Mold drives family from 'dream' homeExpert says repairs could cost more than $100,000 By Prentiss Findlay (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Brad Nettles Benjamin and Joy Allen's dream home in Etiwan Park on Daniel Island has turned into something of a nightmare. Above: Terrence Tully with Moisture Control Experts must wear a respirator in the house while he examines it for mold. 
Brad Nettles Rotten wood is visible between the exterior and interior walls of the house. 
Brad Nettles Benjamin Allen moved his family to Daniel Island in 2005 from the Washington area, where he worked in national security for the Bush Administration. 
Brad Nettles The Allens had their home tested for mold after they noticed it growing on the home's exterior. Anyone entering the home of Benjamin and Joy Allen on Daniel Island must wear a protective mask. At first it appears that a family lives there, like they just stepped out for a while. The kids' rocking horse and stuffed animals are there. The kitchen is well-stocked. But a large rectangular hole has been cut into a wall. "This is the worst I've found on Daniel Island," said Terrence Tully, owner of Moisture Control Experts of Summerville. The wheezing respirator he wears muffles his voice as he talks about the family's mold problem. The Allens paid Tully $2,280 to test their home for mold May 26 when they noticed it growing on the outside of the house. When the results came back, they abruptly left what they considered their dream home on the advice of their doctor. They have been living with friends since May 30. Tully discovered mold, which essentially is a fungus, on the inside of walls of the Allen home. That was bad news because the walls are made of porous material that allows mold spores to spread to the rest of the house via the heating and cooling system. Moisture seeped into the home's walls, creating a wet environment conducive to mold because, Tully thinks, window flashing was not properly installed. Flashing is material that fills the space between the edge of a window and vinyl siding that prevents wind-driven rain from getting inside walls. Tully said fixing the mold problem could cost more than $100,000. He has done limited testing at the Allen home because of the expense, cutting into some walls to evaluate the situation. "You don't know what you have until you start opening it up," he said. If the Allens move back home, Tully said that anything porous in the house must be removed. That includes furniture, bedding and carpeting. Insulation must be removed from the interior walls. Windows and doors must be fixed to prevent another moisture problem. And the area must be fogged with a chemical to kill mold, he said. In the meantime, the Allens are living day-to-day. Their daughters, Madeleine, 3, and Ellie, 4, cry themselves to sleep because they don't understand why they left their home, and why they can't have their stuffed animals, Joy Allen said. Because of their disrupted home life, the daughters become upset when their mother leaves for her job as a music therapist at Trident Regional Medical Center. "They're normally not like that," she said. "They're scared. They're absolutely scared. They don't want to go to bed at night. They want their rooms." A next-door neighbor of the Allens, David Pittman, said the Allens' apparent problems with their D.R. Horton-built house have caused him to be concerned about his D.R. Horton-built house. "We need to determine if we have problems with the house. We've spoken with an attorney," Pittman said. Another neighbor said she had problems with her D.R. Horton house but could not discuss them on the record because of a confidentiality agreement she signed with the company as part of a settlement. Representing D.R. Horton, attorney Kyle Dillard of the Greenville office of the law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart released a statement saying the builder was first notified of the Allens' concerns in a letter from their lawyer, Patrick McDonald. Dillard's statement said the company has arranged for the Allen house to be inspected, at D.R. Horton's expense, by a third-party professional engineer. "Once the engineer has provided us with his opinions and recommendations, we will discuss with Mr. Allen's lawyer how to most appropriately address Mr. Allen's concerns. Horton is hopeful that Mr. Allen's concerns can be resolved in a timely manner to the mutual satisfaction of both parties," he said in the e-mailed statement. The Allens said they purchased the 1,580-square-foot home, their first, for $419,000 and moved here in August of 2005 from the Washington D.C. area. Benjamin Allen, 33, who is disabled from multiple sclerosis, said he was a special assistant for national security in the Bush Administration. The Allens live at 100 Jordan Court in the Etiwan Park neighborhood. The home was built eight years ago, and two other homeowners lived there before the Allens purchased it. "This was going to be our dream home. We scraped together every penny we could for