Top Notch Painting

My boyfriend and I hired Top Notch Painting to paint our new home. On 7/28/2020 the owner of Top Notch Painting, Steve Houlihan, came to our home and gave us an estimate to paint the whole house for $3320.00. I wrote him a check on that day to secure the job for the following week. The check that I wrote Steve was for $1660.00. There was no paperwork signed or contracts ever written/spoken. Nor was their any discussion regarding the deposit being non-refundable. Later that evening, I contacted Steve and requested he not cash the check because my boyfriend and I were uncertain if we wanted to spend the money financially after further discussion. Steve told us to sit on it for a few days and think about it. However, the check was then cashed the following day, 7/29/2020. After further discussion with my boyfriend, we decided to have Steve begin work on 8/3/2020. I contacted Steve who then confirmed. On 8/1/2020 I contacted Steve that we did not want to have the paint job done as we had many stressors going on at the time. Steve confirmed that the job was cancelled, and wished us well. On 8/3/2020 I contacted Steve asking if I would be receiving my deposit back since the job was never started. Steve's response was, "I lost 2 weeks of work. So yes, thats why deposits are required to secure the job." I understand that, in which I then asked Steve when he could go ahead and start the job then (since he was supposed to start anyway). He then replied with, "Sorry. Definitely not interested in joining that agreement." I proceeded to ask him to show me something stating the deposit was non-refundable. I even told him, "i understand if you don't want to do the job, but I then ask you to find someone to do it for you (since he owns the business). You did not ever say the deposit was non refundable." He told me he was not doing anything illegal, it is common practice, and he gave us a few days to figure it out but after the second time he walks away. . I told him there is no reason why he couldn't send someone else to do the job, and I offered him to go ahead and start work if I would lose my deposit (since it was his start date). He refused to do the work or find someone to do it, and kept my deposit for work that was never even started, nor were any colors even decided upon to purchase any supplies. I tried explaining that to him, and his last words to me were "I'm done with this conversation". After that he stopped responding to any of my messages, and his company site was taken off Facebook. He states he is a bonded contractor, and with that, the work was never started or completed. He flat out refused to do the job. With that, I notified Will County Sherriff's department to find out what to do next since the check was already cashed. I spoke with Officer Greg Whited badge #1944 who reached out to Steve & still he refused to do the work or return the deposit on a job he never began and refused to do. Officer Whited spoke to his seargant and unfortunately there was not much that could be done since it was a gray area if it was a criminal/civil case. Officer Whited did not agree, but unfortunately the decision was out of his hands. He advised me to contact the Attorney General's Office regarding this investigation. Officer Whited stated that he would also speak regarding this situation if need be, and not to hesitate to reach out regarding this. Please let me know if you can help

unknown

STEVE SHOWED UP ON TIME EXPLAINED THE PROCESS, AND STARTED RIGHT AWAY. HE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING HE WAS DOING BEFORE HE DID IT. HE POINTED OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WAS NOT ON HIS ORIGINAL QUOTE THAT I WANTED DONE. HE DID THE EXTRA WORK AND DID NOT CHARGE ME EXTRA. AFTER HE COMPLETED THE JOB HE WAS VERY THOUROUGH WHEN HE WAS FINISHED TO MAKE SURE HE DID A GOOD JOB. I WOULD AND WILL HIRE HIM FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.

He was on time, performed all of the agreed work in a professional manner and did a good of cleaning up. The paint job looks great and the price was very fair.