Yes, in fact both teens have plaques recognizing them. I did not know of plaques when I was there. Galba's father was there when his mother got sick. He went to Alamo & convinced his dad to leave him there so father could return to ranch. Father belonged to local rangers group, which were early volunteers to go to Alamo.

Galba's uncle, Ben Fuqua m. Nancy King. Her younger bro., Wm., was youngest to die at Alamo.

So sad. I remember hearing the story about Galba staying there to care for his mother. Thanks for sharing. I know we got off topic but I feel privileged to hear of your family's story. I will have to share it with my mother in law.

Unfortunate but predictable update. Just before midnight on day contractor was suppose to give us numbers concerning the return of our money they sent us email saying that "After reviewing everything they felt it was in their best interest to consult their lawyer. And their lawyer would contact us from here forward. I replied asking for their lawyers name and contact info. We have not heard back from them, of course. Of course, They will be hearing from us, a lot!

Jan Moyer you are right, you can not get blood from a stone. But you can crush it! CF, you are right and we will fight. It is too much money, stress and anguish to walk away. I just can't believe it's come to this. I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I was praying we would be able to put this behind us sooner.

Thanks to everyone who has helped with suggestions and advice pointing us in the right direction. I may sound confident but this is the 1st time to have to deal with something like this. So if anyone has any more recommendations on this process please feel free to email at my personal email. Since this is home improvement site, I'm not sure if I should be taking up space for issues heading this direction. It would be nice not have to involve lawyers but I guess its going to be necessary.

From what I've found out it looks like I need to start by filing the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices act letter. I can't really find out how to write it so I'm still researching. Also, I would like to go ahead and write my business reviews of this guy and his company. Does anyone know if that will interfere with the legal stuff or what I should avoid saying in the reviews to protect us from legal type backlash?

We were told not to write reviews (this was a landlord situation involving legal action though). I would be hesitant to write anything right now as a precaution.

I would also recommend no writing reviews until any legal matters are settled.

Cmskipper, if you feel compelled to write a review, keep 2 things in mind: (1) anything you say can be twisted and used against you; and (2) technically if you write something that is false (or he considers false), you could be liable for defamation. Obviously you wouldn't write anything false- just saying it could create problems where the guy could counter sue to put pressure on you. If you are worried about other people falling for this guy before you sort things out, you can always write something like "we hired this contractor for a kitchen remodel and are currently considering pursuing legal action against him." You've said it was a disaster without saying anything too specific and hopefully raised a red flag for other homeowners.

Thank you CF! That is some great advice. Really appreciate you taking the time.

Is this the sort of thing you are looking for ??http://www.legalformpro.com/v/vspfiles/Preview_PDF/Civil_CIVLIT/CIVLIT_59.pdf

Shaggy that is great! Thank you so much!

I'd save my time, money and energy for the legal process. Do not worry at this point about sparing others, though that indeed sounds unfair. You can't save the world, and truth be told, you may have saved yourself far earlier in the process. So painful!!

Ironically, my sister sent a joke "post it" last night as follows; glad I didn't trash her email:

"Have you ever been too nice, and ended up in a situation that could have been avoided if you just would've been an a________?"

No joke, huh? Hope the stone yields a drop of blood.

@ cmskipper13 Glad it's helpful ..good luck !

As a follow up to my last post, my customer who hired me because he couldn't get his other guys to show called and cancelled me when they showed the next day.

People love to complain about cheap no-show contractors. When they hire a more expensive guy who returns every phone call, text, email, shows up when he says, and does excellent work, they fire him the minute the miscreants return.

My retirement can't come soon enough and the lamentations of "there's no good tradesmen left" will be music to my ears.

Sad but true.

@ Joe and Flo

So very true, so equally sad, and yet more affirmation of my management rule for clients: If you won't use my monkeys, you will not make this MY CIRCUS. The end.

That is a good one Jan. Totally agree. I go to extra lengths to make sure the folks I hire to work on my projects are vetted and they know my standards and know I won't accept anything less. Many fewer problems that way. As my Father used to say, "you get what you pay for!" Dad was right on a lot of things! Still is!

@ Flo,

Wise words and as mine used to say........"PRICE, QUALITY, QUICK DELIVERY........pick TWO"

Jan,

That is something I say a hundred times a week while going through a two year total house addition and renovation while living in it.

I can't imagine Diane R. God Bless!

I'm using a contractor for an ongoing remodel. He and his crew are phenomenal. They show up on time, do a great job, clean up after themselves and bend over backwards for us. There are professional people out there who care. Yes, I have to wait for them to schedule me in and they charge a bit more, but I know the job will be done right. You always hear about the bad guys, not the good guys that are out there.

