A Mesa homeowner has been left without a working kitchen and is owed about $12,000 after Holtzman Remodeling and three related Arizona companies filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Shirley Boyken hired the company after discovering serious water leaks in her kitchen. The work began with demolition, but she says the project was abandoned before the refurbishment was completed.
She had hoped the renovation would include a set of cabinets she had chosen for the room. Instead, she has been relying heavily on takeaway meals while trying to work out how to finish the job.
“I’ve been eating out a lot,” Ms Boyken said.
The problem began in June, when she found water leaking from one of her cupboards. Opening a neighbouring door caused water to spray into her face, prompting her to seek professional help.
By August, she had agreed to hire Holtzman Remodeling to carry out the demolition and rebuild the kitchen. She said representatives assured her that the cabinets and remaining work would be dealt with.
But in mid-September, workers failed to arrive for a scheduled visit. Ms Boyken said no explanation followed and that the company’s website soon disappeared.
“The next day, still nobody. And no word, no phone call, no nothing,” she said. “Then I tried the website. Whoops. It was gone, it was gone and when that happened I knew we were in trouble.”
Ms Boyken says she has lost roughly $12,000 and has lodged a complaint with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
Holtzman companies file for bankruptcy
Holtzman Remodeling, Holtzman Construction and two other related companies filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Friday, October 2, 2026. The form of bankruptcy, often referred to as liquidation, has left homeowners and subcontractors seeking answers over unfinished work and unpaid bills.
The companies have also voluntarily cancelled their contractor licences, according to the Registrar of Contractors. The regulator has said a bankruptcy filing does not prevent it from continuing an investigation into a contractor’s conduct.
Tom Cole, the registrar’s director, said homeowners could still apply to the Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund if they met the relevant requirements.
“There’s nothing that precludes us from continuing with our investigative process when a bankruptcy is filed, it does not stop our actions,” Mr Cole said.
Arizona law limits the fund to a maximum of $30,000 for an individual claimant and $200,000 for claims connected to a single residential contractor’s licence. Eligibility depends on factors including the contractor’s licensing status when the contract was signed, payment was made or work began. ([azleg.gov](https://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/01139.htm?utm_source=openai))
The potential scale of the losses has raised concerns about whether the fund will be sufficient. Three customers interviewed by local television reporters said they had paid more than $800,000 in total for projects that were not completed.
Ms Boyken has received some help. Shine Electric contacted her this week and offered to complete the electrical work at no charge.
“When I got the call from them, that was … wow,” she said. “I thought, ‘Well Lord, you’re taking care of it.’”
She is still trying to find a way to complete the rest of the kitchen renovation, including the cabinets she had selected.
“I’m not familiar with all the people around, you know, I have my little neighbourhood here and that’s about it,” she said. “It’s just overwhelming, what next?”
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors and the state Attorney General’s Office have not confirmed whether either agency is formally investigating the Holtzman companies.
