A homeowner surnamed Wei (pseudonym) at Yulin Mansion in Nanning had already overpaid for electrical and plumbing labor, yet the renovation foreman surnamed Xu still demanded an additional 30,000 yuan from her. With only about 40% of the renovation completed, Xu abandoned the site while still demanding full management fees of over 198,000 yuan. In mid-to-late September, several renovation workers under Xu entered the new home without authorization on three separate occasions or showed up at the community gate demanding wages, yet failed to provide any settlement details. One of them damaged the community barrier gate and smashed a corner of the ceiling. The Binhu Police Station of the jurisdiction intervened to investigate and mediate. Industry professionals are calling on renovation practitioners not to fool consumers with "muddled accounts."
Incident: Workers Enter Community and Damage Property
On September 12, more than 10 renovation workers entered the Yulin Mansion community under the guise of being guests attending a banquet at a certain building. The community security supervisor verified and discovered that the group had concealed their identities, with the actual purpose being to go without authorization to the renovation site of the villa purchased by homeowner Wei, and they claimed they wanted their "wages." The security supervisor reasonably tried to stop them, during which he was pushed by the involved renovation workers, causing damage to the wooden fence at the entrance of Wei's new home. The security supervisor immediately called the police, and officers from the Binhu Police Station of the Qingxiu District Public Security Sub-bureau of the Nanning Public Security Bureau arrived to investigate. A corner of the ceiling in Wei's new home was smashed by a worker with a hammer (see circled area).
On September 14, a carpenter surnamed Zeng from the aforementioned group came to the community gate again attempting to enter but was identified and stopped by community property management staff. Zeng forced his way in, causing damage to the community's smart barrier gate equipment. Community property management staff called the police again. On September 25, Zeng came to the community gate for the third time attempting to force his way in. Police arrived to handle the situation. It is understood that after Zeng entered the community without authorization the second time, he used a hammer to smash a corner of the first-floor ceiling in Wei's new home, causing damage to that section of the ceiling. Officers from the Binhu Police Station of the Qingxiu District Public Security Sub-bureau of the Nanning Public Security Bureau stated that they would first organize negotiations among all parties before handling the matter in accordance with the law.
Mediation: Expectation to Settle Based on Actual Work Calculated
On September 17, a reporter from Nanguo Morning Post visited Wei's new home construction site and found that the ceiling throughout the house was basically completed, with visible damage to a corner of the first-floor ceiling. Wei said this was smashed by carpenter Zeng who entered her home without authorization. Video footage provided by Wei showed that after Zeng entered her residence without authorization, he was emotionally agitated. Community property management staff and other renovation workers commissioned by Wei maintained order and suggested that Zeng contact foreman Xu to settle wages based on project details, because Wei had a contractual relationship with Xu, not with the workers. Carpenter Zeng (left) came to Wei's new home to demand wages but could not provide specific settlement details.
In August 2025, Xu signed a contract with Wei, agreeing that Xu would provide construction management services for Wei's new home renovation, with a management fee of over 198,000 yuan. In February 2026, Wei paid Xu 100,000 yuan. During their cooperation, Wei discovered that Xu had stopped managing the construction site after July 28 of this year, and she proposed to terminate the contract. Xu agreed to terminate but demanded that Wei pay the remaining management fee of over 98,000 yuan, while also requiring her to pay the remaining labor fees for his workers (including plumbers, ceiling carpenters, and putty workers), totaling 190,000 yuan. Because Xu did not have settlement details, Wei raised objections.
On September 22, officers from the Binhu Police Station of the Qingxiu District Public Security Sub-bureau of the Nanning Public Security Bureau organized mediation among all parties. Regarding Xu's demands, Wei stated that the contract stipulated that both parties would make installment payments based on five milestones: completion of plumbing and electrical work, completion of carpentry, completion of putty work, completion of custom woodwork, and completion of the entire project. Currently, the renovation had just entered the third milestone, with only about 40% of the entire renovation completed. The previously paid 100,000 yuan had already exceeded the management fee for the progress achieved. Xu claimed that for the subsequent stages he was only responsible for technical guidance, and Wei should pay the full management fee. Wei stated that the contract clearly stipulated that construction management responsibilities include monitoring and managing project quality, construction schedule, and construction safety, not just technical guidance. The construction management agreement signed between Wei and foreman Xu. The plumbing, putty work, and ceiling work in the new home were all done with materials purchased by Wei, and Xu's workers were only responsible for the labor.
At the mediation site, Xu listed the various labor fees: plumbing labor totaled 90,000 yuan, of which Wei had paid 60,000 yuan, and should pay another 30,000 yuan; carpentry labor was 190,000 yuan, of which Wei had paid 40,000 yuan, and should pay another 150,000 yuan; putty labor was 40,000 yuan, of which Wei had paid 30,000 yuan, and should pay another 10,000 yuan. Xu claimed that in total, Wei should pay the renovation side another 190,000 yuan. The plumber and Wei conducted an on-site calculation and found that the plumbing labor was only over 52,000 yuan, which was less than the over 62,000 yuan Wei had already paid. Wei stated that she could settle based on the actual amount of work performed at market prices, and she would never shortchange the workers, but she could not calculate labor fees based on Xu's method of only quoting a total price without any details.
Through police mediation, the putty worker agreed with Wei's position, and the mediation between them was successful. During the mediation process, Xu and carpenter Zeng left early because they refused to conduct actual calculations, resulting in the mediation failing to reach a resolution. Regarding the plumbing labor fee, Wei stated that she had already paid Xu over 62,000 yuan for plumbing labor, and the plumber should seek wages from Xu. The putty worker and Wei reached a successful mediation through police intervention. The plumber and putty worker subsequently conducted on-site calculations with Wei, finding that the plumbing labor was only over 52,000 yuan and the putty labor was only over 27,000 yuan. For these two items, Wei had already overpaid respectively and had the right to demand that Xu refund 13,000 yuan.
As of September 27, because Xu and carpenter Zeng refused to accept on-site calculations on the grounds that "there are no specific industry price quotes," the actual labor fee amounts remained unknown. Regarding the matter of renovation workers damaging property, police stated that further mediation needed to be organized. On September 27, Xu told the reporter that the mediation matters would be rescheduled. When the reporter mentioned that "the on-site calculation of plumbing labor was only over 52,000 yuan," Xu did not respond.
Industry: Renovation Practitioners Should Not Cheat People with "Muddled Accounts"
The Guangxi Building Decoration Association has previously issued a proposal calling on renovation providers to truthfully inform consumers of renovation items, techniques, construction periods, prices, and other information before signing contracts, without concealing, exaggerating, or making false promises. According to the standardized contract promoted by the association, both parties must agree on construction pricing. Multiple heads of branded decoration companies in Nanning stated that for any fees charged by the renovation side to homeowners, there should be detailed information on quantities, unit prices, and construction methods that is recognized by both parties. All materials must be approved by the homeowner before entering the site, and the renovation side cannot make unilateral decisions. Before renovation, the construction side should provide a specific renovation budget and calculate the final project cost based on actual construction quantities. Industry insiders are calling on renovation practitioners to adhere to their responsibilities and professional bottom line, and not to fool consumers with muddled accounts.