More Minnesota homeowners accuse pool contractor of unfinished work

MINNEAPOLIS -- New information in a WCCO investigation: several families want to warn others after they say the same pool contractor took their savings and didn't do the job.

We first shared their frustration Wednesday night. The number of families we've heard from since is growing, now up to 17. Altogether, they're out more than $1 million.

WCCO's Jennifer Mayerle looked into the law, and shares the change families want to see.

Kyle and Eva Swenson started making financial sacrifices ahead of welcoming baby Sophia last month. They wanted to build a place to grow their family. A backyard pool was part of that plan.

"We sold our boat. We were gonna take less vacations, like we wanted to be home with our family," Kyle Swenson said.

They signed a contract with Charles Workman, and paid $63,000 over time, some up front to get started, more when he brought an excavator to their Chanhassen home.

"He's got the right lingo, shows you a contract, makes promises," Swenson said.

Their story mirrors many others. Some work done, none finished.

"Weeks of excuses," Swenson said.

Nine months later, they're still waiting.

"Sure, boo hoo us, we're getting a nice pool. But it's like, he literally took our life savings," Swenson said.

WCCO found Workman never filed the required permit with the city to do the work. That means even though the Swenson's paid him, he legally still can't start the job.

"I feel terrible when I hear these stories," said Charlie Durenberger, director of licensing and enforcement with the Department of Labor and Industry.

The department licenses contractors in the state. Durenberger says the way licensing is structured, contractors with one specialty don't need one.

"We're really only looking at work that's done on or inside a home, not outside the home, so that would be swimming pools, fences, retaining walls, that sort of thing would not require a state residential building contractor license," Durenberger said.

It all leaves homeowners with little recourse. Durenberger says the best homeowners can do is check out a contractor beforehand. And if something does happen, to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.

Durenberger said if that doesn't get them anywhere, "the only recourse the consumer is going to have is to file a lawsuit against the contractor ... It's one thing to file a lawsuit and get a judgement, it's another to try to collect. That's the difficult part."

The homeowners want to see a change, specifically for the state to offer protections for consumers. That will take an act of the legislature.

"At this point we got to see some justice," Swenson said. "If he gets away with and keeps going, that's a problem."

Workman didn't answer WCCO's questions, but did send a statement. It said he overextended himself, and in time, intends to pay people back or finish the work. Homeowners who hired him tell us they don't believe him.

WCCO has showed a series of criminal convictions and alleged crimes. Court judgements ordering Workman to pay back the money, homeowners and businesses who haven't seen a dime.

The number of people impacted is growing. In the first 18 hours since WCCO's investigation aired, we've heard from three more families out money and pools, plus sub-contractors and businesses he owes money to.

See our original investigation, and get tips on what to do before hiring a contractor.