Some people struggle to find companies they can trust, especially in the home building and remodeling industry. However, there are businesses you can trust to go above and beyond for you. Bekins, in partnership with Whirlpool, donated appliances and installation to a “Secret Santa” builder who stepped up when another local builder allegedly skipped out.
A Rockford family paid a local contractor $9,000 to transform their home’s basement into an apartment for their son Johnny, but the family told Target 8 Investigators the contractor was not returning to finish the project.
The family decided to gut their basement and build an apartment to give Johnny more independence while still living with his parents.
Johnny Agar has cerebal palsy and uses a wheelchair, but that hasn’t stopped him from being an Ironman, author, plus an ambassador for the Cerebal Palsy Foundation, Under Armour Sports Equipment and Rifton.
When the family told their story to WOOD TV 8, another local builder stepped up to finish the job, and hired Johnny to be a Project Manager. The Secret Santa homebuilder reached out to their industry professionals and suppliers, including Bekins. The note said: “If you are included on this message, it’s because your fail rate with (my company) has been near or at zero year after year.”
Bekins was proud to be among the Secret Santa contractors to sign on with the project, and immediately began working with Whirlpool to secure the appliances that would elevate Johnny’s independence in his new space to another level. Then they rerouted their professional installers to get those appliances installed in what turned out to be just hours before the big reveal.
Everyone earned their Secret Santa nicknames when they completed and revealed the beautiful new apartment to Johnny and his family just before Christmas. It was a moving experience for everyone involved!
The team completed an estimated two-and-a-half-month project in about three weeks. The state-of-the-art, ADA accessible residence also came at no extra cost to the Agar family!
This story earned both local and national attention as a reminder that not all companies and contractors are trustworthy, but there are still businesses out there who will go above and beyond to make a positive difference in the lives of their customers, and their community!
Click here to see their story on WOOD TV 8. Click here to see the Agars featured on the Today Show.
