Ken built our home on an already low part of the property and then despite having multiple instances where he was made aware that standing water at the home site was clearly already an issue. He failed to respond to these clues and build the elevation up properly and/or grade so that water doesn’t pool around our home.
The inspector’s first words were “this is really bad, you have a negative grade around your home and in a bad storm you are going to flood.” Our home is indeed a good 6-12” lower than it should be looking at the surrounding land.
I am having to spend tens of thousands of dollars bringing in dirt, regrading, digging retention ponds, and trenching just to keep water out of my home since the home site is surrounded by higher ground giving rain water nowhere to go but pooling around the house. Directly around our home is the wettest part of the 5 acre property instead of the driest as it should be.
Ken mentioned during our walk through it took awhile because they were “fighting water” and now I know why. I was advised by the home inspector and city inspectors to purchase flood insurance despite not being in a flood zone.
I purposely moved to this area to be away from flood zones (this property is in flood zone X, which should not require flood insurance at all if the home is built properly) and yet here we are, purchasing flood insurance and panicking to protect our home in the middle of hurricane season because of Ken’s negligence.
Shortly after moving in I let him know that after just a very LIGHT rainstorm in what has been a very dry season, that my entire backyard was pond up to a foot deep with water that cane up to my mid calf in many areas and his response was to offer me fill dirt at his cost.
The only thing is I had already spoken to his dirt guy and was quoted the same price so he wasn’t even doing me a favor. After having many other contractors give us quotes to fix this issue, it was determined 50 loads of dirt would be required to build up around our home and regrading to make sure water drains to the low corner as it was designed to on the site plan.
It also required clearing of another acre of land that we weren’t planning on clearing because that was higher land that the water was designed to flow through on the site plan. But because the home is too low water couldn’t make it there and instead stayed right by our home.
All of this when a few extra loads of dirt before the foundation was poured would have built up the elevation putting the home out of harm’s way. But by the time he poured the foundation we were so far behind already that Ken just pressed on instead of making sure it would be alright despite many witnesses informing him of a water issue at the home site. Because of that, we are $20k in debt to fix the results of his negligence.
Momo
United States#2Consumer Comment
Fri, October 11, 2019
You relied on this guy as a professional with knowledge and skills as to how to do the job. As per your report, he failed to properly construct the house. You need to run this past an attorney and quite possibly, the attorney fees will be his responsibility. You don't know until you try!
coast
United States#3Consumer Comment
Fri, October 11, 2019
The home inspector warned you yet you still chose to purchase the home so this is on you.