Business ProfileforJohn Tomes Construction

On September 14th 2021 I hired this **************** Tomes, to do 2 jobs. Job 1 was to tear down our deck and replace it with a new one, I paid him $3100 up front for materials with another $3100 pending the completed work. Job 2 was to replace 2 windows on my house. I paid him $1400 up front for materials (to order the windows) with another $800 pending completion. We then had a verbal agreement (no written contract) that he would do some repairs to the siding and structure of the house while the deck was off and he would charge me labor and materials. I wrote him a check for $4500 up front and he began work shortly after. By October 5th he had removed the old deck, repaired some things on the house, and started laying supports for the new deck, but after October 5th he stopped showing up. After 10 days of empty "i'll be there tomorrow 100%" promises he stopped responding all together. After 21 days I threatened him that I would seek to recover my money and he miraculously responded and was there the next day.The day after he came with 2 men who worked for a different contractor named *****. **** had called in a favor to help complete the project, but after a few hours he left those men to complete the job themselves. **** was now ghosting everyone. Nobody can get a hold of **** and it has been close to 2 weeks. ***** claims to have known **** for a long time, and **** was actually borrowing a truck and tools from *****. ***** has since reported the truck as a stolen vehicle. ***** says he has reason to believe, from talking to mutual friends and family, that **** has taken money from multiple people in the Fargo/******** area and skipped town to Michigan. I have made a deal with ***** where I will pay him the $3100 to finish the deck. I am seeking, however, to recover the $1400 I paid **** for him to order new windows for my house. ***** says he knows the owner of the place that **** would get the windows from and no order was ever placed.