For many Americans, relaxing in their backyards is a big part of the summer experience. But for several living in the Detroit area, the summer months have been anything but relaxing in recent years.
As FOX 2 reports, many Michiganders who hired Potoroka Concrete for work in their backyards have taken the company to court over breach of contract.
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Lynne Potoroka, one of the company’s owners, is accused of being a scam artist who takes big deposits — occasionally asking for checks made out to her personally — before dragging her feet with the work or disappearing without finishing the job.
And now the disgruntled customers are fighting back in the court — and on TV — to make sure that others are not victimized by Potoroka Concrete.
‘She had a lot of excuses when she wasn’t delivering’
Ann and Pat Comisky hired Potoroka Concrete to redo the concrete deck around their pool in early spring 2023, paying $4,000 upfront for the project. But as Walter Potoroka — Lynne’s husband — began to break up the existing concrete, Lynne requested an additional check made out to her personally.
By July, however, the deck was still unfinished, leaving the couple unable to use their pool for the entire summer. Lynne claimed the concrete could not be poured until the pool was running, but evidence presented by FOX 2’s Rob Wolchek showed the pool was operational by July 13.
The couple sued Potoroka Concrete for breach of contract and won a judgment for $2,885, which had not been paid at the time of the article’s publication.
And then there’s the Badalamenti family, who hired Potoroka Concrete for a pool deck project that wasn’t completed. They, too, watched in frustration as their pool remained empty for an entire summer waiting for concrete.
The Badalamentis sued, and the judge ordered Potoroka Concrete to pay $12,000 for breach of contract — a fine that also remains unpaid.
And then there’s Greg, another unfortunate customer who feels he was swindled by Potoroka Concrete in 2020. He, too, lost use of his pool for a whole summer and, like the Comiskys, his concrete was broken up and removed — but never replaced.
"She had a lot of excuses when she wasn’t delivering," Greg said of Potoroka. "It was deer season, it was Covid, it was anything under the sun, it was a death in the family."
Greg also sued Potoroka Concrete and won a $100,000 judgment, but since he knew he’d never see the money, he wound up settling with the Potorokas for $10,000, which is what he paid upfront for the project.
All told, Potoroka Concrete has government judgments totaling more than $300,000, many of which remain unpaid.
The U.S. government also sued and won a judgment against Potoroka Concrete in 2020 for failing to pay employment and unemployment taxes. Add that hefty $188,991.97 in unpaid federal taxes from 2020, and you’ve got a contractor with a serious financial rap sheet.
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Potoroka Concrete’s defense falls flat
When confronted by Wolchek, Potoroka was dismissive and defiant.
She dismissed the $12,000 verdict for the Badalamenti family, telling Wolchek, “It says right here, ‘This opinion and order resolves this case.’” She declined any further comment, noting that she had just received the default judgment notice from her attorney.
"The judge is a … it’s an opinion,” said Potoroka “You really need to call my attorney on this, I can’t talk about this one."
And then there’s the Comisky judgement for $2,885.
“You’re kidding, right?” Potoroka, who FOX 2 nicknamed the "concrete pool queen," asked Wolchek. “This is actually crap — $2,800. Do you know how much work we did there? We did the entire renovation.”
Potoroka blames the loss in the Comisky case on missing the court date, but later changed her story to say she had attended via Zoom. She then argued that she hadn’t actually lost the case, but rather agreed to settle.
“No, I agreed to pay it. I didn’t lose,” she said, before admitting she hadn’t actually paid that judgment.
Tips to protect you from unscrupulous contractors
So, what can you do to avoid falling into a similar situation as these Michigan homeowners? Here’s how to protect yourself from shoddy contractors:
- Check contractor credentials to ensure they hold an active contractor’s license.
- Get everything in writing, including contracts, timeframes, payment schedules and other project details.
- Never hand over the full amount upfront. Break payments into chunks that are tied to progress.
- Do your research on the company and ask for references.
- Keep records to ensure you have evidence should things go wrong.
And don’t forget about legal protections, both local and federal.
Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act lets consumers sue for deceptive practices, and residents can also file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. You can also report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
