Trouble With A Contractor In Nc

Hello! Bit of background. I reside in NC and I recently had a new looped driveway installed to my shop. I work/drive large machinery for a living and this driveway had to be built wide enough and in the right location for me to be able to turn my larger loaded trailers without any issue. The problem is that the driveway is not wide enough OR in the right spot. I literally almost scrap along the shop wall because the contractor made the turn much to tight and narrow even after I asked him during the process if he was sure he should not have placed it further away and I was told he "had it handled".

The weird thing is that we walked the location before installation and I have a text chain agreeing to the terms of what he will accomplish. Most of the stuff on the list is done fine except for the glaring issue with the biggest part of the project, the driveway. The contractor cop'd a major attitude with me to play the rest of what he is owed ( I paid 40% up front) when I challenged him that the driveway was unacceptable. He instantly threatened legal action of some kind and I agreed to at least let him to attempt to fix it over the coming weeks.

I have a SERIOUS concern this contractor is not going to meet my expectations to this point and pulled in another contractor to quote fixing this mess properly (grading is a shit show alongside me not being able to turn around in the dang driveway, the whole point of it). Turns out I managed to get a contractor in the area known for poor and quick work and didn't have any idea until I vetted him more and conferred with other contractors (shame on me but dang the reviews on Facebook and Google tricked me). I hate to do this but how do I navigate this the right way to get the first contractor out if the picture so I can get the correct team in to fix his work (which will cost quite a nice sum to fix all the issues). This is a new experience for me, after all these years of contracting little stuff around the property this is the first one to be such a nightmare, I would much prefer the driveway was done and I could move on with my life. I'm not trying to get free shit, I just want a driveway that we discussed.

No written contract. I have a text chain agreeing to what will be done initially (driveway which a large trailer can use easily and some other clean up) . Money was never mentioned in the chain, only the request for 40% up front. We only discussed the total cost verbally <10k. I have multiple texts during the process expressing the concern the driveway was in the wrong spot with the contractor insisting he would fix it. I now have a finished list sent to him via text highlighting what I want fixed and by when now that the work is done poorly. This was good faith on my part but it doesn't seem to be a requirement in NC.

Judging from what I'm reading, lord knows I'm not a lawyer, it would likely be a lien I would have to fight? If I kick this guy out should I just assume it's coming and how hard is it to deal with?

Location: NC