(WSVN) – She paid for her dream kitchen, only to end up with a nightmare of a mess. And unfortunately, this homeowner is not the only victim.
7’s Heather Walker investigates.
The kitchen is also said to be the center of the home. But Jennifer Syme was left heartbroken when her dream of a picture-perfect kitchen was shattered.
Jennifer Syme: “This is what they promised and this is what it actually looks like.”
Her kitchen renovation was supposed to be completed by the end of May. But nearly three months after spending thousands of dollars, the work is far from done.
Heather Walker: “This is not a dream kitchen.”
Jennifer Syme: “Not at all. This is not what I expected.”
The island is gone, along with the sink, and the countertop is gone as well.
Jennifer Syme: “When I open this, it doesn’t open until the end.”
The work done was far from perfect.
Heather Walker: “Wow, it’s not on yet.”
Jennifer hired ProMart USA in Lantana, Florida.
Jennifer Syme: “I was between them and two more, I don’t know. That was the biggest mistake.”
After she paid a $12,000 deposit, things started off smoothly.
Work started ahead of schedule and Jennifer was excited.
However, her mood quickly changed.
Jennifer Syme: “We started noticing a problem and that’s when I asked him to fix it. He said, ‘If you want it fixed, pay more.'”
Heather Walker: “Were you worried at the time?”
Jennifer Syme: “Of course.”
That’s when things got even worse.
She said the company stopped answering her calls and abandoned her job.
Jennifer Syme: “I spent all my savings and worked all year to make it.”
Jennifer is not alone.
While some of the reviews are positive, 7 Investigates found more than a dozen other customers across Florida had similar complaints.
One customer says on Google Reviews, “I should have read the ProMart USA reviews before building my kitchen!!!” Big mistake. Currently they are not responding to calls, texts or emails. ”
Another says, “Whatever you do, don’t use this company, it’s a scam.”
ProMart USA has an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau.
I tried calling the company. That number no longer works.
However, 7 Investigates was able to track down the owner, Garth Smith of Lantana, Florida.
He said ProMart USA has closed and is now operating under the name “Creations.”
But Mr. Smith denies that his company did anything wrong.
Garth Smith/ProMart USA Owner. “No one has ever paid us to finish a kitchen. No one has finished it.”
We asked him to explain all the bad reviews calling this business a scam.
Garth Smith: “Because they want us to finish the kitchen and they won’t pay for it.”
Mr. Smith acknowledged that Jennifer had made the payment and agreed to refund the cost of the items that were not delivered.
Garth Smith: “We will be happy to refund any work that is not completed.”
Jennifer found a new company to finish her kitchen, but says she learned an old lesson the hard way.
Jennifer Syme: “Pay by credit card or pay as soon as you’re done.”
It is also helpful to check reviews of a company before hiring.
Heather Walker, 7News.
Contact 7 investigates:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
[email protected]
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