Predatory Pools

John and Erin Hodgson were really excited about their plans for a new pool. So excited that they didn’t trust their gut when hiring a contractor. Something seemed off, but the contractor reassured them. He even had an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. But their high hopes were soon sunk when this contractor pulled a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde transformation once all the papers were signed.

A Dream Sunk

John and Erin hired their contractor in good faith. At first, it looked like things were going well. But soon, the problems started piling up, and so did the broken promises.

About halfway through the job, a subcontractor broke the water line. Shoddy work started to pop up. The newly-poured concrete was chipping and coming apart. Under the deck, some extra concrete had splashed onto a support beam, creating an unsightly mess. And a crucial retaining wall was bowing. That’s not what you would expect from a professional. But when they complained, they found out that their contractor’s customer service was even worse than his workmanship.

A History of Poor Service

The Hodgsons were $42,000 into their project when things started going wrong. But all they got were broken promises and no fixes. That’s when they called TrustDALE.

We investigated and found out that the Hodgsons’ experience was not unique. Their contractor had a long history of civil suits, bankruptcy, and many other customers with similar stories to John and Erin. In fact, the contractor’s online reviews were full of complaints just like The Hodgsons’.

An Attempted Resolution

We gave the contractor a call and offered him a chance to make things right. But after over twenty minutes of nearly uninterrupted talking and excuses, the contractor wouldn’t back down. He wanted the rest of the money up front, or he wouldn’t do any more work.

But TrustDALE doesn’t give up quite so easily. We don’t like to punish businesses that are trying to do what’s right. But we also don’t leave our consumers high and dry. So we kept working with the Hodgsons and their contractor to come to a resolution.

Finally, a Swimming Pool

After four months of arduous negotiations between TrustDALE, the Hodgsons, and their contractor, the contractor changed his tone. He was ready to finish the project and make it right. And we are happy to report that the Hodgsons now have the beautiful pool they dreamed of, just in time for summer!