Warning: Had a client try to sue me after a verbal agreement went south

Back in March I did a retaining wall job for a guy in Austin and we shook hands on the price. No contract because it was small and he seemed trustworthy. Then he claimed I agreed to double the work for the same price and I had nothing in writing to prove otherwise. Has anyone else had a handshake deal blow up on them like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jennifer28d ago

Always thought handshake deals were fine until this changed my mind.

eva_thompson28d agoTop Commenter

Handshake deals usually need a written contract to be legally binding.

reesel5028d ago

California's statute of frauds actually says certain deals need to be in writing to be enforceable, like real estate or contracts over $500. @eva_thompson is right that handshake deals can sometimes work fine for smaller things, but they get messy when something goes wrong. I had a buddy who did a handshake deal for a used car and got stuck without a title because the seller forgot to sign it over properly.