S&S PRO CONSTRUCTION - Morris, Illinois

Dawn Avery

If I could take away all the stars and give a negative I would- Just know they will LIE about what I have written, feel free to contact me, I have images and would be willing to share information with you.

Buyer Beware: A Cautionary Tale About a Contractor from the Morris Area

I'm sharing my experience to warn others about a contractor I found on the "Talk of the Town Morris" Facebook page. The contractor initially appeared reputable and provided a bid. I saved his information, planning to hire him when I could afford the project. When I was ready, I contacted him again, aware that the cost might have increased. He re-bid, I hired him, but my instincts were uneasy. Unfortunately, I ignored those gut feelings—a decision I deeply regret.

From the start, the project was plagued with issues. This contractor exhibited countless red flags, taking more than half of my deposit, showing up sporadically, working for only 45 minutes at a time, and then vanishing without explanation. It was clear he wasn’t committed. Here are some warning signs I encountered:

Deposit Misuse: He took a significant deposit but didn't deliver consistent work.

Erratic Behavior: He frequently arrived at strange hours, appeared shaky, and didn't seem fully professional.

Lack of Proper Equipment: On the first day, he called to say his car (yes, a car—not a work truck) had broken down. Most professional contractors rely on trucks to carry their tools and supplies.

Permit Problems: I ended up handling much of the paperwork myself. He even asked me to print his insurance information because he “had no ink” (another red flag). Although he claimed the permit fee was covered in the bid, he later confessed he didn’t have the funds.

Unprofessional Excuses and Absences: He claimed to be unavailable over a weekend because he was expecting delivery of a Harley he’d traded for, likely with a portion of my $5,500 deposit.

After asking him to secure the proper permits, he disappeared for two days. Later, he even attempted to report our project to the city, possibly as retaliation. To make matters worse, this scam artist defrauded my 78-year-old mother, who owns the house and paid the $5,500. We will be filing a report with Kwame Raoul, the current Attorney General's office, even though this guy presented me with Lisa Madigan forms (she has not been in office for 5 years) and a bogus contract.

Ultimately, I found reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website from others with similar experiences. This contractor—or someone on his behalf—posted rebuttals that seemed more defensive than genuine.

Key Takeaways for Homeowners:

Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off, listen to your gut.

Be Cautious with Deposits: Avoid large upfront payments unless material costs genuinely warrant it.

Be Wary of Additional Money Requests: If the contractor requests more funds mid-project, proceed with caution.

Check Reviews and Ask for References: Look for verified testimonials and seek references directly.

Avoid S&S Construction, and protect yourself from similar experiences.

Julie Offermann

Don't waste your money using this company!! I've had nothing but problems since week one. Every single panel on a fence they "installed" has fallen in less that 18 months. Go with a reputable company!

Katelyn Smith

Tim and Amanda came to my aid when I was desperately trying to get my bathroom drywalled so I could sell my house. They were honest, kind, and hardworking. He even came back a 3rd day to make sure it looked 100% perfect. He also was reasonably priced, I was being over quoted by someone else. All in all I highly recommend Tim for all your construction needs! He will have my business going forward for as long as he working!!!

Annmarie Barges

I tried to give Tim and his company benefit of the doubt for a re-decking and help out a smaller local company, but it turned into a nightmare of two weeks. I should have known better when he couldn’t deposit my check into his company account and wanted a cashiers check. Red flag! Then a two day job I was told ended in two weeks of inconsistent work. They worked maybe two to three hours a day, for a total of 50 hours. Then could not keep a consistent crew because they told us they were not getting paid. We actually had to pay his last guy who knew what he was doing for two days because Tim could not pay him and we felt bad for him. I heard excuse after excuse as to why our deck was not being done. Our deck is unfinished, not level, poles are crooked, spindles are crooked, huge gaps between the planks, unstable stairs, the list goes on. Which he told me I was being too nit picky. Funny I see he says that a lot. My deck is embarrassing. We paid him his full estimate which was way too much for a horrible incomplete job and he has the nerve to put a “certified” letter in my mailbox. Sorry but a certified letter has to be signed for and not left in a mailbox, nice try. Now I contacted the county inspector and an attorney to get my funds back and then some because I will have to pay at least 2000 to get it fixed.

Emily Riggs

Our old fence was leaning and in desperate need of being replaced. We hired S&S Construction and I am so glad we did. They did a phenomenal job and we absolutely love our new privacy fence! Tim and his crew were wonderful to work with and we will definitely use them again.

Faith A

We had a terrible experience with this company. Not run at a professional standard and still has not refunded us for the gate they never got us for the fence they installed. He misjudged when quoting us if our predug holes would work so the job took longer and they then requested full payment though job wasn't finished. My bad for trusting him to keep open contact. Last Google review i posted i took down because he said he would refund us if I did, but I never received the refund and haven't heard from him since. Take your business elsewhere for quality work and people. I have kept quote on this this but since today we finally just paid to finish the fence ourselves after he still owes us and we cooperated for so long, I'm frankly done.

Edit: I uploaded a picture here on Google of the single busted gate they brought, when our estimate he wrote we wanted 2 gates. Also a picture of where we found they cut the vinyl so much there's a big gap unless you space them just right. Lastly a picture of the weird back corner they did, they said tree roots which I understood but honestly it's awful looking and I'm curious what truly skilled companies would do.

Update and reply to the company's reply: You have the address, mail us the check you promised to send us for $300 we paid for gates we didn't get. I have the receipt if I need proof (but you know what we paid). You offered our money back long AFTER your fire misfortune and we were more than patient especially when you were back to work and wouldn't respond back to us. You can't expect good reviews when running a business like this.

Kay Anderson

Wouldn't even recommend to my worst enemy. I have no clue who Heather is but that just proves what kind of person you are. His work is absolutely horrible. Work never got done. Asks for more money. Lies about material. Leaves your yard like trash. Cigarettes.. garbage...work material...exct. say far away from this company

Debra Brusa

Tim quoted us a price then said that he needed $400.00 for supplies. He never came back when he said he would, wouldn't answer our calls THEN blocked our calls! Bottom line...he scammed us and stole our money. We are senior citizens, I am disabled and my husband was diagnosed with throat cancer last year...talk about elder abuse!!! ***He later wrote a rebuttal to my review stating that his business had gotten busy and he didn't have time to call us. He stated that he was going to send us a check for the $400.00. Oh yes, he sent us a check alright! However, when we went to his bank to cash it, we were told that he had put a STOP PAYMENT on the check! Not an insufficient account, but that particular check!