5 On Your Side

'I trusted him:' Former Hillsborough Planning Board member under investigation

The Durham County Sheriff's Office is looking into the possibility of criminal charges against a contractor 5 On Your Side has been investigating for months.

Posted Updated

By
Keely Arthur
, WRAL consumer reporter
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — The Durham County Sheriff’s Office is looking into the possibility of criminal charges against a contractor that WRAL's 5 On Your Side has been investigating for months.

A homeowner hired the contractor, who was also a Hillsborough Planning Board member, to renovate her kitchen.

"I trusted him, I mean, he was just ‘oh I’m gonna get you a fabulous kitchen,’" Rita Bongarten told 5 On Your Side.

But instead, Bongarten says Scott Taylor, owner of Shapes Construction, collected tens-of-thousands-of-dollars in payments, but didn’t finish the project. 5 On Your Side found out, Bongarten isn’t the only one with the same complaint.

Bongarten’s kitchen remodel project started this past February. That was the last time she had a fully functioning kitchen.

"It’s been difficult, very difficult. Having a family and not being able to have any events. My son’s birthday, my son’s engagement," Bongarten said.

She started running into problems with Taylor just a few weeks after Taylor was reappointed to Hillsborough’s Planning Board in March.

"We figured out the cabinets were not coming in," Bongarten explained.

The cabinets finally arrived in July, but Bongarten says they were the wrong material, color and dimensions. The cabinets were also damaged.

Bongarten also realized she was paying invoices for work that hadn’t been done, materials she hadn’t received and, in some cases, was being double charged.

"Within that week, I found out that he wasn’t licensed," Bongarten said about Taylor.

When Bongarten hired Shapes, their website said they were licensed, but that word was later removed from the website and now the site has been taken down completely.

In response to a BBB complaint filed by Bongarten, Shapes Construction said their "license is for Commercial and Residential construction which has reciprocity in North Carolina." 5 On Your Side checked and we did not find Taylor or Shapes Construction as having a contractor’s license in North Carolina. We also checked with the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, they told us North Carolina does have reciprocity agreements with several states, but contractors still have to apply for a license in North Carolina, even if they are licensed in another state. It does not appear Taylor did that.

"So, I immediately said cancel the contract, I want my deposit back," Bongarten said after learning Taylor wasn’t licensed in North Carolina.

The estimated cost of Bongarten’s project was around $90,000. By the time all this happened, she’d already paid Taylor $55,000.

5 On Your Side spoke with another customer, Cynthia Palumbo, who says the same thing happened to her after paying Scott Taylor more than $33,000 for a remodel project.

A third customer told 5 On Your Side her husband paid $37,000 to Shapes for a project that barely started.

Both Bongarten and Palumbo say Taylor did not get the necessary permits for their projects. So, Bongarten doesn’t know if the electrical work Taylor’s crew did is up to code, or if it will need to be torn out and done over again.

In a response to Bongarten’s BBB complaint, Shapes claims Bongarten asked that permits not be pulled. Bongarten denies that claim.

5 On Your Side went to Hillsborough to find Taylor and give him a chance to explain what happened. We knocked on two addresses listed to him and his office, but got no answer. 5 On Your Side has also been calling, texting and emailing Taylor for more than a week.

Finally, hours after our trip to Hillsborough, Taylor emailed our producer, saying he’s been in the hospital and has been struggling with his mental health and sobriety. Taylor apologized and said he is reviewing all options to make amends with the customers involved in what he called a "mess." He said his council is contacting individual customers, but when we asked what attorney he was working with, he refused to answer.

Taylor also revealed Shapes Construction is filing for bankruptcy.

If Taylor’s amends don’t include repayment to customers, it could be up to a bankruptcy court to determine how much customers get back, if anything.

"I trusted this guy, this is a guy who has a triple A rating with the BBB, he has lots of great reviews, he’s on the Planning Board for the Town of Hillsborough," Bongarten exclaimed. "I mean he’s a hometown guy, I was trying to support a hometown guy."

As for Taylor’s position on the Hillsborough Planning Board, A Hillsborough town official tells 5 On Your Side Taylor was recently removed from the board because he hasn’t attended a meeting since August and Taylor wasn’t responding to the town’s attemps to reach him.

Bongarten filed complaints with everyone you should in a case like this; the NC Attorney General’s Office, Durham County Sheriff’s Office, and the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors. The Criminal Investigation Division of the Sheriff’s office is looking into Bongarten’s complaint. The Licensing Board is also investigating.

 Credits 

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.