Short Pump mother out more than $7,000 after an unlicensed contractor installs her fence

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Buying a home was a start to a new beginning for one Short Pump mother.

Lauren Edwards laid eyes on her Short Pump home back in 2022, describing it as a diamond in the rough. She felt the neighborhood was perfect for her growing family and two dogs.

“This was the last house I found online and said okay let’s give it a shot and it was perfect. It needed a little bit of work, but it was in a great neighborhood," Edwards said.

The only thing missing was a fence.

Not long after buying her home in August of 2022. Her family started taking recommendations and combing though contractors to find the perfect person for the job. That's how she said she landed on Justin Ruble with Homeview Builders.

According to the company's website, Ruble began working in 2017. At the time Edwards sought to hire Ruble, he received several five star reviews on Google for roofing, fencing and window jobs.

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: Pause before you pay: How to verify a contractor is licensed

“And once he came out, he was so professional and so, you know, willing to take on the project that we were excited to work with him," Edwards said.

But not long after making the big investment, backyard renovation plans left her with a shoddy fence and more than $7,000 down the drain.

Edwards paid Ruble $7,142 for the job in August of 2022. That same month she said work began. However, by the end of the year Edwards said she started to notice some problems.

“I didn't even know how bad it was. I thought these were just a couple of little problems. He'll come out and fix it. No big deal. We'll never have a problem again,” Edwards said.

Fence issues at Lauren Edwards' Short Pump home (Paul Nevadomski, 8News)

Fence issues at Lauren Edwards' Short Pump home (Paul Nevadomski, 8News)

Fence issues at Lauren Edwards' Short Pump home (Paul Nevadomski, 8News)

Edwards said she reached out to Ruble to make repairs immediately. However, she said the problems were never fully repaired. Instead she said she was left with a poor job that put her family at risk.

“We have a two-year-old that wants to play in the backyard, and it weighs on my conscience knowing that I have to be extra, extra, extra careful to make sure he doesn't cut himself on a broken gate or that a board doesn't fall on him," Edwards said.

For three years, Edwards said she went back and forth with Ruble to make repairs and give her money back.

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“I said, if you're not able to fix the fence, then give me my money back. And that's when he refused to do that," Edwards said.

This year Edwards received a second opinion from two other licensed fencing contractors who recommended that the fence be rebuilt. After three years of trying to work with Ruble, Edwards said she took matters into her own hands, filing a civil suit against him and filing complaints with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and Attorney General's Office.

During this process, she learned Ruble was not a licensed contractor at the time of service.

In June, a judge ruled in her favor ordering Ruble to pay Edwards $5,000. Ruble now has 12 months to pay that judgement.

“I'm not optimistic that he will ever pay us a dime, which is really frustrating because even though that judgment is out there, he still refuses to talk with us," Edwards said.

8News contacted Ruble multiple times for his response to Edwards' claims. Ruble called back and shared that Edwards did not have a problem with the work until years later not months. When he was made aware, Ruble says the repairs were made.

Despite Ruble telling 8News he is licensed, a spokesperson from the DPOR says Ruble has never been licensed.

Following Edwards' complaint with DPOR, Ruble is facing a criminal charge for practicing without a license.

While she waits for the civil and criminal process to wrap up she said she can't afford to buy a new fence, instead she is trying to keep her family safe with the one she has.

"Even if he does pay us the $5,000 we're still out two grand and that's $2,000 that we could have used for a lot of different things," Edwards said.

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