I had hired a contractor to construction boundary wall along a common boundary with our neighbor. They agreed to bare half the cost and asked us to bring a person, so I got a contractor and he agreed to build on basis of meter cube rate (Rs. 4000/meter cube). I had paid a small amount in advance and after completion, the contractor provided me the measurement (length, breadth and height of the wall he constructed). Length is visible, breadth was an average as he says he has made the bottom 0.90m thick and towards top is 0.60m and made it average 0.75m. Height is again average, only 0.70m above ground is visible but he said it is different height below ground and said the total height is 1.30m. So I calculated the meter cube and settled the amount very next day. During construction my neighbor was also present.
After 2 days when I told my neighbor the cost, he was shocked and said the contractor has cheated me. It seems he has seen the truck load of stone that arrived and with that amount of load he wont be able to construct so much meter cube. According to my neighbor the contractor has constructed a wall of lesser meter cube and manipulated the measurement to a higher meter cube value and has made us pay a higher price. I talked to my contractor and asked him how many load of stone he used once he said 7, another time he said 6. Now I also feel he has cheated us.
I do have the receipt signed by him mentioning the amount received and an agreement we made him sign in his letter head.
How can I get the amount back from him if he has cheated us? How can I find out if he has cheated us on the meter cube?
Please advise.
