Fabling Built had operated an office at 3823 Gaskins Road, which has been emptied out following the firm’s closure. (Michael Schwartz photo)
The legal fallout from Fabling Built’s abrupt closure has begun in earnest.
The Henrico-based home renovation company is now facing at least three lawsuits and eight warrant-in-debt actions after closing suddenly last month, a move that left its employees without jobs, subcontractors unpaid and customers with unfinished jobs and missing funds.
In the first of the warrant-in-debt cases, a judge in Henrico County General District Court last Friday entered a judgment against Fabling Built for $23,000 owed to former client Elmer Cabugason.
Fabling Built founder Casey Fabling was present at the hearing and did not contest that he owed the money.
Fabling had run the 7-year-old company with his wife, Adrienne Fabling, offering residential construction services, including kitchen, bedroom, basement and attic additions and remodels.
Of the three lawsuits that had been filed in Henrico Circuit Court against the company as of last week, two are from former clients, while the other is from a subcontractor.
Fabling Built owners Casey (left) and Adrienne Fabling.
The first of the three was filed on March 27, with clients Raquel and Arthur Vandenesse of Richmond, alleging that last fall they signed two contracts with Fabling for a home renovation and paid the firm a $51,000 deposit. They allege that Fabling never supplied materials, labor or completed the renovations.
The Vandenesses’ suit alleges that after receiving notice from Fabling that it was shutting down in March, they contacted Fabling for a refund, “but were informed that the deposit had already been spent and would not be returned.”
The Vandenesses are alleging counts of breach of contract and conversion, and are seeking $51,000 plus interest and attorneys’ fees. Spotts Fain’s William Mauck Jr. and Christopher Hurley are representing them in the case.
On April 4, Carroll Plumbing & Heating filed a suit alleging that Fabling owes it payment for various jobs throughout Richmond. Carroll’s suit alleges that, “in some instances, (Fabling) has been paid by the homeowner and has failed and refused to remit payment to (Carroll).”
Carroll is seeking $42,000 in damages plus attorneys’ fees. It is represented by Christopher Perkins of Eckert Seamans.
The third lawsuit was filed by Unwanna Dabney of Henrico on April 11. Dabney claims that Fabling began working on a home renovation for her on Feb. 3, but only completed a fraction of the work before ceasing operations on March 15, leaving her home in “an unsafe and unfit condition.”
She also alleges that Fabling was aware that it was experiencing “dire financial difficulties that would make completing work on (Dabney’s home) impossible,” and that Fabling “intentionally concealed, suppressed and failed to disclose facts about the company’s financial situation.”
Dabney is suing Fabling for breach of contract, conversion and fraud, and is seeking $150,000 plus attorneys’ fees. The Mottley Law Firm’s Kevin Mottley and Benjamin Kyber are representing Dabney in the case, and declined to comment.
Neither the Carroll’s nor the Vandenesses’ attorneys were available for comment by press time.
As of press time, no responses or hearings have been set for the Circuit Court cases. The next General District hearing for Fabling’s warrants in debt is scheduled for May 5.
Fabling Built closed March 15, announcing in an email that it was immediately shutting down.
“Due to financial difficulties, we have made the difficult decision to close our business,” Casey Fabling stated in the email. The email did not provide detail regarding those difficulties.
The company had been headquartered at 3823 Gaskins Road.
Fabling Built had operated an office at 3823 Gaskins Road, which has been emptied out following the firm’s closure. (Michael Schwartz photo)
The legal fallout from Fabling Built’s abrupt closure has begun in earnest.
The Henrico-based home renovation company is now facing at least three lawsuits and eight warrant-in-debt actions after closing suddenly last month, a move that left its employees without jobs, subcontractors unpaid and customers with unfinished jobs and missing funds.
In the first of the warrant-in-debt cases, a judge in Henrico County General District Court last Friday entered a judgment against Fabling Built for $23,000 owed to former client Elmer Cabugason.
Fabling Built founder Casey Fabling was present at the hearing and did not contest that he owed the money.
Fabling had run the 7-year-old company with his wife, Adrienne Fabling, offering residential construction services, including kitchen, bedroom, basement and attic additions and remodels.
Of the three lawsuits that had been filed in Henrico Circuit Court against the company as of last week, two are from former clients, while the other is from a subcontractor.
Fabling Built owners Casey (left) and Adrienne Fabling.
The first of the three was filed on March 27, with clients Raquel and Arthur Vandenesse of Richmond, alleging that last fall they signed two contracts with Fabling for a home renovation and paid the firm a $51,000 deposit. They allege that Fabling never supplied materials, labor or completed the renovations.
The Vandenesses’ suit alleges that after receiving notice from Fabling that it was shutting down in March, they contacted Fabling for a refund, “but were informed that the deposit had already been spent and would not be returned.”
The Vandenesses are alleging counts of breach of contract and conversion, and are seeking $51,000 plus interest and attorneys’ fees. Spotts Fain’s William Mauck Jr. and Christopher Hurley are representing them in the case.
On April 4, Carroll Plumbing & Heating filed a suit alleging that Fabling owes it payment for various jobs throughout Richmond. Carroll’s suit alleges that, “in some instances, (Fabling) has been paid by the homeowner and has failed and refused to remit payment to (Carroll).”
Carroll is seeking $42,000 in damages plus attorneys’ fees. It is represented by Christopher Perkins of Eckert Seamans.
The third lawsuit was filed by Unwanna Dabney of Henrico on April 11. Dabney claims that Fabling began working on a home renovation for her on Feb. 3, but only completed a fraction of the work before ceasing operations on March 15, leaving her home in “an unsafe and unfit condition.”
She also alleges that Fabling was aware that it was experiencing “dire financial difficulties that would make completing work on (Dabney’s home) impossible,” and that Fabling “intentionally concealed, suppressed and failed to disclose facts about the company’s financial situation.”
Dabney is suing Fabling for breach of contract, conversion and fraud, and is seeking $150,000 plus attorneys’ fees. The Mottley Law Firm’s Kevin Mottley and Benjamin Kyber are representing Dabney in the case, and declined to comment.
Neither the Carroll’s nor the Vandenesses’ attorneys were available for comment by press time.
As of press time, no responses or hearings have been set for the Circuit Court cases. The next General District hearing for Fabling’s warrants in debt is scheduled for May 5.
Fabling Built closed March 15, announcing in an email that it was immediately shutting down.
“Due to financial difficulties, we have made the difficult decision to close our business,” Casey Fabling stated in the email. The email did not provide detail regarding those difficulties.
The company had been headquartered at 3823 Gaskins Road.