MAINEVILLE — It was a chilly night last year when a fire ripped through Crystal Stewart's Maineville, Ohio home, leaving her family's house destroyed, all their possessions gone.
"It's hard to see this," she said, looking over the foundation. "Your whole life, everything you have saved....is gone."
But that pain got even worse, after she hired a contractor, Five-13 Properties, based on a local charity's recommendation.
"He sounded great on the phone, so I hired him to rebuild my house, she said.
Stewart says she paid Five-13 Properties LLC $125,000 of insurance money, so she could rebuild her life.
But she says weeks went by, then months, and no one laid as much as a single board on top of her foundation.
"He didn't file for the permits," she said. "He never reached out to the HOA, he's got $125,000 of my money and it's gone."
With the help of a local attorney, she's now suing Five-13 Properties, and its owner Michael Foster, for breach of contract, hoping to recover some losses.
How to avoid problems
So how can you avoid a contractor nightmare like Stewart's?
The Better Business Bureau says it is important to get every detail in writing. including a timetable for when the work should be done.
The contract should also state what happens if dates aren't met.
The BBB's Sarah Wetzel said "you want to have what the contractor would be able to offer you. Do you get a refund, are they gonna find somebody else or is that on you?"
Wetzel says before signing that contract:
- Get quotes from at least three contractors.
- Check the BBB website for complaints and reviews.
Five-13 Properties currently has an F rating from the BBB,for other complaints of money paid and work not completed.
Wetzel says if the price seems very look, be careful.
"The lowest bid may not always be the best," she said "They may be cutting corners, so really make sure you're even reviewing every bid that you get."
Another red flag: Asking for the full payment upfront.
Instead, the BBB suggests paying:
- One-third at the start of the project.
- One-third halfway through.
- The final third when the work is complete.
We tried to track down Michael Foster, but a family member referred us to his attorney, Scott O'Reilly.
O'Reilly told us in a statement "he is not a fly-by-nighter. He had supply issues, and questions about the contract and the HOA's rules. But he has a willingness to make things right."
Stewart is now renting until she can recover some of her rebuilding money.
"I want my money back," she said.
She wants others to hear her story, and know the warning signs of a bad deal, so you don't waste your money.
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