this home," Joy Allen said. They owe about $390,000 on the mortgage, Benjamin Allen said. Joy Allen, 32, provided a copy of a June 5 letter from their family physician, Lucy Davis, of Palmetto Primary Care Physicians on Daniel Island. In the letter, Davis said it was her medical opinion that the Allens should move out of the home until the source of a water leak is repaired and all current mold is removed. "The possibility of this causing detriment to their health or worsening current health problems of Mr. Allen and his daughters is great," Davis wrote. She described the levels of mold and mildew infestation uncovered as a result of a May 26 inspection of the house as "very concerning." Hayes Microbial Consulting of Midlothian, Va., analyzed the mold spore samples that Tully collected May 26 in the Allen home. Steve Hayes, owner of Hayes Microbial Consulting, said mold problems can happen because of moisture in walls. The heating and cooling system sucks mold spores from inside the porous walls and spreads them in the house, he said. Hayes said that 99 percent of mold-related health problems are caused by allergies. "It can be really debilitating. It's nothing to ignore. It's been proven that mold is an asthma trigger," he said. The Allens said their youngest daughter has had serious respiratory problems. They have taken her to emergency rooms several times, including on Christmas Eve, and have been living from one doctor's appointment to another, they said. "Her medical condition has been awful," Benjamin Allen said. Rodney Whitehouse, owner of Cardinal Home Inspections of Summerville, said he inspected the Allen house on July 21, 2005, before they purchased it. "Any type of moisture issue we had seen at the time we would have reported. There was no sign of mold or moisture at the time of the inspection," Whitehouse said. In the high heat and humidity of the Lowcountry, a large outbreak of mold can develop in as little as 24 hours, Whitehouse said. Reach Prentiss Findlay at 937-5711 or pfindlay@postandcourier.com. |
Article tools
| |||
|
Notice about comments: Charleston.net is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Charleston.net does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not charleston.net. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Full terms and conditions can be read here. |
Comments
This article has 49 comment(s)
Posted by eatmorecollards on July 6, 2008 at 5:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
From reading the news article I would suspect an oversized air conditioning system to be the culprit. Lots of persons from northern climes who move down here tend to want this and many companies will sell what the customer wants. If a air conditioning system cools the air to fast to pull the moisture out, mold will thrive. If this be the case it will be easy to fix and those children can get back in thier own rooms. Sometimes we have to give up a little comfort for practicality. Hope this little bit of knowledge helps.
Posted by Nutwell on July 6, 2008 at 6:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow. Was waiting for these things to start happening. Builders, you get what you pay for. Cheap labor. We have been in the siding and window business for over 20 years here in Charleston,and have been squeezed out by builders using cheap foreign labor. Illegal labor at that. Have talked to several builders over time and tried to show them the shoddy work they were receiving, John Wieland Homes, Sable Homes, Horton Homes, Meridian Homes.....the list goes on. Not one cared that the siding was improperly installed, flashing, etc. Feel very sorry for the homebuyers who are now suffering because the builders chose not to pay attention to proper building codes. Am sure we will be seeing other issues coming up......
Posted by Neponset on July 6, 2008 at 7:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Eay..
Sounds like you my have hit on the problem, assuming there is not a roof or wall leak.
My last house had an oversize AC unit and the house was always damp.
Posted by Neponset on July 6, 2008 at 7:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
John..
Good comment, except I believe the prevailing wind is from the east and south east.
Posted by newsreader on July 6, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Karma? Pollution sources? This is the LOWCOUNTRY, bordering the subtropic region of the world! We have bacteria-laden moist air to begin with! These folks purchased a house that apparently had a malfunction not easily picked up during a pre-purchase inspection due to the fact WALLS WERE IN THE WAY! Furthermore, you can figure it would have been near impossible for our local building code inspectors to have picked up what at the time of construction would have been a "small" deficiency due to the fact they were stretched to the ends of the earth with all of the new construction projects at the time. Unfortunately several years of collecting rainwater and mold spores has turned it into the problem it is today.
