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State files lawsuit against Noblesville home improvement contractor following Call 6 report

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HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind.–  The Indiana Attorney General’s office filed suit this week against Noblesville home improvement contractor Mark Sellers following a Call 6 Investigation into his business practices.

Indiana Deputy Attorneys General Tamara Weaver and Michelle Alyea filed the complaint on July 18 accusing Sellers of violating the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and the Indiana Home Improvement Contracts Act.

“In many instances, Sellers would take money from consumers as a deposit, start the work, then abandon the project and leave the consumers with partially finished, sometimes dangerous conditions,” read the lawsuit. “Sellers’ actions are unfair, abusive, and deceptive, and constitute violations of the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act.”

The Indiana Attorney General’s office is asking a Hamilton County court to issue an injunction, which would prevent Sellers from owning, operating or managing any company that provides home improvements to customers.

The lawsuit also seeks $16,120 in restitution for Sellers’ customers, including Noblesville homeowner Tina Duncan, who told Call 6 she paid Sellers $2,845 to fix her foundation but he didn’t finish the job.

“After a lot of sleepless nights and living through this financial and emotional nightmare, I’m appreciative for channel 6, the attorney general’s office and all those who persevered through this,” said Duncan in response to the lawsuit. “I’ll rest easier when this monster is off our streets and where can do no more harm.”

Former Carmel homeowner Derek Culnan, who was featured in Call 6 Investigates’ original story on Sellers, told our Kara Kenney Friday he hopes the lawsuit will make a difference.

“I’m so grateful the state has taken notice of this, and I’m grateful for your work,” said Culnan on Friday. “I hope the state’s action can change his practices. It gives us a sense of solace and validation that the state’s now digging into this.”

Culnan obtained a $95,650 judgment against Sellers in 2014, but has yet to see any of that money.

“The pattern seems to be he doesn’t have any money to pay it back,” said Culnan.

Call 6 Investigates also spoke with consumer Bryan Andrews in Carmel Friday, who is still waiting to collect a $2,100 judgment against Mark Sellers.

“The lawsuit is a good step, but this guy has been acting in a criminal way and there really should be criminal consequences to what he’s doing, not just financial consequences,” said Andrews. “We’ll all get another judgment and no one will see their money and then he’ll just go on and do it somewhere else.”

The Hamilton County prosecutor has not filed any criminal charges against Sellers regarding his business practices.

Records show Sellers, who does primarily concrete and masonry, has mounting civil judgments in court and homeowner complaints to the Indiana Attorney General.

Call 6 Investigates called Sellers Friday, but we were unable to reach him for comment on the lawsuit.

The attorneys general allege Sellers repeatedly violated the Indiana Home Improvement Contracts Act by failing to include required information such as the approximate starting and completion dates, a legibly printed or typed version of the consumer’s name, and contact information to whom consumer problems could be directed.

The lawsuit also accuses Sellers of making repeated mistakes in measuring, wasting materials, and creating dangerous conditions for his customers.

A hearing date has not yet been set, court records show.

Records show Mark Sellers is accused of bad business practices in Colorado as well.

They obtained a $32,084 judgment against Sellers, but he still has not paid it.

A spokesperson with the Boulder County District Attorney’s office confirmed the Mark Sellers they sued in 2011 has the same date of birth as the Sellers who now lives in Noblesville.

This spring, Call 6 Investigates set up an appointment with Mark Sellers in Westfield.

What Sellers didn’t know was he was meeting our producer wearing hidden cameras.

Sellers avoided getting specific about who he is.

PRODUCER: I didn’t see your name on the Craigslist ad. What’s your company name?
SELLERS:  I don’t have one. No, I’m just an LLC.   Sole proprietor.

The name of the LLC is Mark Sellers Construction LLC.

PRODUCER: Have you ever been sued? Anything I need to be worried about there?
SELLERS:  I mean, not rea–…I’ve been to court yeah. People don’t pay me.

Call 6 Investigates Kara Kenney then came out of the house to ask Mark Sellers about his business practices.

