The problem is not that he won’t pay you, it’s that you didn’t have a signed contract. It’s a hard lesson to learn. Take what you get and start using contracts.

Did you send him a breakdown of cost? Maybe take one more try at settling it amicably, layout material cost, labor and profit.

You may have put him in a bad position, he may have for whatever reason assumed it would cost 10k and not having numbers up front to correct that assumption could of screwed the budget.

I don't think you'll be successful getting a lein (idk your laws) and I kind of doubt you'll find satisfaction in court with a suit based on what you've told us.

You can file in small claims court and have the case on the books. Put down your per square foot costs and total square foot etc. Draw up an invoice like you would have been better off from the onset. You could check with some contractors to see if your fees or cost per square foot are within their ranges. You may not get a thing but having a case on file could impact his credit score, loan applications and other businesses that he may work with now and in the future.

Bryce

RS Means estimating books will show if your price was "reasonable". With no contract, you will have a hard time winning. Here, a contractor needs to send an intent to lien letter before work begins to preserve their right to someday file a lien.

Take the other $5k he if offering and then present him a detailed bill showing the difference he still owes in a cordial manner once the $5,000 is safely in the bank. He will either man up and cover the amount that is fair or at least provide a little more money to give the impression that he is a stand up guy. Either way it will be more than you have in your pocket now and the lawyers are in business like Vegas for a reason, they always come out ahead in the game....... and they don't share.

I have done a breakdown in material costs with him down to the penny. He doesnt care, I believe he went into this with the mind set to only pay what he wants, and everyone is right, you need contracts. Thank you for all the replies, time to go to work and recoup my loss!!

In Wisconsin you must provide him with his lien rights proir to the work and then file an intent to lien, 60days? before filing a lien. The best and cheapest way is to accept the 5 gs, give him a qualified lien waiver , then small claims court. A lawyer will eat up all your money , but will give you a little personal satisfaction. A lien may mean little to someone like that untill he sells or refinances.