They Paid Half Up Front to Refinish the Pool, and the Pool Company Never Did the Work. Florida Fined the Contractor $10,000.

In September 2014, a homeowner in Jensen Beach signed a contract with a pool renovation company to refinish the swimming pool at the house. The price was $5,095. About a week later, on or about September 16, the company accepted $2,550, almost exactly half.

The pool did not get its new finish. According to the Construction Industry Licensing Board’s final order, the company did no work under the contract for more than 90 consecutive days, never did the contracted work, never applied for a permit and never returned the money.

A refinish is often treated as a short job, the kind where paying half up front feels safe because the crew will be in and out. In DBPR case 2015-014520, no work was done, and the case is about the half that was paid.