KENNEY:  There’s a lot of people that say you owe them money. Are you taking people’s money and not doing the work promised?
SELLERS: No.
KENNEY: Tina Duncan, Derek Culnan, Bryan Andrews– they all want their money back. Are you going to give people their money back sir?
SELLERS: Yeah, through the judgments we will.
KENNEY: But you didn’t show up in court. Have you paid any of the judgments?
SELLERS: I’m working on that.
KENNEY: What about Colorado? 
SELLERS: Working on that too.

TIPS FOR HIRING A CONTRACTOR:

  • Get estimates in writing
  • Check for criminal charges or civil suits here
  • Check for a contractor’s license
  • Ask for references and call them
  • Ask to see examples of their work
  • Ask about insurance: personal liability, worker’s comp, and property damage coverage
  • Pay wisely, not all up front
     

Source

http://theindychannel.com/news/call-6-investigators/state-files-lawsuit-against-noblesville-home-improvement-contractor-following-call-6-report

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Home improvement tips for your apartment

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Home improvement for your apartment? The ‘Contractor to the Stars’ tells you how

Home improvement for your apartment doesn’t necessarily require big bucks, just some ingenuity – and plenty of Gold Bond lotion, says Stephen Fanuka.

Home improvement can be that necessary and fun activity worth getting your hands dirty. Fixing up your space applies to both homeowners and month-to-month renters because, as Stephen Fanuka puts it, wherever you lay your head – and a good portion your wallet – is your castle, so style it to your personality and budget.

Known as the “Contractor to the Stars,” Fanuka’s built a successful TV career from constructing the elaborate homes of celebrities such as Beyonce, Bruce Willis, Tony Bennett, Andy Cohen and Bethanny Frankel. His intro into celebrity construction all began in the ‘90s when he helped refurbish the home – including a 300-square-foot shoe closet – of former Philipine first lady Imelda Marcos (“My hands bled the most during that job,” Fanuka recalls).

Despite his A-list resume, Fanuka’s hammer-and-nail-worn hands haven’t necessarily earned the Maspeth contractor and host of DIY Network & HGTV’s “Million Dollar Contractor” any breaks with his clientele of one percenters. “I’d get an email almost every Monday for almost two years and it would start out telling me how awesome I am, how great I am, lucky he is to have the best,” Fanuka says, laughing, “but then he goes, ‘However, I just want to remind you I can destroy your life by 5 p.m. if I choose to. Have a great day.’”

However, Fanuka’s blue-collar career has made hime the perfect expert on home improvement as well as an appropriate spokesman for Gold Bond’s new Cracked Skin & Protect cream. “I have 50 guys on my team. And a lot of them come back and they’ve got whether it’s cuts or dry skin I keep a whole 5-gallon empty water canister filled with the small Gold Bond packets. They keep grabbin em like lollipops. Happy men, happy life. That’s how I stay in business.”

The business of  home improvement differs for all for both owners and renters – Fanuka says his No. 1 request with his clients is upgraded kitchens, while utilizing space is a priority for apartment renters —  the end result — putting your personal signature on your home —  remains the same. “Most places if you’re renting, you’re not going to be able to take down a wall, unless you’re gonna write an agreement that you’re gonna put it back,” Fanuka says. “I always tell people, make do with what you have, but repurpose for the situation you are best suited for. If you like running on a treadmill, find a spot for that treadmill. You don’t have to build a gym. You can put it in the corner.

Hiring Fanuka to tear down your drywall may not be an option, but the “Contractor to the Stars” suggests these modern home improvement twists that can help make the most of your little apartment space.

4 home improvement tips for small spaces

Ditch the living room, create an office
“If there’s a room to watch TV, you no longer need a living room. Make it into something else,” Fanuka suggests. “Turn it into an office. Or I tell people to utilize the closets. If you have a little extra closet space, clear out the closet and put a desk inside the closet so you can close the door and nobody sees it. We put all our papers and our mail on the desk. You won’t see the mess that you’re creating. Take a closet nook that still has the doors, open the doors, put a shelf in there, put the chair in there, then close it up.

