LAWRENCE — Long before Alfred Verdone allegedly bilked an Andover woman, the Methuen carpenter was barred from working in the states of Maine and New Hampshire, and ordered to pay $90,000 in fines and restitution.
Verdone, 49, of 7 Ingalls Court, was arraigned on a larceny charge in Lawrence District Court on Oct. 17. He stands accused of being paid $20,897 to remodel a basement, but never finishing the job.
Verdone's lawyer, Anthony Rossi, said the allegations are false and he intends to ask that the criminal case be dismissed.
"This is a civil issue," Rossi said. "He did do the work. He did everything he was supposed to do."
Court papers reveal a history of past questionable practices involving Verdone, who in January 2005 settled a lawsuit with the state of New Hampshire.
Working then as AAA Builders, he was sued for taking deposits from homeowners and then either never finishing the work or performing the jobs in a "shoddy manner," according to Attorney General Kelly Ayotte.
Terms of the settlement barred Verdone for 30 years from "owning, operating, managing or controlling any home contracting or construction business or any other business of any kind where deposits are taken prior to the providing for services."
Verdone previously worked in Maine, using several different business names. The state sued him there in 2002 for unscrupulous work and business practices, fined him $45,000 and ordered him to pay $54,323 in restitution to residents in two Maine counties. He was ordered never to perform future home repair work in that state, according to court papers.
In the past three years, five complaints were filed against Verdone with the Better Business Bureau — two for failing to honor contracts, one for delaying completion of repairs and two others for service problems.
Verdone, who operates in Massachusetts as East Coast Handyman, never responded to the bureau's request to resolve any of the complaints, according to information posted on the agency's Web site.
The most recent case involves Joscelyn Giannone of 94 Lowell St., Andover. In her criminal complaint filed in Lawrence District Court, Giannone says she hired Verdone in January 2008 to remodel her basement, but four months after paying him in full, she says, the work was not completed.
According to the complaint, Verdone told Giannone his business was located at 91 Broadway in Methuen, but she later learned the building is a boarding house and barroom. Also, an insurance policy he claimed to have on the work had been canceled, she later learned, according to the complaint.
Giannone's complaint refers to five other victims of Verdone, including Michael Kellan of 90 Main St., North Andover, who arranged for the carpenter to build an addition onto his ex-girlfriend's home on Ashford Street, Methuen.
Kellan said the project became a nightmare, with Verdone taking an initial deposit, and then asking for more and more money. Then, workers stopped showing up altogether, he said.
"The job was never finished," Kellan said.
Verdone is free on bail and is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 21 for a pre-trial hearing. If convicted, he faces fines, restitution and up to five years in prison.
Protecting yourself from home improvement scams:
Plan your project from start to finish.
Be specific with the contractor about what you want.
Compare prices from at least two or three contractors.
Approve any architectural plans that are involved before work begins.
Ask the contractor for local references. Find out of he or she is part of a professional remodelers association.
Contact the Better Business Bureau to see how long the contractor has been in business and if any complaints were ever filed.
Make sure the contractor has insurance against property damage, personal liability if accidents occur, and workers' compensation. Get the name of the insurance carrier and call to verify.
Never pay the contractor for the entire job in advance. Avoid paying cash.
A contract detailing all agreements and promises should be put in writing. The contract should include the scope of work, start and finish dates, payment schedules, warranties and workmanship guarantees, and how debris will be removed when the job is finished.
Source: Better Business Bureau, www.welcome.bbb.org
