http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jul/23/pool-builder-unfinished-projects-files-bankruptcy/

Pool Builder With Unfinished Projects Files For Bankruptcy

By MARK DOUGLAS
News Channel 8
Published: July 23, 2008

Customers Left High And Dry

For a handful of homeowners in Pasco and Hillsborough counties who dreamed of floating in their new pools by now, it's going to be a long, hot summer.

As many as a dozen customers of Tampa-based Capital Pools & Spas Inc. now have to look elsewhere for someone to finish backyard pool construction -- that began as long ago as November -- because the company suddenly closed its doors.

Tampa homeowner Kenny Patel says his two children have been waiting months to make a splash in the pool. "How do I tell my boys?" He asked while looking at tadpoles swimming in the stagnant brown water at the bottom of his unfinished pool. "You can't explain to a 4-year-old."
State records indicate Greg Luce has operated Capital Pools since he took it over from the former owners in 2005.

Luce says he is out of business, out of money and heading for bankruptcy court. "I feel very, very bad for these people, but I basically lost everything, literally everything, Luce said.
Subcontractors such as Largo-based Rush Concrete Inc. first sensed trouble in April when they began sending homeowners letters threatening liens because Capital Pools wasn't paying its bills.

Tampa homeowner Henry Alvarez says he already has paid Luce for his unfinished pool but has received a number of such letters. "I'm getting letters, liens, notice to owners from the shell, the concrete people, the paver people, the electrical people that he [Luce] still owes, Alvarez said.
A Target Eight investigation has uncovered customers in Pasco and Hillsborough counties who say they paid Capital Pools as much as $55,000 for pool construction that is incomplete or never got started.

Karen Taylor says she paid Capital Pools a $2,920 deposit on May 27, but the company never broke ground. She said Luce recently assured her pool construction should begin soon. "He said he was moving offices and I jokingly said, 'You're not going out of business are you?' and he said, 'Of course not, I wouldn't start your project if we were going out of business.' "

Taylor said days after that conversation she found out Luce closed his Linebaugh Avenue offices without leaving a forwarding address.

Luce concedes he still owes his former landlord two months back rent and said he is too embarrassed to return calls from customers that are filling up his voice mail.

Former Pasco and Hillsborough customers are now scrambling to find other ways to finish their pools and deal with unpaid subcontractors.

One homeowner has filed a complaint with consumer authorities and a number of others are in the process of filing complaints with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations, the state agency that licenses Luce as a pool contractor.

Luce said he's working with subcontractors to finish the pools but that won't happen with any money from him.

Luce tells Target Eight he apologizes to everyone he's hurt by shutting down with so many unfinished projects, but has no resources left to finish the pools, pay subcontractors, or offer refunds to his customers. "I have nothing, absolutely nothing," Luce said. "I don't even have a job right now."