A Randleman homeowner says a generator installer failed to pull permits and left faulty wiring behind. After weeks of frustration, he turned to WFMY News 2 for help.RANDLEMAN, N.C. — On a quiet piece of land in Randleman, Fred Williams hops in his golf cart to drive the property."It's quiet out here - real quiet, we love it," Williams said.Not too long ago, Williams thought he was making a smart investment — replacing his 16-year-old generator with a new one ahead of hurricane season. Instead, the $...
A Randleman homeowner says a generator installer failed to pull permits and left faulty wiring behind. After weeks of frustration, he turned to WFMY News 2 for help.
RANDLEMAN, N.C. — On a quiet piece of land in Randleman, Fred Williams hops in his golf cart to drive the property.
"It's quiet out here - real quiet, we love it," Williams said.
Not too long ago, Williams thought he was making a smart investment — replacing his 16-year-old generator with a new one ahead of hurricane season. Instead, the $11,000 project turned into months of headaches and thousands in extra costs.
Williams said the installer promised to handle everything, including permits, inspections, and even selling his old generator for him.
“It all sounded good,” Williams said. “Until I asked about the inspection.”
When no inspector arrived, Williams went to the Randolph County inspection office himself, where he learned the installer never pulled a permit.
The job had other problems, too. When a replacement switch arrived, it came with visible damage. The transfer switch was also installed too close to the ground, where water or snow could affect it.
“The inspector came out and said it failed anyway, it had wiring issues,” Williams recalled.
For weeks, Williams said he heard nothing back. Even the inspector called the installer once a day for a week with no response.
Frustrated, Williams paid another contractor $1,500 to finish the job. But when he shared his story while shopping, a stranger suggested he call WFMY News 2's 2 Wants to Know.
After our Call For Action Team reached out to the installer, the company agreed to reimburse Williams for the extra costs and return his old generator.
“You helped out a great deal,” Williams said. “Thank the Lord for you — angels come in all forms. That was a blessing.”
Now, Williams’ generator is finally up and running — just in time for hurricane season.