EATON RAPIDS, Mich. (WLNS) – A business owner in Lansing is accusing another business owner in Eaton Rapids of being involved in shady work that left her company almost $50,000 in debt.
“We’re a well-established business, but it’s quite a bit of money. It could put a business out of business,” Jessica Terry, owner of Overhead Door Company of Lansing said.
She accused Andrew Offrink of owing her the money after his business, Stoney Brook Development, hired her team as subcontractors on five jobs between August and October.
“Stoney Brook Construction company that builds barns for individuals whether it be for farms or just personal use hired us as a subcontractor to purchase the doors and install the doors,” Terry said.
Terry said her team purchased the needed materials without asking Offrink for a deposit up-front.
She claims Offrink only paid her company for one out of the five jobs.
“All the materials are on order so we can’t cancel them because they’re all special orders. We’re probably about $45,000 in the hole with him,” she said.
Offrink dismisses Terry’s complaints, saying payment delays are a normal part of the construction business. He isn’t denying he owes her the money.
“It’s not unusual to wait sometimes up to 90 days for payment to sub-contractors,” Andrew Offrink, owner of Stoney Brook Development said.
Terry’s not alone. the owner of Overhead Door Company in Battle Creek told 6 News that Offrink owes them “a significant amount of money” that he hasn’t paid since last December.
Offrink says he plans to pay back his debts when he can.
“We obviously have an option to go bankrupt and not pay bills, but that’s not what we’re gonna do. We will absolutely pay our bills according to as soon as we can financially pay our bills,” Offrink said.
The business owner stands accused of not only failing to pay subcontractors, but some who contracted him to do work say he hasn’t completed that work.
When asked about incomplete jobs, Offrink said he always makes sure his customers are taken care of, but Tom Leep, who hired Offrink to build him a pole barn last November says he was left out to dry losing thousands of dollars.
“$134,000. It was not done timely, and it’s still not done. I’m very disappointed. It was a matter of trust, and you did not follow through on what your word is,” Leep said.
Offrink said these companies are using slander to pressure him into paying what he owes. 6 News checked with the Better Business Bureau and found no record of Stoney Brook Development, but Offrink does have two licensed companies under Chiro Marketing LLC and Premium Brass LLC. BBB leaders say if you have an issue with any of these companies they want to know about it.
