OT: Anyone know anything about AR construction laws?

I'm at the end of my rope here. As you might know, we hired a "handyman" guy....otherwise known as Worker Man, to do some things around the house.  Not big things, really, just stuff we didn't want to tackle ourselves. Taking out a decorative fireplace and enclosing it with shelves for the tv, tearing up the carpet in the living room and hallway, replacing it with laminate flooring, and painting the living room, dining room, kitchen, entry and hall. The job was supposed to take 10 days, and we're at the end of the third week. He says he'll be here at 9:00 and shows up after 2:00, if he comes at all. He might hammer in a board here or there, then he's gone again. His work is crap....one board on the front of the tv cabinet even has a knothole in it!!!  We have a contract but (stupid us) it doesn't have a completion clause in it.  We told him today was the day that he had to be done or else. Well, there's no way on God's green earth he can finish today, there's just too much to do. Does anyone have a suggestion?  I'd just like to kick his butt to the curb and not pay him the balance of what we owe and use it to pay someone to fini**** HELPPPPPPPPP

Susan,  I dont know the laws, but Mikey does, hes gone to town to buy me some SF popscicles, (cant eat solids, throat wayyyyyyyy to sore). I would suggest reporting him to the better business bereau and calling folks like 7 on your side.  When Mikey the construction worker comes home I will ask him and let you know. Hugs, Nonna whos coughing up her lungs!!!

I don't know about all the construction laws (even though my dad owns and runs a construction company - he's just a subcontractor & doesn't do THAT kind of construction at all).   Sorry I can't be more helpful.   (You could make a written complaint to the attorney general's office.  Then they will contact him FOR YOU.  It is free and it may bring you some sort of resolution.) But that can take a week or two for them to send him something and him to respond, etc.  But you may want to go that route.  If it was me, I'd either do that OR 1) write him a certified letter detailing what you have been unsatisfied with so far (his arriving late & using substandard materials, etc) and telling him that the project must be complete by such-in-such day and up to standards or you will consider him in violation of your contract (because I am assuming that the contract did say that the job had to be done with good materials,etc) & see what he has to say. 2) verbally tell him that it had better be done by such-in-such day with better materials and he must make finishing your house a priority (not show up at 2 when he should have been there at 9) & see what he has to say.   No matter what you do, I'd make a complaint to the BBB when it's over with.   Hope things get better. 

Well, we just fired Worker Man. He and wifie showed up at 2:45 to work....nice hours, huh, and when Gary asked for our house key back all he** broke lose. They're threatening to sue, say they've never lost a case yet, which begs the question; how many other people have been so dissatisfied with his work that they have had to go to court? Gary has taken pictures of the work, including the knothole in the cabinet. BTW, Gary does have a Law Degree and was an attorney for 12 years in San Diego. Let's see how Worker Man and his wife fare against him! I'd like to take out an ad in the paper screaming "Don't hire Austin Root from Around the House Handyman", but need the money to pay someone to put down my floor. We finished the painting while waiting for him to come work today.  Hmmmm, something that has taken us 5 hours he couldn't get done in 3 weeks.