BBB Removes Contractor's Rating After Brewery Bilked
DENVER (CBS4) – The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning to consumers after a local contractor was accused on several occasions of stealing money.
The BBB said Fabrum Builders, operated by contractor Craig Holman, received several similar complaints. The complaints all alleged the company would require an up-front cash deposit, and would not follow up with work.
Rick Cane and his fellow owners of Blue Spruce Brewing said Holman bilked the company out of more than $10,000.
Cane said Fabrum Builders required the company to place a deposit before construction would start. However, the contractor never showed up to do the work.
"We've reached out to [Holman] multiple times. Via email, and via phone," Cane said. "We even texted him. We still, not to this day, have heard back from him since October [2016]."
The BBB said Holman's company was positively rated before all the similar complaints were issued. However, the recent trend of Holman allegedly taking anywhere between $5,000 and $11,000 from clients was of concern.
"That immediately raised a red flag, and had us remove their rating," said Krista Ferndelli, spokeswoman for the BBB of Denver and Boulder.
On their website, Fabrum Builders claimed they were "highly recommended," with "high-quality standards."
CBS4's Dillon Thomas called several numbers linked to the company for comment.
However, as the customers experienced, calls were not returned. The BBB said similar efforts fell short on their end, as well.
"We have been experiencing the same things the consumer has been experiencing," Ferndelli said.
Blue Spruce Brewing hoped to have their new brewery open by now. However, the building remained vacant into June 2017. The company said Holman's inability to complete the project caused other financial damages as well.
Cane said the company was expecting revenue from sales, which would come from the completed project.
Instead, they were forced to hire a new contractor, while wondering where their old one went.
"We are not willing to totally cut our losses, as of right now," Cane said.
The company intended to file a lawsuit against Fabrum Builders, as work continued on their new brewery.
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.
