Troubleshooter: Fence contractor finally comes through

RALEIGH Chad Culver hired Triangle Fence back in February 2009 for an automatic gate and fence for the front of his property. It was supposed to be the finishing touch to his dream home.

"We worked long and hard to get this house and property and get it just like we wanted it," he said.

Culver signed a contract with Triangle Fence and gave them close to $8,500 up front for the custom gate.

"The gate would be 15 to 20 days to be made and then they would come install it," Culver said.

But that didn't happen and Culver had no gate, no sign of Triangle Fence and no sign of his thousands of dollars.

Culver then turned to ABC11 Eyewitness News I-Team Troubleshooter Diane Wilson.

Last November, Wilson tracked down the owner of Triangle Fence, Frank Bumphus, who wasn't happy about the visit.

"This is an intrusion right now," Bumphus said. "First of all, (he grabs the camera) … you're filming my face and you don't even know my heritage."

After he cooled down, Wilson agreed to talk to him, without a camera. In the hour-long conversation, Wilson says she heard a couple different excuses.

First, he said one of his employees misspent the Culver's money. Then, he blamed the Culvers for changing the gate design several times, which the Culver's dispute.

Bumphus admitted the Culvers deserve their money back, but said in this economy, he won't be able to do that until February.

Later in February, Bumphus said he needed a little more time and he later followed through.

"The FedEx guy called and said we have two packages for you from Triangle Fence and I said 'wow, I couldn't believe it,'" Culver said.

Bumphus FedEx Culver a check for $6,200 and what Bumphus claims is $2,000 worth of special order materials he already had made for the job.

Culver question's the materials are worth $2,000, but says he is grateful for the $6,200 refund.

"We're thankful to get back what we got back," Culver said. "I didn't think we'd get anything back. I thought it was money gone, kiss it and throw it out the window. Thanks for your help, couldn't have done it without you."

The remaining $270 of the $8,400 refund Bumphus states he used for processing and shipping of the materials.

Bumphus declined an on-camera interview, but said he followed through because he's a man of his word.

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