Doug Mouton / Northshore Bureau Chief
NEW ORLEANS -- The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors put seven contractors on probation today during hearings in Baton Rouge.
Nine contractors answered for how they handled a variety of customer complaints having to do with Louisiana's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
One of those companies, Coastal Shoring of Jefferson Parish, answered two complaints, both for not refunding deposits after the homeowner decided they wanted out of their contracts.
'No construction was started on either of these two projects,' former Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard told the board. Broussard is an attorney representing Coastal Shoring. 'Since 2009, this family owned business has performed over 200 elevations.'
In one case, Broussard told the board, the deposit was refunded. In the other case, a Coastal Shoring representative told the board it was not.
In that case, Eddie Nickolaus filed a complaint that said Coastal would not return his $25,572 deposit even though no work was done.
Broussard told the board Nickolaus did not file paperwork with Coastal requesting to be let out of his contract.
Broussard also warned the board about what he called 'unethical contractors' stealing business from other contractors.
According to Broussand, unethical contractors encourage homeowners to break their current elevation contract, to 'start complaining and you can intimidate them to just walk away from a contract that's been legitimately negotiated, legitimately signed, and legitimately worked on with great due diligence.'
Broussard did not say that's what happened in Nickolaus' case, but he warned the board that it's happening more frequently.
Both Broussard and Coastal Shoring Jerl Kershenstine said Nickolaus did not file any written request to be let out of their contract, but instead filed a complaint with the Contractors Board.
Board Member Byron Talbot told Coastal Shoring representatives, 'There's some complaints against Coastal, and if it continues, Coastal is going to have a problem.'
Aaron Broussard told the board he would write Nickolaus later Thursday to begin the process of refunding Nickolaus' deposit.
The board then placed Coastal Shoring on three-months probation, actually the shortest in duration of the seven companies disciplined Thursday.
Lockett Construction Company of Slidell was places on six-months probation.
Maurice Roy Hurst and the Olympic Group of Metairie was also placed on six-months probation, as was Davie Shoring of Kenner.
Celebrity Contractors of Harvey was also given six-months probation.
Two companies were places on four months probation: Pelican Shoring of New Orleans and J.A.C. Buildings of New Orleans. Coastal Shoring Owner Jerl Kershenstine answered questions for the first time about a 4-Investigates story about a damaged home in Algiers.
John Boutte told Eyewitness News he hired Coastal Shoring to elevate his home. Coastal began the work, and dug under Boutte's home. The foundation of that home is now damaged beyond repair.
Michael Gertler, an independent engineering consultant brought in by 4 Investigates to examine the work, said he believed the excavating under the home is what damaged the foundation.
The owner of Coastal Shoring disagrees.
'It was faulty workmanship from the original construction of the house,' Jerl Kershenstine said. 'And that created a problem. There was not enough grant money in this grant program to properly elevate it, and so we informed the homeowners of that.'
According to Kershenstine, they could not have known about the problems until they were under the house.
When asked if he felt his company was at fault in the case, Kershenstine answered, 'None whatsoever.'
Boutte's case had nothing to do with Thursday's hearing in Baton Rouge, and state leaders expect more hearings like it in the near future.
