Restoration runaround complaints: 2 lawsuits accuse Matt Workman's Cleaning and Restoration of leaving homes with unfinished work
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — If you’re a victim of a flood or a fire, you could be scrambling to find a restoration company to repair and remodel your home.

Consumers who hired one contractor are turning to the ABC7 I-Team, saying they didn’t get what they paid for.

The contractor asserted that he fulfilled the tasks he was compensated for, yet three clients reported that their projects remained incomplete. Two of these clients are proceeding with legal action.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Morris resident Samantha Grogan showed the I-Team work she said wasn’t done on her fire-damaged home.

“Just studs,” Grogan said. “It makes me very sad that this is our house.”

“And he didn’t finish the floor?” the I-Team asked.

“There is no flooring throughout the whole house,” Grogan said.”

Following a fire in her home in February 2024, Grogan employed Matt Workman of Workman Cleaning and Restoration. She paid him $149,000 using cashier’s checks from insurance disbursements, while an insurance document approximated the total work cost at $183,000.

“He didn’t complete the work with the money that he has,” Grogan said.

According to a lawsuit, Grogan claims the work ceased in September 2024, and an insurance inspection indicated that only $68,690.58 worth of the project had been finished. However, Workman contends that he continued with additional work post-inspection.

“So from that point I worked another few months,” Workman said.

In his attorney’s response to the lawsuit, Workman denies all allegations and asks that the case be dismissed, with prejudice. Workman also filed a counterclaim in march saying Grogan made “false and defamatory statements” on social media.

“For $149,000, what did you do?” the I-Team asked.

Workman responded, “Mitigation, cleaning, additional items that she had asked for drywall, the bathrooms to where they were when we left the tile.”

But Grogran said a lot of the mitigation work had already been done by another emergency services company.

Michael Hetelle hired Workman after flooding damaged his basement in February of 2024.

“I gave him $10,000 in cash,” Hetelle said.

In a lawsuit, Hetelle alleges he paid substantially more than the work completed and that Workman abandoned the project after working five days.

“For that $10,000? We got a laundry room and bathroom floor, a roll of insulation and one and a half sheets of drywall. We got our house demoed,” Hetelle said.

Workman’s attorney has not yet officially responded to this lawsuit, but said the claims are false, like Grogan’s case. Workman said he had to do more mitigation work that consumers say other companies already were paid to do.

“What did he get for $10,000?” the I-Team asked.

“He got the contents packed out the basement, demoed mitigation, finished in the basement upstairs. The bathroom was demoed,” Workman replied.

Hetelle also alleges in the lawsuit that Workman still has his items which he was storing.

“He has some of my kids’ toys,” Hetelle said. “He has clothes, coats, sentimental things.”

“I’m holding his items because he owes me money… He owes me about $4,000,” Workman said. “If he if he gets his contents back, he would owe me $4,000 for the storage fees that I that shouldn’t have occurred.”

“But you’re holding the contents?” the I-Team asked.

“Right,” Workman replied.

Hetelle said fees increased when he couldn’t get his items back, after the dispute.

“We hired him to fix a flood in our basement,” Mallory Cryder said.

Cryder said after that flood in May of 2024, she hired and then fired Workman, because she said he wanted to be paid directly through the insurance company. He did get $16,995 through insurance, but Cryder said it was for very little work. Workman said she was also charged for storage of items and mitigation. But she too said she had paid another emergency services company first.

“He came in and he demoed this wall because we had some mold,” Cryder said. “And he demoed this shower.”

All three consumers filed complaints with the Illinois Attorney General. Workman said in all three cases he had to do extra mitigation work that may not be plain to see.

“But they say they already paid companies to do mitigation. There you go. And they say you left them with unfinished work,” the I-Team said.

“That’s what I’m telling you. They’re lying. This is not true,” Workman replied. “What they showed you is unfinished work that I have not collected on.”

The Better Business Bureau said consumers should always have a contract outlining the work, payment and schedule. These three consumers did not have contracts like that, but they had insurance estimates of what needed to be completed and work agreements.

All three homeowners said they hired new companies to finish the work.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Israel hammers Houthis with airstrikes, rebels respond amid Red Sea flare-up

Israel Strikes Houthis with Air Raids as Rebels Retaliate in Red Sea Escalation

Israel exchanged missile fire with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday,…
After setback to Iran's nuclear program, Trump expected to leverage military support in Netanyahu meeting

Following a Blow to Iran’s Nuclear Efforts, Trump Anticipated to Use Military Backing in Talks with Netanyahu

Hamas indicates a willingness to consider a ceasefire with Israel, as reported…
House where two children lived in Lauriano, Italy.

Significant Development in Heartbreaking ‘Ghost Children’ Case: Siblings, Ages 9 and 6, Discovered in Forest Wearing Diapers and Nonverbal

TWO “ghost” kids found living in squalor in the woods unable to…
Israel launches airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and Houthis launch missile at Israel

Israel Conducts Airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi Rebels; Houthis Respond with Missile Attack on Israel

Israel’s military conducted airstrikes early Monday against ports and facilities controlled by…
Texas school gathers supplies to help flood-impacted locals after spotlight moves on

Texas School Collects Supplies to Support Flood-Affected Community After Media Spotlight Shifts

As families in the Texas Hill Country struggle with the aftermath of…
Photo of Donald Trump and Elon Musk in the Oval Office.

Trump Expresses Concern Over Musk’s Potential Political Party, Predicts ‘Chaos’

DONALD Trump has said Elon Musk has gone completely “off the rails”…
Amy Schumer has slashed the price of her Brooklyn townhouse

Amy Schumer Reduces Asking Price for Brooklyn Townhouse

After being on the market for three months, comedian and actress Amy…
Mystery deepens as body discovered during search for missing American in island paradise

Discovery of a Body Intensifies Search for Missing American on Island Paradise

Authorities in the Turks and Caicos Islands have found a man’s body…
Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide, did not have client list: DOJ memo

DOJ Memo Reveals Jeffrey Epstein’s Death Was a Suicide and No Client List Found

This story involves the topic of suicide. If you or someone you…
Travis Decker, suspect in the murders of three young girls.

Search Intensifies for Father Travis Decker After New ‘Sighting’ Weeks Post Alleged Murder of His 3 Children

Authorities investigating the case of missing fugitive Travis Decker are now focusing…
Shadowy CIA operative interacted with Lee Harvey Oswald months before JFK assassination: documents

CIA Agent Met with Lee Harvey Oswald Months Before JFK Assassination: New Documents Reveal

An enigmatic CIA operative with expertise in psychological warfare had interactions with…
Russell Wilson, Ciara celebrate anniversary with PDA-packed video ahead of Giants season

Russell Wilson and Ciara Mark Their Anniversary with Love-Filled Video Before Giants’ Season Begins

Russell Wilson and wife Ciara are celebrating nearly a decade together filled…