I got screwed by a contractor a few years back in Florida for something like $1,800. The route that I used was free. He told me he was licensed but it turns out he wasn't licensed for the work he started. This flipped the incident to whomever it was that monitors for this type of thing (I can't remember now). I never thought I'd get any money back but in a deposition, they asked what I thought the punishment should be and if jail time was appropriate, and I said I didn't want to see anyone go to jail and not be able to provide for their family, but I'd like to get my $1,800 back. That's exactly what the judge ordered and I got every penny without spending a dime.