Long Islanders share contractor horror stories as expert offers tips to avoid similar problems

been telling you about several Long Islanders who say that they have lost thousands of dollars to a contractor who never finished the work. All right, our Kevin Vesey has some tips now to avoid a similar headache. A dream home renovation can quickly turn to a nightmare if you hire the wrong person to do the job. We spoke to three Long Islanders who said they paid tens of thousands of dollars in cash for work that was shoddy and unfinished. They all say they hired contractor Gurpreet Singh, who goes by Harry, with Build Right Pro in Mount Sinai. They say Singh did part of the work and then disappeared with their money. They come in quick and tear your house apart, but then you don't see them no more. I have bare walls, just studs all over the place, pipes hanging, wires hanging, and nothing's done. You want to be able to trust whoever it is that you're bringing into your home to do the work. Claire Rosenzweig with the Better Business Bureau says you should avoid any contractor who only accepts cash and don't hire the first person you meet. Do your research, get multiple estimates, be absolutely sure that whoever you're hiring is licensed and insured in your local area. Be sure to read online reviews and check to see if the business is accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Build Right is not accredited by the BBB and one of Singh's former companies, Bawa Construction, has an F rating with the agency. We also found Singh is on Suffolk County's contractor wall of shame and he was arrested in Nassau County in 2013 for allegedly doing business without a license. According to the DA's office, he still has an active bench warrant in Nassau. When we reached Singh by text message, he claimed he did not cut off communication with his customers but was hospitalized instead. He said the customers wanted their money back but it was already spent. I kept on calling Harry day, night, afternoon and Harry was not responding. And if you're hiring a contractor, make sure to check with your county to see if they're fully licensed and insured. If you have something you'd like me to look into, go ahead and send me a message on social media.