RACINE — A Racine-based asphalt contractor is warning homeowners about unlicensed workers coming into the area after an 82-year-old Caledonia man was left with an incomplete driveway.
The 82-year-old told TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin he was duped by out-of-town workers going door to door offering their services. The man said he and other neighbors grew suspicious when the workers wanted to be paid in cash only.
That’s when one homeowner called the police who then arrested the workers mid-job, later connecting them to about 50 victims across multiple states.
After seeing TMJ4’s news story, the owner of Purpose Contracting, Christopher Morawski, reached out to the station, wanting to offer his services to the man at cost.
“This is… it's not cool,” Morawski said, surveying the man’s driveway. “I feel bad for this guy here, and I feel bad for everybody else that got taken advantage of.”
Morawski said sadly he’s come across similar incidents before, out-of-town contractors selling unlicensed services and leaving some paying thousands for work that lasts 2 to 3 years that when done right should last 2 to 3 decades.
“It’s been going on,” he explained. “I know of at least four contractor names that are coming in here.”
Morawski said he can usually spot an unlicensed contractor because they visibly lack the appropriate equipment on-site. He said he’s been in contact with city inspectors about past incidents but it’s an ongoing issue.
Watch: Contractor helps out scam victim.
While the Caledonia man didn’t pay the unlicensed workers before the police intervened, he'll need to undo the damage done to his driveway.
Morawski said the unlicensed workers poured the wrong type of asphalt on a dirty driveway and didn’t use the necessary glue to hold it in place.
"It comes off with a little bit of a kick,” Morawski said, testing it out.
"It makes all look bad because now they just associate these people coming in with everybody in the industry,” Purpose Contracting Foreman Daniel McBride said. “That's just not the case.
Morawski also said unlicensed workers take jobs away from the local community like his own employees, a big loss, especially with the amount of rain this spring slowing jobs.
Morawski and McBride’s biggest advice for homeowners is to research contractors before committing to a job. They recommend looking at online reviews, reviewing past projects, and checking the contractor’s status with the Better Business Bureau.
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