Posted by Hutch on July 6, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My Heart is with the Family; I am allergic to molds
also, even the airborn kind.
I moved from the DC. area in 1967 and didn't know what
allergies were until then. My Children and I were at
the Doctors office alot.
Posted by RTC on July 6, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have known of quite a few people who have had to leave their homes due to mold. Not all of the homes were new construction, as some were many years old.
I know of one family that had a huge modular home put up.
As it was assembled piece by piece, it grew mold, and the company had to tear it down and rebuild another one.
I hate to say it, but I have heard of quite a few problems with D. R. Horton. If I were this family I would make them foot the bill for the mold removal and the repairs. They should also be compensated for having to pay a mortgage on a home that is not livable.
I feel badly for these people, as they apparently have worked hard to achieve what they have, and they don't deserve this anymore than anyone else.
Posted by JohnS on July 6, 2008 at 8:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Have the builder fix your house. The Mold can be killed. It does sound like this guy is wanting out of his house. One problem with having a house that's good on electricity. The Houses today are built very tight and can't breath like a older home. This can trap the water once it sweeps in.
Posted by MrsKramer on July 6, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Unfortunately, the story of the Allen family is not new or novel. This situation is happening to families all over the US from mold in new construction, water damaged homes, parents' places of employment and children's schools.
Most likely, the children crying themselves to sleep every night is NOT simply a result of them missing their toys and rooms. Mold has toxic components that cause neurocognitive difficulties which mimic depression. It is widely recognized within science that the very young, very old and those immunocompromised by illnesses such as multiple sclerosis are the most susceptible to serious illnesses from exposure to the microbial contaminants found in water damaged buildings.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has recently published a new book on the subject titled, "Recognition, Evaluation, and Control of Indoor Mold". While written for professional mold evaluators, the book details much from a medical standpoint.
My heart goes out to this family. Especially the child with a severe respiratory condition. Most likely, she will not be able to receive proper medical care from her physicians as there is much misinformation being intentionally promoted over this issue. The poor child is probably being treated with useless inhalers and steroids that will only cause her immune system to become further compromised.
Those who would serve as expert witnesses for the builder should the Allens find themselves in litigation over the matter, are also the same people who have been allowed to set national policy under the Bush Administration - while promoting the concept that the Allen's children's illnesses are "not plausible" to occur from exposure to mold within homes, schools or offices.
While I would not wish this situation on any family, it is ironic that Mr. Allen is an employee of the Bush Administration's National Security. This perverse situation of hiding that mold causes the illnesses of the Allen children and other children, from the public and their physicians could not have occurred without the Bush Administration giving carte blanche to industry in setting national policy regarding illnesses from mold and other environmental exposures.
For a better understanding of how this has happened, read the WSJ article on the subject by David Armstrong. "Amid suits over mold, experts wear two hats."
http://moldwarriors.com/SK/WSJOnlineJan9...
Posted by carriles on July 6, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am just wondering if the insurance company was informed.
Just last week I found wet spots in a wall that is behind a couch in our living room. Upon further investigation I found 5 seperate leaks in a copper water supply line going into a bathroom on the other side of that wall.
I notified our Allstate home insurance company to find out if they could help. Guess what, NOPE!!! They told us if the problem had just happened, then we could have submitted a claim. But, since the leak had been going on for some time, they were not going to do anything to support us. I guess that is the thanks we get for being loyal to them and paying our premiums on time. How were we supposed to know we had problems within our walls. They are not made of plexi-glass.
Now I am stuck with fixing all the damage to the studs, sheetrock, molding and carpet myself. All this after I make sure I have killed the mold that has been growing between the walls for God only knows how long.
We live in Summerville, and the house is about 19 years old, so problems are to be expected, but I thought that is why we have home owners insurance. What a rip-off! I guess we will be contacting USAA to do a little price shopping.
I hope DR Horton can help the Allens, because, they would be out of luck if they had to use (heaven for bid) Allstate.
