Long Island family living in camper after contractor guts home — and then vanishes

A couple on Long Island and their three young children have spent the past month living in a camper behind their home. To see their beautiful house from the outside, the scenario doesn’t make sense.

But take one step inside, and the situation becomes very clear. 

The Salientino family lives in Shoreham and hired a contractor—and former friend—to remodel their home this summer. They handed over $96,200 for various appliances and materials, and the contractor immediately got to work gutting the house. 

But that’s seemingly where the work has ended. When local news outlet ABC7 visited the family on their property, they found the inside of the home in shambles—nothing but exposed wiring, plywood floors, and spray-painted directions on where the kitchen appliances should be installed. 

How to check if your contractor is licensed 

Checking that your contractor is licensed can be accomplished by looking through online databases, like the Better Business Bureau, your local chamber of commerce, and trade associations.

“Licensed contractors pay into a state fund that reimburses homeowners if the contractor does not complete the job in a satisfactory manner,” Morris Katz, owner of Katz Contracting, tells Realtor.com®.

A couple on Long Island and their three young children have spent the past month living in a camper behind their home. amnaj – stock.adobe.com

It wasn’t until well after the damage was done that the family learned their contractor was actually on Suffolk County’s Consumer Affairs “Wall of Shame,” for operating without a valid contractor’s license.

While licensing rules and regulations vary from state to state, even county to county in some places, it is still ill-advised to hire a contractor without a license regardless of the laws. 

You also want to make sure that your contractor has insurance. Having an insured contractor means their work is backed by a provider, so if any damage is caused to your home in the process of a renovation, their work is covered. Most states have contractor insurance databases you can access online.   

What to look for when choosing a contractor

After you’ve tracked down a licensed contractor, your next step would be to check if they’re the right team for the job you need. 

There are, of course, general contractors, but there are also those who specialize in specific fields, such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. 

A simple Google search should clear up any confusion about their expertise. It will also likely turn up any client reviews that have been posted—good and bad. 

Liz Brumer-Smith, a real estate investor, had a “nightmare” experience with a contractor who took her money and ran without ever doing a single day’s work. Her top advice is to do your due diligence right away.

“A simple search of his company on Google would have revealed several terrible reviews, including other instances where he had stolen money from clients,” she shared. 

“After I realized the contractor wasn’t coming back, I decided to file a small-claims suit against the firm in the county court. My attorney discovered there were other active suits for this same issue against his company in public records.”

When local news outlet ABC7 visited the family on their property, they found the inside of the home in shambles—nothing but exposed wiring, plywood floors, and spray-painted directions on where the kitchen appliances should be installed.  Chandra – stock.adobe.com

How much does a contractor cost in 2025?

A good rule of thumb is if a contractor gives you an estimate that seems too good to be true—it probably is. 

Like everything else, the cost of contractor services has risen in recent years, with the average cost of a general contractor landing at $4,000, according to HomeAdvisor.com.

But you could be on the line for as much as $58,000, depending on the level of work you need done. For example, additional charges for building permits, hiring subcontractors, or completing land surveys could drive that number up.

A great way to check on prices is to use the Realtor.com renovation calculator. This tool will help you calculate costs and return on investment on various home renovations based on your ZIP code.

What to look for when choosing a contractor

After you’ve tracked down a licensed contractor, your next step would be to check if they’re the right team for the job you need. 

There are, of course, general contractors, but there are also those who specialize in specific fields, such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. 

A simple Google search should clear up any confusion about their expertise. It will also likely turn up any client reviews that have been posted—good and bad. 

Liz Brumer-Smith, a real estate investor, had a “nightmare” experience with a contractor who took her money and ran without ever doing a single day’s work. Her top advice is to do your due diligence right away.

“A simple search of his company on Google would have revealed several terrible reviews, including other instances where he had stolen money from clients,” she shared. 

“After I realized the contractor wasn’t coming back, I decided to file a small-claims suit against the firm in the county court. My attorney discovered there were other active suits for this same issue against his company in public records.”

How much does a contractor cost in 2025?

A good rule of thumb is if a contractor gives you an estimate that seems too good to be true—it probably is. 

Like everything else, the cost of contractor services has risen in recent years, with the average cost of a general contractor landing at $4,000, according to HomeAdvisor.com.

But you could be on the line for as much as $58,000, depending on the level of work you need done. For example, additional charges for building permits, hiring subcontractors, or completing land surveys could drive that number up.

A great way to check on prices is to use the Realtor.com renovation calculator. This tool will help you calculate costs and return on investment on various home renovations based on your ZIP code.