We hired a contractor to build a paver patio for us because he said he
could do it in 10 days. A month later the patio is still not done. From
the moment we sent him the check we endured all sorts of excuses --
rain, partial blindness, backordered materials, more rain, etc. I don't
believe the guy anymore.

I know I should've done this homework earlier, but this is my first
time hiring a contractor. Should I hire an attorney ? Note, that the
contractor is relatively easy to get a hold of, even though his
voicemailbox at home and on his cell is full (clearly I am not the only
one with problems with this guy).

BTW, I used servicemagic.com to find him. They promised the world but
my experience so far is proving that they are a near-criminal
enterprise. They have a service guarantee but they give you a
run-around if you try to submit a complaint. They won't let you submit
a negative rating either. Avoid them.