Florida AG Sues Evolve Roofing Firm Over $1M in Unfinished Work

Florida AG Targets Evolve Construction Over Post-Hurricane Roof Jobs

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit in Lee County against Evolve Construction & Restoration and six of its officers, alleging that the roofing company collected roughly $1 million in insurance claim payments from at least 80 Florida homeowners after Hurricanes Ian and Milton but failed to complete or even start the promised work. The suit seeks penalties, refunds to homeowners, and a court order barring the company from future deceptive conduct.

The complaint says Evolve used door-to-door solicitation in storm-affected areas and that more than 60 percent of the homeowners who complained to the attorney general's office are seniors. Company leaders did not respond to requests for comment Monday. The Naples-based business lists additional offices in Florida, California and other states.

The attorney general also alleges that Evolve required customers to sign contingency agreements that lacked the itemized estimates and cancellation language required by Florida law, charged penalty fees when contracts were canceled, and threatened or recorded liens — and in some cases pursued foreclosure — even when no work was performed and no materials were purchased.

The case follows earlier regulatory action: in May, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation accepted the relinquishment of a construction financial officer license by Ahmed Darkawi, a former Evolve manager. Local news reports had previously tallied dozens of unresolved consumer complaints against the firm in Florida and Oklahoma.

What the Evolve Lawsuit Reveals About Contractor Risk

The Legal Core: Seniors, Storm-Damaged Homes and a $1 Million Pattern

The complaint's emphasis on seniors reflects a targeted post-disaster sales model. The AG says more than 60% of the 80-plus complaining homeowners are seniors, and the alleged combination of door-to-door solicitation after hurricanes, insurance-claim payments and unfinished work creates specific legal and reputational exposure. If upheld, the request for refunds and a court order barring future conduct would constrain Evolve's Florida operations beyond a simple fine.

The Acquisition Timing Leaves New Owners Facing the Lawsuit

Evolve's May acquisition by the founder of EagleView Technologies and a partner company, reported at a $50 million price, adds a corporate dimension. The deal announcement described Evolve as having $160 million in revenue, operations in 35 markets and roughly 7,500 completed projects. The transaction's structure and any indemnification provisions are not public, but the active AG lawsuit, prior DBPR action and national complaint pattern are now liabilities the new ownership will have to address.

A Regulatory Pattern, Not an Isolated Complaint

Before the lawsuit, Florida regulators accepted the relinquishment of a construction financial officer license by former Evolve manager Ahmed Darkawi, and local outlets in Fort Myers and Oklahoma had reported dozens of complaints, including allegations that representatives ghosted homeowners. That history makes the attorney general's case part of a larger enforcement narrative around storm-chasing contractors and gives state investigators a baseline of documented consumer harm.

What remains unproven: Evolve and its officers have not yet answered the lawsuit, and no court has ruled on the allegations. The company has previously disputed at least one Oklahoma complaint, saying the homeowners could not cover their policy deductible.

For Florida Homeowners and Roofing Contractors: Concrete Next Steps

• Florida homeowners who signed contracts with Evolve should keep their contract, payment records, insurance claim documents and any lien notices, and review the attorney general's complaint in Lee County; the suit expressly seeks refunds and penalties, but individual recovery may depend on the court's outcome.
• Before signing any post-storm roofing contract, require the written itemized estimate and cancellation notice that Florida law requires — the AG's complaint alleges Evolve's contingency agreements lacked both.
• Request proof of license and check the Florida DBPR for disciplinary history; the DBPR already accepted the relinquishment of a construction financial officer license by a former Evolve manager.
• Be wary of door-to-door roof solicitation after a storm, especially when a contractor asks you to sign over insurance claim proceeds; verify that work, materials and lien rights are documented before any payment is released.
• Roofing companies operating in Florida should audit their contingency contract templates for itemized estimates, cancellation language and penalty-fee provisions, because the lawsuit shows state enforcers are treating these contract terms as a direct consumer-protection issue.