AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — An Aurora couple is speaking out after paying nearly $100,000 to have their dream pool installed only to have their contractor disappear, leaving them with a mess.
A beautiful new heated pool was to be the jewel of the Saul family’s backyard. The couple hired Mountain Sky Landscaping, based in Boulder, after a careful search involving eight potential contractors.
“I had dreams of sitting back here while it’s snowing and the pool’s heated up to 100 degrees,” Emily Saul said.
The project was to be completed by March 2022, but months later, the red flags began to appear.
“They weren’t texting back, they weren’t calling back,” said Saul, who showed FOX31 a notification from the company indicating the owners would file for bankruptcy. FOX31 did not find a bankruptcy filing as of the date of this article.
The Sauls had paid the company $90,000 toward the final cost of approximately $105,000.
“It makes my stomach turn, makes me want to throw up I’ve lost so much sleep over it. It’s disgusting,“ said Saul, who says the company’s staff had appeared professional and credible.
Mountain Sky Landscaping faces several court cases
The Problem Solvers found three court cases filed against the company between April and June of 2022, well after it was hired by the Sauls. Bad reviews have been recently posted on Yelp revealing other victims, one saying he lost more than $200,000.
The company is not in good standing with the Secretary of State’s office.
“We all got left in the dust,” Saul said. The couple will now hire another contractor to finish the pool’s construction.
Saul said it was important to come forward and warn others to prevent them from making the same mistake. FOX31 reached out to the company and the owner’s former attorney and did not receive a response.
The Sauls are now reaching out to an attorney and are likely to join others in taking the company to court.
Consumer experts advise that anyone hiring a contractor check references, see examples of their work, check registration with the Secretary of State’s office and if you can, never pay the total amount due upfront.