Homeowners have lien put against house after contractor stiffs workers

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Owners of a home in Gwinnett County say the roofer that pounced after a hailstorm last spring bounced checks to workers and his supplier, leaving the homeowner with a lien on the house.
 
The case is in the courts, and industry experts say the State House should work to prevent such cases.
 
"We did the roof.  We paid him in full.  He didn't pay his crew," said homeowner Chad Nichols.
 
Nichols is suing roofer Kurt McCarney of KMac Roofing.  Documents show McCarney was fully paid more than $9,200 in insurance money from State Farm.
 
"I think it's totally dishonest. I think companies need to be held accountable for it," Nichols told Channel 2 consumer reporter Jim Strickland.
 
"The reality is that in the southeast, Georgia is the only state that doesn't require licensure," said roofing industry lobbyist Don Bolia. 
 
The roofing industry has tried twice to get licensure passed.  This session it failed in committee.
 
On the phone, McCarney admitted to Strickland that he used Nichols' insurance money to pay for other jobs.  He blamed negative cash flow and misestimating the job for the trouble.
 
Nichols admits he didn't do enough research.  Had he gone to McCarney's webpage, he may have seen stellar credentials.
 
"He advertises that he has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, when actually he's on the other end of that spectrum.  He has an F rating," said BBB President Fred Elsberry.
 
McCarney blamed his web advertiser for the BBB gaffe. He promised the bureau six months ago he'd fix it. 
 
The claim was still posted as of 6 p.m. Thursday.

WSBTV