WINK EXCLUSIVE: Local business donates a roof to former Campbell client

The rhythm of roofers working is music to Joshua Spaich’s ears.

“It’s just a symphony of sound, that tap tap tap of them just going to work.”

That’s because Spaich and his wife, Melissa, have waited more than a year for a roof. They signed a deal with Campbell Roofing & Sheet Metal of Florida last July and paid more than $10,000, or two-thirds of the cost.

The couple says Campbell Roofing tore off their roof in October and then, stopped showing up.

“Very stressful. It caused stress at work, stress at home, stress everywhere.”

The Spaichs called WINK News and went before the Cape Coral Construction Board two weeks ago to explain their hardship.

“I just wanted to be able to have my voice heard.”

That night the city, voted to revoke owner Joshua W. Campbell’s permitting privileges and next day, Campbell’s lawyer told us he agreed to surrender his roofing license to the state.

After the WINK News story aired, Spaich says he got a call from Jimmy Williamson, co-owner of Williamson Brothers Roofing Company.

“He said were going to help you; it’s our job to help each other out.”

And the cost shocked him.

“They didn’t ask anything of me, just to pray for them and their families and their company.”

Almost immediately, a Williamson sent his crew out with operations manager Jarret Powell leading them.

“Jimmy called me on a weekend, which isn’t a normal thing we usually got our weekends off pretty good, and said hey man — this is a special project,” Powell said.

Now, the roof is almost done and the Spaichs will soon have their house back.

A terrible experience — ending on a high note.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve it, I don’t know what our family did to deserve it, but I couldn’t be more appreciative. I really couldn’t.”

Campbell’s History

More than thirty people accuse Campbell Roofing & Sheet Metal of Florida of collectively taking more than $600,000 and not finishing the work.

Former customers, who call themselves victims, live as far north as Bay County in the panhandle. Police there arrested Campbell months ago for grand theft stemming from a roofing job, but those charges were dropped because the state said it couldn’t prove Campbell acted with criminal intent.

In the past fifteen years, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation has fined owner Campbell, put him on probation and even suspended him.

What’s next?

The Department of Business and Professional confirms Campbell signed a stipulation, or settlement. While Campbell has agreed to relinquish his license, he has not turned it in yet because the Construction Industry Licensing Board needs to act on the stipulation first. The board plans to hear his case during their board meeting next month.

If a final order, or judgement, is issued, it would make it easier for clients to put in a claim with the State’s Construction Recovery Fund.

The Attorney General’s Office says their consumer investigation into Campbell is ongoing and that they have more than twenty five complaints about him on file.

Mr. Campbell’s lawyer tells us some of Campbell’s employees embezzled from him, and that Campbell is sympathetic toward his clients.