Ross -
It's likely your "damages" are less than the threshold for district court in Minnesota, so you'd get to sue in small claims. (Texas is $10,000. Iowa is $5,000) Most states have an expedited process and the Clerk of Court is trained to assist pro-se filers so they may have access to legal remedies without having the expense of an attorney. The filing fee for small claims in Iowa was $185.
I'm not familiar with Minnesota rules, but you both signed an agreement to do a specified amount of work in a specified amount of time for a specified amount of money. You may be able to sue in Minnesota, as that is where the "cause of action" took place. Your state's rules may provide that you can only file in the county in which the person resides, or where the cause of action occurs - in this case, you can sue in your county and he has to come to you. Your case will have to specify that venue is proper where you file for that reason. When you have a contract there are three remedy choices - Expectation, Reliance, and Restitution. You'll likely want the expectation remedy - that would place the non-breaching party in the position they expected to be in had all things gone according to the contract. You want him to finish the job, and if he doesn't, you want him to pay what it costs to have the job finished by someone else (You will only be expected to pay the contract amount, anything over he would be responsible for).
Most courts won't let you make up costs and damages willy-nilly. In contracts, there is no such thing as "pain and suffering," either. Contract law is an entire theory of law all by itself. At the minimum, you probably need a good reliable quote from a properly licensed contractor. Then, you take his quote, subtract what you've already paid the other guy, and that is what the bum owes you + any fees you pay. Some states don't allow small claims courts to factor attorney costs - this means some attorneys exaggerate damages to get you out of small claims into district court. If you sue in small claims and he doesn't show up, you win by default and can execute a judgment against him.
**I am not an attorney. The above does not constitute legal advice.**