Complaint Review: Wiskerchen Construction - Rudolph Wisconsin

In January 2012, I contacted Jim Wiskerchen Jr., owner of Wiskerchen Construction, Inc. concerning a major remodeling project on my residence which was being overseen by the local HUD Housing Rehab office.  Mr. Wiskerchen appeared interested to bid on the project and his bid (along with 2 others) were received in January.  I approved the bid submitted by Wiskerchen Construction and the next requirement was for the owner of Wiskerchen Construction to complete necessary paperwork and submit all licenses and certificates to CAP Services in order to be an approved contractor.  My project was approved by the Housing Committee and I qualified for a 0% mortgage to cover the entire cost of the project ($46,000).  This is where the problem began; according to CAP Services personnel, contractor was sent a packet of paperwork in early January, and by the end of February, 2012, Wiskerchen Construction had not returned the contractor application.  Upon phone calls, texts and emails, the contractor slowly started submitting necessary forms, however, due to the delays caused by the contractor's failure to return paperwork on time, I lost the 0% mortgage and was placed into the 4% mortgage category. 

By the end of March, 2012, the contractor had finally submitted 95% of the needed paperwork.   A pre-construction meeting was set up  April 3, 2012 where myself, the contractor and the Housing Rehab Supervisor signed all contracts, mortgage paperwork and discussed the project, payment arrangements etc.  The project had a timeline to be completed by July 3, 2012.  After paperwork was signed, I waited--and waited--and waited.  No sign of the contractor; no materials being delivered to my home.  

When I called the contractor, I got voicemail.  Emails & texts were not responded to.  After multiple attempts and I reached a live voice, the contractor started on a list of excuses, from 'waiting for the building permit to arrive', to "my other project is delayed a few weeks'.  This went on week after week.  Finally, on June 25, 2012, in frustration, I sent Wiskerchen Construction an email requesting an official start date with no further delays and explaining my dismay at his lackadaisical attitude and extremely unprofessional in dealing with common courtesy for a customer.  The contractor's response was that he had taken on a substantially larger job out of town--with enough work for possibly 3 years--and had no idea when he would be starting the rehab project on my home. 

I notified CAP Services that I was very upset that work hadn't even started on my project in almost 3 months, and they contacted the contractor.  According to CAP Services, the conversation was not very pleasant, and the contractor instructed CAP Services to find another contractor for the job.

From what I can find online, apparently one of the reasons why this contractor did not start my project is because he is not a licensed contractor.  CAP Services would not be releasing any payment to Wiskerchen Construction without the contractor's license on file.  I am totally shocked that a local company (someone who resides in my community!) would treat his neighbor with such ill respect and show absolutely no concern.  I am without a contractor, I am stuck with a 4% mortgage and a leaky roof in disrepair.  I feel this contractor misrepresented himself to me from the onset; he knew that a requirement for the job is that he must have a valid contractor's license.  I had two other comparable bids, but I chose the local contractor because I wanted to help out businesses in my community.  Believe me, I will not be giving this contractor a good recommendation to anyone in my town.