Posted by jeff61 on July 6, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why would you think your insurance company would cover a home warranty problem? Allstate is not leaving you hang out to dry. Your home is insured against if a tree falls on it or it catches fire. You did not buy insurance against leaking pipes. You should really educate yourself about home insurance and understand the difference between a Home warrantee and home insurance. This way you will not be embarrassed buy idiot statements that you made. You sound as if your insurance company should cover you if you run out of gas.
Posted by carriles on July 6, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe you should have read my entire entry, they DO cover pipes. If you catch them WHEN it happens. Do you know that they will cover your walls and carpets if your toilet has a problem and you get sewage all over your house???
They will also help if your hot water heater busts and your house gets flodded. Maybe you should educate yourself. I do not think a warrenty is affective 19 years after the home is built
All I was saying is that I hope the Allens get satisfaction from the builder.
Posted by majorjohnson on July 6, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My windows are open most of the year (I've never owned an air conditioner) and no home I've ever lived in had mold. There was a time when we didn't have all these mold problems, before everyone ran either a heating or air conditioning system year round. Homes, businesses and schools opened their windows, now they build places with not a single openable window and many homes don't even have screen doors or window screens. Drive around a bit and see how many screen doors you see on houses, especially new houses. Along with the growing mold problem is a growing asthma problem. The only time many people are out of a totally conditioned environment is between the door and the car.
Posted by jeff61 on July 6, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the house is 19 yrs old you may want to lokk into if Quest pipe was used. This is a pvc type pipe with metal fittings and a compression clamp. There was a class action lawsuit against that stuff. If it was used in your home then you can get it replaced free. I still don't think insurance covers leaking pipe joints but I agree they will cover a bust pipe.
Posted by RTC on July 6, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Homes today are thrown up so quickly that it is ridiculous. Developers are all about the mighty dollar and ride the backs of the construction companies to hurry up and move on to the next house. It is a shame that people don't take the pride in their work like they used to.
It pays to take pictures of a home you are having built from the clearing of the lot to every single step of construction.
I realize that some people are not able to do this, but it can save you money in the long run.
Posted by ysillyme on July 6, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
RTC----"Developers are all about the mighty dollar..". Now why would a company want to make a profit. I didn't realize taking pride and being profit oriented can't co-exist. BTW you care about your income?
Posted by RTC on July 6, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ysillyme, are you a developer?
You missed my entire point. The older homes were built so much better, because workers took longer, and did the job right. Those are the homes that are lasting these days.
Yes, developers do push the construction companies to hurry.
Why do you think that so many people hire inspectors these days?
My family personally experienced construction being rushed.
We put a stop to it by demanding that certain things be redone. That might be the reason that our home is holding up better than others in our neighborhood.
When you save up your money to have a home built then you deserve to have quality work done.
Taking pride in your work does not have to affect profit.
You build someone a decent home, then your business will flourish.
Posted by jeff61 on July 6, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Majormyjohnson,
Drive around a bit and see how many screen doors you see on houses, especially new houses.
With the price of gas like they are, you expect people to just go driving around in attempt to prove or disprove your half cock opinions. I am betting your head is a screen door. There is a reason they don't build place like they use to. Those older building are no where near as energy effinet as the newer construction. I bet if you had it your way every thing would be built to the standarnd of the Sofa Super Store. I am sure your family is really grateful to you not having A/C while living here in SC. I sure the family was ecstatic every night going to bed in the stifling heat. I bet they woke up every morning drenched in sweat smiling and greeting you with a big hug praising you for not having A/C. Your one hell of a humanitarian there bud.
Posted by Neponset on July 6, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
John
You may be tech. correct, but judging by all the leaves and misc. trash which blows into the open door of my garage, which faces SE, the prevailing wind for me is from the SE. Having done some sailing, I have spent many afternoons tacking down the Ashley River against the sea breeze.
Posted by NativeSC on July 6, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
JohnQ also has the world's smallest brain and penis. What a stupid comment.
