BUFFALO, N.Y. — When a job is done and there is a contract, you expect to get paid. Unfortunately, for the owner of Blue Line Concrete & Construction that has not happened.
Owner Ian Baker came to 2 On Your Side months after a job was completed for Savarino Companies.
The job was to install a concrete dumpster pad for a business in Niagara Falls in November. It was during the time of the November 2022 snowstorm.
A contract was signed with a property manager.
Baker said "we advised him that the weather wasn't ideal for the work, but they insisted that they needed it done and, you know, somewhat of an emergency. They had a grand opening coming that week, and they would like for us to do it."
There were several text messages between the Savarino property manager and Blue Line concrete. There was a warning about pouring concrete in bad weather, but at one point the manager texted "we just need it poured. I do not care about a warranty. If need be we will bust it out and have you do it again."
Baker said it was a task to even get vehicles out of lot in Buffalo.
"We couldn't get our vehicles out, but we did. We dug ourselves out and, you know, made it out there to to do the job for them," Baker said.
Baker spoke with 2 On Your Side in April.
"My CFO has been in contact with him (a Savarino employee) through email back and forth, and to no avail. They are just constantly stating that he wants to pay us a fair price, and we don't know what the fair price is. Our fair price is $19,500 because we came out and did the work and completed it in the lake effect snowstorm," he said.
As of August 3, he is still awaiting a payment.
A spokesperson for Savarino responded through email with this statement.
"This is simply a matter of a business dispute resulting from differing opinions as to what is owed for the quality of work that was provided, as well as other extenuating circumstances. We have offered a fair price for the work performed, and Blue Line Concrete and Construction has declined to accept our payment. We will continue to work together toward an agreeable resolution for all parties involved."
Blue Line's owner said, "He wants to pay us a fair price when they signed the contract for the $19,500."
"Working with big developers, we don't know if that's something that we want to go into because of the runaround and the non-payments like this," Baker said.
Baker is a veteran Buffalo Police officer.
"We see a lot of bad business dealings with contractors, landlords, and things like that, and sometimes you say, 'Ah, you know, it can't happen to me,' and then it happens to you. It's a bad feeling."
