Woman claims contractor failed to complete home repairs

A Beaumont woman has filed suit against the contractor who she alleges was supposed to perform work on her home but failed to finish despite receiving thousands of dollars from her.

Stephanie Alfred claims she hired the defendant Randall Roe, doing business as R&T Woodworks, in April to perform repair work on her home at 4950 Ada in Beaumont.

By May 20, Alfred had paid Roe $25,000 of the $28,000 agreed upon in a written contract, according to the complaint filed Sept. 13 in Jefferson County District Court.

However, after receiving the money and after performing less than 60 percent of the work at the house, Roe failed to return to Alfred's home, the suit states.

Finally, Roe returned to Alfred's home on June 6 to request the remaining money due under the contract and to demand extra money that he says he was owed for cost overruns, the complaint says. Alfred claims she argued with him over the money he said he was due and failed to see him again.

On June 26, Roe worked with co-defendant Trina Ann Beckcom to create two additional contracts between Alfred and Roe. They then mailed the contracts to Alfred, asking her to sign them. However, she refused to do so, the suit states.

On June 28, Roe sent Alfred a letter, asking him to complete unfinished work. He refused to do so, but did agree to contact someone to see if they could complete the work on the house, the complaint says.

Alfred says a different contractor did show up to her home, but could not perform the work for the amount of money Roe offered.

Roe has since failed to make additional attempts to help Alfred and failed to protect her home from inclement weather, according to the complaint.

From July 14 through July 28, heavy rains hit the region, pummelling Alfred's home and causing leaks in the area allegedly repaired by Roe, the suit states.

Alfred claims she has faced additional challenges because of Roe's incomplete work.

"Plaintiff also believes that Defendant Roe and/or Beckcom attempted to influence, coerce or threaten sub-contractors into leaving work unfinished in order to extract additional payments from Plaintiff," the complaint says. "Furthermore, Plaintiff is of the belief that Defendant Roe has not paid sub-contractors for work they actually performed, thereby causing the various subs to contact Plaintiff and/or complain about non-payment."

Because of the defendants' actions, the Alfred claims she incurred additional home repair costs and paid $15,000 for work not performed or for subcontractors who were not paid.

Alfred alleges conspiracy, breach of contract, fraud, fraud by non-disclosure, abuse of power and violations of the Texas Debt Collection against the defendants.

She seeks a judgment in excess of the minimum jurisdictional limits of Jefferson County District Court, plus costs, pre- and post-judgment interest and other relief to which she may be entitled.

E. Hart Green of Weller, Green, Toups and Terrell in Beaumont will be representing her.

The case has been assigned to Judge Bob Wortham, 58th District Court.

Case No. A190-900