Contractor is asking for more $$. What should I do?

What does your with contract say? If he refuses, out of principal I would hire someone else to do it.

Copybroad wrote: ↑I have hired a contractor to renovate my upper floor, which involves changing the layout of washrooms and closets. All modifications were communicated clearly when the guy came and he provided us an estimate. We decided to go ahead...
So now the project only has one more week to go and we just made our 2nd last payment The guy told us that doors installation are charged seperately and will cost us ~$2600 more (for 5 doors)!! We are in shock as he never mentioned that either on the estimate or verbally...

We feel that it is very unfair as he knows that on day 1 that the modification would require reinstalling the doors and the fee was never disclosed to us...

What should I do? Stand firm? Negotiate?

Like this.” Finish the job or you’re not getting paid!!!”

Shady contractors use this tactic all the time. They come in cheap. Then ask for more money when the project nears the end….

I would def not spill more money for what was agreed upon from the start. Tbh this is why you should always have a written contract to begin with. Also, if you go this route, keep close eye on their quality of work and materials. They may cheap out further now.

An estimate is an estimate, and a fixed-price contract is contract. Which do you have?

Estimates can be exceeded. A reputable contractor will always try to give a conservative estimate and complete work within that amount. A disreputable contractor will always try to win business with a lowball estimate and then increase it when work is partly completed and you're on the hook.

So if you don't have a fixed-price contract, or installing the doors falls under an exception clause in the contract, then your choices are to negotiate price with the current contractor, or get a new contractor to finish the work. A new contractor may or may not charge more, but it would help negotiations to know where you stand.

Don't do anything to piss off your current contractor until their current work is done. If they know you're going to dump them and then trash them on review sites, they may not be motivated to finish their work properly, especially if they are disreputable.

Is there a written contract?

Copybroad wrote: ↑ I have hired a contractor to renovate my upper floor, which involves changing the layout of washrooms and closets. All modifications were communicated clearly when the guy came and he provided us an estimate. We decided to go ahead...
So now the project only has one more week to go and we just made our 2nd last payment The guy told us that doors installation are charged seperately and will cost us ~$2600 more (for 5 doors)!! We are in shock as he never mentioned that either on the estimate or verbally...

We feel that it is very unfair as he knows that on day 1 that the modification would require reinstalling the doors and the fee was never disclosed to us...

What should I do? Stand firm? Negotiate?

Sounds like you have a crappy contractor. And you probably don't have a written contract.

Option 1 Dont Pay
Then the contractor could potentially remove things from your home and walk away from your job. Now you will have to pay extra money for another contractor to come in to fix and finish the job.

Option 2 Negotiate
Which likely doesn't work because contractor is taking your renovation as hostage.

Option 3 Pay
Consider it is only $2600 which is not much relative to all the money you have already spent. Tell him you will pay him when he finishes the job (1 week).

I would do option 3.

Why would the door installation be separate? Did he estimate the renovation total or not? Is it the doors (material) that cost $2600, or just the re-installation of said doors?

He estimated a total for the project, which he knew on day 1 will involve door relocations. But then he later claimed that door cost extra and is not included in the estimate.

Copybroad wrote: ↑ He estimated a total for the project, which he knew on day 1 will involve door relocations. But then he later claimed that door cost extra and is not included in the estimate.

In writing, or it doesn't exist. People can have different understandings or remember things differently, or one party can be deliberately misleading without lying outright if it's to their advantage.

And in the end if you have only an estimate, not a firm price, you have no recourse. The contractor can say he underestimated because of (insert any plausible reason here).

Copybroad wrote: ↑ He estimated a total for the project, which he knew on day 1 will involve door relocations. But then he later claimed that door cost extra and is not included in the estimate.

And what - u didn t know? Nobody and everybody is at fault. Personally if you have just 1 week to go i d just pay up. 2600 ain t worth it. And i m a cheap guy.

Copybroad wrote: ↑ I have hired a contractor to renovate my upper floor, which involves changing the layout of washrooms and closets. All modifications were communicated clearly when the guy came and he provided us an estimate. We decided to go ahead...
So now the project only has one more week to go and we just made our 2nd last payment The guy told us that doors installation are charged seperately and will cost us ~$2600 more (for 5 doors)!! We are in shock as he never mentioned that either on the estimate or verbally...

We feel that it is very unfair as he knows that on day 1 that the modification would require reinstalling the doors and the fee was never disclosed to us...

What should I do? Stand firm? Negotiate?

we had our bathroom done. Total makeover, except bring down the walls. Contractor made an estimate, and got charged that price after the job been done. A good contractor will respect his estimate, because he is a good contractor and knows prices and what he talks about. Did I pay too much? Possibly. Am I satisfied of the work done? Absolutely. Am I happy with the price I paid? Yes, because that's the price that been expected. We all understand that there can be surprises, but installing doors is no way a surprise!! Lowballers in estimates are just contractors who want's you to sign a contract, and thereafter they add ''extras''. Again, no way doors are a surprise in a reno...

Copybroad wrote: ↑I have hired a contractor to renovate my upper floor, which involves changing the layout of washrooms and closets. All modifications were communicated clearly when the guy came and he provided us an estimate. We decided to go ahead...
So now the project only has one more week to go and we just made our 2nd last payment The guy told us that doors installation are charged seperately and will cost us ~$2600 more (for 5 doors)!! We are in shock as he never mentioned that either on the estimate or verbally...

We feel that it is very unfair as he knows that on day 1 that the modification would require reinstalling the doors and the fee was never disclosed to us...

What should I do? Stand firm? Negotiate?

Way to find out if it was included originally in the price. Your last conversation???

If he knew which door type to buy (prior to conversation). Then he originally included it in the price.
If he asked you which doors to install….then he didn’t include it in the price.

Copybroad wrote: ↑ I have hired a contractor to renovate my upper floor, which involves changing the layout of washrooms and closets. All modifications were communicated clearly when the guy came and he provided us an estimate. We decided to go ahead...
So now the project only has one more week to go and we just made our 2nd last payment The guy told us that doors installation are charged seperately and will cost us ~$2600 more (for 5 doors)!! We are in shock as he never mentioned that either on the estimate or verbally...

We feel that it is very unfair as he knows that on day 1 that the modification would require reinstalling the doors and the fee was never disclosed to us...

What should I do? Stand firm? Negotiate?

As others have mentioned, what do you have in writing?