Episode Details

On the Chicks in Construction podcast, hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu clarify that locking up a contractor’s tools is technically illegal despite past comments. Mikki shares her 200-pound dog Prime’s costly physical therapy and daily driveway walks. They then cover a Florida homeowner horror story involving a contractor operating under Environmental Kindness LLC (later Fortress Fencing Crew LLC) who botched retaining walls, French drains, sod, and fencing, demanded additional payments, caused property damage, and failed to fix issues; one homeowner paid $13,400 for faulty work and $35,000 to rebuild correctly, while another paid over $12,000 amid delays, missing scope items, mismatched materials, driveway and yard damage, and unprofessional behavior. The hosts warn that BBB is not a government bureau, stress getting multiple detailed bids, verifying licenses and insurance coverage for the specific scope, and researching contractors’ prior LLCs.

00:00 Contractor Accountability Rant

00:29 Podcast Intro and Legal Disclaimer

01:23 Tool Lockup Debate

02:38 Possession Proverb Myth

04:20 Prime Dog PT Costs

06:56 Spicy Comments and TikTok

10:59 Horror Story Setup Florida

17:19 BBB Ratings Reality Check

18:13 Retaining Wall Failure Details

23:23 New LLC Name Warning

23:46 Insurance Scope Lesson

26:39 Homeowner Lessons Learned

28:22 Deposits and Upfront Costs

29:10 Quote Seems Too Low

31:42 Delays and Surprise Add Ons

34:20 Incomplete Work and Extra Payment

36:28 Rock Delivery and Ghosting

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38:05 Property Damage and Excuses

46:38 Commercial vs Residential Chaos

52:16 How to Vet Contractors

57:30 Final Warnings and Wrap Up