Contractor accused of taking more than $1M from families, leaving projects unfinished

[red-beard]

This is just reported on the news today in the Houston area. Very sad for all of those people.

KPRC 2 Investigates: Contractor accused of taking more than $1M from families, leaving projects unfinished

A man contracted to build pools in Montgomery County is accused of stealing more than $1.5 million from several families, leaving them with unfinished work in their backyards. The Montgomery County Attorney’s Office charged Mark Mills, 56, with aggregate theft of more than $300,000.

www.click2houston.com

A man contracted to build pools in Montgomery County is accused of stealing more than $1.5 million from more than a dozen families, leaving them with unfinished work in their backyards.

Montgomery County Attorney’s Office charged Mark Mills, 56, with aggregate theft of more than $300,000.

KPRC 2 Investigates was there as law enforcement arrested Mills at his San Jacinto County home on Monday.

 

[HermanTX]

On the Houston, TX news this evening, St. Croix Custom Pools, was being investigated on pending charges of theft. The owner is accused of taking over $1MM from homeowners on unfinished pools in Montgomery County (which is a county north of the city of Houston). He could not be reached for comment. The news showed several homeowners with gunite only pools, broken plumbing pipes, no equipment, etc. Something that may take thousands of more $$$ to complete by another PB, if they can find one.

Thought this be a good reference case for new homeowners who are starting out to contract a new pool.

They should
1) do good reviews of their potential PBs,
2) review the contract in detail,
3) hold back 10% (or more) of the total payment till completion

 

[V___25]

There are times I wish our pool was one we built because there are things I would absolutely change but then I read stories like this or the nightmares people post in Under Construction and I'm glad we have an already existing, basic vinyl liner pool.