Utilize your ceiling for storage
“You can definitely create a [storage] system,” Fanuka says. Everything’s out there now. And you can hang it from your ceiling. It folds up. It’s like an ironing board. If folds away. There’s a company called Hafele. Great hardware. There are lots of cool things out there, closet systems you can hang from your ceiling. Some fold up like ironing boards.  

At the same time, ‘style’ your ceiling 
“I tell people your ceiling is your fifth wall,” Fanuka says. “Drop a hot color on it, whether it’s lavender, blue, black — black happens to be a very hot color right now.Even wallpaper the ceiling. No one realizes what a funky color or  even wallpaper on your ceiling can make on your apartment, and for pennies. Let that home represent you for who you are and your personality. People already know who you are and if they don’t they sure will as soon as they walk in and find the hot pink ceiling up there.”

Accessorize
“Change out the lights, the hardware, the kitchen cabinet knobs — stuff like that will make you feel like you have something new without having to break the bank, because you may not be there next month because your lease is up and the [owner’s] about to double the rent.”

Source

https://www.metro.us/news/-big-stories/home-improvement

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Amazon ‘Part Finder’ Improves Home Improvement

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Amazon is launching a new feature that allows users to search for home improvement parts with ease.

The eCommerce giant’s “Part Finder” enables users to simply point their smartphone camera at an item they need, and Amazon will scan it, measure it, and find matching items from its product catalog.

The company didn’t officially announce the feature’s launch, but confirmed to news outlets it was rolled out a couple of weeks ago.

To use Part Finder, you tap the icon to launch the feature, then place the object on a white surface next to a penny, as instructed. The feature then uses the iPhone’s camera to measure the object.

There are detailed instructions that explain how to correctly tilt the phone in order to measure the part. There is also a screen where you can add more information to help narrow down the results. For example, scan a screw and the feature will ask for additional details, such as whether it is a flat head and the drive type.

While a screw is easier to find on Amazon, the feature will also be able to help users locate an odd part that might be hard to identify. It is currently capable of identifying over 100 types of fasteners, which represents thousands — if not millions — of parts, according to Amazon. It was built using technology developed by Partpic, a company Amazon acquired in 2016

The Part Finder feature is currently showing up in Amazon’s app on iOS. No word yet on its Android release.

This is just the latest example of online companies getting into the home repair business. Earlier this year, Googleintroduced a tool that helps users hire the right home repair expert. When a user asks Google Assistant for a plumber, the artificial intelligence (AI) will return a list of potential problems its user might be having. Once the need is registered — and after Google confirms where you live — it gives the user two choices. Either the user can request that an eligible and qualified local service provider call them, or Google can generate a call list for its user.

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The Fact About home improvement That No One Is Suggesting

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The Fact About home improvement That No One Is Suggesting

web homeownership is due to tighter credit rating conventional and lifestyle variations, such as delayed marriage and youngsters,” Michelle Meyer, a US economist at BAML, wrote in a very new Take note.

Extending just one’s household with rooms additional for the side of one’s home or, at times, further ranges to the initial roof. Such a new unit of development is called an “increase-on”.[two]

Turning marginal regions into livable Areas such as turning basements into recrooms, home Click This Link theaters, or home offices – or attics into spare bedrooms.

Though banking institutions on their own will most likely hardly ever die, bank branches and physical lender spots may perhaps shortly be described as a issue on the past.

“Because of limited starter-home inventory, they’re renting lengthier. And once they buy their to start with home, they’re buying a Significantly nicer home than a previous technology,” he claimed.

The Post details to some study done by Mintel, which highlights that only 56% of buyers claimed they purchased napkins in the past 6 months. Concurrently, 86% surveyed reported they had ordered paper towels.

When “home improvement” frequently refers to developing jobs that alter the construction of an present home, it also can contain improvements to lawns, gardens, and outside buildings, including gazebos and garages.

