Our Contractor Stole $75,000 From Us (Sue Them?)

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Ramsey Show Highlights
Episode: Our Contractor Stole $75,000 From Us (Sue Them?)
Date: July 7, 2026
Host(s): Dave Ramsey (A), Dr. John Delony (C)
Caller: Homeowner (B)
Length: ~10 minutes

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on a caller’s experience with a contractor who abandoned a home remodel project after being overpaid, resulting in a $75,000 loss. The hosts, Dave Ramsey and Dr. John Delony, offer practical advice about legal recourse, weighing financial, emotional, and ethical considerations around suing the contractor. The discussion transparently debates whether to pursue a lawsuit or cut losses to avoid further stress and expense.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Contractor Walk-Off & Financial Consequences

• Situation recap:
  • Caller (B) and spouse purchased and began remodeling a house; initial contractor abandoned the job after being overpaid.
  • They paid a new contractor an additional $75,000 to finish (00:06–00:20).
  • They had advanced money to the first contractor based on assurances of materials ordered, which were not delivered (00:29).
  • Legal consultation revealed a case “could” be brought but with expected legal costs that could approach $25,000 (00:34–01:02).

2. Assessing the Viability of Legal Action

• Investigating contractor assets:

  • Caller is concerned about the contractor’s ability to pay a judgment.
  • The contractor owns two properties, one paid off, one with ~ $50,000 in equity (01:11–02:07).
  • No construction liens are present on these properties.

• Potential lawsuit & judgment collection:

  • Dave Ramsey suggests, “You want to be very, very, very sure that they have the money before you pursue this, or that you can get a property or something out of it.” (02:43)
  • Advises that a judgment is “completely useless” if the contractor is broke (02:51–03:04).

• Reality of the legal system:

  • “We have this idea in America that there is justice in our court system. And it's not been my experience. And so I avoid it if I can.” – Dave Ramsey (03:11)
  • Foreclosure or sheriff’s sale of assets is possible, but requires entering “the foreclosure business” and taking liens against property (04:34–05:07).

3. Weighing Emotional, Moral & Community Considerations

• Caller motivations:

  • Apart from recouping funds, caller expresses a desire to “protect future families” from this contractor’s actions (06:08).
  • “Could we help protect this from happening to somebody else? Because I'm honestly surprised it hasn't yet.” – Caller (06:08)

• Host advice and observations:

  • Dr. Delony: “You may not recoup your money if you choose to sue him. But I'm thinking about the family that hires this guy that doesn't have the ability to go track down another 75 grand one day.” (06:01)
  • Hosts suspect the contractor is both incompetent and crooked:
    • “This is a crook.” – Dave Ramsey (05:16)
    • “Part of the reason he left is he's incompetent. Part of it's because he's crooked.” – Dave Ramsey (05:24)
  • The hosts acknowledge the emotional toll:
    • “There’s obviously been a lot of emotion wrapped up in the case, but at the end of the day, we're thinking, well, what's the most financially smart decision?” – Caller (08:08)

4. Financially Smart Choices vs. Seeking Justice

• Cost-benefit logic:

  • “The most financially smart decision is forget it and move on.” – Dave Ramsey (08:21)
  • Dave stresses the marathon-like and emotionally draining nature of lawsuits:
    • “It's going to cost you more in emotion, more in money, more in time, and running this over and over and over in your head, than it's going to benefit you.” (08:48–09:07)
  • Contrasts TV court expectations with reality:
    • “You're just not going to go in in 20 minutes in front of Judge Wapner or Judge Judy...That's not how this goes.” (09:09)

• Ethics and closure:

  • Sometimes, “you need to punch a hole in the universe,” says Dave, referencing the urge for justice even if it’s not logical (08:27).
  • Dr. Delony humorously adds: “My wife has told me there's too many holes in the universe. John, stop punching.” (08:42)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dave Ramsey on the legal system:

  • “We have this idea in America that there is justice in our court system. And it's not been my experience.” (03:11)

• Dr. Delony on community and ethics:

  • “I'm thinking about the family that hires this guy that doesn't have the ability to go track down another 75 grand one day. And is there a possibility you can expose this person to protect future families?” (06:01)

• Dave Ramsey, direct advice:

  • “The most financially smart decision is forget it and move on.” (08:21)
  • “If you're going after them, go after.” (02:36)

• Light moments:

  • Dave and John riff on Judge Wapner and Judge Judy, offering a bit of levity (09:41–09:51).

