Bamboozling Builders in the Hall of Shame

the owners of an Oakland County construction company claimed they did two million dollars in business last year but if you look at their website you might think they're big-time licensed builders the problem solver Rob bulchek says their big time bamboozle errs in reality the company consists of two guys they admit to me they have no employees no licenses but they do have a nifty way of fooling their customers [Music] beep Chris yeah I got that one and his partner just talking to you two guys who have an interesting way of running their construction company are you licensed no maybe at all I can't work he was swearing when we were talking he was asking for money like right now you might get cussed out he said to me you could smile all day long the elevation is right there are lots of questions in this story it's a weird answer why would you not get a license unless you get get I guess it wasn't lazy there's no compassion from them they don't care if we live down here and in garbage this is Tony and his girlfriend's Tony I'm like having panic attacks panic attacks because they've been living in an unfinished basement of what is supposed to be their retirement dream house the nightmare started when they hired JT construction of Waterford for a $168,000 remodeling project we went and pull the permits which he told us would be cheaper if we did that they say company co-owner Justin Hudson told them he had plenty of manpower and we have a 30 man crew but Tony and Tony say no employee from JT Hudson has ever lifted a hammer at the house it's all been subcontracted out Tony isn't a rich guy he's a peacetime veteran he's 70 years old and is still working full time and he's given Justin and his partner Krista Brucker $140,000 of his life savings so far and the job's not merely done because JT Hudson demands more money and they sure aren't friendly about it his aggressive attitude is way off the charts this JD Hudson customer says the same thing happened to him like listen man I really need this money you know I got four kids where the F is the money he too hired Hudson for remodeling here's the finished work a door they put in that doesn't close a light switch that's not even in the wall ceiling lights without covers drywall cutouts leaving big gaps around the switches this area between the roof and chimney is supposed to be repaired it's right there on the contract so the customer held out the final payment but JD Hudson had a trick up their sleeve they had the ladder on the side of the house to go up to what I thought was to go up to the roof to put the flashing on the roof gave him the check for $1,000 and then I went back to work they cash the check and didn't do the word so he had 30 man crew Tom hired JD Hudson to build a deck in garage says Justin told him he had a big company himself his own concrete he had all his own equipment and when it came when it was all said and done he didn't have any equipment tom says what Justin said would be a three week job turned into a three month job when Tom demanded to see Justin's contractor's license he gave him this that's not Justin's license that's Justin's dad's license so if Justin and Chris don't have licenses how does the company get permits for these jobs that require license builders he's suggesting you go get the perfect that we get the permit because they're more likely to give it to you sooner and that it would be cheaper yeah if you're the homeowner you get pulled the permit if you're taking on the job yourself but Isabel hired Jaime Hudson to do her death it wouldn't pass inspection but JD Hudson wasn't on the hook Isabel was because she pulled the permit which by the way she says didn't save her a dime Tony says they talked him into pulling his own permits as well so there's no licensed builder registered with the city on this gigantic job I don't want to cry and camera I'm okay you know what people get he'll get his yes he will right now are you licensed nope was always to another license so don't you say on your website that your license yeah so you're doing work like on that Tony and Tony's house under your dad's license yep he's throwing his old man under the bus Justin says he's just the salesperson on the jobs the law requires a license for that as well he acts like he never even heard of that so you don't have a builder salesperson license either do you elders license a salesperson a builder's salesperson y no podía Tony said they gave just at 30 grand for siding the siding on the trim and everything's done painted installed I don't see it remember this customers house you were supposed to flash you never did that you know that's not that did not flash this to me of course because it wasn't needed to be classy we didn't get the roof there's two sides to every story I've never taken anybody's money I've never done anything wrong to any client any customer whatsoever Chris Jason's partner demands to speak with me as well remember what pony said Chris told her when she complained about the elevation of the garage he said to me you can my all day long did you tell the lady pony that she could absolutely not okay so we denies that but he doesn't deny this why are you running a construction company without having a license I don't understand this why don't you have a likeness why do you Jason have a life we're a blur doesn't work both Chris and Justin claim their customers know they're on licensed you said I'm unlicensed yeah they knew from the jump that we was unlicensed well your website says otherwise and so does this undercover video we shot and you guys have all the license you need and here comes a move to bamboozle the customer into pulling his own permit permits you know what I wouldn't even pull a permit here if you want to pull a permit I would suggest just for budget purposes there just go ahead and pull it on our homeowner JD Hudson a construction company run by this guy why don't you get a contractor's license I don't need my and the guy who hands out his dad's license when push comes to shove remember he said this so you're doing work like on that Tony and Tony's house under your dad's license yeah now he says this so if Tony and Tony decide to sue who are they gonna sue it they got a sue you were your dad can't see my daddy has nothing to do with it well the contractor me well and you got paid so who's the license contact around the job JD Hudson more like JD hustlin you're in the Hall of Shame Christa Brucker was convicted fifteen years ago as a habitual felon most of his many convictions are drug and alcohol related now I did speak with Justin's dad he says he did allow Justin to use his builders license on Tom's job however calm says Justin's father never did any work at his house James Hudson that's Justin's dad said he had absolutely nothing to do with Tony and Tony's job or any of the others in the story so basically he throws his old man under the bus whenever push comes to shove he shows his dad's license and I guess his dad's I'm just gonna assume here maybe the dad's covering for him a little bit but his dad's got a perfectly clean record and it appears to be a very good bill third son doesn't have a license and neither does he but if I'm his father I'd be upset with the son yeah well jeopardizing him perhaps no question seems like a lousy thing to do but that's the way it goes and the trick of the convincing people to pull their own permits I gotta tell you I've done a lot of stories on bad builders over the years that's a new one for me yeah and that should be a red flag ya know kid okay thanks

Channel: rob wolchek-Investigative News Reporter

Views: 896,347

Keywords: Rob Wolchek, Investigative Reporting

Id: qldOU_PTLm8

Length: 8min 40sec (520 seconds)

Published: Sat Sep 15 2018