Potentially the most important or obvious pros inside the renovation check this sector are renovation contractors or qualified trades. These are generally the builders which have specialised qualifications, licensing and expertise to accomplish renovation services in precise municipalities.

Source

http://commercialroofinglakewood91097.ampedpages.com/The-Fact-About-home-improvement-That-No-One-Is-Suggesting-16546297

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The Fact About Dallas bathroom renovation ideas That No One Is Suggesting

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The Fact About Dallas bathroom renovation ideas That No One Is Suggesting

Dallas home repair assistance for disabled more to secure your home every day than any alarm, fence, or guard canine. A rain gutter, or trough, gathers the excess rain and melted snow from your roofing system by directing it to the soil through the use of the downspout. This avoids your siding or foundation from coming in contact with wetness which could trigger molding, erosion, or a weakening of the structure.

If you find that your gutter is leaking or very blocked, you might have to think about purchasing new ones. This is because a dripping trough may trigger leaks inside your home. Also, mosquitoes have the tendency to use the still water in a clogged drain system as a breeding ground. You must also think about a replacement if the current one is old or dull since an unattractive gutter can really lower the residential or commercial property worth of your house. One popular product for fashioning a drain system is copper. This is because copper is affordable in cost, able to withstand more punishment from the components than plastic or aluminum, and may look much better.

Nevertheless, this type is susceptible to rusting. A lot of gutters come in sectional pieces, which are secured together as they are installed. This allows them to fit the measurements of a range of houses.One common inconvenience of gutters is cleaning them. While they might not be the final service to cleaning up the drain system, the use of gutter guards will definitely lower the number of times a year you find yourself clearing the trough. They work by avoiding leaves and other particles from clogging the channel through which water flows using a curved piece of metal with mesh holes.

So, the next time you are looking for protection for your home, appreciate your gutter.

Our house is perhaps one of our most valuable ownerships. But is it enough to boast of a magnificently decorated interior? Reconsider! The external appearance of our residence place appeals visually but what’s going on beneath the structure is typically much more important. The drainage system of any house requires equivalent attention in order to provide sustainability and safety.

Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from a location.

A wise drain option is mandatory to dissipate surplus water both in farming lands and in residential areas. Neglected excess water abets the possibilities of disintegration of the structure, making the structure of your house unsteady. On the other hand farming soil requires drain to boost production or to handle water products.

An underground drain system consists of pipelines and tank made from perforated wall modules to form the desired size and configuration. They are wrapped in a water permeable geotextile. The system is preferably buried in tidy sand, where rainwater and overflow water is directed to stream through the water permeable geotextile.

Drain can be either natural or synthetic. Lots of locations have some natural drain which indicates that excess water streams from the farmers’ fields to swamps or to lakes and rivers. Natural drain, nevertheless, is frequently inadequate and artificial or man-made drainage is required.

Kinds of synthetic drain:

Surface area drain is the process of removal of excess water from the surface of the land. This is normally accomplished by shallow ditches which are likewise called open drains pipes. The shallow ditches release into bigger and deeper collector drains. In order to facilitate the flow of excess water to the drains pipes, the field is provided an artificial slope by means of land grading.

Subsurface drainage is the elimination of water from the root zone. It is achieved by deep open drains pipes or buried pipe drains. Excess water from the root zone flows into the deep open drains pipes. The downside of this kind of subsurface drainage is that it makes using equipment hard. Pipeline drains pipes are buried pipes with openings through which the soil water can enter. The pipes communicate the water to a collector drain.

Drain system that lies below your home strive at all time to keep your residence prim and correct. Not only does it have to procedure water waste that is developed by bathing and cleaning dishes, however it also handles sewage waste and outdoors water that is draining pipes off your home. This is a tough set of responsibilities for the residential underground drain system to deal with so you might desire to believe proactively about keeping this system in working order.

