Roofer didn't finish job because of ICE

[Anonymous]

We live in upper NW and signed a contract with a roofer to replace our roof, install new gutters and downspouts, and install siding on the a small section of the front of the house under the dormer. The roof and gutters were completed on time. Per the contract the siding was supposed to be ready for installing 5-6 weeks after the contract was signed which would put the arrival of the material around end of August -- at latest early Sept.

I called twice to check in (once in August and once in early September) and was told the company would be in touch when they were ready to finish the job. Then out of the blue on Oct. 10th I get a call from the owner telling me he doesn't have any workers who will come to DC to do the job because of ICE. I am sympathetic to his situation; however, the materials should have been over a month ago.

Something is not sitting right, and I am wondering if this is a way not to complete a small part of the job which takes his crew away from bigger paying ones? Has anyone else heard of contractors (roofing, renovations others) not happening in DC because of ICE raids? We could pay for the part of the job that is done but, I'm concerned that finding someone to just do the siding will be very pricey if it is a job on its own. If he really can't find workers than is it unreasonable for to ask him to honor his price for whenever his workers will come back to DC?

[Anonymous]

You are just getting ripped off. You didn't pay full in advance for the siding did you?? If you did, live and learn.

Find a reputable place that doesn't hire illegals.

[Anonymous]

We have only paid the deposit and obviously wouldn’t pay for the work that is not completed. The issue we would like the full job completed as per the contract. As for the issue of workers we interviewed 5 companies and this one came with good references (and was middle of the pack as far as price).

I think the excuse is BS but not sure if there is any recourse and don’t want to go through the process of vetting a company to do siding again.

[Anonymous]

I think it's partly true and the owner is choosing jobs further afield. He must have found something that pays more than what he lost with you.

Sorry, OP. I'm waiting for a green card, and all the people I know who are international are very worried right now. We're all white collar, educated, well-off people, and some of us are diplomats. But even diplomatic visas are not a guarantee of protection right now. I've heard of two people with diplomatic visas would got their visas yanked at the border for no reason and were refused entry into the US. They have kids at school in the DC area, mortgages to pay and everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are just getting ripped off. You didn't pay full in advance for the siding did you?? If you did, live and learn.

Find a reputable place that doesn't hire illegals.

Hehe, don't be fooled because all the "reputable places" hire illegals.

[Anonymous]

Is the contractor bonded? If you get a new one, get one that is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are just getting ripped off. You didn't pay full in advance for the siding did you?? If you did, live and learn.

Find a reputable place that doesn't hire illegals.

They all do. We gut-renovated our house in Bethesda with highly-recommended companies. The only company who did not have undocumented workers doing the actual work were a father and stepson duo who pruned our trees. It was just the two of them.

Also, I'd like to note that some of our best, most professional and responsible workers were very probably of the undocumented variety. These people deserve all the perks of citizenship. They're salt of the earth type people. It's disgusting to treat them the way America is treating them now. We need to clear the USCIS backlog and just hand out citizenship to anyone who has lived here for some time and who doesn't have a criminal record. And only then can we build a wall, close the border, be a lot more vigilant with visa overstays, and make entry a lot harder for others. But it's inhumane to treat hardworking, intelligent individuals who have been here for years, paying taxes and all, as if they had never been of value whatsoever.

[Anonymous]

I think you need to find way for both you and contractor to walk away. You need to find another contractor.

I don’t think anyone should assume these workers are illegal. They’re probably scared that they could be mistaken for illegals.

I think it’s funny how some posters say to find a place that doesn’t hire illegals. How are you supposed to know that??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are just getting ripped off. You didn't pay full in advance for the siding did you?? If you did, live and learn.

Find a reputable place that doesn't hire illegals.

ICE kidnaps US citizens.

[Anonymous]

Unlike the people who think you're being ripped off, I think the contractor is likely telling you the truth. Sadly, with the National Guard and ice crawling around DC it's more dangerous for people of color to be there.
Recently, I took a train somewhere and when I returned, I had a very difficult time getting an Uber to come to Union Station. That had never happened to me before. The driver told me that most Uber drivers, who we know are mostly immigrants, avoid Union Station now.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think it’s a lie, although they’re pulling people off the streets in Maryland too. Roofers are extra visible.

Some of those ICE agents seem like they’re barely trained and very, very political. It’s a miracle more people haven’t been killed yet. And the Trump administration has bragged about and celebrated treating people in custody inhumanly. They openly defy court orders. I would hide too if I had a pending asylum claim or DACA or any number of the other confusing, tenuous immigration situations Congress has allowed to become normal by abdicating its responsibility to legislate.

[Anonymous]

Get estimate for the siding from other contractors and subtract that amount from your original contractor.
Call and tell him how much you are going to reduce it by.

[Anonymous]

You don't have to be illegal to be scared right now. Even citizens are being held, let alone legal residents.

[Anonymous]

God you people are out of touch. Yes, the Latino community is terrified and crews working outside are particularly vulnerable. My friend hasn't been able to get her leaking roof in Columbia Heights replaced for over a month now. I talked to a contractor at my mom's and he said they only did the outdoor job because they've worked with her for decades and it's in the back of a house with a driveway to hide their truck. His cousin who lives in DC has been picked up repeatedly and threatened despite being here legally. People are swapping tips on WhatsApp about safe roads and areas like their life depends on it, because it does. Do you not get it? It doesn't matter if you have papers, they are taking people who are brown and speak Spanish. People are reacting accordingly.

[Anonymous]

The fears are legit. Figure out how to pay for the work already done. You probably won’t be able to get rooftop projects done for a while. We need our roof redone but are aware that most construction workers are Hispanic or other immigrants and can’t risk being in such open, vulnerable jobs right now—regardless of their status.