Chicks in Construction

Podcast Cary
  • 1.0 (1)
  • HOME & GARDEN

You plan your renovation with excitement, trust your contractor, and hope for the best...until things start going sideways. That’s when most homeowners realize they didn’t know what they didn’t know. From permits that were never pulled to “contractors” who ghost after demo day, the construction world can feel like a maze of hidden costs and shady shortcuts. Too many homeowners end up confused, overwhelmed, and out of a lot of money. The Chicks in Construction Podcast is here to change that. Hosted by Mikki Paradis, a licensed general contractor with 20+ years of experience, and Jess Abreu, a homeowner turned construction content creator, this show breaks down real renovation horror stories and teaches you how to protect your time, money, and home. After building a multimillion-dollar drywall business and helping countless homeowners recover from construction nightmares, Mikki is on a mission to make sure you go into your next project informed, not blindsided. And Jess brings the perspective of someone who’s been in your shoes and now knows exactly what questions to ask. Submit Your Construction Horror Story: https://chicksinconstruction.com/

  1. 14H AGO

    Caught in the Act: Shady Contractors and How to Spot Them

    Hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu discuss how homeowners can still be scammed by contractors who seem legitimate, stressing that confidence can be a red flag and research is essential. They cover a fraud case in upstate New York (2019–2023) where a couple used multiple similar business names, contracts, and fake references—one was the contractor’s wife—to take large upfront deposits, stall or abandon projects, deliver poor work, refuse refunds, and spend victims’ money on personal expenses like casino trips and luxury vehicles; losses exceeded $1.5 million across more than a dozen homeowners. The husband received a 5–15 year prison sentence and the wife got six months plus probation. They outline protections: verify licenses and qualifiers, research names via Secretary of State and court filings, avoid deposits over 20%, tie payments to progress, don’t rush decisions, and visit active job sites. 00:00 Confidence Is a Red Flag 00:17 Meet the Hosts 00:48 Justice and Jail Jokes 02:55 Hector and the Purchase Order 06:16 Tech Adoption in Trades 08:15 Why Trades Beat AI 09:37 Research and Real Facts 11:23 Scam Story Setup 14:57 Fraud Case Overview 19:57 Multiple Company Names Warning 23:44 Fake References and Reviews 29:04 Verify Work on Site 31:32 Where the Money Went 31:51 Victims Count the Losses 32:15 Charges and Sentencing 33:51 How the Scam Looked Legit 36:03 Red Flags to Watch 36:07 Multiple Business Names Explained 39:49 Upfront Deposits and Overpaying 41:58 Work Stalls and Bad Workmanship 44:44 Protect Yourself With Research 47:58 Verify Licenses and Qualifiers 52:21 Progress Payments Not Pressure 57:17 Final Takeaways and Share Stories Submit your homeowner horror story:www.chicksinconstruction.com Follow on Social Media:www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction ________________ Love what you hear?Subscribe to Chicks in Construction and share this episode with your friends because every homeowner, builder, contractor, and designer needs to hear this one!

    1 hr

  2. APR 28

    Shaky Foundations: A Homeowner’s Guide to Contractor Scams

    Hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu open with a “chicky chat” recap of Mikki babysitting Jess’s kids, including an Uno-cheating incident and the kids texting their parents throughout the night. They then share a homeowner horror story from Sam in South Carolina, who hired a referred contractor to enclose a patio into a sunroom for $42,000 without getting other quotes or verifying a license. After failed inspections, repeated upcharges for rework, delays, and being asked basic planning questions on site, Sam discovered the contractor wasn’t licensed and was allegedly “working under” someone else’s license before ghosting. Sam hired a licensed contractor to redo and finish the project for $28,000 more, stretching the timeline to nearly a year, and the hosts stress that verifying a contractor’s license is the bare minimum step to avoid being scammed. 00:00 Verify That License 00:34 Babysitting Chaos Recap 04:28 Uno Cheating Meltdown 06:58 Kids Texting The Parents 10:21 Dogs Yes Kids No 10:47 Homeowner Horror Stories Setup 13:14 Sam Sunroom Plan Begins 14:27 Contractor Jargon Red Flags 19:36 Deposit And Demo Start 21:45 Footing Inspection Fails 23:08 Inspectors And The Double Dip Scam 30:10 Paying For Rework No Way 30:39 Call the Inspector 31:33 Framing Red Flags 32:05 Failed Header Inspection 35:15 Engineered Beam Upcharge 36:05 Delays and No Shows 39:07 Subs Asking Homeowner 41:40 License Check Discovery 44:39 Confrontation and Ghosting 48:14 Damage Control Strategy 50:34 Hiring a Real Contractor 52:48 Costly Finish and Lessons 54:25 Verify Licenses Always 56:32 Qualifier License Explained 01:01:21 Wrap Up and Share Story Submit your homeowner horror story:www.chicksinconstruction.com Follow on Social Media:www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction ________________ Love what you hear?Subscribe to Chicks in Construction and share this episode with your friends because every homeowner, builder, contractor, and designer needs to hear this one!

