READYVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Two years ago, Bobbie Hayes, 82, survived a tornado that nearly wiped out the small town of Readyville.
On April 1, 2023, an EF-2 tornado with 130 mph winds knocked businesses and homes to the ground. The house that had been in Hayes' family since 1925 was destroyed.
She is grateful to have a new roof over her head, except, all this time later, her new house is still not finished.
"I have all this lumber and stuff I've purchased, and it's just scattered everywhere," said Hayes.
As it turns out, contractors took Hayes' money and didn't finish the job, meaning not only can she not enjoy most of her house, some of it is simply unsafe.
The Readyville native said she was paying workers weekly and likely paying them too much money when, all of a sudden, the contractor abandoned the project. She said she also discovered workers were returning supplies for the project and keeping the money.
This has left Bobbie with an undone porch, unfinished bathrooms, uneven floors, and a lot still to unpack. She's also not been able to pass an electrical inspection.
"I have a list of things that have to be done before it can pass inspection," she said.
Can you help Bobbie Hayes? You can email me at hannah.mcdonald@newschannel5.com.
Despite everything she has been through, Hayes' has a remarkable attitude.
"I'm going to talk about what I have and not what I don't have anymore," she said.
She admitted that she made some poor decisions during this process, but said life's too precious to dwell on things.
"If I had known better, I would've did better," she said.
Her resilience, family, friends, and local churches have helped her get this far, and she hopes the greater community can help her finish strong.
"Help me try to get out of this situation," she said.
Tips for hiring contractors
The state provided us with these tips for consumers who want to do business with contractors.
- Consumers should remember that Tennessee's felony theft law covers consumers whenever a contractor takes money and fails to perform work within 90 days. Pursuant to T.C.A. § 39-14-105, consumers may contact local law enforcement and file charges to prosecute the contractor for theft.
- Consumers can check the complaint and disciplinary history of a contractor by contacting the Board for Licensing Contractors by phone at (800) 544-7693 or (615) 741-8307 or emailing our team at contractors.home-improvement@tn.gov.
- Before hiring a professional, consumers should first visit TDCI’s Verify licensing database [search.cloud.commerce.tn.gov] in order to verify that the individual is properly licensed to work in Tennessee. The status of a professional’s license, how long the individual or company has been licensed, when their license expires, and additional helpful information can all be found at Verify.
- In Tennessee, a contractor’s license is required before bidding or price negotiations when the total cost of the project is $25,000 or more.
- For work less than $25,000, consumers should check with their local government’s building codes office [mtas.tennessee.edu] to confirm whether a contractor needs a state license or local license to perform home improvement, electrical, plumbing or HVAC work, as well as their permit requirements for inspections.
- Get several bids and check references before committing to a contractor.
- Be wary of contractors selling repairs door-to-door, especially when they ask to receive payment upfront or offer deep discounts.
- Generally, do not pay more than 1/3 of the cost of a project upfront. Make sure you have the terms of payment in writing.
Fundraising efforts are underway in Brownsville and Nutbush, TN to build a statue for a major superstar who was raised there, Anna Mae Bullock. You probably know her by her stage name, Tina Turner. I was a huge fan of Tina and glad to see efforts are underway to showcase more of her ties to West Tennessee.
-Lelan Statom
