A Mequon couple is sharing their story as a warning to others after what they describe as a dream bathroom remodel turned into a costly nightmare, leaving them out tens of thousands of dollars.Ryan and Kate Buyeske spent years s aving for their first major home renovation project in 2022. The couple had just moved into their house and welcomed a new baby when they decided to tackle a complete main bathroom remodel. "We went online, we looked at several different remodeling companies, and then stumbled across this company that had multiple great reviews," Ryan Buyeske said.The couple signed a $34,800 contract with Back to Basics Builders, attracted by the company's promise to start work sooner than other contractors they interviewed."They said they could start sooner than any other company we interviewed, and we booked it, right away," Kate Buyeske said.Watch: Mequon couple warns others about bathroom contractor after $35K disaster' Mequon couple warns others about bathroom contractor after $35K disasterAfter enduring project delays, the Buyeskes say their frustrations escalated when they were told the work was complete. Instead of a finished bathroom, they say they discovered serious problems."It's just a downpour of water," Ryan said, describing water leaking through the floor into their basement. "Raining in our basement," Kate added.The Buyeskes say the water damage was just the beginning. The couple documented numerous issues throughout the bathroom."There's just nails going through every direction," Kate said. "The handlebar where you pull the drawer open, they left old holes that weren't even finished." The Buyeskes provided documentation that shows they had three separate inspectors assess the work. One inspection recommended that "the master bathroom shower needs to be completely torn out." When the couple requested $22,000 in compensation for the faulty work, Ryan says the contractor, Joseph Burbey, offered $2,300. In an email to the Buyeskes, Burbeys attorney wrote that "it is entirely unreasonable to ask Back to Basics Builders to foot the bill.""It was almost like a slap in the face," Kate said.The couple hired another contractor to redo the entire bathroom and retained a lawyer to pursue legal action against Burbey. However, Ryan says their efforts in small claims court were derailed."Unfortunately, the company filed for bankruptcy. So that left us with our hands in our pockets with nothing to show," Ryan said.The Buyeskes weren't Burbey's only dissatisfied customers. Court records show Burbey was charged and pleaded guilty to theft by a contractor, a misdemeanor offense, after another customer filed a police report. The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin also received four complaints against Back to Basics Builders."The complaints alleged unfinished work and dissatisfaction with work," said Lisa Schiller from the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau.While Back to Basics Builders is no longer operating, Burbey founded a new company called Cheesehead Construction earlier this year, according to its website. When contacted for comment, Burbey declined to speak about the situation."He has since deleted our reviews and blocked us," Kate said.The Buyeskes no longer expect to recover their losses but hope their experience will prevent others from facing similar problems."We are trying to raise awareness to not have other people taken advantage of in the same way we have been," Kate said. "I hope that people learn from our unfortunate mistake and our unfortunate decisions with him."The Buyeskes say they didnt know the red flags to look out for before hiring a contractor. Schiller shared several tips with TMJ4.Its always a good idea to do your homework, she said. Take a little bit of time to do a little bit of research. We always recommend, obviously, checking with the Better Business Bureau, BBB.org. We have thousands upon thousands of free reports. Check there. Always check with CCAP. Ask the contractor for their references and take time to check those references. Get everything in writing. Never pay in full up front, and that is what some of the complaints that we've received back in 2023, in regard to Back to Basics [Builders]. Some of the consumers had paid up front, some in full, so you never want to do that. Follow the third rule where you pay a third down, if anything, a third when the project has begun, and then the balance once the project is done, and to your satisfaction.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error ...read more read less