Unpaid Melbourne tradie takes revenge against builder

An out-of-pocket Melbourne tiler has taken matters into his own hands and filmed himself ripping up his own work in an almighty building battle, after waiting nine months to be paid.

"I'm not gonna give it to him for free," tiler Simon McPherson told A Current Affair.

McPherson was referring to builder Adrian Padoin, who the tiler claims he's still owed money by.

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McPherson tiled a Hadfield home and invoiced the builder almost $6700 in May last year, but he claims all he got from Padoin were excuses when it came to why the full amount owed on the invoice had not been paid.

"It happens a lot in this industry and there's no one that's going to do anything about it," McPherson said.

"I even told him a few times that it (the tiles) was gonna come off."

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But with his patience wearing thin, McPherson made good on his threat to rip up the part of the roof that still remains unpaid for.

Yesterday, McPherson filmed himself as he began smashing tiles from the roof.

Padoin could be seen in the video turning up at the property with a sledgehammer in his hand.

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"Come down, or I'll smash your head you c---," Padoin yelled.

But McPherson continued ripping up the tiles as the builder continued yelling.

Then Padoin appeared to make a beeline for one of the tiler's workers.

The builder demanded that they leave, as the threats kept coming and then things became physical.

The builder appeared to grab a ladder and shoved it towards McPherson.

Police were then called and eventually both men left the building site.

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Speaking exclusively to A Current Affair today, Padoin admitted to reporter Sam Cucchiara that "we were both getting a bit aggressive".

"I just wanted him off the roof and he was determined to stay up there and smash as many tiles as possible," Padoin said.

"It doesn't look good on me, but I think it's going to look worse on him."

Padoin claims McPherson told him he was at the site and to bring some tarps before he took them off.

"So I've gone there, he's up on the roof already throwing the tiles off," Padoin said.

The builder admits to not paying up in full, but said he did make a deposit and was about to hand over the rest.

As for whether the builder will finally pay the tiler, Padoin said after the "spiteful act, now he's got no money".