To Trudi Appleton, Felipe Freig is a hero 芒鈧 but instead of wearing a cape, he芒鈧劉s got a construction belt strapped around his waist.
And to think they were complete strangers a couple of months ago.
Freig, who owns and operates Versa Home Renovations in 91原创, recently stepped forward to do free renos in Appleton芒鈧劉s Pitt Meadows home.
The work would have cost Appleton roughly $20,000, a big hit for a single mom of four children.
芒鈧揑芒鈧劉ve coined him my knight in shining armour,芒鈧 Appleton said, of Freig. 芒鈧揅lich脙漏s aside, he芒鈧劉s my construction angel. It芒鈧劉s been very overwhelming.芒鈧
芒鈧揑 felt that we could help out,芒鈧 Freig said. 芒鈧揥e been blessed with so much work that it芒鈧劉s time to give back and help a family in need. I wanted to help out and tackle this project at no charge to Trudi.芒鈧
Versa is adding a bathroom and laundry area to an empty basement space.
芒鈧揥e gutted the old framing and started from scratch,芒鈧 Freig explained.
Appleton was put in a difficult spot after a renovation company based out of Port Coquitlam, Ecowest Renovation Ltd., filed for bankruptcy after receiving a $5,000 deposit from her to do the work.
According to a post on the Better Business Bureau website dated March 12, Ecowest Renovations Ltd. filed a voluntary assignment in bankruptcy effective March 4, and MNP Ltd. was appointed as trustee of the estate.
The note said MNP Ltd. advises customers who paid a deposit to the company or otherwise advanced funds for work not yet completed that Ecowest will not be completing any further work with respect to installation agreements or other contracts.
芒鈧揃ased on MNP Ltd芒鈧劉s initial evaluation of the assets and the amount of secured claims, including the secured claims of Canada Revenue Agency, they do not expect there to be any funds available from the bankrupt estate for the claims of unsecured creditors,芒鈧 the post said.
Among those affected was Appleton. With three sons ages 11, 13, and 16, and a 15-year-old daughter, she has her hands full, especially with only one full bathroom in the home.
芒鈧揑t was getting more and more painful as the kids were getting older,芒鈧 Appleton said. 芒鈧揗ornings were definitely a challenge for everyone to keep a smile on their face.芒鈧
Appleton figured she had two options: sell the house that the family had lived in for 14 years, and then move to a house that would accommodate a parent and four children, or adding a basement bathroom to their existing home.
芒鈧揊inding a five bedroom home is a challenge,芒鈧 she said. 芒鈧揟his, I芒鈧劉ve already created into a five bedroom home.芒鈧
She decided to go with the latter option.
芒鈧揟here was an unfinished laundry room in this house all along, and it [adding a second bathroom] was in the plan, that one day we would do this,芒鈧 Appleton said. 芒鈧揟hen it became, 芒鈧淚芒鈧劉d have to do this, or we芒鈧劉d have to move.芒鈧劉芒鈧
Ecowest was one of five contractors that bid for the project.
芒鈧揑 did choose them, ultimately,芒鈧 Appleton said.
A deposit of $5,000 was required to start the work.
The balance was to come from a bank loan, that has since been forgiven.
芒鈧揑芒鈧劉m off the hook for the loan, but I did lose the $5,000,芒鈧 Appleton said. 芒鈧揑 did that in a draft. That has no recourse 芒鈧 I won芒鈧劉t see that again.芒鈧
The time line on the work 芒鈧搘as getting pushed, constantly,芒鈧 Appleton said.
The project manager made measurements, and a plan was supposed to be put in place. It was a plan that Appleton never saw.
芒鈧揟he project was on hold; every now and then, the owner of the company would text me: 芒鈧淲e can芒鈧劉t start it now, start it in three weeks,芒鈧劉 that kind of thing,芒鈧 Appleton said.
A promise to start the work in the new year drifted into February, and then March, and in the beginning of March Appleton received notification that Ecowest had declared bankruptcy.
