>
8. He keeps telling me, he's busy and swamped. I understand this
and have been very patient with him.

9. Keeps saying, he's getting a schematic design to me, as of today,
I don't even have this.
10. So, I have done the demolishing, basic plumbing and so on.
11. So, for my $5th , I have received ZERO. It has been over a year.

12. He is holding me up as far as starting to build. So, I have gotten
another contractor and builder.

I have asked him for my $5th returned, less $300 which he came to the
site about 2 or 3 times at $100 a visit. I think this is somewhat fair.

Of course, with a shematic design, this does me no good at all. I need
stamped plans and son on.....

He is a reputable person and firm in NO. I hate this problem. And
now, I'm not sure what avenue to take. He said, he had expenses
with my project, I don't know what expenses, as I have had nothing
from him, because he states that he has been too busy.

So.. any opinions as to what to do.

I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.


in the meantime, i have done some preliminary ground work and
so on.
1. I got tem. entergy pole,
2. plumbing for sewer clean out, etc

On the proposal I did in Dec. 2005, there is no start date of
construction. (because I would assume, no one has had any direction
from the city).
\
there is nothing that states about a no-refund on policy. I have never
had this happen before and I truly regret it.

For me, if I had a proposal to do work for someone and I had taken
and cashed their check and had done ZERO for over a year, I would
not have the "lack of business ethics" not to return their money.

maybe I'm wrong....

Just off of what you said and depending on how much money you gave him (I have no idea what $5th means) I would take him to small claims court and get another arch. since you already have a builder/contractor.

Good Luck

The amount was $5,000.00 . This was a down payment on a
fee of

schematic design $5,000.00- did not get, to my knowledge has not
done at all.

design development $3000.00
construction docs. $10,000.00

i am only building about 1700 square feet.

To date: I have ZERO....

all i have from him is:
I'm gonna come out and take the elevations, did not do.
I need to take measurements, did not do.
have someone to demolish... did not happen.

I think he came to site 2 times...that's it.

I did not want to "interfere" with his creativity,
but now, he is interfering with mine and rebuilding.

I thought it fair, that I pay him $100 each trip, which was 2 to the site.

he can take this off the top of the $5thousand.....

I think it anyone put a down payment of $5000.00... on a car, and
have not gotten anything in over a year.... they'd probably buy
a new car.......!!!

i HAVE secured an arch at consideraly less in price.
I have got a builder.......

it's the whole principal of the deal...... he got the $5 thousand...
I got ZERO.....

taint fair in my opinion.....