    1h 1m

  3. APR 21

    Beware the Door Knockers: Chuck in a Truck Scam

    Mikki Paradis and co-host Jessica Abreu of Chicks in Construction discuss their growing audience, pushback from trolls, and why homeowners should watch comment sections for shady contractors. They revisit a key rule—don’t pay in full until work is complete—and share a homeowner horror story about John O’Brien of “Traditional Masonry and Construction,” accused of running a door-to-door fraud operation from 2021–2024 across multiple states, largely targeting seniors and stealing roughly $1.9–$2.6 million. Using fear-based claims about foundations, chimneys, and structural danger, he took upfront payments, inflated costs (e.g., $9,500 to $80k–$95k), delivered poor or unnecessary work, and disappeared after collecting final payments. They outline major red flags: unsolicited visits, urgent structural warnings, sudden price escalations, large upfront payments, and avoiding independent inspections. 00:00 Payment Rules Upfront 00:21 Show Welcome And Growth 01:03 Trolls And Shady Contractors 05:03 Clapbacks And Vampire Joke 08:16 Gatekeeping Unlicensed Guests 10:55 Horror Story Setup 11:40 Chuck And Truck Scams 13:08 Door Knock Red Flags 17:00 John OBrien Scam Tactics 20:40 Fear Sales And Senior Targets 22:44 Millions Stolen And First Victim 25:42 Estimate Fluff Red Flags 28:06 How the Scam Scales 29:16 Doorstep Trespass Story 33:06 Paying Before Completion 35:08 Payment Boundaries Retainage 39:39 Wire Fraud and Paper Trails 43:44 Five Contractor Scam Signs 50:56 Final Takeaways and Call In Submit your homeowner horror story:www.chicksinconstruction.com Follow on Social Media:www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction ________________ Love what you hear?Subscribe to Chicks in Construction and share this episode with your friends because every homeowner, builder, contractor, and designer needs to hear this one!

    54 min

  4. APR 14

    The Cost of Trust: Lessons from Homeowner Nightmares

    On the Chicks in Construction podcast, hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu clarify that locking up a contractor’s tools is technically illegal despite past comments. Mikki shares her 200-pound dog Prime’s costly physical therapy and daily driveway walks. They then cover a Florida homeowner horror story involving a contractor operating under Environmental Kindness LLC (later Fortress Fencing Crew LLC) who botched retaining walls, French drains, sod, and fencing, demanded additional payments, caused property damage, and failed to fix issues; one homeowner paid $13,400 for faulty work and $35,000 to rebuild correctly, while another paid over $12,000 amid delays, missing scope items, mismatched materials, driveway and yard damage, and unprofessional behavior. The hosts warn that BBB is not a government bureau, stress getting multiple detailed bids, verifying licenses and insurance coverage for the specific scope, and researching contractors’ prior LLCs. 00:00 Contractor Accountability Rant 00:29 Podcast Intro and Legal Disclaimer 01:23 Tool Lockup Debate 02:38 Possession Proverb Myth 04:20 Prime Dog PT Costs 06:56 Spicy Comments and TikTok 10:59 Horror Story Setup Florida 17:19 BBB Ratings Reality Check 18:13 Retaining Wall Failure Details 23:23 New LLC Name Warning 23:46 Insurance Scope Lesson 26:39 Homeowner Lessons Learned 28:22 Deposits and Upfront Costs 29:10 Quote Seems Too Low 31:42 Delays and Surprise Add Ons 34:20 Incomplete Work and Extra Payment 36:28 Rock Delivery and Ghosting Submit your homeowner horror story:www.chicksinconstruction.com Follow on Social Media:www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction ________________ Love what you hear?Subscribe to Chicks in Construction and share this episode with your friends because every homeowner, builder, contractor, and designer needs to hear this one! 38:05 Property Damage and Excuses 46:38 Commercial vs Residential Chaos 52:16 How to Vet Contractors 57:30 Final Warnings and Wrap Up

