Two contractors pull a "Houdini" on a home remodeling job

The second floor of Sarah Hillmert's house is a disaster! It's all thanks to the two contractors who offered a low price, showed up, did a little work, then left without a trace. The contractors made off with more than $40,000!

Sarah says, "They basically walked up and walked out, and left all their tools here.  And they're expensive tools."

It all started back in 2008 when Sarah signed a contract with two 'contractors' from a company called H&B Roofing – Robert Briggs and Tim Callan (no relation to Tim Callen, owner of Callen Construction). Pay receipts show she ended up paying $35,000 in just one day and more than $41 in less than a month!

Sarah says she made a huge mistake by giving them the money up-front. What she got out of the deal was a re-sided outside and a tore up inside. The two men left tools and materials when they disappeared.

Sarah then went to the police and they told her to come to Contact 6 for help.

We couldn't reach Tim Callan, but we did get a hold of Robert Briggs on his cell phone. He said "My partner (Callan) was not a licensed and an insured contractor as I had been told. I am deeply regretful for the hardship that this situation has placed on Sarah and her family," He said. "I am willing to work with Sarah in any way possible to come to a positive resolution."

President of the Milwaukee Nation Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Dianne Krueger says, "People are looking to save money, but they need to have the work done.  So a lot of times they'll go with the low price just because they want to save money.  Low price doesn't always mean that you're going to get the best job."

She says you should NEVER give contractors all the money up-front.

We still have not heard from Tim Callan.