WINK Investigates has uncovered more than a dozen active lawsuits filed in the past two years by homeowners against a Cape Coral contracting business.
One of those homeowners tells WINK Investigates he waited years for his home to be built, but it was never finished. Photos taken by Jason Renner, a Cape Coral homeowner, in January show his home looked much different than it does now.
The home on Jan. 2025
Home in Aug.
According to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Renner by his attorney, he hired Cape Coral-based contractor Ronald Riccardi’s company, Delta Build Services, INC, to build his home from the ground up.
The lawsuit claims Renner signed a contract with Delta Build Services in 2021 and paid the company $240,565.
That’s 97 percent of the contracted price for the job. The lawsuit alleges Delta Build Services and subcontractors, who say they weren’t paid, slapped liens on Renner’s property.
“It put my spouse and I in a considerable amount of financial strain, and it just led to an overall, pretty stressful situation over the past year and some change,” Renner said.
In a filed response to Renner’s lawsuit, Delta Build Services and Riccardi denied wrongdoing. Renner’s attorney, Beatriz Cardoza at Zinn Law, said the contract states the builder would complete the job within five months.
But she says Renner waited years.
“The basis of this complaint is a breach of contract, and then FDUTPA [Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act] is a claim where we say that there’s a fraudulent, deceptive or unfair trade practices act, and there’s something there that happened in between the contract time of execution and throughout the project that has been deemed deceptive, unscrupulous, fraudulent in a way,” Cardoza said.
According to the termination of contract Cardoza wrote on behalf of Renner, it cites Delta Build Services for not providing justification for the years-long delay, putting the home at risk of foreclosure.
In addition to the nearly $240,000 Renner paid Delta, Cardoza claims he is out thousands more after paying another builder to finish the work.
“$84,398.40 just to get a new builder to complete the project,” Cardoza said. “So, that’s significantly more than the contract price, and that is one of the basis for suing delta at this time, because it’s a lot of money.”
WINK News emailed Delta Build Services for an interview.
The company responded in an emailing saying a non-recorded meeting would only be possible if we agreed to a long list of terms including signing a confidentiality agreement.
E-mail correspondence with Delta Build Services with regards to an on-camera interview
WINK News declined as we are committed to sharing information with the public. Instead, Delta Build Services and its attorney sent WINK News this statement:
“We recognize that disputes in the construction industry can arise, particularly during the past few years when supply chain interruptions, labor shortages, and economic challenges have impacted builders across Florida. While lawsuits have been filed, these matters remain pending, and no court has made any final finding of liability against Delta or Mr. Riccardi. Any suggestion otherwise would be inaccurate and unfair.
Delta Build Services denies any allegations of wrongdoing. The company has successfully delivered hundreds of projects and continues to serve Florida homeowners and investors. At the same time, Delta is committed to addressing disputes through the proper legal channels, ensuring that all parties — homeowners, subcontractors, and the company itself — are treated fairly and in accordance with Florida law.
We understand that you have spoken with certain individuals who expressed concerns. We respectfully ask that your reporting also reflect that many clients have been fully satisfied with their projects and that Delta continues to stand behind its work and its role in the community.”
Renner said the situation has left him struggling financially and emotionally.
“It’s been tough,” Renner said. “Both financially and emotionally as well, which that’s always harder to quantify.”
He is now selling the home and suing for damages.
“If I can put my story out there and save one person from a similar situation, then hopefully I’ve done my job,” Renner said.
WINK Investigates contacted attorneys representing individuals in other lawsuits. Those that responded declined our interview request or say they can’t comment due to pending litigation.
For Renner’s case, the parties are set to mediate in October. The other cases are still pending.