The news that their newly built home in Texas is so poorly slapped together that a strong wind may topple it has devastated the buyers. They paid $400,000 for the new construction.
Although the property looks great from the outside, Laci Booker claimed that within a few weeks of moving into her Seguin home in April 2023, considerable remedial work was needed.
The owners of eight homes in Converse, Texas, sued PulteGroup Inc. a few years ago, alleging that their residences had “unacceptable levels of cracking and buckling” to the foundation due to many design and construction flaws. A few months later, Booker filed her complaints. The claims allege significant damage to the interior of the homes, leading to broken tiles, split trim, and cracked wallboards. As a result, the residences were deemed unsafe, unclean, or otherwise unsuitable for dwelling. There was also the presence of mold.
Booker said an independent house inspector found approximately 80 problems, including inadequate wall bracing, both inside and out. According to the inspector, a hurricane or tornado isn’t even necessary to collapse the home; it could topple from stiff winds.
Booker stated that PulteGroup requested that she and her family relocate to temporary accommodation when the problems became more severe so the building could be repaired thoroughly and she and her family might be spared harm.
The parties involved then reached an agreement to begin the house renovations after the 2023 winter holidays. According to Pulte, the repair work started in January.
In addition to addressing the concerns mentioned in the independent inspector’s assessment, the homebuilder said that repairs to the framework were necessary, which led to the need to fix the drywall and interior finishes.
However, the inspector stated he believes further difficulties are lurking beneath the surface. He said he is “certain” other structural integrity concerns would be discovered if the drywall were removed.
Pulte claims the Bookers didn’t always let the repair people in, even when they moved out. The Bookers deny this. Repairs have come to a standstill, and the two parties are unable to proceed further because the Bookers have retained attorneys.
They’ve filed a lawsuit against Pulte Homes of Texas for fraud, negligence, and breach of implied warranty.
