Family, construction company in dispute over home renovations

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM ) – Jesus Carreon, 83, said he has not been able to shower for months, and currently uses his kitchen as his bathroom. He’s placed a makeshift mirror in the kitchen to brush his teeth and shave, and for a while, even had to go outside of his home to use the restroom.

This is because he and his family allege a local construction company did not finish the job they hired them to do. The job they said, was to renovate the bathroom, re-carpet the living room and hallway.

Carreon’s son and caregiver, Tommy Carreon, hired CSGSO Construction Innovations to do the job in late May of 2024, and said they were told by them that the job would be completed in approximately two weeks.

Jesus Carreon said he had set aside money for the renovations that he and his wife needed as they were both handicapped. Unfortunately, she would not see the project completed.

According to the family, shortly after work on the project began, Carreon’s wife died on June 11.

“I’ve been so depressed, (with) anxiety, stressed out, I can’t cope with it, this was for my wife, they promised me,” Carreon said.

Carreon’s daughter, Ruby Mendoza, invited KTSM into the home to observe the home’s current state, over two months after they said the company began their work.

“They made a mess out of his house. It was a nightmare. We are not able to mourn for my mother because we have a big disaster in my father’s house,” Mendoza said. “The restroom is a mess, this is supposed to be for handicapped people, and it’s not. They were supposed to remove everything, the walls, everything, because of mildew and all that, they didn’t.”

Tommy Carreon, said the initial agreement was for $5,405, and went up to $6,254.50, when they added tiling to the agreement.

According to Mendoza, the service was paid in full in two different payments, with cash and credit card.

The company responded to the claims by issuing a statement:

“In the course of a recent project, our establishment has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to professionalism and diligence. Acknowledging the valid concerns of all involved parties regarding the potential for project incompleteness, we wish to address the unforeseen circumstances that have arisen.

Throughout the project, we have navigated changes requested by the client and encountered challenges related to the existing plumbing infrastructure that extended beyond the original scope of work.

As a company dedicated to continuous improvement and growth, we welcome any feedback or criticism that may arise. Operating as a small business, we recognize the importance of striving for excellence and acknowledge that there is always room for enhancement.

In presenting the facts of the situation, we aim to uphold transparency and accountability in our actions.

When we entered into an agreement with Tommy Carreon, the contract was established with the expectation of completing the project within two to three weeks. The project encompassed a full bathroom remodel, recarpeting three rooms with a thin carpet to prevent tripping or falling, and adding a slope to two interior steps.

Upon commencing the work, we encountered plumbing issues related to leaks and outdated materials, which were only discovered during the bathroom demolition. Throughout the process, we kept the client informed of the challenges and collaborated with them to find solutions. We agreed on a fixed price for the necessary work, with the plumbing costs being settled upon completion.

As general contractors, we have in-house employees skilled in various fields and a wide network of external specialists, including plumbing and electrical experts, to ensure high-quality service for our clients. The initial estimate provided was agreed upon by both parties.

Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances arose during the project, including a family bereavement that caused a delay of approximately nine days. Subsequently, there were further interruptions as the client requested specific working hours, limiting our progress to a few hours on certain days and causing additional delays.

Once we were able to resume work full-time, we proceeded with installing the shower insert, a crucial component for retrofitting in older homes with limited space. We were nearing completion, with only four days remaining, when an unidentified individual claiming to be the eldest sister informed our employees that we were no longer permitted on the premises. We were denied access to retrieve our tools and equipment to finish the project.

Following this incident, we promptly issued a partial refund of $1,800 through our third-party credit card processing service and notified the client accordingly. We will be sending a certified letter outlining the costs incurred for completed work and materials on-site, and offering a partial refund for the unfinished portion of the project from the funds already paid to our company, if applicable.

Thank You

CSGSO LLC

For those residents that may find themselves in a similar situation, KTSM spoke with the Senior Division Chief for the Criminal Division of the El Paso County Attorney’s Office, Laura Christopherson. She shared that she could not comment on the specific case, but said homeowners should always be aware of the threat of deceptive business practice case, which she said are all too common.

“Unfortunately we do have a lot of cases that fall under the ‘Deceptive Business Practice’,” Christopherson said.

For people who believe they are victims of this, Christopherson said they should contact police immediately and file a report, because in order to prosecute it, it must go through law enforcement.

“Once we have the case then we have to analyze it. So we’re going to look at everything that you said: ‘How much money was paid? And how much work was done?” Christopherson said.

She gave a hypothetical example of a $5,000 agreement.

“Was $5,000 worth of work done? Or was it less? Was it more?’ If less than what was paid for was received, then we have a case.”

Christopherson said that before entering an agreement, both parties should have a clear understanding of what work is to be done for how much, and to keep record of any exchanges that could serve as proof if things do not work out.

“Be very vigilant, be very careful. The most important thing is to know who you are giving your hard-earned money to,” Christopherson said.

Before entering an agreement with a company, she recommends searching on the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) website to see if they’re accredited by them.

KTSM scoured the BBB’s website and CSGSO LLC is not accredited by them.

The company’s CEO Sean L. Payne also had five separate charges of deceptive business practice since 2017, according to El Paso County’s Criminal Case Records database,  but they were all dismissed or disposed.

Payne did not offer a comment on the prior charges, but remained adamant that his company held up their end of the agreement. Mendoza tells KTSM they have filed a report with police, and that they have a detective assigned to their case.

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