Consumer Watch: OKC Contractor Gets Paid, Leaves Floor Work Undone

After 30 plus years in the same home, Carl and Jean Mayabb recently started some home improvements. They were excited to spruce up their original hardwood floors.

Jean had an idea of how she wanted them to look.

"Beautiful, stained, sanded, refinished and pretty" Jean said.

They heard a guy named Shannon Casey did good work. When he came out for an estimate, he told the Mayabbs he could cover their floors with new wood for just more than $2000, including materials and installation.

The work was supposed to be complete by Thanksgiving. A few days before the holiday, Casey returned, but not to start the job.

"He came back the second time, wanting that $1000. Another thousand after us paying $2050," Jean said.

Thanksgiving came and went with no work done. But Jean says Casey did show up two more times to collect another $850 for what he called a special glue. For the next month, Jean says she heard excuse after excuse. She finally confronted Shannon Casey.

"I think you're screwing over me and my husband. I think you're scamming us," Jean told Shannon Casey. She said his response, "Oh, I'm not doing that. I have parents your age. That's not who I am. I wouldn't do that."

In 2009, I talked with two different Oklahomans who said they paid Casey for work he never completed. And we found a list of court records with charges against Casey ranging from fraud, bogus checks, even an embezzlement conviction.

So the Consumer Watch Team went to get answers. We didn't find him at home, but talked to him briefly on the phone about the Mayabbs wooden floors:

Casey: "The wrong material was ordered, Amanda."

Amanda: "Okay, so why did they have to pay for it though?"

Casey: "They didn't. That was taken care of."

As for what that exactly means, Casey agreed to meet us and explain in person.

He was a no show. But that was okay, because when we went back to the Mayabb's home, we found out what he meant.

One day after our phone call, someone delivered a check from Casey to the family totaling every penny they paid, $3900.

"Thank you, News 9. Thank you for all your help. We couldn't have done it without you,"Jean said.

Some advice to take from this:

• When you hire a contractor, never pay in full up front.

• If a contractor is in such a bad situation financially that he needs payment in full - you have to question how he's going to handle the money you give him.

• Instead, pay in installments. Give him an incentive to come back and finish the job. And if he needs money for supplies, pay the supplier directly.