- A Kaysville businessman, Troy Anderson, faces accusations of taking $500,000 from clients.
- Eric and Erica Threlkeld, among others, allege unfinished projects and unfulfilled promises.
- Anderson's contractor licenses expired; former partners and clients report financial discrepancies.
CLINTON — Eric and Erica Threlkeld's backyard was once supposed to be the site of a dream addition to their home. Plans were made for a rather large tiny home, made up of five shipping containers, stacked upon one another, for a workout room, workspace and more.
"That was going to be the dream house," Eric Threlkeld said. "That was going to be awesome. Kids were going to have parties. And now it's just nothing."
The couple worked with Troy Anderson, a builder with Las Casitas, which later became Elite Enclaves, a company that, according to its Facebook page, focuses on manufacturing tiny homes. The Threlkelds said, at first, everything appeared to be going well.
"It sounded great. He was on the same page. He understood what we were looking for and just — we were hyped up," Erica Threlkeld recalled. "We were really excited. We kept adding more and more to it."
Following a signed proposal, the Threlkelds made regular payments to Anderson, totaling $215,000 to cover the project, furnishings and interest. They said the work seemed to progress well, until it didn't.
"There was always a car accident or a death in the family," Erica Threlkeld said. "Or he's out of town working on another job. Emergency after emergency after emergency."
The work overall halted around the fall of 2023.
"Now we've got a mortgage for a house that we don't have," Eric Threlkeld said.
Signs of an ongoing pattern
It would seem that the Threlkelds are not alone. Cody Birch said he hired Anderson under Last Chance Houseboats, a company Anderson owns out of Page, Arizona, to refurbish and remodel a houseboat owned by Birch.
Birch shared records of wire transfers to Last Chance Houseboats, totaling more than $169,000. Birch said, like the Threlkelds, Anderson had completed some work on the remodel, but eventually stopped, making what appeared to be excuses.
Screenshots of text messages show that Anderson claimed his father was sick, then his son was injured, that he was away for his son's wedding, that no one wanted to work, and an apparent bout with grief over the death of rally car driver Ken Block.
"Sorry, been dealing with Ken Block's death today and his wife/their boat," a message from Anderson to Birch read.
"Did you know Ken well?" Birch later asked.
"No," Anderson replied. "Just people he knew in the off-road scene and met with his wife Lucy about their boat."
Court records show Anderson was sued for another unfinished houseboat in 2023, where a judge ordered him to pay back the plaintiff more than $21,000. In another lawsuit, Anderson was ordered to pay a former business associate more than $75,000.
More business fallout
Daniel Leon, a Logan-area contractor who is another former business associate of Anderson's, said he, too, feels duped by Anderson. Leon told KSL-TV the two had teamed up to build tiny homes for multiple clients and work on a restaurant remodel.
"I was naive enough to let him use my contract license because I had the idea that we were going to partner up, and we're going to hit the ground running," Leon said.
According to the Utah Division of Professional Licensing verification system, Anderson's contractor's license expired in 2019. A similar system shows his contractor's license expired in Arizona in 2024. Anderson does, however, have a current tiny homes manufacturer license with Utah's Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division.
A spokesperson with the Utah Department of Commerce, however, clarified that this type of license only covers the building of mobile tiny homes, and not the installation of tiny homes onto a foundation, which would require a contractor's license.
Leon said he became suspicious of Anderson when funds from a shared bank account started to disappear.
"I wrote a check to one of my HVAC guys. He messages me saying the check bounced. I said, 'That's impossible,'" Leon explained.
Leon shared bank statements with KSL-TV, in which he pointed out more than $29,000 in transactions he said were made by Anderson without his knowledge, and many that he said were not connected to the contracts the two were working on.
Leon also connected KSL-TV with a number of other former customers and business associates of Anderson's who made similar claims to his and the Threlkeld's; however, as of this publication time, many of them opted not to share proof of their business dealings either out of embarrassment or out of hope that Anderson may still finish the job.
Facebook pages for both Elite Enclaves and Last Chance Houseboats did appear to show deliveries of various completed jobs. KSL-TV did reach out to Anderson by phone, text and stopped by his business address and home, but did not get a response; and Anderson's listed business in Kaysville is now vacant and up for lease.
Leon warned that consumers should take the time to check out so-called contractors who offer to do work, and at the very least confirm that they are licensed.
"Ever since I started this journey, I realize that there's a ton of people in Utah that label themselves as contractors and get away with it," Leon said.
The Threlkelds shared a similar sentiment.
"We've got to do something," Erica Threlkeld said. "If we're never going to see our money again, that's OK. But people need to know how to protect themselves."