Posted by Jenny1 on July 6, 2008 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry to learn of your Mold issues, our developer a well documented and known builder of Mold laced homes RW Hertel & Sons, Inc. of Ventura, CA has caused so many homes to have mold they sold homes to us knowing they contained TOXIC MOLD they tried to cover it up, got caught and the state board is revoking there license. Get a Lawyer and file suit ASAP you can not trust or believe these builders. Good Luck and expose them for the crooks they are. If you ever buy a house again check out the builder, they hide behind many phony LLC's
Posted by calebeaton on July 6, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Those with mold concerns should check out the remarkable research on toxic mold removal done by environmental expert Dr Ed Close. Simply diffusing a therapeutic-grade essential oil regularly in this building will likely result in an environment very hostel to mold.
http://www.secretofthieves.com/mold.cfm
In one instance, 10,667 stachybotrys mold spores were identified in a per cubic meter area. After diffusing Thieves essential oil for forty-eight hours, Dr Close retested. Only thirteen stachybotrys remained. Similarly, 75,000 stachybotrys mold spores were identified in a sample of sheetrock. After seventy-two hours of diffusing, no stachybotrys mold spores remained. (Stachybotrys has a reputation for being the most toxic mold.)
Posted by willx45x on July 6, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
First of all, JohnQ is a moron. Amazing how liberal hacks manage to infuse their hatred of Bush into any and every subject, no matter how far removed.
As for this house, I've heard that the overall construction quality on Daniel Island is very poor. That's one reason I've decided not to buy a home there. Of course, Daniel Island prices are falling significantly and I would not be surprised if this guy is underwater (or soon will be) on that house. The discovery of mold may turn out to be a blessing if it makes him whole on the house and gets him out from under a depreciating property. Daniel Island was/is so ridiculously overpriced that I think we will see 30% depreciation over the coming months/years. Going to be a lot of folks really surprised by the value of their home in say, 2010.
Posted by metallic on July 6, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Some people burn down their homes in an attempt to get paid by their insurance companies and get out from their up-side-down mortgage situation. It sounds like others are getting slimy attorneys and shady "environmental services" companies and are trying to play the "toxic mold" game with their insurance companies.
Fact: There are hundreds of types of mold, most are extremely beneficial to us and the environment. A few exceedingly rare types of mold do release toxins, but are rarely found in situations such as that described in the article.
The firm that supposedly analyzed the mold didn't indicate that the type of mold found was any of the exceedingly rare "toxic" molds, so I suspect it's nothing more than ordinary "household" mold in this situation.
If one is allergic to ordinary types of mold, it certainly can be a problem, but if one is allergic to ordinary molds, one would be wise to move from the low country to some arid type climate, as such mold is EVERYWHERE in this area.
As for this house, so long as the lab hasn't found any of the very rare toxic molds, simply stop the water infiltration (the article seemed to say there was a flashing issue) and I'll move into it with absolutely NO concerns about any health hazards.
(Of course, I won't be willing to pay what is owed on the house -- as I'm not any "sucker" who buys real estate at the top of a bubble, just as I'm not any "sucker" who falls for the scare tactics of those playing the "toxic mold" games.)
Posted by majorjohnson on July 6, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jeff is a freaking wimp. Because I lived my entire life without air conditioning I have no problem at all with the heat, it's perfectly fine by me. Because he lives his entire life in recycled conditioned air at the "perfect" temperature he's miserable outside his home, car or business most of the year. I'm 50 years old and can spend the day outside doing manual labor and he probably has the vapors if he has to mow the lawn on a riding mower. Take your wimp butt up north if you can't take the weather in South Carolina.
I also probably spend a few thousand dollars less a year on my electric bill than he does.
Posted by coolfreaknbeans on July 6, 2008 at 1:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is hilarious.Now the liberals are blaming George Bush for MOLD!LMFAO Ive now heard it all.Thanks John Q dumb butt
Posted by tlfviccnic on July 6, 2008 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
nutwell how right you are i've seen buildings here with siding just nailed to the wall....no wrap or anything...and sold to anyone with the $ ....never knowing....
