Scottsdale pool contractor accused of leaving Arizona homeowners with unfinished projects
Homeowners out thousands over unbuilt pools
Frustrated Arizona families say they paid up to $36,000 for pool projects that were abandoned mid-construction. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean reports.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - What should have been a source of relaxation and reprieve from the heat has become a summer headache for at least two Arizona families.
Accusations are mounting against one Scottsdale pool contractor from customers who say the company may be in over its head.
Local perspective:
When Jason and Shannon Hersker first contacted Sun State Pools to oversee the resurfacing project on their backyard pool, the couple said they did all the right things to vet the business.
"We looked up the BBB record, we looked up Yelp reviews and the ROC number as well, and it looked like everything checked out," Jason Hersker said.
But when the company started the project roughly three months ago, the Herskers say the communication and project progress overall was unacceptable.
"Everyone was pointing in the other direction. You had both admin in the office, as well as an office manager that was not getting back to us in email and when they finally did, they made false promises about when things were going to happen," Jason Hersker said.
The Herskers say they are down $9,500 after paying installments to Sun State Pools.
"We're gonna have to pay, GC (general contract) our own project, pay the subcontractors directly and claw back at our own funds that we essentially are going to lose if we can recoup them," Jason Hersker said.
'We've given them about $36,000'
The Herskers aren't alone.
Neil and Cynthia Parker say that they signed a contract in September with Sun State Pools to come out and do work on their Chandler pool. That work, set to begin in January, has only made it this far.
"We've given them about $36,000. A little over $36,000," Neil and Cynthia Parker said.
The Parkers spoke of similar time lapses in progress and a lack of communication as the Herskers.
"They started off, 'Well, our demo crew isn't available. I was out of the office for a funeral.' Excuse after excuse, they left their tile saw in our backyard for over a month. So how was anyone working? But then weeks would go by, and they knew how to play the game I guess," Cynthia Parker said.
The Parkers filed a complaint with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors but say it never went anywhere, as they say Sun State sent out workers to do a small amount of work around the time the complaint was filed.
"So, because they showed up immediately after the ROC, you know, the inspector came out, the inspector closed, he closed the complaint as they, you know, 'They're working'," Neil Parker said.
Dig deeper:
A FOX 10 crew visited Sun State Pools' building Tuesday, June 23, but no one answered, and the door was locked. Online, the business is listed as "permanently closed" on Google. Calls were also placed to two numbers associated with the company but were sent to voicemail.
As for ROC complaints, the LLC currently has at least 20 open cases. A request for comment on the unfinished work was sent to the ROC.
Meanwhile, these families are left frustrated and emotional over the scenes in their backyards.
"Two kids just want to swim, and they're just really upset that they can't use the pool," Shannon Hersker said.
"Lot of stress, lots of frustration," Neil Parker said.
"You want to trust people, and you can't, and I guess I lost my faith in people," Cynthia Parker said.