Plumber Demands Final Payment Before Work Is Complete.

Location: Alabama, USA. I hired a plumber to install a whirlpool tub in my bathroom. He provided an invoice detailing the charges for removing the old tub and installing the new one. The invoice also stated that the "job requires extensive plumbing on wall and sheetrock" and that the "price covers all.” The invoice further stated that the job required half of the total payment to start and the remaining half upon completion. We agreed to these terms, and he sent a Square payment link for half of the invoiced amount, which I paid. He came out two days later to begin the work.

Several red flags arose during the project, but we continued because he was referred through Home Depot and we found no negative online reviews.

On the first day, he arrived late and only had time to remove the old tub. The following day, he was unable to install the new tub because additional sheet rock needed to be removed, but his drywall contractor was unavailable until the following week. The next week, they cut out the sheet rock and installed the tub, but not without causing cosmetic damage.

We were unable to properly test the tub because the jets were leaking, and the drain did not function correctly. This was due to his use of hardware from the old tub rather than the new drain kit we had purchased specifically for the installation.

By my untrained assessment, the job was approximately 70% complete. Despite this, he attempted to leave and demanded final payment. He stated that the drywall contractor would return the following day to repair the sheet rock but insisted that final payment be made first. I declined, explaining that the job was not complete. After a brief back-and-forth, he left and stated that he would place a lien on my home for nonpayment.

The following day, he sent a text message stating that we needed to pay for the tub installation, which he claimed was complete, and that the sheet rock work was separate. I did not respond. A day or two later, he emailed a revised invoice that added new language stating that sheet rock was excluded and then sent a second invoice for the sheet rock work.

While researching the cost to complete the job, we discovered that the tub was not properly leveled and that much of our copper piping had been removed and replaced with cheaper materials using SharkBite fittings. In addition, there were other minor details that left me questioning his work, like the hot and cold were reversed or that the pull out hand shower was installed incorrectly, etc.

We have now received a letter in the mail from an attorney demanding payment of the remaining balance. I assume he showed the attorney the modified invoice and is trying to say that the tub is installed, therefore we need to pay. But I say we hired a company to do a job and that job is not complete. We still do not have a usable tub. What are my options?