EDWARDSVILLE — An Edwardsville homeowner is suing the owners of a cabinetry business, alleging she paid more than $40,000 in deposits but they failed to provide her with the updated design drawings and blueprints for the project.
Kelle Bess filed a complaint June 18 in the Madison County Circuit Court against CWC Design LLC, Shelia Plute and Marty Plute, alleging breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation and violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
According to her complaint, Bess sought the cabinetry services of the defendants in June 2020 as part of her renovation work at her Edwardsville home. Bess alleges that after receiving a quote for the cabinetry work from the defendants, she gave them a deposit of $17,693.10 on July 7, 2020. She claims she requested the "technical drawings" for her cabinetry work in order to give them to the general contractor. Bess claims that when the defendants finally turned over the drawings, they were "insufficient for professional construction standards."
Bess further claims that in August 2020, the defendants told her "it was too early" in the construction process to order the cabinets but that an additional down payment of $24,229 would "lock in" the price for the cabinets. Bess alleges that by February 2021, after months of repeated requests, the defendants had failed to provide further updated cabinet drawings needed to complete the renovation project. She claims that despite receiving a notice of default and demand for return of deposit, they refuse to return her $41,922.23 in deposits.
Bess seeks compensation of more than $50,000 and all other just relief. She is represented by Donald Schoemaker of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale PC in Belleville.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 21-L-000707