Can a contractor rip out work from my house?

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Question

Can a contractor rip out work from my house?

Anonymous Apr 13, 2015 Construction Law 2 views 2 answers

I'm having an addition done on my home. Everything was going great. We're just about to finish the job and the contractor came over and said I owe him money for a bunch of up charges. This is the first it's been mentioned. During the payment schedule I have paid him overages for various upgrades, he's talking about additional upgrades that he JUST noticed. He said if customers don't pay the overages he has the work ripped out. We are about 1 week from completion. Is that legal?

Andrew Cowan · Answer 1 · 2026-06-15T14:15:19+00:00

You are one week from completion, and he wants you to pay "upcharges" that aren't in the contract, or he'll rip the work out? No, that's not even remotely legal. The mere threat is extortion, not to mention an unfair trade practice. Even if it were in the contract, the proper way for a contractor to collect on an unpaid balance is through the courts, not through this kind of criminal self-help. I would recommend going straight to a lawyer. I would not recommend letting this clown back in your house.

Scott Wolfe · Answer 2 · 2026-06-15T14:15:19+00:00

The contractor cannot rip out his work. However, if the contractor is owed money and not paid, they may file a mechanics lien against the property to secure their claim for the unpaid amounts. Learn more about Massachusetts mechanics lien laws and requirements here: http://www.zlien.com/mechanics-lien/massachusetts-lien-law-faqs/

Can a contractor rip out work from my house?

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