Customers pay thousands for incomplete cabinet jobs

There should be a for sale sign in Laura Seriguchi’s yard.

“We’re losing probably a whole season of potential shoppers,” Seriguchi worries.

She began prepping her home for the market in April, hiring Coastal Cottage Cabinet Refinishing out of Nokomis to update her bathroom and kitchen cabinets.

But eight months and around $2,000 later, she still doesn’t have what she paid for — sanded and painted cabinets.

“I can’t sell a house when you don’t have doors on your cabinets,” Seriguchi said.

She drove almost two hours north to get her untouched cabinets back. Now, she says she’s worried the owner Kristi Thompson won’t give her a refund.

More unhappy customers

Kathy Krebs of Fort Myers also hired Thompson for a job more than a year ago.

“She (Thompson) just kept making promises and breaking promises,” Krebs said.

For Krebs, spending $4,000 on unfinished cabinets is a lot.

“It’s Christmas and I can’t get new cabinets until I get my money back,” Krebs said, “She’s (Thompson) been keeping my $4,000 hostage for 15 months.”

Five other customers WINK spoke with also say they paid Thompson for cabinets that were never finished.

Two of those people are taking her to small claims court and their cases are ongoing. Two others are trying to get their money back through their credit card companies. The last person is undecided.

The A+ Better Business Bureau rating Thompson touts on her web site and vehicle, now has an F rating and her accreditation, revoked.

WINK’s phone calls to the business were not returned.

Meanwhile, Seriguchi and Krebs continue to wait – not holding their breath for a Christmas miracle.

“Kristi, I put all my faith in you. I went with you because you’re a woman-owned business,” Krebs said, “but I need my money back.”

Counties and cities tell us this type of work does not require a license.