Posted by buzzy on July 6, 2008 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear calebeaton:
I congratulate you for having one of the few constructive comments regarding this family's problems. Many of the other comments sound like they come from people who aren't acustommed to having an audience and thus lack any semblance of manners or common courtesy.
The point I wanted to make is that you need to locate the source of moisture and reduce it to below 16%. 12% is better mildew will die below these levels. The aromatherapy idea is very interesting. Perhaps a combination of the two.
Most of the rest of you (if the shoe fits) sound pretty pathetic. Where are you folks from anyway?
Posted by thomas1900 on July 6, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is this another Countrywide adjustable mortgage buyer who paid too much for the house and is trying to get out of it free?
Posted by MP on July 6, 2008 at 3:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Shame on you Johnq. An entire family's health is jeopardized by shoddy construction and you just try to politicize it because, in your words, he is a "Bushie"? Is everyone who works for the government a Bushie? What the hades is wrong with you? Try not being so callouse towards other human beings.
Posted by thomas1900 on July 6, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would never have thought of buying a "status" house that small and for that price and leave my babies to pay for it. I have worked more than 50 yrs but never left my babies when they were babies(in spite of great sacrifices);however, I had a slightly larger home in a very nice and safe neighborhood built and supervised before I had my children.
Posted by jeff61 on July 6, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
majorjohnson
Again your sorry half-azz assumptions are wrong. I did not grow up with A/C and I am not miserable outside my home, car or business most of the year. It is only practical to have as what you call “recycled air”. How many people dies each year because of the extreme heat each year. I bet you are the type of guy that would send these people fire wood in the summer and ice blocks in the winter. I suppose if you have nothing but piss and vinegar in your veins the heat would not bother you.
I am sorry to hear at the age of 50 you still have to do outdoor manual labor like that of an illegal migrate crop picker. Maybe one day you will achieve some sort of success so you will not have live such a primitive life. I bet you steal electric from your neighbors or something, which is why your electric bill is low or live with just one light bulb in your entire home.
Posted by lillycollette on July 6, 2008 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey thanks calebeaton.
Posted by ftttf007 on July 6, 2008 at 4:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am absolutely amazed at the dearth of intelligible discussion on this topic. Is is not obvious that human beings are suffering b/c a homebuilder, namely D.R. Horton, failed to to construct a home properly. I am confident that the Post and Courier covered this case in detail or they would be liable for slander. Everything reported has to be very close to factual, or the Post and Courier could be sued for slander. The story is detailed enough to make very clear conclusions.
The house was not flashed properly, water infiltrated and mold occurred--the mold has very likely been making this family quite ill for sometime.
I'm sure the mold inspector is a fraud and the family probably found some overly-litigious and evil attorney to help with their fraud--right? LOL.
Oh, maybe the homeowners bought the house, removed the siding and window trim and then unwrapped the windows and then put it all back together to make themselves ill. They then waited three years for a mold problem in a get rich quick scheme. Are some of you completely nuts?
Some of you people need to get a grip, though some of you are clearly very competent and at least human.
Posted by ftttf007 on July 6, 2008 at 5:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bush--el diablo--according to Hugo Chavez.
Posted by tomdeangelo on July 6, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, Johnq2, a negative post RIGHT as the article hits...I smell a rat. What position do you hold with DR Horton? Regardless, you are still a cold hearted, jerk.
Posted by lowcountrylover on July 6, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WHAT IDIOTS! A HOUSE BUILT MY ILLEGAL'S AND NOW THEY ARE CRYING???? DR HORTON HAS BEEN A CLOUD FOR AS LONG AS THEY HAVE BEEN BUILDING HOUSES HERE. CHEAP, POOR CONSTRUCTION, AND 75% MEXICAN WORKERS. JUST GO LOOK.
Posted by jeff61 on July 6, 2008 at 7:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can tell you I have seen up close what shodty construction these DR Horton homes can be and yes they are built with more like 85% illegal workers.
Posted by tomdeangelo on July 6, 2008 at 7:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, lowcountrylover, it's THEIR fault that DR HORTON used cheap/illegal labor? Are you kidding me?
