BRIAN:..IF YOU'VE HIRED ANYONE
TO WORK ON YOUR HOME - YOU
KNOW HOW TOUGH IT CAN BE TO
FIND THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE
JOB.... AND WHAT IT CAN COST
YOU IF YOU DON'T CHOOSE
WISELY.
3
SUE:..THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALWAYS
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CONTRACTORS
WHO TAKE YOUR MONEY AND DON'T
DELIVER... TARGET 8
INVESTIGATOR SUSAN SAMPLES GOT
ON THE CASE OF TONIGHT'S
BUSINESS AFTER HEARING FROM
HOMEOWNERS DETERMINED TO GET
THE WORD OUT....
3
((SUSAN- "THE HUSBAND AND
WIFE WHO TURNED TO TARGET 8
SAY THEY FOUND OUT TOO LATE
THAT UPTON'S QUALITY
CONSTRUCTION - IS ANYTHING
BUT. NOW - THEY'RE HOPING
YOU'LL LEARN FROM THEIR
MISTAKE.. AND TAKE A COUPLE
CRITICAL STEPS BEFORE YOU
HIRED."
)) ((DENISE- "IT'S JUST A
MESS." ))WHEN YOU CAN'T STAND
THE SIGHT OF YOUR OWN HOUSE..
3
((DENISE-"NOTHING IS DONE
CORRECTLY." ))IT'S TOUGH TO
TALK
ABOUT... "BIG SIGH"THESE DAYS
- FOR DENISE SHATTUCK - IT
BRINGS TEARS.
3
((DENISE- "A LOT" ))DENISE
AND RANDY THOUGHT THEY'D DONE
EVERYTHING RIGHT WHEN THEY
CHOSE UPTON'S QUALITY
CONSTRUCTION TO REBUILD THE
ROOF OF THEIR IONIA HOME.
3
((DENISE- "I PUT IT OUT THERE
THAT I WANTED LICENSED AND
INSURED." ))THE SHATTUCKS
POSTED THE JOB ON FACEBOOK,
AND DENNIS UPTON WAS ONE OF
SIX CONTRACTORS TO VISIT THE
HOME AND BID ON THE JOB.
((DENISE- "HE CALLED AND SAID
I HAVE MY INSURANCE CAN I STOP
BY I WANT TO BRING IT TO
YOU."))WHAT THE SHATTUCKS
DIDN'T NOTICE - THE PURCHASE
DATE ON UPTON'S POLICY..HE'D
BOUGHT IT THE DAY BEFORE. AND
HIS CLAIM ON FACEBOOK GARAGE
SALE SITES THAT HE'S FULLY
LICENSED? NOT TRUE - SAY STATE
REGULATORS. ((SUSAN- "DID YOU
TALK TO ANYONE WHO HAD WORK
DONE BY HIM BEFORE? DENISE- ..
NO ... NO..."))FIVE WEEKS INTO
THE PROJECT THAT WAS SUPPOSED
TO TAKE FOUR DAYS - THE
SHATTUCKS PAID UPTON IN FULL -
11-THOUSAND BUCKS- AND HE
DISAPPEARED - LEAVING THIS
MESS BEHIND.
3
((DENISE- "HE WILL NOT TAKE A
CALL.. HE WILL NOT RESPOND..
NO WAY NO HOW.. "))TURNS OUT
HIS ROOF WORK WAS A MESS
TOO.... IONIA'S BUILDING
INSPECTOR CONFIRMED TO TARGET
8 THAT THE ROOF WASN'T REBUILT
TO CODE - WILL HAVE TO BE
RIPPED OUT AND REDONE.. UPTON
- WHO'S COMPANY IS BASED IN
POTTERVILLE SOUTHWEST OF
LANSING - HADN'T GOTTEN THE
REQUIRED PERMIT EITHER.
((DENISE- "WE GOTTA HIRE AN
ATTORNEY NOW... IT'S THE ONLY
WAY WE CAN GO BACK ON HIS
LIABILITY INSURANCE.. SO WE
HAVE TO DO THAT AS WELL AND
IT'S OUT OF OUR POCKET."
)) ((SUSAN- "THESE FOLKS PAID
YOU 11-THOUSAND DOLLARS AND
NOW THE ROOF HAS TO BE RIPPED
OUT AND REDONE.. " ))UPTON
DIDN'T RETURN TARGET 8'S
MESSAGES - COURT RECORDS SHOW
HE'S NOT BIG ON RESPONDING..
THE 24 YEAR OLD IS WANTED FOR
FAILING TO APPEAR IN COURT...
HIS CRIMINAL RECORD INCLUDES
SHOPLIFTING, THEFT,
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY..HIS
PERSONAL FACEBOOK PAGE MAKES
IT CLEAR HE'S MOTIVATED BY
MONEY..BUT IT ALSO SAYS -
THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION THAN
SUCCESS - ODD GIVEN HIS
COMPANY'S TRACK RECORD...
3
(LISA- "I NEVER SHOULD HAVE
GIVEN HIM THAT LAST AMOUNT." ))
LISA PEREZ OF LANSING FOUND
UPTON ON FACEBOOK - HIRED HIM
TO PUT BRICKS AROUND HER
LANDSCAPING.. WHEN SHE GAVE
HIM 300 BUCKS TO GO BUY THE
FINAL LOAD... SHE SAYS HE
NEVER RETURNED.
3
((LISA- "WHEN I COULDN'T
REACH HIM ON FACEBOOK.. I
COULDN'T GET AN ANSWER BACK ON
THE PHONE.. I KNEW THAT I'D
BEEN TAKEN..." ))BUT PEREZ
FEELS FORTUNATE THAT SHE
DIDN'T LOSE
MORE.... ((DENISE- "MY
HUSBANDS ON DISABILITY AND I
WORK BUT I DON'T MAKE A
FORTUNE BY ANY MEANS.." ))
DENISE SHATTUCK SAYS IT'LL
COST THEM ANOTHER 20-GRAND TO
REDO THE ROOF - AND EVEN IF
THEY HAD THAT KIND OF MONEY -
THEY DON'T HAVE TRUST..
3
((DENISE- "NOW WE'RE SITTING
BACK AND SAYING HOW CAN WE
FIND SOMEONE WE PERSONALLY
KNOW... "))I'M TARGET 8
INVESTIGATOR SUSAN SAMPLES.
3
SUE:..THERE ARE A FEW CRITICAL
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE WHEN
CHOOSING A CONTRACTOR.
3
ASK FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND
CO-WORKERS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.
BEFORE YOU HIRE SOMEONE - TALK
TO PRIOR CUSTOMERS WHO'VE USED
THEM FOR JOBS LIKE YOURS.
CHECK TO MAKE SURE THEY - AND
ANY SUBCONTRACTORS THEY USE -
ARE LICENSED AND INSURED.MAKE
SURE THEY'VE PULLED THE PROPER
PERMITS... AND SIGN A CONTRACT.
FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO
ALL THAT -- GO TO TARGET 8'S
STORY AT WOOD TV DOT COM.