When Chris and Kelsey Hampton purchased their first home, they knew it needed some work.
“We looked at each other and said, ‘If we get this house, the first thing we’re going to do is siding,’” Chris said.
The Hamptons got several quotes for the siding job and decided to go with a company in their hometown. They agreed to make three payments totaling almost $14,000, which included all of the siding work and a brand new pressure washer.
The Hamptons signed the contract and the siding project seemed to be going as planned.
“They had a few things left and he asked for the money,” Chris said.
Trusting the contractor, Chris gave him the rest of the money and he said that’s when the problems began.
The workers finished installing the siding, but they never came back to clean up. The Hamptons’ yard was a mess, littered with hundreds of nails and sharp debris. Plus, they still hadn’t received their pressure washer.
“I called and called and called and I was like, I had a day off, I’m going to drive down there. So I drove down, their storefront was closed,” Chris said.
Closed, as in out of business.
The couple tried for months to track down the contractor with no luck. Chris ended up cleaning up the yard himself. And after nearly a year’s worth of unanswered phone calls, the couple gave up hope of ever getting their pressure washer, until they saw Solve It 7.
“I was like, ‘oh wow, they helped them, maybe they can help us,’” Kelsey said.
The first stop was the Office of Consumer Affairs for some advice. The Solve it 7 team found out just how important the payment schedule is.
“The law says that you do not have to pay your last payment, whatever that may be, until you are satisfied with the completion of the job,” Undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Barbara Anthony said.
The Hamptons were not satisfied. So Solve it 7 went to work.
The contractor wouldn’t answer phone calls, but two hours after a text message with a little pressure and the contractor responded.
He claims he simply “overlooked” delivering the pressure washer and said he would deliver it the next day. And he did!
It took almost a year but the Hamptons finally have their pressure washer. And while they didn’t get everything they were promised, they’re grateful for what they did get, thanks to Solve It 7.
“I don’t think he would have returned our call otherwise, so thank you,” Chris said.
Are you missing something you were promised? Maybe we can help. Give us a call at 617-367-7777 or send us an email at solveit7@whdh.com.