N.B. homeowner urges caution after unfinished deck project

A new survey found some Maritimers have experienced a contractor taking payment without finishing their work.

A homeowner from Saint John, N.B., is urging others to get everything in writing before hiring a contractor after she says an unfinished deck project left her out of pocket and forced her to hire someone else to repair the work.

Ruth Lavoie says she paid a contractor $1,000 up front to build a backyard deck and later another $1,000 after previously hiring the same person to install flooring in her home.

“He did my floors, he seemed like a trustworthy person,” Lavoie said. “He did a great job. No issues when he did the floors.”

But she says the deck project came to a halt before it was completed.

“He did start it, but he never finished.

“He called and he said he was going to come late that day or the next day,” she said. “That’s the last time I heard from him.”

The unfinished deck has since been inspected by another contractor, who she says told her the work would need to be repaired.

“He came and he already looked and he said it’s a terrible job. And it’s not safe,” Lavoie said.

The experience has left her frustrated and changed how she plans to hire contractors in the future.

“It’s never going to happen again because they’re not going to get paid until the job’s done,” she said.

Lavoie says she did not have a written contract for the project and relied on verbal agreements because of her previous experience with the contractor.

She says she does not plan to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or the Financial and Consumer Services Commission, believing it would not help recover the money she has already lost.

“I’m probably not going to get my money back,” she said.

A recent survey by Nanos commissioned by CTV News found 5.5 per cent of Atlantic Canadians said they had experienced a contractor taking payment without completing the work, while another 13.4 per cent said they knew someone who had.

The survey also found confidence in consumer protections remains low in Atlantic Canada. Just 12 per cent of respondents rated their confidence as good or very good, while 38.9 per cent rated it poor or very poor.

Crystal Ingram, executive officer of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of Nova Scotia, says homeowners can reduce their risk by carefully researching contractors before signing an agreement.

“They would need a detailed contract, proof of insurance, references, details or pictures, information on previous contracts,” Ingram said. “They want to keep clear communication and realistic timelines that would be outlined in that contract.”

She says homeowners should also be cautious of contractors who pressure them into making quick decisions, refuse to provide references or insist on verbal agreements.

“You want to make sure you have everything written in a formal contract,” Ingram said. “You want to ensure that they have proof of insurance.”

She adds homeowners should also be wary of contractors demanding cash-only payments or unusually large upfront deposits.

“One of the red flags that a homeowner would like to avoid is if someone’s demanding cash only,” she said. “Our message is simple. Homeowners don’t need to be afraid. They need to be informed.”

Ingram recommends checking references, verifying insurance coverage, reviewing previous work and considering contractors who belong to professional organizations before moving ahead with a renovation project.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.