Kitchens, Part 7

Be careful.

There was one job where the US Navy couple had the salesman arrive and sell them not just the kitchen but he included the whole room to put it in. He quoted $30,000 for the entire job. What a good deal!

He took a check with him - for the total amount - that day. Was that illegal? The room was added and the kitchen removed and several two foot high mounds of debris were scattered across a 20 X 30 ft. area inside the home. It rained and the new roof collapsed.

The contract was signed in December and in May the family still did not have the debris removed, a kitchen, or running water or drains in the kitchen, counters, cabinets, or flooring. They did have the two foot high mounds of debris.

The husband had by now been shipped off on the USS Nimitz and would not be back for a long time. The wife and her three children had to make do with condiments stored against the wall on the floor in the living room and doing the dishes in the bathtub.

And the home improvement company not only did not have a license but the license they once had… had been revoked for cause.

I believe that “the plan” was really to take whatever money could be taken and then come back for more. Once the home was completely trashed -- for real this time and not in “Virtual Space of The Mind” then the family would be very much inclined to proceed with substantial -- and well deserved -- additional investments in their most valuable possession -- their home.

A $30,000 job was really a $100,000 job and the salesman knew it. And he eventually got it.

Did the state agencies step in and save this woman?

No.

Did she get her money back?

No.

Is this how it really works?