They guy I want to do my Kitchen can't start till feb next year !

Raineycarole, where do you live? Send them my way! Haha I would love to brag on some good guy contractors. And I am one of those people that write praise reviews and thank you cards or notify an owner or manager when I receive great service. It's not good to always be a complainer. And it feels great to make someone's day with praise that only takes a few minutes to do.

Diane R. You are a brave woman! Hope everything is going well for you and your life changing project.

Joseph Corlett, sorry you have to deal with problematic customers. It can be bad on either side, unfortunately.

Jan Moyer, I love your monkey saying! Gave me a good chuckle!

Jan, Flo & Bruce, thanks for hanging on with me thru my story. Hang in there just a little while longer because It WILL have a happy ending, even if that money is lost to me. We will have a beautiful kitchen for all to enjoy for years and years to come until I can't remember 'what's his face's ' name anymore!

Bruce Crawford, this is for you.

The picture looked great and then I submitted it and it was a little blurry. Tried a few times taking new pic, same results. Thought you might enjoy seeing it anyway.

Houzz should put a heading at the top of the site called "Must read
top 5 threads if you're thinking of _____" with a drop down menu. While a
host of common design debacles could be avoided, at the very top of the
list would be remodel disaster. There may not be another four that
compete with this one. Oh sure, there are plenty of threads on the
topic. What to ask a contractor, how to plan a remodel and blah blah.
But the best advice is more personal than that, and pitfalls expressed
in a real time scenario......better by far. That you provided a teaching
moment may be the understatement of all time

Good luck to you and lets say that "all's well that ends well"!?

cmskipper13, thx! I downloaded pic & will send copies to my sibs, nephews, nieces, etc. Jan Moyer, as Sherlock Holmes would say to Watson, "A capital idea!"

Action-You hired the wrong guy

Reaction- The guy did what he does. The wrong thing.

OP so sorry you had to deal with this horrible contractor (thief really). Everyone has been so helpful on this board. Just goes to show you there are excellent people out there. Just stings when you run into a bad one. We had a similar story and lost a LOT of money (over $100,000!). Learned the hard way about lien waivers. Our contractor was not paying the subs so we had to repay them to get the job done and also to avoid liens being placed against us. We paid them all...again...plus had to hire another guy to finish. The subs were fantastic in dealing with our plight. All of them had dealt with our GC for years on various jobs and he came highly recommended. He even worked with a designer and she got stiffed too. Turns out we were "it" when his Ponzi scheme collapsed. He divorced his wife (to hide their beach home from those he ripped off) and then filed bankruptcy. I don't think we have recourse since he's broke. It's been a nightmare. There really are no protections and for the life of me I can't figure out why contractors are not required to be licensed in all states. They deal with large sums of money and have virtually no oversight that I can see. I know someone who works for the BBB and he says don't bother, they don't care and businesses pay for their rating. They are useless. PO maybe you should call Angie from Angies List since her site recommended your GC? ;0) Sorry, have to laugh sometimes to keep from crying. Good luck with this guy. Hope you get your money back.

Dentalofficedesign, so so sorry that happened to you too! There are some great people on this site. Also noticed my idiot contractor is listed on this site as well. He does now have one negative review. Not by me, yet. We are waiting to see if we can get any money back. In the meantime, hired a new guy. He is great! Wish we had met him first. The house is on the mend. Yay!

See my new wall. This guy is working alone but after all the weird people tramping thru the house I like this much better. It may take a little longer but he is meticulous so I know it's being done right.

So so here it is. Basically done. Just waiting for stainless steel appliances but I couldn't wait to post pics. So those of you who helped me thru this process I thank you. So 1st pics are the before and then you get to see the transformation.

Before--

After--

So if you saw the horrible job done by first contractor on the ceiling boards, we tore those down and new contractor did a beautiful job! I will post more pics on my profile Projects if you would like to see more and the rest of the house that got a makeover too. And after the new appliances come in I will add new pics.

This looks beautiful. I live in Round Rock. I'm starting a kitchen remodel in the next couple of months. This is making me scared.

Kelly- I understand your fear. We are still having to deal with trying to get our money back from the contractor who stole it. However I live just outside of Georgetown and I will be happy to give you the names of my excellent and fair priced contractor who did my beautiful kitchen and his wife owns a painting company and did all the paint. I can give you names of who helped me at the flooring store, where I got my granite countertops and who installed them. I learned a lot on this project and would love to pass it on and help you if you want.

That would be great.

Is there is there a way for us to text privately so I can give you my contact info?