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http://dallasbathroomrenovationi26891.ampedpages.com/The-Fact-About-Dallas-bathroom-renovation-ideas-That-No-One-Is-Suggesting-16495819

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PACE home improvement lenders under Hillsborough County scrutiny after 8 On Your Side investigation

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PACE home improvement lenders under Hillsborough Co scrutiny after 8 On Your Side investigation

Joaquin McPeek_1531932544324.png.jpg

YGRENE spokesman Joaquin McPeek [ +  – ]

Tampa (WFLA) – It’s been a rough few months around Tampa Bay for the government-sanctioned home improvement financing program known as PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) following an 8 On Your Side investigation of sketchy business practices.

“No industry is perfect,” said YGRENE Spokesman Joaquin McPeek, one of the PACE program loan providers.

Hillsborough Commissioner Les Miller says he’s outraged at our findings of sketchy contractors and massive bills for home improvements that homeowners can’t afford. He’s demanding accountability from PACE loan providers like YGRENE Energy Fund “We want to make sure those unscrupulous companies that prey on people that are less fortunate–that doesn’t happen,” Miller said.

One notorious PACE contractor that we exposed with ties to convicted swindlers, Summitwood Works LLC,  has been tossed out of Pasco County and put on notice to stop deceiving homeowners in Hillsborough.

YGRENE knew about those ties a year ago but only recently severed its relationship with Summitwood after a series of investigative reports  by Eight on Your Side. 

Also, YGRENE and another PACE lender have just been prohibited from offering new loans in Pasco for failing to agree to loan disclosures drafted by Tax Collector Mike Fasano as a condition for doing business in Pasco under the PACE program.

“We’re continuing to work with Pasco County to come to a place where we can continue to do business and conduct business in the county,” McPeek said.

PACE borrowers end up with a special assessment on their property taxes for new roofs, solar energy, air conditioning and other energy-efficient home improvements. McPeek says the average loan debt for YGRENE customers is about $22,000, and customers are happy. But we’ve seen tax assessments for $30,000-63,000 for new air conditioners, insulation and ductwork and spoken t a number of unhappy customers who regretted doing business with YGRENE and other PACE loan providers.

One homeowner in Pasco who bought new air conditioning, ductwork, insulation and a roof almost ended up with two assessments–one from YGRENE and one from another company– totaling more than $125,000 on his tax bill.  That homeowner says the debt would have forced him to lose his home, but Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano intervened and refused to approve one of the assessments, essentially cutting the homeowner’s bill in half.

Wednesday, YGRENE representatives were scheduled to stand before Hillsborough Commissioners to explain what safeguards YGRENE has in place to protect consumers from unscrupulous contractors and loan terms consumers might not understand.

Instead, county consumer protection managers will later meet privately with YGRENE and three other PACE loan providers to investigate what kind of protections they have in place for consumers,  how well they’re executing those protections and whether additional protections for consumers need to be in place.

One idea that’s already taking hold is a list of mandatory loan disclosures already required in Pasco County. Hillsborough may soon require the same ones to guarantee consumers know exactly what they’re signing up for when they agree to a PACE loan.

“It’s very comprehensive,” Commission Chair Sandra Murman said of Fasano’s disclosure agreement. “It spells out what PACE does and everyone–the consumer–has to sign it.”

“If they don’t sign tht form they won’t do business here,”Miller said.

Among the possible pitfalls of a PACE loan cited in Fasano’s disclosure is the resale of a house. Many subsidized loan programs such as HUD, FHA and VA will not approve a sale with a PACE loan in place and paying off the PACE loan early can result in a 5 percent penalty.

Hillsborough consumer protection watchdogs are supposed to return to the Hillsborough Commission with a report on PACE loan safeguards after meeting with all four providers. That’s when commissioners will decide whether policy changes are in order for the government-sanctioned PACE program.

“(They will) look at what kind of protections they have in place, what kind of policies, how they oversee their contractors, before we reach any conclusions,” Merrill said. 

Source

http://wfla.com/8-on-your-side/investigations/pace-home-improvement-lenders-under-hillsborough-county-scrutiny-after-8-on-your-side-investigation/1309531687

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