SUGAR CREEK, Mo. — A fire forced her out of her Sugar Creek home more than three months ago – and she’s barely seen the contractor who is supposed to be rebuilding it — at a hefty price tag.
An electrical fire in June Lowe’s roof destroyed her home. Luckily, she has homeowners insurance.
“They wrote me a check for $29,850,” she said.
Lowe handed the money over to a contractor, Bounmy Suady. He paid Lowe’s daughter and another man a few hundred dollars to gut the interior. That was nearly a month ago, and they haven’t seen him since.
“He kept telling me next week. Next week. I’m pretty upset. I need my house back. I need my family back in my home. School’s going to start soon and I need my son back home,” Lowe said.
She was so frustrated she called Sugar Creek police. Detective Tom Butkovich is investigating.
“If the person is over 60 years old and the amount is over $25,000, it’s a felony,” the detective explained.
FOX4 Problem Solvers called the contractor, who came to the house with the promise he’d return Lowe’s money. Luckily, Sugar Creek building inspector Paul Loving was there to meet him, and pointed out that he never even bothered to pull a permit for all the work he said he planned to do.
“June, I want you to go with Bounmy to his bank and I want you to withdraw on a cashier check all the money he took from you originally. Then I want you to set up a contract with Bounmy if you want him to do the work,” Loving said.
But Lowe no longer trusts the contractor.
“I told her I would refund her money with what deductions we’ve done on the scope of work,” Saudy said.
He estimates he spent nearly $6,000 demolishing the house — although all the work was done by two employees who were paid less than $500 total.
Desperate to get her money back, Lowe was willing to accept just $23,400 of the nearly $30,000 he took from her. Problem Solvers wanted him to give her the money now.
Saudy insisted he’s an honest contractor who stopped work on this house because he was concerned about its structural soundness, which would be easier to believe if he had actually pulled a permit.
He promised Problem Solvers and Lowe that he would give back her money by 10 a.m. Friday.
Will he keep his word? Problem Solvers will have an update during Friday night newscasts.