Wow...I just spent the last half hour reading this. This is an incredible thread and want to thank you for keeping it going.

Marie: What an awful situation and so happy to see "After" pictures....a beautiful kitchen. I

I've learned so much from the Pro advice on here and hearing other stories. We are thinking of a kitchen remodel and so happy that I spent the time to read all this.

I'm so glad some good can come from my horrible experience. Latest news on the thief contractor. We hired a lawyer, sent a demand letter. Contractor claimed he wanted to pay us back but needed to do it in payments so we had lawyer draw up a settlement contract and agreed to the payments. In the contract he admits to stealing our money. Included are payment schedule, late fees and had him put up one of his vehicles as collateral. A few weeks later our lawyer called and said he got interesting call from contractors mother. She found the settlement papers and wanted us to know what kind of guy we were dealing with. He is a drug addict, been to prison in California for numerous things including prosession of stolen property and he's stolen from and been physically violent with his family. And she found 2 more demand letters where he had stole $30K and $43K from 2 other people the same month he stole from us. We feel so lucky something bad happen while he worked for us and when we fired him. So back to the settlement- he has missed the first payment (no surprise there) and now the second payment is past due. After the 10th of this month we will go after him, file charges and collect the collateral vehicle. And we have his signature admitting guilt. Maybe nothing will come from it but we have made peace with it and are moving forward.

The very best best advice I can give to anyone who hires a contractor. Talk to all your friends, neighbors, family, coworkers etc and get names from them for a reliable contractor. The contractor we hired that did this beautiful job was recommended to me by my hairdresser. He had done all the work on her place when she bought it to start her own business. So I saw his work first hand and he even had one of those photo books with his work in it. He gave me 4 other references, ( when I called each one and they all sang his praises and invited me to come take a look! ) a copy of his insurance and a fair estimate. His name is Terry Myers @ Texas Home Ideas in the Austin area. His wife owns 360 degrees paint company and her company did all the painting' cabinets, walls, removed popcorn and retextured ceilings. Boy, I wish I had met them first! They are great people to work with. Always shows on time, works all day and he was willing to fix all the electrical mess and damage other contractor left. Which was substantial.

So so take it from me- hire only someone whose done work for someone you know.

I'm glad this had a "happy" ending. As I say to clients....."if we are not using my monkeys, you will not make this project my CIRCUS".

Sounds harsh? Yeah......re read the thread, folks. THAT is harsh: )

Wow, Marie! What a story! Glad you came out of it with your home and your sanity intact!

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks so much for sharing the outcome! Your space looks great and this whole thread is very educational.

Marie, there's lots to like about your reno, but one thing that really stands out to me is your new ceiling. I think it really sets everything else off. Nicely done!

I have to agree with you Bruce Crawford. I LOVE the ceiling and think it really accents the space. When I told others what I was going to do they weren't sure how it would come together. However, for everyone who has stopped by that is the first thing they fall in love with. I'm just so excited to get the appliances and bar stools in so it will feel complete.

Looks wonderful!

So happy to hear you had a happy ending to your saga Marie. You home is beautiful and those stainless appliances will be the icing on the cake. As far as the thief goes you've done what you can. Follow your lawyers advice, sell the car if you don't need it, hope you can recover at least some of your loss. Chalk it up to a learning experience and move on. You've "met" some great people on here (I just wish a few of the pros lived near me!) Good luck in the future.

As someone who has worked in construction. Be VERY VERY WARY of contractor provided references. These can be just as sketchy as the pretty pictures he or she shows you of past work that they supposedly did. References can be falsified or paid off. Believe me I've heard of it happening.

Couple of other things. NEVER EVER pay a contractor more than 25% to start a job. If they turn down the job that is the wrong guy to begin with. Many contractors (not all) get quite lazy when they get a big down payment before starting a job.

When your contractor goes to buy big ticket items, such as flooring, cabinets, etc., demand copies of the receipts promptly. If by some chance he does take off and rips you off it is MUCH MUCH easier to get him convicted of theft in small claims with a receipt trail of materials paid for. You may not get everything back but at least that will lessen the sting a bit.

If your contractor stops showing up and abandons the job for all practical purposes see if he or she has left anything at the job site. If there are expensive tools, LOCK THEM UP IMMEDIATELY before he has a chance to retrieve them. You'd be surprised how quickly this will get a positive result for you. Tools (especially expensive ones) are the life blood of any legitimate contractor and a potential bargaining chip to at least get some of your money back.

Lastly be very careful of valuables around the house. You'd also be surprised how many of his workers (depending on trade) have very sticky fingers. Lock up all jewelry and firearms out of site.

