KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jimmy Gill and Robin Jackson are in limbo after an absent contractor halted progress on the restoration of their home.
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"Everything kind of shot up but was done wrong," Gill said.
Two years ago, a fire destroyed the Cass County couple's residence. Nothing but a concrete slab was left.
Before the fire, the home was undergoing repairs. Jackson said it had been her grandparents' house, where she spent 90% of her childhood, and she was able to buy the home and start the process of making it her own.
However, the fire, months of the contractor dragging his feet, and quick and unreliable work set the couple back.
"We started noticing, 'Hey man, that's not right,'" Gill said.
Insurance initially covered the work. But with little to show for it, the mortgage company soon said, "No more," per Jackson.
After firing the contractor, the couple faced thousands in debt and nowhere to live.
Until work reaches a certain milestone, including new bids and permits, insurance payments are stalled.
"It really, truly is the worst," Gill said. "I'm supposed to be able to take care of them (Jackson and her daughter) and that's what I thought I was doing, and now I can't because of what somebody else did."
Gill and Jackson hope their experience can serve as a warning to others in search of a contractor as well as a reminder to persevere no matter the circumstances.
"Once you give up, there's no going back. So you can't give up," Jackson said.
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