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Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) St. Louis advises consumers to use caution if doing business with Prestige Construction and Exteriors LLC, a Foristell-based contractor. Consumers reported to BBB that the company failed to start projects, failed to provide refunds, failed to contact customers, and provided poor customer service.
Due to recent unanswered complaints, Prestige Construction and Exteriors LLC has an “F” rating, the lowest on BBB’s scale.
“Consumers who contacted us about this company said they hired it following a storm,” said Michelle L. Corey, BBB St. Louis president and CEO. “Even in an emergency, it’s vital to do homework on businesses who give you bids for jobs. If this business is not going to do the work, the only ethical thing to do is to return their money.”
A woman from Ballwin, Missouri, told BBB she paid Premiere Construction and Exteriors LLC a deposit of $11,532 in December 2023. She said she was solicited by a Premiere Construction and Exteriors LLC employee who was doing work in her neighborhood following a storm. She said her deposit was half of what the total job cost.
The woman said the business cashed the check the next day, but never returned to do any of the work. The 76-year-old widow said she can’t sell her home until the roof is repaired.
“I’m just stuck here until the work can get done,” the woman told BBB.
A Wentzville, Missouri, man told BBB that he hired Prestige Construction and Exteriors LLC in November 2023 to put a new roof on his residence after it was damaged in a hailstorm. The man said he knew a Prestige Construction and Exteriors LLC employee and decided to hire the business. He said he gave the company a deposit of just over $13,000.
The man said no work was done on the project. His friend told him that the work was not likely to be completed. The man requested a refund of his deposit, but it was not returned. He said he had to hire another company to do the work.
A different Wentzville man told BBB he hired the company in October 2023 to put a new roof on his residence, paying a deposit of just over $9,000. The man said he hired the company because a neighbor worked for Prestige Construction and Exteriors LLC. The man said he was given a start date of January 2024, but no work was done.
The man said he had to hire a different company to do the work.
Prestige Construction and Exteriors registered with the Missouri Secretary of State in June 2021. According to a December 2022 update to the business’ registration papers, Sean Margerum is the organizer of the business.
BBB attempts to reach the business for comment failed, and it did not respond to a BBB letter regarding how it plans to address its pattern of customer complaints.
According to Missouri CaseNet, Margerum and Prestige Construction and Exteriors LLC are named as defendants in five civil cases filed in St. Charles County court. Each lawsuit is still pending. Losses reported by consumers in those cases are $48,769.
BBB's tips on hiring a contractor:
- Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org or by calling 888-996-3887.
- Ask for references and contact them.
- Before paying, make sure you have a signed contract outlining what work is to be done, a timetable for completion, and an explanation of what happens if the business or consumer reneges on the agreement.
- Ask the contractor for proof that he or she is bonded and insured.
- Pay by credit card whenever possible in case you need to challenge the payment.
- Do not pay for everything in advance. It is a good rule to pay a portion when you sign the contract and the final payment only after you are satisfied with the work.
- When work is completed and the contractor has been paid, request lien waivers showing subcontractors, and material suppliers have been paid for the job.
- If you feel like you have been wronged, file complaints with BBB and the state’s attorney general’s office.
