One year ago, a local contractor started work on a wall, left, and never came back.
It was high time for 7 On Your Side to help out this stonewalled homeowner.
Call it the "not so great wall" of Holbrook.
"An eyesore that I've been living with for a year," said Marilyn Kriegel, a homeowner.
Holbrook is where homeowner Marilyn Kriegel lives.
She says her wall was supposed to be completely finished but all she got was a half-finished head-ache.
"He said he would be back the next day to finish it and never came back," Kriegel said.
She's talking about Joe Loliscio of Cut-Rite Landscaping.
She used him more than a year ago to install her driveway.
"He took a very long time to complete the driveway," Kriegel said.
But Marilyn says on the wall job, Loliscio vowed he'd be quicker.
So last October, Marilyn paid him in full $1,800 to complete the job.
"He assured me that he was going to start within the next day and the whole job was going to be done within a week," Kriegel said.
But Marilyn says the bricklayer left her with a stack of blocks and broken promises.
"One excuse after another, mainly the weather was bad," Kriegel said.
Then last June, Loliscio had his contractor's license revoked by the county.
"I was disgusted," Kriegel said.
Last month, Loliscio left Marilyn a voicemail message promising a full refund.
"Hopefully Monday or Tuesday I can meet up with you and give you that money," Loliscio said in the voicemail.
No money ever arrived.
"What do you think he's word's worth?" Nina Pineda asked.
"Nothing," Kriegel said.
Marilyn learned some lessons here.
First, she never got a start or finish date in writing.
Secondly, she paid for the job in full up front, instead of scheduling a small deposit and a bulk final payment at the end.
"I am a senior citizen. I am a widow. And I feel he took advantage of me," Kriegel said.
But after our calls, Joe started paying. So far he's paid $1,000 in bank checks.
Then, he says he'll haul away the cinder blocks and plant grass.
Loliscio told 7 On Your Side he would've finished but the homeowner ordered him off the job.
That's a charge Marilyn denies.
This very same contractor will be before the Suffolk County Consumer Affairs Department answering charges that he operated without a proper home improvement license.
It's a charge Loliscio denies.
As for Marilyn, 7 On Your Side will stay on top of him to make sure he pays up in full.
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