LIMERICK (WGME) -- A York County woman with disabilities claims she is facing significant issues with a contractor who was hired to make her home more accessible.

Laurie Johnson told theCBS13 I-Team the contractor left her house in disarray, with major portions of the job incomplete.

"I just wanted a wider hallway because my wheelchair doesn’t fit through the doorways here," Johnson said. "I just wanted a bigger room where my wheelchair could go through."

Johnson signed a contract with the contractor nearly a year ago to make her home more wheelchair accessible, including adding an addition with wider hallways and a new bathroom with a "roll in" shower.

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However, Johnson claims issues started arising a few months ago after a dispute over the installation of the shower because what was installed did not meet the ADA compliance standards outlined in the contract.

She says the contractor hasn't been back since then and left a pile of construction debris sitting outside her half-finished addition.

"When I said something about the shower, that I can't use that, I think that just made him so angry," Johnson said. "That was the day he started packing up stuff and leaving."

The I-Team isn't naming the contractor because he hasn't been charged with a crime or faced any other complaints in Maine or New Hampshire. However, we did find he violated Maine state law in his contract with Johnson, which asked for a deposit of 50% up front.

The state's Home Construction Contract Actlimits down payments to no more than 1/3 of the total project price.

Over the past year, receipts provided to the I-Team by Johnson show she's paid out more than $54,000 to the contractor.

"Every time he'd say it was for more materials," Johnson said. "Then it's like, 'Well where's my siding? Where's my skirting? Where's the insulation?'"

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When we contacted the contractor, he denied abandoning the project and attributed delays to Johnson’s last-minute changes.

"It’s just one job of many that didn’t go as planned," he told the I-Team by phone. "I don’t believe I’ve done her wrong in any way. It was never my intention to leave her hanging."

The contractor said he plans to contact Johnson within the week to address the debris and get the project back on track.

Push for Regulations

While Johnson hopes her home will eventually be completed, she wants her experience to serve as a warning to others that Maine remains a buyer beware state.

"There are a lot of people like me who don’t realize that contractors aren’t licensed. You’d just assume they would be," Johnson said. "An electrician has to be licensed, the plumber has to be licensed, so why wouldn't a contractor have to be licensed? It makes no sense."

Maine is among 15 states that do not regulate home contractors, leaving many residents vulnerable to such situations. It's an issue the I-Team has been tracking and covering for years.

According to the Office of the Maine Attorney General, since 2018, the agency has received nearly 4,000 complaints related to contractor fraud with a total of $12,000,000 in losses.

• Also read:Contractor licensing debate continues despite bill not being funded

Supporters of legislation aimed at regulating home contractors in Maine say they plan to resubmit a bill next session after the latest attempt died on the appropriations table.

Advice for Homeowners

• Do your research. A quick online search of a business or contractor can usually bring up potential red flags.
• Read reviews with a critical eye. Read customer reviews to find out more about the contractor and use online rating websites you trust to see what others are saying about the contractor.
• Get contractor recommendations from people you know and trust.
• Get multiple estimates. A written estimate should include a description of the work to be done, materials, completion date and the price. Don’t automatically choose the lowest bidder and ask for an explanation if there’s a big difference among the estimates.
• Read the contract carefully. You can find a sample one HERE.
• Don’t pay the full amount for the project up front. Maine law limits deposits & down payments to no more than 1/3 of the total price
  

Have a consumer issue you want the CBS13 I-Team to investigate? Call their tip line at (207) 228-7713 or send an email to tips@wgme.com