genuinely care about your project and then after they bait you into trusting them, they ask for the majority of the money after excavation, and that is the last time you ever hear from them again,” says one typical review.
Two of his customers, Victor Contreras and Sofia Valentini, gave interviews to NBC Miami, and each described having been left with massive holes in their back yards, which are now filled with dirty, mosquito-infested rainwater.
“This is the worst nightmare I ever had,” Contreras told the news channel.
Both Kornfeind and the Valdez’s have offered similar responses to their disgruntled customers, citing supply chain issues and difficulty getting permits due to pandemicrelated short staffing.
In January, Kornfeind’s attorney, Phil Lauer, said there were “legitimate explanations” that could explain the apparently unfilled promises of a backyard pool or hot tub.
“I would just say that given the difficulties that anyone in any part of the construction industry has experienced during the pandemic with regard to shipping and supplies and so forth, I would imagine that those difficulties played some part in this…” Lauer said.
District Attorney Houck says it is essential to conduct thorough research to avoid falling victim to fraudulent pool contractors.
Other tips include getting protections in a contract, like deadline dates, and limiting how much of a down payment they are willing to pay.
“These places are demanding money up front, and it’s unfortunate that there’s so much money involved here. It’s unrealistic to think that these people will ever … be made whole and get their money back,” Houck said.
