Jacksonville woman says contractor left home unfinished

A Jacksonville woman is warning others after she says her mom paid a contractor more than $30,000 to renovate her home -- but he left it half finished.

Tracey Mason said her mom sold the Jacksonville home she lived in for more than 40 years and started looking for a company to renovate an Orange Park home.

She said they found Ponte Vedra Beach Construction Group, LLC on Home Advisor and agreed to pay owner, David Temple, for the work.

She showed Action News Jax a work order dated July 2017. She said the work began in August, and the owner David Temple said it would be complete in 45 days.

“The work began the very next day. As time progressed, things got worse,” Mason said. “There was very little communication from the contractor, very little work or very slow progress of work.”

Mason showed Action News Jax her mom’s unfinished kitchen – which had no countertops or sink. There were also no countertops, sinks or toilets in the bathrooms.

"We would be given dates as to when materials were supposed to arrive or work was supposed to be completed. Those dates would come and go and there was no materials, work was not completed," she said.

Mason also showed Action News Jax missing baseboards, transition pieces and a sliding glass door that she says was supposed to be replaced with French doors.

She said whoever painted the walls also did a poor job.

“I contacted him numerous times to try to find out what was happening and just wasn’t getting responses,” she said.

Action News Jax called and texted Temple on Tuesday and asked for an on-camera interview.

He sent us a text, saying he has been unavailable for several months because of a family member’s serious health issues.

He said he has been in touch with Mason’s mom and plans to assist in reasonable out-of-pocket costs and finding a new contractor.

Mason says she is looking into hiring workers to finish her mom’s house and options for getting her money back

"I’m very angry that he would do something to an elderly person who he knows, you know, is on a fixed income," Mason said. “I wanted the public to know about this contractor so that no one else has to get in this situation that we’re in."

Temple’s full response:

"Hello Brittney  I just received ur text..Please be advised that for several months I have been unavailable. .due to having to deal with  serious health issues...with a family member who has Brugada Syndrome. " Sudden Cardiac Death Syndrome" as well as   Therastic Outlet Vascular Disease.....we have been in and out of ER and hospitals in search of help from surgeons to perform necessary procedures to save her life..... I am a 5 star Builder ..in business over 40 years...I have been on touch with Ms Hardin via her daughter and have expressed my concern for completing the work....ti the extent that I will assist in reasonabl out of pocket expenses that she has incurred....as well as bringing another contractor to complete....I understand that Ms Hardin is getting quotes as well to finish.....will compensate her for reasonable cost... I  cannot leave her alone as we have no one else to see she is cared for.... I really don't know what else to do but offer my apologies to them and make it as right as I can.... I hope you understand .... Thank you Dave."

Cox Media Group