Oct 15, 2025
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Getting a house market-ready usually means a few touch-ups, maybe a new coat of paint, fresh flooring or minor repairs. But for Felicia Safir, 71, what should have been a simple renovation turned into a nightmare.
Safir’s home isn’t just any house — it’s been in her family for generations. Her aunt was once the first Black homeowner on the street. In 2023, the lifelong music teacher decided it was time to downsize and hired contractor David Lyman to handle some repairs.
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Instead of fixing up the place, Lyman allegedly gutted it.
“When I came into the house and saw what he had done. Stealing things and damaging the property. All I could do was sit on the steps and cry,” Safir told FOX4. The floors had been ripped out and swapped with flimsy plywood. Entire walls were gone, electrical wiring was stripped and even the chandelier had vanished.
Here’s how her dream of a fresh start went off the rails and what you can do to avoid falling into the same trap.
Right idea, wrong contractor
Before listing her home, Safir took out a $40,000 loan and paid $32,000 to Lyman’s company for renovations. It wasn’t a reckless choice — renovating before selling can pay off.
A November 2022 Zillow survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, found that 66% of recent home sellers completed at least two improvements before closing a deal. Nearly one-third admitted they could have sold for even more if they had made additional upgrades.
Safir had the right idea, but everything went wrong. Her home was left in shambles, and even the access ramp she relied on because of a disability was gone. She now calls Lyman not just an incompetent contractor, but a thief.
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When FOX4 reached out to Lyman, he eventually answered on the third call, only to refuse questions. Instead, he pointed reporters to a new roof that, according to Safir, is already falling apart.
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Lessons from a $40K loss
Two years later, Safir is still trying to pick up the pieces. The botched renovations left her home in ruins, but there’s finally a sliver of hope. With the help of local realtor Danny Tipton, she’s in the process of selling the property to a rehabber. The sale — expected to close soon — will barely cover the $40,000 loan she took out for repairs, but it’s a start.
Safir’s story is a cautionary tale: not every contractor delivers on their promises.
And with home renovations on the rise, the risk is only growing. A 2024 Angi report found that 93% of homeowners plan to tackle home improvement projects in 2025, with nearly half looking toward larger-scale remodels like kitchens (31%) and bathrooms (28%) over the next five years.
If you’re preparing for a renovation, it’s important to take a few smart precautions. Start by asking trusted friends, family or neighbors for referrals. Word-of-mouth is often more reliable than online reviews.
Ask to see photos of a contractor’s previous work, or better yet, visit a completed project in person. Collect at least three quotes to compare pricing, timelines and scope. And remember, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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Victoria Vesovski is a Toronto-based staff reporter at Moneywise covering personal finance, lifestyle and trending news. She holds degrees from the University of Toronto and New York University, and her work has appeared on platforms including Yahoo Finance, MSN Money and Apple News.
