Momax Builders Another ripoff Northbrook Illinois

Sorry if I've posted this twice, but I don't think my earlier post took.

Count me and my husband as other victims of Fred Resnick and Momax.

We weren't burned as badly as many, but I estimate we're out more than $6,000.

We signed a contract with Momax at the end of August, 2004. The contract covered remodeling both our bathrooms, replacing all the plumbing in the house (except toilet stacks and any pipes in basement cement), and replacing a window in a home office with a bay window. Work was supposed to begin September 27 with the plumbing.

Work actually began on October 4. Richard, the foreman, was surprised to hear that plumbing was a big part of the project and we had to point out the item in the proposal that covered the plumbing. The workers at our house didn't include a plumber, so we went ahead and let them gut our upstairs bathroom. The bathroom remained in this state stripped to the studs until the beginning of December.

The plumbing was started the week of October 11, but part was done incorrectly and the hot and cold water feeds to our kitchen and laundry area were reversed. Nothing more was done for several weeks.

In mid-November we (on the advice of our attorney) sent Resnick a letter that gave him a choice either finish the work by set dates, give us our money back, or we'd take him to court. Resnick called and said he'd meet our timetable, which included completing the first bathroom by December 17.

By the time Resnick was arrested, much but by no means all of the work on the first bathroom had been done. We had supplied all the fixtures for which there were allowances, except the toilet which Resnick said he wanted to supply. There was no toilet in the room, the vertical spa had only been roughed in, and while the Corian sink had been installed, the plumbing had not been hooked up. In short, nothing in the room worked except the fan and lights.

We're in the process of firming up the amount we were bilked out of, but I'm pretty sure it will between $6,000 and $6,500. Once we have a handle on the amount I'll file with Lisa Madigan's office. I have emailed NBC5.

I know our loss is small potatoes compared with some, but of course it still hurts. My husband and I kept a complete log of all our contacts with Momax, so we may have more evidence than some and our case may help in convicting Resnick and assuring he can't cheat anyone else.

Ginny
Elmhurst, Illinois
U.S.A.