Should Builders in Missouri Continue to be Unlicensed?

[James H. Bushart]

If the Missouri Association of Realtors gets its way in 2008, State licensed Missouri home inspectors will be doing 11th-month Warranty inspections on unlicensed builders. I don't think that the builders are going to want that to happen, do you?

Looky, here, at today's latest:

Lake builder admits tax charge



06/27/2007



JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A developer of luxury lake condominiums has pleaded guilty of failing to pay taxes on his construction workers, including some who were illegal immigrants.


But under a plea agreement, developer Michael Schlup could avoid prison if he pays all of his back taxes and penalties before Oct. 17, his sentencing date.

Attorney General Jay Nixon contends Schlup used as many as 30 undocumented workers while building the Plaza Gardens on the Lake condominium complex near Sunrise Beach on the Lake of the Ozarks. Nixon's office said Schlup had pleaded guilty Tuesday to 14 charges of failing to withhold or submit payroll taxes to the state.

"This prosecution and the plea that resulted from it should send a strong message that we won't tolerate this type of conduct, motivated by greed, that allows unscrupulous employers to gain and advantage over those businesses that play by the rules," Nixon said in a written statement.


An attorney for Schlup did not return a telephone call.

The plea agreement recommends that Schlup be sentenced to five years in prison on each count, to be served concurrently, with the prison term suspended entirely if he pays all state and federal employment taxes for a period covering September 2003 through March 2005. The agreement does not list a total amount of taxes due.

[William J. Decker]

They are unlicensed in Illinois, as well. With the obvious results.

Just got an e-mail from the association President of a 42 unit condo that I did a commercial inspection on. A real mess.

Not one fire stop in the whole building. Elevator electronics failing because of no ventilation. Cornice on the exterior leaking water int one unit. Did a follow up walk through with the developer and the association and he brough along his architect. Promised to fix everything (the city is holding back 3 Mil in TIFS funds untill he does).

I then wen back, again, and documented what he said he fixed (mostly didn't fix) and gave recommendations that the association hire a licensed and insured (and good reputaion) masonry contractor to fix the leaks in the cornice. That was last march.

So today, he e-mails me and wants the name of a mason to fix the cornice leaks (heavy rains last night and it leaked (pretty bad) again). The association guy said that the mason I previously recommended was too expensive ($10K to fix all the problems). He wants another recommendation for a cheaper mason.

People look for cheap prices, then complain that the work was not done right.

Can you say "DUH!"?

Quality costs.

And that these defects weren't found by the city inspectors (not!) and weren't fixed by the developer (not!), just goes to show you that no one is doing their job properly.

Yet the developer and the city inspectors get paid and have no liability when the work turns out to be cr*p!

Then the client complains, to the HI, that his recommendations are too expensive.

I am gonna tell him that if he wants it fixed, it's gonna cost him.

That is just plain reality.

"I am sorry, but due to the constraints that reality places on me, I cannot allow your lack of planning to become my emergency." - My dear old Dad.