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:06–01:02: Caller explains situation; financial loss, contemplating lawsuit
• 01:11–02:07: Discussion of contractor’s assets and liens
• 02:36–04:07: Lawsuit scope, judgment practicality, host’s legal system skepticism
• 05:07–05:24: Judgement enforcement, property liens, crook/incompetence assessment
• 06:01–06:25: Ethical/community implications and motive for action
• 08:08–08:21: Emotional impact and host’s central advice to move on
• 09:09–09:25: Lawsuit process reality & expectations vs. reality
• 09:41–09:51: Judge Wapner/Judge Judy reference, light banter

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Takeaways

• Lawsuits may be justified, but are costly, stressful, and rarely fast or satisfying.
• Verify that a judgment is recoverable (contractor has accessible assets) before investing further.
• For many, the best financial decision may be accepting the loss and moving forward.
• Taking action can help prevent others’ future loss, but comes at a personal cost—balance the urge for justice with practical realities.

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This summary skips ads and only covers the substantive discussion, preserving the conversational style and direct honesty of The Ramsey Show hosts.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

My husband and I purchased and remodeled a house. And the first contractor that we hired left the job, which caused us to hire another contractor and pay about an additional $75,000 to finish.

[A]

Why? You had overdrawn. You'd over advanced the first contractor.

[B]

Yes, essentially.

[A]

Why would you do that?

[B]

Lesson learned there. They told us that they had ordered materials and things were being delivered, and of course they weren't. So then we ended up with, you know, no materials and the money paid. So we have consulted with an attorney and we do have a case that we could take against them. However, he did tell us, you know, be prepared. This could cost upwards of 25,000, you know, hopefully less, but a worst case scenario, that's kind of what he has seen in his experience.

[A]

Okay. And that sounds honest. And the contractor that bailed on you that you would be suing, are they wealthy?

[B]

That is our concern. So we originally were a little concerned that they may not be able to pay us. The first refund they offered us was a little under $6,000, which obviously was not anywhere close to appropriate. And so our attorney had asked us some of those questions. And he did ask us about assets they have. We know they do own two properties and those are in the business name. So that's something that we're trying to now take into consideration. You know, we are.

[A]

They mortgage to the hilt.

[B]

One of them is paid for in full, but it is a lot that it looks like they're building a property on. And the other one appears to have about 50,000 in equity. From what I can find from their current mortgage owed, filed, and then like

[A]

a Zillow equity, there's not a construction loan lien against the other property that they're building on.

[B]

There is not? Nope. I have not found any liens filed on it.

[C]

How much money did he walk away with?

[A]

So it cost him 75 grand.

[B]

Yeah. So in the end, but to finish our house, we had to pay an additional 75,000.

[A]

So what would you. You'd be suing for 100 grand, right?

[B]

We would be suing. The case would be for 75. If we could have them pay attorney costs to include up to that 25. That would be 100. Yes. If that's what you're meaning. Yep.

[A]

Yeah, I'm gonna sue them for everything. If you're going after them, go after.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely.

[A]

So. And you want to be very, very, very sure that they have the money before you pursue this, Right. Or that you could get a property or you can get something out of it. Okay. Because if you get a judgment lien of a hundred thousand bucks against somebody has no money, it's. It was completely useless.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And you're going to find the court system to be a complete pain in the butt.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

We have this idea in America that there is justice in our court system. And it's not been my experience. And so I avoid it if I can. Sometimes I have to defend myself and I do that all the way to the bottom. Right? But, yeah, but, but the. But, yeah, you definitely have been wronged. You definitely should be able to recoup the money morally, emotionally, psychologically, financially. But this is going to be two years of your life and it only is going to get you money if don't wait for the interest rate to be perfect. Before buying or refinancing a home, talk to Churchill Mortgage. Smart buyers buy the home they can afford now and then refinance later if rates improve. Churchill helps you make decisions with confidence instead of guessing. And Churchill Mortgage has a webpage with special offers just for our audience. Go to ChurchillMortgage.com RamsayOffer this is a

[C]

paid advertisement in MLS ID 1591 in MLS ConsumerExess.org equal housing lender.

[A]

And it only is going to get you money if you, if they have an asset that you can get ahold of.

