What is the legal relationship between a client and a subcontractor?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What is the legal relationship between a client and a subcontractor?
I hired a general home improvement contractor. He estimated plumbing work (subbed out) at $350 and submitted his “final” invoice with that figure. He later received the invoice from the plumber and it was $1,000. He’s now asking me to pay his final invoice, less the “plumbing” portion, and asked me to pay the plumber $1,000 directly. He handed me the invoice that his plumber sent to him. Don’t know the plumber, never met him, didn’t oversee any of his work, only authorized $350, which the final invoice even showed. I don’t feel I’m obligated to pay $1,000 or work directly with subs.
Asked on August 25, 2011 Maryland
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
And I think that from the way that you have represented the facts here you are quite correct. If you have an all inclusive contract with the general contractor and that included the price of the plumbing work then the GC is out of luck for the balance. But here is my concern for you: the filing of a mechanics lien by the sub contractor. The GC is not going to pay his bill. That I can see coming. And what is going to result is the filing of a mechanics lien against your property. And I see lawsuits to clear it up. So maybe a compromise should be discussed here. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.