5 On Your Side: Damaged Goods

Woman allegedly ripped off for $1,200 by door company

MISSION - Jennifer Rangel says she was ripped off by a construction company. Now, she's calling 5 On Your Side.

Something is missing in Jennifer Rangel's Mission home. "It's supposed to be a double door," she explains.

A receipt shows Rangel paid $1,200 upfront for 12 brand new interior doors.

She tells us, "One of them had a major hole in it. The other had what looked like water damage."

Rangel says she had to send all but two doors back. That was in March.

Four months later, the man she paid for the doors is gone, so is her money.

She hired Evilio Rodriguez and his company, Champion Construction, in Mission. Nobody answered in front. So we went around back, where they store all the doors in an open shack, exposed to the elements. They're just lying on the ground cracked and stained.

NEWSCHANNEL 5 even saw a stack of doors sitting outside uncovered.

This worker told us the owner of Champion Construction Evilio Rodriguez is out of town in Houston. We called his cell phone and left a message. No call back.

We did find Norma Ochoa who says she just bought the building and is turning it into a flea market. NEWSCHANNEL 5 asked her where Champion Construction is now. Ochoa says, "I have no idea."

Dolores Salinas with the Better Business Bureau has no record of Champion Construction or Evilio Rodriguez. She says if you own a home, you need to do your homework. Salinas adds, "Make sure you get references and check those references."

The BBB keeps a list of subcontractors they recommend. Rangel wishes she would have checked it.

"I feel kind of robbed," she said.

It's a hard lesson. Now she's warning others not to hire Champion Construction and Evilio Rodriguez.

"This man is still doing business," Rangel added. She hopes others don't end up like her - without doors, money, or luck.