[B]

Right. And that's kind of where we were. You know, our attorney told us we can seize assets. But I, you know, okay, do we just file a lien behind?

[A]

You'd have to mortgage and then it's in Oklahoma. I don't know what you do. You'd have to ask your attorney. But in most states, Texas, you can't. But in most states you would put take a lien against that lot that's worth 100,000. And either in turn they go borrow the money and pay you out, or you have a sheriff's sale and you sell the lot and whatever the lot brings, you get.

[B]

Okay, okay.

[A]

And then the same thing again until you get your hundred. But you're gonna be in the foreclosure business and in the taking liens on property business. Cause I'm guessing these goobers don't have any money sitting in a checking account. That's not a multimillion dollar operation. This is a crook.

[B]

No. Yeah.

[A]

Part of the reason he left is he's incompetent. Part of it's because he's crooked.

[B]

Correct.

[C]

Okay. Can I throw something else out here?

[B]

Sure.

[C]

This Is not. This is not. Have anything to do with math. Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And I've gotten myself in trouble with this mindset, but it tends to be where my head goes first. You may not recoup your money if you choose to sue him. But I'm thinking about the family that hires this guy that doesn't have the ability to go track down another 75 grand one day. And is there a possibility you can expose this person to protect future families?

[B]

Yes. And that has kind of been a thought in our minds as well, is, you know, okay, let's say worst case scenario, we broke even, or maybe we're even out a little bit. Could we help protect this from happening to somebody else? Because I'm honestly surprised it hasn't yet. You know, may have.

[C]

Yeah, that may be a futile thing. A futile thing. But I don't know. I just. I can't stand people who operate. What was the call like when. When you said, hey, you took $75,000, and they said, well, we'll give you six. How did that call even go?

[B]

Not very well. I was asking for spreadsheets and receipts and things to understand, because we wanted them to finish the job. And we wanted. We were like, we're not asking you to work for free. We want to pay you if we owe you money, but we have to understand where our prior money we paid you has gone. And they were just not wanting to provide that information, you know, just saying that basically, we were always in agreement. I said, no, we're not, because I have text messages from you that. That show that we had a difference in communication. And so they just weren't very friendly.

[C]

So their story is you owed us this money, Correct?

[B]

Yeah. And that we still owed them more, even though they couldn't tell us what we owed them more for.

[C]

Nice.

[B]

And so then ultimately I said, well, I think our funds have been misused somewhere. And then that caused them to say, we're not coming back to finish your house. So we said, okay, well, that's how it is then. We expect the materials we've paid for to be delivered, and we want a refund for any labor that hasn't been done that we've paid for. We want refund for materials that we've paid for that can't be delivered here. And that's where they turned out that there was about $6,000 worth. So.

[C]

Yeah, that gets my blood boiling. I can't stand bullies. I can't. I can't. Like, I can't. Yeah. Gets me fired up.

[B]

Yeah. And that's what's been hard, too, is, you know, there's obviously been a lot of emotion wrapped up in the case, but at the end of the day, we're thinking, well, what's the most financially smart decision? And we don't. We're not going to go into debt for this. You know, we refuse to take out a loan to pay for.

[A]

The most financially smart decision is forget it and move on.

[B]

Right. Yeah.

[A]

That's the most financially smart decision. But then the question is, you know, do you. Do you need to punch a hole in the universe here? And some. Sometimes you do, you know.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Sometimes you do. And my wife, I've done that a couple times.

[C]

My wife has told me there's too many holes in the universe. John, stop punching. That's my Ben.

[A]

It's going to, it's going to cost you more in emotion, more in money, more in

[C]

time.

[A]

And running this over and over and over in your head, then it's going to benefit you.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

You know, so. And you know, it, it, you're just not going to go in in 20 minutes in front of Judge Wapner or Judge Judy, and they're going to go, oh, you rip these people off, give them $75,000. You know, that's not how this goes. Okay.

[B]

Right.

[A]

This is a long, drawn out, blood sucking process. So be, be steeled, be emotionally buffered, ready to go in for the long marathon if you're going to do this.

[C]

And shout out Dave for the Judge Wapner reference.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

How great is that?

[A]

There you go.

[C]

That's. That's OG call out right there.

[A]

Well, I mean, before there was Judy.

[C]

Before there was Judy, there was Judge Wapner. Well done, man.

[A]

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