Gilbert pool building business under fire for taking homeowners’ money and abandoning projects

GILBERT, AZ (AZFamily) —When Brandon Mader and his family step into their backyard, they’re greeted with a giant concrete hole. And it’s been like this for 3 long years.

“Well, this was supposed to be your paradise out here,” On Your Side’s Gary Harper told Mader. Mader replied, “Yeah, it was supposed to be. I refer to it as a bunker that looks like a pool.”

Mader hired a company called Unity Pools, which Travis Scott owns.

Mader says that at the time, Scott bragged about being a competent pool builder and gloated about something else.

“Did he sell himself as a big NFL star?” Harper asked. “Yeah, I mean, he definitely spoke about it a lot,” Mader replied. I remember when I opened the door, I was looking up at him. I mean, he’s just a big guy.”

According to this contract, Scott agreed to build Mader’s pool, a fire pit and other amenities for $138,000.

But before he started the project, Scott demanded and received $40,000 upfront.

Some progress was being made on the pool, and over the course of a few months, Mader wound up giving Scott a series of checks totaling around $125,000.

At this point, Mader says the project was 90 percent paid in full, but only 50 percent of the work had been completed before Scott stopped showing up.

“You know, he boasted he is a person of integrity. He’s got integrity tattooed across his chest. He should probably get that removed,” Mader said.

And Mader isn’t the only victim. Blake Carbonatto tells On Your Side that Unity Pools and Scott also abandoned his pool project. “I think he knows exactly what he’s doing,” Carbonatto said.

According to Mader, he wrote checks totaling $223,000, but after 50 percent of his project was finished, he says Scott stopped showing up. “We’ve met almost two dozen other families that have had a similar experience to us.”

He’s right. In fact, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors revoked Unity Pools’ license after racking up 15 consumer complaints. And those are just the homeowners who filed official complaints.

In addition, Scott has four pending lawsuits filed against him for his pool-related antics,

I went to Scott Gilbert’s home for answers, but he reportedly wasn’t home. “It’s pretty important that he calls me because a lot of people say they paid him money to build pools and that he never finished,” Harper told Scott’s wife. Is he recording me?” she asked about our camera. Harper replied, “Yeah, we’re doing a news report. So, it’s pretty important that he calls me.”

Well, five minutes later, guess who called? Scott.

“You’re the man with integrity,” Harper told him. “You have it tattooed on your chest, yet I don’t see any integrity. You took the people’s money and you didn’t finish the work.”

Scott didn’t have much to say and hung up. But On Your Side has discovered he’s now opened a new pool company called Swell Builders, which is not licensed.

According to his website, potential customers must select how much money they’re willing to pay for Scott to build their pool.

Mader said, “In reality, you know, I had no clue about him. The guy has all my money and I’m at his mercy. And that’s where he gets people. He takes their money quick. Makes it seem like things are progressing and bounces. And before you know it, you’re stuck.

Homeowners who have filed a complaint with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors can recoup some but not all of their money from the agency’s Recovery Fund. However, the total amount doled out per licensed company is capped, and there are numerous complainants.

Scott and Unity Pools issued the following statement to On Your Side:

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