That芒鈧劉s when Freig came into the picture. Freig had done some work for a mutual friend of Appleton and her ex-husband, John.
Freig had also remodelled a basement for John a couple of years ago. John asked Freig if he could take on a project for Trudi.
芒鈧揃ut we where too busy and couldn芒鈧劉t take on the project,芒鈧 Freig shared. 芒鈧揑 always kept in touch with John as I do with all my clients. He recently called me and explained to me that Ecowest
Renovations had made a deal to renovate Trudi芒鈧劉s basement and offered her financing.芒鈧γ⑩偓聺
After Ecowest芒鈧劉s bankruptcy, John called Freig to find out if I knew of any laws or procedures to recover her lost funds.
芒鈧揑 never met Trudi before, but when John explained that this happened, I felt a little responsible for not taking the job in the first place,芒鈧 Freig related. 芒鈧揑 felt that if I wouldn芒鈧劉t have said no, this wouldn芒鈧劉t have happened to Trudi.芒鈧 芒鈧
芒鈧揓ohn was phoning Felipe to find out where I stood,芒鈧 Appleton said. 芒鈧揟hat芒鈧劉s when Felipe said, unfortunately, she芒鈧劉s basically high and dry. That芒鈧劉s when Felipe insisted I give him a call.芒鈧
She was skeptical at first, but a week later, Freig called John to say that he hasn芒鈧劉t heard from Trudi, and he芒鈧劉s insisting to here from her.芒鈧
Appleton connected with Freig, telling him that she has limited ability to pay.
His response: 芒鈧揇on芒鈧劉t worry about it. I want to make this right.芒鈧
Appleton decided to go public with the story to give Freig the credit she feel he deserves.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s a good story, because every time he phones me, he芒鈧劉s got another trade that has offered to put in time without charge,芒鈧 Appleton said.
The work will be completed, and the bathroom will be put in place, roughly in the next couple weeks.
芒鈧揑 have cried tears initially because I just couldn芒鈧劉t believe I had been taken [by the previous contractor],芒鈧 Appleton said. 芒鈧揑 thought I was smart enough. But then it turned to tears of overwhelming joy. Every time Felipe would phone me and say that someone else had heard of your story and just wanted to make it right, and has offered this and that. I feel almost uncomfortable receiving all of it, but I had a lot of people say, don芒鈧劉t be silly.芒鈧
Freig said he never expected his trades and suppliers to get involved.
芒鈧揑 was ready to take the hit, but as I called them to the project and told them about it, they wanted to get involved, I truly have the best trades and suppliers,芒鈧 Freig said. 芒鈧揟hey are real pros with a huge heart.芒鈧
Involved in the project were:
芒鈧 Tech 3 electric;
芒鈧 C. S. T. Mechanical;
芒鈧 JN Floors;
芒鈧 Frontier plumbing and Heating;
芒鈧 Dale芒鈧劉s Great cover up;
芒鈧 Aura painting;
芒鈧 Julian Tile;
芒鈧 Andrea Johnstone Design;
芒鈧 Country Lumber; and
芒鈧 Pacific Rim Flooring
A landscaper had offered to aerate Appleton芒鈧劉s lawn and do some spring cleanup, which has nothing to do with the bathroom renovation.
For Freig, the motivation comes from putting a positive light on his industry.
芒鈧揌e deals with a lot of negative aura in his industry and for him, it芒鈧劉s karma,芒鈧 Appleton said.
Freig said he felt he needed to do this project on behalf of the renovation community.
芒鈧揙ne bad contractor makes every contractor job harder. Clients won芒鈧劉t trust contractors, because of all the bad media out there with TV shows about bad renovations,芒鈧 Freig said. 芒鈧揚eople need to know that there is good contractors out there trying to do a great job and make clients happy about their investment.芒鈧
Freig said he definitely chose the right person to help.
芒鈧揝he is a hard working lady, raising four kids, and volunteers at the Rotary Club to help others,芒鈧 he said. 芒鈧揈very time we talk on the phone she tells me how thankful she is that we could help, and it only makes me want to help her more.芒鈧
