A Korean War veteran in West Islip says he is out more than $14,000 after a pool renovation project was abandoned, leaving his backyard unfinished and his family with growing concerns about safety, health and finances.

John Caruso says he hired Caribbean Pool and Spa in 2024 to remodel his backyard pool, hoping it would become a place he could use for exercise. Workers began the project by digging out the sides of the pool, installing steps, and purchasing a new liner, but the work stopped before it was completed.

“They tried to get the liner in, but it turned cold,” Caruso said. “So, he said we’ll come back in 2025 in the spring to put the liner in. We were unable to get him again.”

Caruso says he paid the company $14,500 for the work. More than a year later, the pool remains unfinished.

He says piles of dirt left behind from the construction have spread across his yard, preventing him from replanting his tomato garden and creating safety hazards. Caruso also says animals became trapped inside the pool during the summer months.

“In the summer when it gets hot, you can smell the stagnant water,” he said. “It stinks so you can’t really sit out there in the back because of the smell.”

Beyond the damage to his property and finances, he says he relied on the pool for water therapy to stay mobile.

“I can’t walk, but when I’m in the water I can walk and hold the insides of the pool,” Caruso said. “I could walk every day an hour in the pool for exercise.”

Caruso’s son says the family was forced to spend an additional $5,500 on cleanup costs after the project was abandoned, with broken concrete and piles of dirt left scattered throughout the backyard. He also says workers removed a fence surrounding the pool before construction began and later damaged an underground water line, which he had replace.

Attempts by News 12 to contact Caribbean Pool and Spa were unsuccessful, with calls repeatedly going to voicemail.

The Better Business Bureau lists Caribbean Pool and Spa as being located in Brentwood and says the company is not an accredited business.