David Freeman Construction, LLC v. Crafted Design and Build, LLC

Let’s get one thing straight: in the high-stakes world of home remodeling, $35,000 in unpaid framing work is not a “misunderstanding”—it’s a full-blown betrayal. And now, in a courtroom in Grady County, Oklahoma, one construction company is demanding answers, money, and a little bit of justice after allegedly doing all the work and getting absolutely zero payment. No “thank you,” no “we’ll pay you next week,” just radio silence. This isn’t just a breach of contract—it’s a betrayal of the unspoken code of the trades: you show up, you do the job, and you get paid. Apparently, someone forgot that last part.

Meet David Freeman Construction, LLC, the plaintiff in this drama, a business operating out of Oklahoma County that specializes in, well, construction—specifically, the kind of behind-the-scenes structural work that makes your dream kitchen or fancy bathroom remodel actually stand upright. They’re not the ones picking out quartz countertops or installing farmhouse sinks; they’re the ones making sure the walls don’t collapse when you do. On the other side of this legal showdown is Crafted Design and Build, LLC, a company with a name that sounds like it belongs on a Pinterest board, also based in Oklahoma County. These are the dreamers, the designers, the ones who probably send clients mood boards and say things like “let’s bring in some warm textures.” But apparently, they’re not so warm when it comes to cutting checks.

The story begins—like so many contractor sagas—with a handshake deal, or at least the paper version of one. On or about September 11, 2025 (yes, that date is suspiciously specific, and no, we’re not making a 9/11 joke, but wow, what a date to sign a contract), the two companies allegedly entered into an agreement. The job? A full-on remodel of a house located at 4710 Talon Lane in Tuttle, Oklahoma—a quiet little town where the biggest drama used to be who stole the HOA’s garden gnome. The task? Framing work. That means building the skeleton of the structure—walls, floors, ceilings, the stuff you don’t see but absolutely need. David Freeman Construction wasn’t just swinging hammers for fun; they were providing both labor and materials, which means they were on the hook for supplies, trucking, manpower, and all the little headaches that come with construction in 2025 (inflation on lumber, anyone?).

According to the filing, the agreed-upon price for this not-insignificant chunk of work was $35,000. That’s not chump change. For context, that’s more than the average American makes in a year, and it’s definitely more than what you’d spend on a mid-tier wedding or a slightly used Tesla. It’s a serious sum for a single phase of a remodel. And David Freeman Construction didn’t just promise to do the work—they allegedly did it. Between November 18 and December 10 of 2025, they showed up, built the frames, installed the materials, and completed their end of the bargain. The house didn’t fall down. The walls stood. The job was done.

And then… nothing.

No invoice dispute. No “we’re waiting on the client’s payment.” No “sorry, we’re cash-flowing it.” Just silence. According to the petition, no payment has been made. Not a dime. Not a deposit. Not even a Venmo for gas money. $35,000 worth of labor and materials—gone, unpaid, like a ghost in the drywall.

So here we are, September 2022—wait, what? Hold up. The filing date is September 1, 2022, but the alleged contract was signed in September 2025? That’s not a typo in our writing—that’s in the actual court document. The petition claims events occurred in the future. Now, either someone at Pierce Couch Hendrickson Baysinger & Green, L.L.P. really needs to check their calendar, or we’ve stumbled into a legal time warp. Could this be a clerical error? Almost certainly. But for a brief, glorious moment, let’s entertain the possibility: Did David Freeman Construction, LLC sue someone for work they will do in 2025? Are they being sued from the future? Is this the first case of pre-crime in civil court? Sadly, no. This is almost definitely just a typo—probably meant to be 2021 or 2022. But for a second there, we were ready to call in the time police.

Back to reality: the claim is straightforward. David Freeman Construction says they did the job. Crafted Design and Build says nothing—because, as of the filing, they haven’t responded yet. No answer, no counterclaim, no “actually, the framing was crooked.” Just crickets. And in the legal world, silence is not golden—it’s a one-way ticket to a default judgment if you don’t show up.

So what exactly is David Freeman Construction asking for? $35,000 in damages for breach of contract—that’s the core claim. In plain English: “We had a deal. We did our part. You didn’t pay. That’s illegal.” They’re also asking for interest (because why not make the delay even more painful?), court costs (printing, filing fees, the whole production), and—this is the spicy part—reasonable attorney’s fees. That means if they win, Crafted Design and Build might have to pay not just the $35,000, but also the cost of the lawyers who sued them. Ouch. That could easily tack on another $10,000–$20,000, depending on how long this drags on. And since the plaintiff is represented by a big-name Oklahoma City firm—Pierce Couch, which handles everything from personal injury to corporate litigation—those hours add up fast.

Now, is $35,000 a lot for framing work? Well, let’s do the math. A full-house frame job on a 2,000-square-foot home can easily run $20,000 to $40,000, depending on complexity, materials, and location. So $35,000 is right in the sweet spot—not outrageous, not lowballed. This wasn’t a shed in the backyard; this was a full remodel. And remember, they provided both labor and materials, so the price includes wood, hardware, delivery, crew time, insurance, equipment—everything. In construction, trust is currency. You don’t pay your framer? That’s professional suicide. Word spreads fast in the trade world. One bad check, and suddenly no one wants to work with you.

So what’s our take? The most absurd part isn’t even the future-dated contract (though that’s a strong contender). It’s the sheer audacity of not paying. In an industry built on trust, referrals, and repeat business, stiffing a contractor for $35,000 isn’t just illegal—it’s career-ending. Crafted Design and Build might fancy themselves the creative geniuses of home remodeling, but without reliable contractors, they’re just people with good taste and no walls. And David Freeman Construction? They’re the quiet heroes of the build—doing the hard, dirty, essential work that makes the pretty pictures possible. We’re rooting for them. Not just because they’re in the right, but because this case is a reminder: in a world full of influencers and design bloggers, the people who actually build things deserve to get paid. On time. In full. And without having to sue in 2022 for work they did in 2025. (Seriously, someone fix that date.)