Issue with a contractor ... help please

He may have a copy of the message authorizing him to do the work. Offer him $200 for his time cutting the tree. Try to come to some compromise cause he knows where you live.

I would try and work it out, but not go over the original $500; since he already paid to have it disposed of. OSHA will not do anything on this issue, unless you have some pictures with serious violations; they are under staffed. Make sure he keeps and has copies of all transactions he has with this contractor, and be sure all communications are through email; proof of what's happened and happening.

Offer him $200 for his time cutting the tree. Try to come to some compromise cause he knows where you live.

I would try and work it out, but not go over the original $500; since he already paid to have it disposed of.

Bingo.  Friend shouldn't be DB about it.  "its the principal" matters a lot less when you're getting bricks through the windshield and the cat goes missing . . .

With all the effort your friends put into his stubbornness he could removed his own tree.  Not to mention the extra hundred he dropped having someone else remove it.  I side with the skilled tradesmen his work isn't being valued and he's being stiffed.

Any "negotiations" are going nowhere

Maybe I should have been more clear about this statement.  My friend did offer to resolve this by paying the $500 multiple times, for all the reasons you all are alluding to.  The contractor didn't budge.

-Allen

that's why you ask for a written quote with details on the scope of work! doesn't even sound like there was a handshake. Also he should have informed the contractor that if he didn't haul off the debris within a specified timeline, that he would contract this with someone else and subtract the cost from the original $500 approval on phone message
I received quotes for 35 diff trees taken down in the last month and none of them was less than $1200 and a couple were 4800 each
So 750 is a steal even if he did not haul the slash away.
contractor is a sheister for charging 750 when phone message said not more than 500 and for not having a chipper, and hauling slash of in a timely manner. and being a flake.
but since you agreed to $500 and you hauled off the slash before him
$500 for the contractor

I have done many projects over the years on verbal agreements or handshakes.  And my wife watches judge Judy all the time and swears it will bite me in the you know what at some point.  I am sure it can but would never pay someone for something I did not agree to.  I know some contractors have been screwed in the past but have also heard of horror stories of property liens being placed for some ridiculous stuff. 

I would send any future correspondence certified mail in case a lien is placed or it goes to court.  It will at least show you tried to resolve it.  If it ever made it to court I am sure both side would feel stupid for not having a contract. 

Hope it works out. 

So there's a big pile of bamboo in your front yard now? You just have to reword the message to say "Free bamboo for poke poles" and NCKA will haul it away for free hahaha...

So there's a big pile of bamboo in your front yard now? You just have to reword the message to say "Free bamboo for poke poles" and NCKA will haul it away for free hahaha...

Nah .. a "Free" sign will yield it left there for months at a time.  A sight that reads "$20/each" will have it all stolen before the sun comes up.

He may have a copy of the message authorizing him to do the work. Offer him $200 for his time cutting the tree. Try to come to some compromise cause he knows where you live.

 OSHA will not do anything on this issue, unless you have some pictures with serious violations; they are under staffed.

I work for a division of cal/osha, and people routinely use us as a hammer when they have a beef with a contractor. 9 out of 10 complaints we get are bogus, or are people that just quit or got fired.

Send him a check for the balance of $500 and see if he cashes it.

So there's a big pile of bamboo in your front yard now? You just have to reword the message to say "Free bamboo for poke poles" and NCKA will haul it away for free hahaha...

Hah no.  That whole thing is still a mess.  Delays in getting permit and getting started on the foundation means my bamboo stayed another summer.  It may have sprawled out of control to the whole neighborhood by now.

-Allen

My friend did offer to resolve this by paying the $500 multiple times, for all the reasons you all are alluding to.  The contractor didn't budge.

Friend offered to pay the full $500 to contractor for just the cutting down?  Then, contractor's loss if he don't accept the $500.  Nothing you've written suggests contractor is due $750.

Write a letter to the Contractor spelling out what happened and enclose a check for $500 minus work you had to do ie removal. If he does not accept the  money take  the letter and file a complaint with the Contractors License Board and his bond for your damages ie removal  of materials. He will lose and  get cited for no written contract  because your a stupid homeowner and he is a Licensed contractor who is supposed to  know better. Bond company will  open a claim and more than likely pay you. He will be pissed as hell and may burn down your house. So get good insurance.

I worked with The Contractors Board and Insurance Companies for years so I know this will work. It will be more beneficial if you have a receipt for the removal of debris hint hint hint.

Write a letter to the Contractor spelling out what happened and enclose a check for $500 minus work you had to do ie removal. If he does not accept the  money take  the letter and file a complaint with the Contractors License Board and his bond for your damages ie removal  of materials. He will lose and  get cited for no written contract  because your a stupid homeowner and he is a Licensed contractor who is supposed to  know better. Bond company will  open a claim and more than likely pay you. He will be pissed as hell and may burn down your house. So get good insurance.

I can vouch that Pacific knows his $#!T on this.