    58 min

  5. APR 8

    Navigating Contractor Chaos: Homeowner Horror Stories

    Hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu of Chicks in Construction share a North Carolina homeowner horror story: a bathroom gut remodel budgeted at $75,000 went off the rails after hiring “Marcus,” who quoted $15,000 labor and $30,000 materials, claimed a license wasn’t required under $40,000 labor, and urged the homeowner to pull permits. After multiple failed plumbing and waterproofing inspections, Marcus charged extra for “fixes,” then disappeared once confronted about licensing and insurance, leaving a gutted bathroom and defective work. A lawyer advised recovery was unlikely; a licensed contractor found additional code issues and quoted $31,500 to finish, bringing the final cost to $95,000 and the timeline to nine months. The hosts stress never paying for rework, verifying licenses and insurance, and treating homeowner-pulled permits and repeated inspection failures as red flags. 00:00 Never Pay for Rework00:18 Welcome to Chicks in Construction00:50 Calling for Contractor Stories02:42 Michael B Jordan Moment03:22 Tourettes Documentary Discussion06:10 Fidelity Investment Scam Alert10:18 Fence Repair Update11:48 North Carolina Horror Story13:14 Meeting Marcus the Contractor14:18 License Requirements Lie14:53 Permit Red Flags16:09 Demo Begins16:36 First Failed Inspection17:52 Waterproofing Membrane Failure19:21 Stuck at the In-Laws20:50 Discovering NC Licensing Laws21:47 License Check Shock22:30 Confronting the Fake GC24:20 Worksite Vanishes Overnight24:35 Tool Leverage Strategy28:14 Ghosted and Legal Reality29:04 Damage Assessment Cost Spiral30:22 Reporting Dead Ends31:52 Hard Lessons Checklist33:48 Normalize Verifying Insurance37:26 Judgments Aren't Proof42:19 Portfolio and Review Sleuthing45:28 Secretary of State Checks46:34 Protect Yourself Next Time47:47 Share Your Story Outro Submit your homeowner horror story:www.chicksinconstruction.com Follow on Social Media:www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction ________________ Love what you hear?Subscribe to Chicks in Construction and share this episode with your friends because every homeowner, builder, contractor, and designer needs to hear this one!

    49 min

  6. APR 7

    From Digital Designs to Real Defects: Welcome Homes on Trial

    Hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu of The Chicks in Construction discuss a homeowner horror story tied to alleged lawsuits against Welcome Homes, a PropTech startup founded in 2020 by DigitalOcean executives that promised custom homes built in about six months through an online design-and-build platform. Citing a vetted New York Post article, they describe claims of long delays, permit issues, construction errors (including flooded basements and hidden mistakes), and disputes over deposits and cancellation fees, including one couple who reportedly ended up with only cleared land and a pit. They note former HGTV host Anthony Carino joined as VP of Design but left in January 2024, saying leadership wouldn’t follow construction best practices, and that only one customer was living in a completed home when he left. The hosts highlight red flags like guaranteed timelines and inexperienced leadership, and advise homeowners to vet contractors carefully. 00:00 Experience Matters 00:27 Podcast Welcome 01:48 Pet Debate Begins 03:19 Cat Cafe Chaos 07:49 Allergy Aftermath 09:55 Babysitting Confessions 11:27 Water Cooler Horror 15:04 Legal Preface 16:13 Tech Meets Construction 19:58 Prefab Versus Hype 22:21 Six Month Promise 27:57 Welcome Homes Lawsuits 28:52 Price Too Good 29:57 Permits and Delays 31:04 Mud Pit Fallout 33:17 More Lawsuits Surface 35:14 HGTV Credibility Boost 40:16 Tech Bro Leadership 42:03 Business Model Pivot 48:27 Red Flags Checklist 55:57 Construction Is Hard 01:00:50 Final Takeaways Submit your homeowner horror story:www.chicksinconstruction.com Follow on Social Media:www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction ________________ Love what you hear?Subscribe to Chicks in Construction and share this episode with your friends because every homeowner, builder, contractor, and designer needs to hear this one!