If by chance you do end up with a bad contractor and the job is going poorly, do not hesitate to halt all work. A poorly executed incompetent job is theft in a different form in my opinion. In those situations it is imperative that all work stop before they have a chance to complete the disaster which will put you further in the hole in time, wasted material and money.

That said, minor mistakes and miscalculations do happen. Give the contractor a chance to correct these items, by pointing them out but please don't be a nag. Nothing turns a contractor off faster and into an adversary than a nasty, nagging home owner who drives them insane while they try to get a job done.

A very sad story. I am so sorry this has been your experience.

I have lived in parts of the country where contractors literally hold home-owners’ hostage to their whims. Hunting, fishing, no sense of responsibility, etc. I
have ALWAYS been a firm believer in "progress payments" based on the
different stages of project scope. This way, contractors can't get too much
control of the project funds without owning up to their responsibilities. There
can still be problems, but they are much more manageable.

In addition, I started adding a clause to my contracts which discusses, after
all parties agree on the acceptable length for the project time and including the
addition of a short “grace period" of a week or so, that if the work is
not satisfactorily completed on schedule I have the option to bring in another
contractor to complete the work. Additionally, the contract reads the original contractor agrees that any possible additional fees by the new contractor for
THE SAME work, as well as any associated trip charges will be the responsibility of said (original) contractor. I also include this DOES NOT take into consideration natural acts of God, floods/wind damage, or any changes to the schedule which the said contractor has no control over.

I believe in supporting local businesses and contractors, however they can hold all of us hostage, cause the project to go over budget and over the agreed to timeline,
and it's not okay. Contractors need to earn our business, be accountable, and do
their job when times are difficult. Just like the rest of us.

Please know I have worked with MANY respectable, quality, accountable, and reputable contractors. I want to acknowledge them here! Thank you.

So it's okay for you to lock up my tools while we're having an economic dispute, but it's not okay for me to pick up that diamond ring off the nightstand in the same matter?

It is such a shame that we run into these types of situations. I always "vet" (check them out myself) first before I recommend any vendor/supplier/craft. When I check people out, I call the references they give me, but that is just the beginning, I ask them if they know of anyone who has used them. I get names and contact info and I do call them. When you talk to them, you tend to really get the truth. First, can you even get them. If not, move on. If you do, call them. If they are hard to reach mark it up as a bad reference. Then I actually have them do something in my own home. I rate them on timeliness (my time is very valuable), do they call if they are going to be "late", do they bring the needed tools and equipment or ask me for those things? (yea, can't believe how many don't bring ladders!) and I don't look over their shoulders, but I do observe how they work. Do they clean up at end of day? Do they remove their tools and equipment so I'm not tripping over stuff. And do they make excuses. Of course, the quality of work, their attitude, and do they do the job efficiently are all part of my "test program". If they satisfy me (and I am picky) then I will refer them. If not, bye-bye! Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm sure many will benefit. Your kitchen looks great. How do you like your mobile island? Is it worth the cost? Is it too high? Just curious because many have small kitchens but would like more storage and work surface. Thanks!

Flo,

I've actually had my Craftsman stainless steal tool chest island for 8 years. I love it! I had a granite top on it that matched my old kitchen and replaced it with new matching granite top when we remodeled the kitchen. I still love it and love the fact that I can change the top to match my kitchen any time I need to. And if I need to move it out of the kitchen or just move it over for any reason I can. It has lots of storage and every one who comes over compliments me on it and wants to 'steal' my idea.

Also an update:

It has been a year since my kitchen was finished. I love it so much. The contractor who stole our money has been making payments every month for past year to pay us back. He has one more payment to go and then we are done with this mess. It hasn't always gone smooth but our lawyer has helped to keep things moving along. We are fortunate he has done a great job for us in helping get our money back. The new contractor we hired did a great job and was a pleasure to work with. So in conclusion I will still say to only use a contractor that has done work for people you know or that you have checked out and talked to all their references before you hire them. Never pay more than a small percentage (25% or less) up front. Get receipts for everything, go pay for big ticket items yourself if possible and have contractor open an account to draw from if possible as well. We learned a lot from our mistakes and will never make them again. And I hope that others will never have to go thru what we had to.

I must admit I never gave any money to my builder that did the kitchen until he was quarter of the way through !

I am currently going through an experience that sounds almost identical to yours just over in Pflugerville. Is there any way you could send me your contractor’s name so I can check if it is the same person?

Hello. I’m sorry if you are having problems. If you go to my profile page and select ‘Messages’ you can send me a private message. If you send me a PM and tell me who your using I can let you know if it’s the same person/company.