THE SLEAZE BRIGADE

JIM JOHNSON (JIM’S RENOVATION): DANGEROUS & DISHONEST!

What Jim Johnson, owner of Jim’s Renovation did to a Highlands Ranch family is unforgivable! In my opinion, this man should be in jail. He is truly dangerous. See what you think about the situation!  He would have subjected two young children to a life of assured health risk with probably fatal consequences!

Think about this!  You hire Jim Johnson (A.K.A. Jim’s Renovation) to remove an asbestos ceiling from your kitchen prior to a remodel. He enters the home on a Friday morning, then calls the family on Friday afternoon to tell them it is safe for them to return home! That’s what happened to the Highlands Ranch Family who called us for help.

HERE IS WHAT IS SO EGREGIOUS ABOUT THIS SITUATION! He was told it was Asbestos and according to the homeowners, he claimed he would remove it correctly.

Instead, he scraped the asbestos onto the floor, collected it in ordinary trash bags and put it in a portable dumpster outside the house – endangering himself, workers, the family and the public. 

After Johnson told the family it was safe to return, the housewife took her her two young children home for a nap. But when she saw dust and debris floating in the air, she became curious and concerned. She immediately removed the kids and called an environmental engineer to test the air inside the home.

As it turns out her house was contaminated so badly that the engineer said he had never seen a reading this high! The house was condemned for occupancy until it is cleaned up. FOR THOSE WHO ARE TECHNICALLY MINDED, YOU CAN SEE ONE REPORT HERE. AND ANOTHER ONE HERE. 

The cleanup will cost around $30,000 plus she must replace ALL of her personal property and furniture that was contaminated. SHE ONLY FOUND THIS OUT AFTER HER CHILDREN HAD SPENT HOURS IN THE HOME!  AND IT’S ALL BECAUSE JOHNSON DID NOT DO THE RIGHT THING!                                                                 

When we called Johnson to investigate, he cussed us out and hung up so WE ARE GOING TO WAR! We have since gone to war. We are initiating legal action – both civil and criminal (it is an environmental crime).

By the way … to properly remove asbestos, hours and hours of preparation must be made, plus reams of paperwork and a permit. The house and area must be isolated. Ventilation of the particles must be contained. The entire surface must be soaked in a special solution and works must wear protective gear. Disposal of asbestos is also tightly controlled. However, we have no idea how and where Johnson disposed of the dangerous, toxic material. The last time the homeowners saw the stuff, it was in an open dumpster!

This guy was going to let this young family live there, exposed to toxic air that would almost assuredly cause serious (if not fatal) health conditions.

Do you think Jim’s Renovation should get away with this? Should he continue in business? He has an arrogant attitude and somehow feels he is above the law!

After we published this report, Jim Johnson came on my radio show to give his side of the story. Here is it:

Johnson claims he did not cause all of the contamination. He claims he was called in after the homeowners had already started the renovation . project themselves. He said they had already disturbed the asbestos.

The homeowners say “…that is a lie.” They said they never touched the ceiling. They said that was left to Jim.

Johnson also refutes our reporting that he left bags of asbestos in the dumpster. He said those bags in the photo are not asbestos. He said those bags were filled with old insulation. He said he only had one bag of asbestos and disposed of it at a designated waste facility for which he has a receipt. He said he is prepared to show that receipt should legal or criminal action be taken against him.

While on the show, Johnson did admit he was unlicensed to abate asbestos and that he probably did not follow the exact protocol for removal of the hazardous substance. But, he said, he did the best he could sealing off the kitchen and venting the dust to outside.

He claims he is not pursuing payment for the job and wants the family to use the money they were gonna pay him to help clean up the mess. He said he learned his lesson and will never attempt to handle asbestos again.

“I would never intentionally take on a job and knowingly hurt anyone.” He said. “I would never knowingly expose that family and little children to asbestos.”