A Caledonia family's dream of a new addition turned into a nightmare when they hired Affordable Builders LLC in 2023. Despite paying a substantial sum of $80,000, they now face the prospect of liens on their property due to unpaid bills. This case highlights the issues that can arise when dealing with contractors and the importance of proper project management.

Unfinished Construction Leads to Financial Woes for Family

Delayed Start and Initial Work

Next to Jerry Dinda's house stands an unfinished construction site, a constant reminder of his remodeling project gone awry. As Dinda explains, "This was supposed to be a really beautiful master suite. I'm sorry for my neighbors... it looks like crap." The family initially signed a contract with James Ferdon of Affordable Building LLC in July 2023. However, since June, there has been no progress on the project. The couple had hoped to accommodate their uncles from Menomonee Falls by having them stay in the new addition. But as of July 2024, their uncles were unable to move in as planned.The work started with the construction of a shed on their property in August 2023. Today, Dinda points out that the shed is still unfinished and requires gutters, electricity, and door locks. This initial setback set the tone for the months of delays and missed deadlines that followed.

Subcontractor Woes and Financial Concerns

Maier and Dinda's troubles didn't end with the unfinished shed. No further work was done on their property until February 2024 when excavation of the addition's crawl space began. But even after that, more delays occurred. The couple heard from Ferdon's subcontractors that they weren't being paid. Their first conversation was with the man who did the excavation work. "He said, 'I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to put a lien on your property,'" Dinda recalled. This left them wondering what happened to the $80,000 they had paid Ferdon.Soon after, the concrete guy who did the crawl space showed up, also stating that he hadn't been paid. Racine County Circuit Court records show that Ferdon owes more than $200,000 in judgments to former customers, a loan provider, and suppliers. The Pansch family, who hired Affordable Building for a 300 square foot addition, also faced costly problems. Dan Pansch described one such issue: "The roof for one thing. It was leaking into our window here, into our vents, into our HVAC system, all over our floor."Ferdon has run into legal troubles as well. In August, he was extradited to Lake County, Illinois, where he's charged with retail theft. He also faced charges of issuing a worthless check at another Menards store in Mount Pleasant. A warrant for Ferdon was issued in connection with the Racine County case, and it remains active.

BBB's Perspective and Contractor's Response

Ferdon is a licensed contractor in Wisconsin, but the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving Wisconsin has received five complaints about his business in three years, alleging incomplete work and poor workmanship. Lisa Schiller of the BBB explains, "The biggest thing that we are seeing with these complaints is that the consumers have put down a large amount of money up front."Affordable Building did respond to a BBB complaint filed by Dinda. It stated, "This project had many hoops to go through to get the permit approved... Since the addition has started, we had to go through additional work to get the approval from the inspector."Maier's uncles, who were supposed to move into the addition in July, had to renew their lease and stay put. "We would have liked this done so my uncles can move in ASAP," said Maier. "Take care of their needs."So far, no subcontractors have filed a lien on Dinda and Maier's property. Dinda says he's scheduling another meeting with the DA's office after the holidays in the hope of finding a resolution to their problem.