He's back at it: Contractor with an "F-rating" with the BBB is fixing...and finishing his work

WAUKESHA (WITI) -- When you hire a contractor, how do you know they're going to do the job right? A Waukesha woman got into a mess when she hired a high school friend to do work at her home. She reached out to FOX6's Katrina Cravy with complaints about his work -- and now, the work is being done right.

He's back at it, but this time, Jeff Baum is doing the job right.

In July, FOX6 News showed you the bad flooring job and code violations Baum left behind at Missy Lussier's house.

Nick Kernzer is on the board for both the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. He took a look at the work done at Lussier's home, and said he had big concerns about Baum's work.

"You've broken a number of codes in the house. You may make the house uninsurable for them down the line.
A lawyer would have a field day with you," Kernzer said of Baum.

Baum doesn't have a contractor's license. He has an F-rating with the Better Business Bureau and a string of small claims court cases filed against him.

But there's one thing Baum does have: The guts to face the camera, and admit he made mistakes.

"I did Missy wrong and I know that. People make mistakes and I didn't expect it to go this far. It will not happen again," Baum said.

Now, we've learned Baum is holding true to his word. He is finishing up the work at Lussier's home, under Kernzer's guidance.

"I think it's very phenomenal. I give kudos to Jeff for coming back and fixing what he has not finished," Lussier said.

"He's doing what he said he was going to do, so I'm happy. I'm happy he stepped up to the plate," Kernzer said.

"Thank you for kind of kicking me in the butt to get me going. Appreciate it," Baum said of FOX6's Contact 6.

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