When a Queensland homeowner refused to pay the full fee for a newly laid driveway, the builders took matters into their own hands — literally.
In a viral moment, construction worker Jesse Crowe and his team used a pick-axe to undo their own work, making it clear that this dispute wasn’t going to end quietly.
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The incident took place in Logan, Queensland.
This is where Crowe and his crew had agreed to concrete a driveway at a woman’s home for $6,000 AUD (about $4,012 USD). But after they completed the job, Viola allegedly refused to pay the full amount, offering only $2,500 AUD ($1,670 USD).
This shortfall sparked a heated conflict over payment and the quality of the work.
In an interview with 7News, Viola claimed she was threatened by Crowe after she voiced her complaints.
“They said, ‘you pay now, now or we will smash the concrete,’” she said. Viola stated that she was unhappy with the job, citing issues with rubbish left behind and unmet expectations.
On his part, Crowe shared his side of the story.
He felt left in the lurch when Viola didn’t pay as agreed. In a video posted online, Crowe showed what he called “what happens when you don’t pay for works carried out at your place” before taking a pick-axe to the newly laid concrete with a co-worker.
The video shows the aftermath of the situation.
Crowe and his teammate repeatedly smash holes into the driveway, leaving it patchy and damaged. In the background, someone can be heard saying, “You should have paid. And it’s going to cost more to get it all dug up, taken away, and poured again.”
Crowe later explained his frustration with the situation to 7News.
He said he’s been in the trade “a long time” and has “always done the right thing by people.” He asked rhetorically, “They don’t want to pay — at the end of the day, what are you going to do?”
Crowe, a small business owner, expressed that he doesn’t enjoy destroying his work, emphasizing,
“I take pride in my work and I love concrete; I love doing it.” But he added that he felt he had no other choice, saying he was “tired of being ripped off.”
Viola, on the other hand, insisted that she would have paid the remaining balance if the crew had completed the work to her standards.
“They did what they wanted, not what I wanted,” she told 7News, holding firm to her complaints about the quality.
As for the driveway itself, Viola’s family reportedly plans to repair the damage themselves.
It’s unclear if any further legal action will take place, but the video’s popularity online has reignited discussions on payment disputes in the trades.
The ordeal took place late last year, but the two parties remain at an impasse as the video continues to circulate.
Crowe stands by his actions, reiterating, “I just want to get paid,” while Viola maintains she didn’t get what she paid for.
What do you think? Were the workers justified in undoing their work, or should the homeowner have paid the full amount? Let us know where you stand in this heated debate!
