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A Brighton, Illinois, contractor, who was the focus of a March 2021 Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) St. Louis consumer warning, has been ordered to pay nearly $20,000 in restitution to some Missouri consumers after a lawsuit filed by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
A default judgment was filed last month against William Joseph “Joe” Raymond in St. Louis County Circuit Court. The state of Missouri had brought action against Raymond, owner of J&D Masonry and Cutright Masonry in February 2023, alleging violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.
According to paperwork filed in the case, Raymond failed to answer the state’s petition, and a default judgment was ordered. Raymond must pay $19,924 to the state’s Merchandising Practices Restitution Fund. He also must pay $7,000 in civil penalties and $1,992 to the state’s Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund.
Raymond also is prohibited from offering concrete, landscaping and masonry services in Missouri until affected consumers have received a full refund.
“We applaud the Missouri Attorney General’s Office for helping consumers who had been victimized by this business,” said Michelle L. Corey, CEO and president of the St. Louis BBB. “Hopefully this action will deter others from trying to defraud consumers.”
BBB received several complaints from consumers in the St. Louis region in 2020. Those consumers reported to BBB that the business failed to start or finish products and did not issue refunds.
In its lawsuit, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office said Raymond took advance payments from at least four Missouri residents for concrete and masonry services that Raymond “never provided or failed to provide in a skillful and workmanlike manner.”
BBB offers these 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 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.
