Disabled homeowner loses $10k to unlicensed contractor after housefire

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    FREMONT, Neb. (WOWT) — A disabled homeowner needs help making his home livable again after an explosive fire. Unfortunately, it appears he trusted the wrong contractor.

An explosion in a former roommates camper put Chris Mayer out of his home. But he says a neighbor walked up and offered to rebuild it.

“Let me do this, let me do this, ok give me an estimate — he wanted $10,000,” Mayer said.

Chris wrote a $10,000 check to the neighbor who provided a handwritten repair contract. His name is not being published as authorities are investigating.

“He got the money and took off,” Mayer said.

Fremont’s chief building inspector says the man who was paid $10,000 for rebuilding the house isn’t a registered contractor and there’s no permit pulled in that name.

“He’s a vulnerable adult that’s been taken advantage of, and I kind of feel sorry for him, he just needs help,” said Ernie Fredenburg, a concerned neighbor.

The $10,000 Chris paid to the missing contractor came from an insurance settlement and there’s not enough left to hire a reputable registered contractor like Paul Hegemann.

“Probably going to be about $18,000 to do repairs mainly because we need to put in a new electrical service to get it back in shape so you can get back in your house,” Hegemann said.

While waiting on the licensed contractor to start repairs, neighbors have been coming over and pitching in to clean up what they can around the house.

The helping hands come after the city did heavy lifting removing trash and debris. But the future of the house remains in question.

“He was going to the bank and try to get a loan, but I don’t know if they’ll let him do that with the damage to the house and maybe some good Samaritan will come along,” said Julie Jones, a friend.

Mayer says he needs that money back from the unregistered contractor to hire one who is licensed. Then the disabled homeowner can get back on his feet and move back home.

6 News left numerous messages for the unregistered contractor with no response. The city is looking at civil penalties while Fremont police investigate if there’s a criminal case.

Mayer is living with a relative.

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