Wife and I remodeled our house pretty much from scratch. Her dad recommended a electrician who at first was great. He did his job really well and he was cheap. The problem is that all he has to do is install the main wiring box in the house, and now he won't answer any phone calls or emails or anything. He came one day to do it and noticed he needed an additional piece. He went back to his office to get one and just never showed back up. The next day he said that he would order one and it would come in early the next week. That day hits and he doesn't answer his calls, and the next day he doesn't answer his calls or emails, and the next... etc. Its been a week, what should we do?

Continue to wait for this guy?
Hire someone else?
Sue this guy for the cost of finishing his job, inconvenience and the cost of the phone/dsl that I am not able to use?

What does your contract say about what he is to complete?

Yes, you can sue him if he broke the contract.

Otherwise it's your word against his - and all you can sue him for then is the cost of repairing what he has done (if it needs repairs). You can't collect for money you had to pay someone else to do the job UNLESS you paid this first person and also paid the second.

Inconvenience? How long have you been waiting. The usual language is what a prudent person would do. I rely on the Internet, etc. for my business. After 24 hours I'd be hiring someone else.

It doesn't sound like you can wait for him.

I assume he's licensed, insured, bonded, all of that and this is someone working "off the books," so to speak. If he did work off the books you will another problem in Court UNLESS he provided you with info so you can issue a 1099 at the end of the year.

This could be a situation where he's cheaper than anyone else but in the long run you'll end up without electricity... and aggravated out of your skull!