HomeBuyer faces $300,000 repair costs on new builds
WCNC
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Katherine Graf moved to her newly built home in Morganton, North Carolina in May 2023. Less than two years later, her brand new home already cost $40,000 to repair the structure.
And based on recent engineering inspections, she believes that despite her home inspection before moving, it could cost up to $300,000.
“I’m not going to get any money back from this house. All retirement, everything. So this is your biggest investment in a lifetime and it’s gone,” Graff shared with a reporter at WCNC Charlotte.
Within a month of moving, Graff says he noticed a carpenter ants coming through a big gap in the siding at home. When she entered the crawl space of the house, she noticed many more issues with the foundation and structure of the house, including big gaps and false pillars.
Graff has experience in building. She worked in schools, hospitals, and brand new buildings such as “pullwire.” This is a term often used to do the work that electricians do to pull wires against the wall when running electricity.
Graff reached out to CMTT Properties and Belmont Builder Timo Seatreitt, but he resisted and responded. “He almost said, ‘No,’ and sent me a letter from his lawyer telling me not to contact him,” she said. Graff then filed a complaint with the North Carolina Licensing Commission, which is currently under investigation.
Graf also contacted Burke County officials for help but felt ignored.
Things got worse when Graff discovered that Truitt may not have a valid license when construction began. The county inspection sheet showed work began in September 2022, but state records revealed that the builder’s licenses were not valid at the time, and the county did not conduct a license search until a month later. This raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of the builder’s actions.
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WCNC Charlotte contacted Burke County Manager Brian Epley, who described the construction project as a contract between homeowners and builders and explained that the county is ensuring code compliance with North Carolina and Burke County standards. He confirmed that the county had investigated the property and transferred the findings to the NC License General Contractors Committee, but has not yet received the results.
Consider these tips to protect yourself when buying or building a home.
Check builder credentials
Hire a reputable inspector
Report builder issues to local governments and licensing committees
If everything else fails, be prepared to take legal action. When you file a civil lawsuit, the builder or the builder’s insurance company may force you to pay for the latest information on structural issues and repairs. Now, Graff is urging county officials to improve the process and prioritize citizens over builders.
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