    1h 2m

  7. MAR 31

    Caught in the Fraud: A Tale of Deception in Construction

    Hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu share a personal update about a car crashing through Mikki's fence and guardrail, then dive into a North Texas construction scandal involving Christopher and Raquel Judge of Judge DFW LLC. Marketing themselves on social media as a Chip-and-Joanna-style design-build team, they allegedly offered below-market bids, collected deposits and installment payments, and left more than 40 families with unfinished or poorly done projects across 24 jobs, totaling about $4.8 million in losses. Investigators found Christopher was not a licensed architect despite claiming to be and despite warnings from the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. The case became federal due to wire fraud, large losses, and misrepresentation; both pled guilty, with potential prison time and restitution. The episode highlights key red flags and homeowner protections: verify licenses, avoid unusually low bids, use milestone-based payments, research history, and watch for communication breakdowns. 00:00 Contractor Scam Fallout 00:28 Podcast Intro and Format 01:06 Midnight Crash Story 04:50 Fence Damage and Insurance 09:00 Safety Concerns and Fix Ideas 15:04 Horror Story Setup 16:04 North Texas Fraud Case 21:37 Fake Architect Exposed 24:19 Scam Playbook Breakdown 25:15 Social Media and AI Fakes 26:59 Online Trust Collapse 27:48 Vetting Pros and Red Flags 30:34 Where the Money Went 31:14 Victims and Federal Case 34:50 Wire Fraud and Plea Deals 37:54 Restitution and No Money 42:15 Red Flags Checklist 51:06 Protect Yourself and Wrap Up

    59 min

  8. MAR 24

    Avoid Scammers with this Homeowner Horror Story

    Hosts Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu of The Chicks in Construction share a South Carolina homeowner horror story about a long-saved kitchen remodel that went wrong after hiring a contractor who seemed confident and came recommended. The project suffered from missed schedules, constant add-on invoices, delays that stretched an 8–10 week timeline to nearly six months, and failed electrical inspections that required reopening finished walls. The homeowner later discovered the contractor wasn’t licensed and ended up researching codes, confirming inspection requirements, and managing ordering and scheduling herself. The hosts warn viewers to verify licenses and business status, ask about contingency plans, confirm permits, watch for scam-like pressure tactics, and never pay for rework caused by faulty work or failed inspections. 00:00 Contractor Liability Truth 00:19 Show Welcome and Mission 01:51 Subscribe and Support 02:19 Scam Calls and Tax Threats 07:57 Anti-Scam Safety Tips 09:51 South Carolina Horror Story Begins 12:20 Kitchen Reno Dream Setup 14:03 Red Flags and Disappearing Act 15:36 Contingency and Code Talk 19:54 Change Orders and Inspection Fails 26:00 Cabinet Price Hike Scam 27:29 Code Upgrades and Licensing 28:19 Feeling Trapped Mid-Reno 28:57 High-Pressure Scam Tactics 30:54 Budget Creep and Delays 32:45 Living Without a Kitchen 33:24 Inspections Reveal Bad Work 37:07 Never Pay for Rework 40:11 Unlicensed Contractor Shock 42:29 How Permits Get Pulled 46:35 Deep-Dive Contractor Vetting 53:49 Wrap-Up and Where to Find Us Submit your homeowner horror story:www.chicksinconstruction.com Follow on Social Media:www.instagram.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.facebook.com/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.linkedin.com/company/chicksinconstructionpodcastwww.youtube.com/@ChicksInConstruction ________________ Love what you hear?Subscribe to Chicks in Construction and share this episode with your friends because every homeowner, builder, contractor, and designer needs to hear this one!

    55 min
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About

You plan your renovation with excitement, trust your contractor, and hope for the best...until things start going sideways. That’s when most homeowners realize they didn’t know what they didn’t know. From permits that were never pulled to “contractors” who ghost after demo day, the construction world can feel like a maze of hidden costs and shady shortcuts. Too many homeowners end up confused, overwhelmed, and out of a lot of money. The Chicks in Construction Podcast is here to change that. Hosted by Mikki Paradis, a licensed general contractor with 20+ years of experience, and Jess Abreu, a homeowner turned construction content creator, this show breaks down real renovation horror stories and teaches you how to protect your time, money, and home. After building a multimillion-dollar drywall business and helping countless homeowners recover from construction nightmares, Mikki is on a mission to make sure you go into your next project informed, not blindsided. And Jess brings the perspective of someone who’s been in your shoes and now knows exactly what questions to ask. Submit Your Construction Horror Story: https://chicksinconstruction.com/

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