McHenry woman says contractor she paid to fix her seawall never started the work; we tracked down the contractor
McHENRY, Ill. (CBS) -- A McHenry woman says she is out thousands of dollars, and the company she hired to work on her property hasn't even started the job.
As CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported Wednesday night, the woman, Pam Gough, also said she hasn't been able to get a straight answer from the company as to when the job will begin.
She is so fed up at this point that all she wants is her money back.
Gough's home sits along a branch of the Fox River in McHenry. She has been there for decades.
A portion of her seawall is now failing, and needs to be replaced.
Gough hired The Seawall Company to get the job done. They successfully installed a different portion of the seawall in the past.
"The total bid was $11,000 to do a 50-foot run of seawall," Gough said.
Gough wrote a check up on March 9 front for $6,000. She got her permit in order with the name of Ron Kruger, the owner of The Seawall Company.
Gough admits to not signing a contract.
"We settled on a begin date once I got permitting, and he never showed up," she said.
Shortly after Kruger got the money, Gough says she couldn't get a straight answer on when the job would begin.
"I know my money isn't in my hands, I know I have no material in my yard, and I know my wall hasn't been started," Gough said.
She messaged and called – and even filed a police report.
The few times Kruger responded, he told Gough that "it's all starting," and despite some weather and staffing problems, that he's ready to roll.
"I'm feeling upset. I'm feeling betrayed," Gough said. "I have other things I rather be doing other than chasing this guy down."
So we chased down Kruger instead.
De Mar: "Ron, she feels like she is getting the runaround."
Kruger: "I think it took like a month for her to get the permit."
De Mar: "She's had a permit since April 25."
Kruger: "Oh… OK. That's fine."
Kruger and his company hold an F rating with the Better Business Bureau. Complaints there also accuse Kruger of taking money and not finishing the job.
De Mar: "I just did a quick Google search, and there's a number of people who have the same story."
Kruger: "No, there's nobody…. That's a long story there. They're like little weirdos."
At this point, Gough isn't even asking The Seawall Company to complete the job.
"Just give me my money back," Gough said.
Meanwhile, De Mar's exchange with Kruger ended thusly:
Kruger: "Listen dude, they're going to get their money back tomorrow morning."
De Mar: "Tomorrow morning, Pam will have her money back?"
Kruger: "Yes. Me and you are done, OK?"
De Mar: "Have a good night, Ron."
