Action 9 gets results after big-box store contractor floods woman's home

ORLANDO,Fla. — An Orlando woman called Action 9 after she claims a big home improvement store stuck her with a kitchen renovation nightmare.

She says its contractor flooded her kitchen, and when she faced paying for all the damage herself, she called Channel 9's Todd Ulrich for results.

“It was gushing out all over the place,” said Zunaira Isla as she explained the amount of water coming out of her busted plumbing, damaging cabinets and wood floors.

Not what Isla ever expected after buying a new kitchen countertop at Home Depot. Including installation, she paid more than $5,000.

“I figured I was safe and I trusted them, and I figured if anything goes wrong they would have my back,” said Isla.

She claims the contractor Home Depot hired to install the counter badly bungled the job. Isla said workers broke her oven then busted a water pipe under the sink. They made repairs, but she claims the damaged pipes flooded her kitchen days later.

And then she contacted Home Depot about paying for repairs. “I soon realized Home Depot itself was not fixing anything. They were letting a small third-party contractor fix the damage.”

According to Zunaira, the home improvement company only offered her a 10 percent discount and it was take it or leave it. And her homeowners insurance would have to pay for the water damage. “I had to file a claim and I'm told that could increase my premiums in the future,” said Isla. Instead, she called Action 9,  and Ulrich contacted Home Depot's corporate headquarters.

The company told Ulrich it was a complicated situation and the complaint was already under review.

Now Home Depot's and the contractor's private insurance will cover her damage and she doesn't have to pay for her new countertop.

“You guys helped me a lot, you helped me feel less helpless and more powerful. Now, I feel like I had a voice,” said Isla.

Home Depot nationwide is rated A-plus with the BBB, in part for how it responds to consumer complaints.

The company says it will stand behind its authorized service providers like this contractor.

Home Depot’s response:

We're extremely sorry for the inconvenience Ms. Isla experienced. The installation did not meet our standards in any way, so we appreciate the opportunity to make it right.

Cox Media Group