St. Louis, Mo., July 9, 2019 – Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises consumers to use caution when doing business with Soetebier Contracting LLC, a contractor based in Jefferson County, Missouri. Consumers allege the company failed to start or finish projects, failed to issue refunds, and provided overall poor customer service.
The business has an “F” rating, the lowest on BBB’s scale, due to several recent unanswered customer complaints.
An Imperial, Missouri, man told BBB he hired the business in January 2019 to do several projects at his residence. The man said he paid business owner Jason Soetebier $750 to start a project inside the residence. After that project was done, the business was to install a fence.
The man said holes were dug for the fence and Soetebier asked for money to buy materials. The man said he paid the business $2,400.
“After that, he disappeared,” the man told BBB.
The man said he had to hire another company to install the fence and finish the rest of the work left undone by Soetebier Contracting LLC.
“He had all of these pretty pictures (on social media),” the man said. “He seemed legit. But he took away a lot of trust I have in other people.”
A woman from Dittmer, Missouri, told BBB she paid Soetebier Contracting LLC $5,200 as a down payment to pour a concrete floor at her residence. She said the company did very little work before abandoning the project.
“He took the money, and we haven’t seen him since,” the woman told BBB.
The woman said she had to pay another company to complete the job, costing her just over $11,000.
“He pretty much wiped out my savings account,” the woman said. “He needs to be stopped.”
A Fenton, Missouri, man told BBB he hired Soetebier Contracting LLC in December 2018 to install a concrete patio in the backyard of his residence. He said he paid Soetebier $500 on the first day of the scheduled three-day project. The man said he paid the business $750 on the second day of work.
“He looked like he knew what he was doing, but he never came back,” the man told BBB. “His business practices are just awful.”
“A company should never abandon its customers,” said Michelle L. Corey, BBB St. Louis president and CEO. “The business is obligated to either finish the work or refund money paid for the work that was not done.”
According to Missouri secretary of state records, Soetebier Contracting LLC has been in business since February 2010. The last known address for the business was in Cedar Hills, Missouri. According to court records, Soetebier was evicted from that location in August 2018.
Soetebier did not respond to BBB’s attempts to reach him regarding what remedial steps the business was taking to address its pattern of complaints.
BBB offers the following tips on hiring a reputable contractor:
- Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at bbb.org or by calling 888-996-3887.
- Ask for references and contact them.
- Before paying, make sure you have a signed contract outlining what work is to be done, a timetable for completion and an explanation of what happens if the business or consumer reneges on the agreement.
- Ask the contractor for proof that he or she is bonded and insured.
- Pay by credit card whenever possible in case you need to challenge the payment.
- Do not pay everything in advance. It is a good rule to pay a portion when you sign the contract and the final payment only after you are satisfied with the completed work.
- When work is completed and the contractor has been paid, make sure you have received lien waivers showing subcontractors and material suppliers have been paid for the job.
About BBB
BBB is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB services to consumers are free of charge. BBB provides objective advice, BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million companies, 11,000 charity reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. Visit bbb.org for more information.
St. Louis area media contacts: Chris Thetford, Vice President-Communications, (314) 584-6743 or (314) 681-4719 (cell), [email protected]
Rebecca Phoenix, Investigations, Media & Research Manager, (314) 584-6727, [email protected]
Don O’Brien, Investigator, (314) 584-6785, [email protected]
Columbia media contact: Michelle Gleba, Columbia Regional Director, (573) 886-8965 or (573) 645-3204 (cell), [email protected]
Cape Girardeau media contact: Whitney Quick, Cape Girardeau Regional Director, (573) 803-3191 or (573) 318-1137 (cell), [email protected]
Quincy media contact: Mara Clingingsmith, Quincy Regional Director, (217) 209-3972 or (217) 242-6272 (cell), [email protected]
Springfield media contact: Stephanie Garland, Springfield Regional Director, (417) 380-5074 or (832) 472-9722 (cell), [email protected]