Posted by farfallaspeaks on July 6, 2008 at 8:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who cares if the builders are illegal? It's cheap materials, and poor designs. Houses are getting bigger and bigger and made of cheaper and cheaper materials. It's not a 'dream home" if the person designed it with the sole intention of making a buck.
Dream homes have a little more attention to detail. This kind of development is a very sad thing. Daniel Island was never suppose to be developed in the first place.
Oh, and I blame the Bush administration for all of it.
Politics and Architecture go hand in hand. He has ruined our economy and EVERYTHING is suffering because of it.
I feel sad for the family, but it's bad Karma for working with the devil.
Posted by moonpie on July 6, 2008 at 9:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice one tripsa! I knew it was a Bush conspiracy!
Actually once I read it was a DR Horton home I could believe it. Every neighborhood they build in you could ride through on the weekends and see a disgruntled home owner camped out protesting something DRH did or didn't do!
Posted by 10216340 on July 7, 2008 at 12:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't know much about mold or home construction but I do know a bit about kids. I find the comments made by the parents to be reprehensible. For instance:
"Their daughters...cry themselves to sleep because they don't understand why they left their home, and why they can't have their stuffed animals." or "...the daughters become upset when their mother leaves for her job..." plus another stupid comment is "They're absolutely scared. They don't want to go to bed at night. They want their rooms."
Well, kids don't act like this IF parents do their job. The only reason children become this scared AND act like the article describes is because the parents have fed them a horror story.
They are not old enough to know to react like this IF you had done your job and minimized the situation instead of blowing it way out of proportion.
It is much more likely that kids will be come whiney and fussy when in unfamiliar environments but not scared like these two.
Shame on you for using your kids in this manner. You lost my sympathy when I read about your kid's reactions because I am convinced it was orchestrated by you.
Now, be a good mom and dad and go out and buy your daughters some replacement stuffed animals.
Posted by grannyofsix on July 7, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
majorjohnson never did answer about how the wife and kids feel living with no air
Posted by ftttf007 on July 7, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, random number assigned. You appear to know nothing about being a parent either. It appears that the mother of these children is a therapist (I'm assuming we read the same article). I am sure she sat around and fed them a horror story; she then probably even beat them to sleep. Where did you get your doctorate, genius?
Kids cry and frequently have a hard time adapting to change, especially when forced from their home.
Actually, I'll bet the father sits around and feeds these kids stories about the "devil" in the White House.
Posted by ysillyme on July 7, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
G'of6--Not only kids but adults can't live without air. Ist time posting?
Posted by majorjohnson on July 7, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm a computer programmer and I own a farm in the country. My back porch is the office about 80% of the year and I don't have to go out and do manual labor, I do it because if I need a fence or a new coop put up I just do it. As far as I'm concerned if you can't live without air conditioning you shouldn't live in South Carolina, and if you decide to live in a house that is never open you should live with the crap air and mold and asthma and the big bill from running your air conditioning and quit your belly-aching. My house was built in 1935 and has had quite a few leaks noticed and not noticed, and none developed into mold that made me leave my home or tear out my walls.
Posted by iceman1978 on July 7, 2008 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't like to run the ac either. My favorite time of the year is when it stays just comfortable enough to air the house out. Everything feels so much cleaner when it's like that. When the temp hovers in the upper 80's with high humidity you kind of have no choice but to run the ac. You can live without it if you have to, but it's not very comfortable. What gets me is people that have such a heavy reliance on it. We set ours at 75-76 which keeps the house comfortable and helps to de-humidify the air, but we don't run it 24/7 like some people do. I've done without it before, and could do without it again, but most homes today don't have high ceilings like they used to, and they don't have the circulation.
We had thought about buying on Daniel Island. It's very nice, but it's too far from Folly Beach and way too close to the major industrial areas. I also think that it's very overpriced. The fact that this guy bought a $400k+ home and is already having trouble is very telling to me. It makes me wonder how many other homes they cut corners on to make an extra buck. We decided on James Island and bought a home that was over $100k less than this guys, roughly 200 sq ft bigger, closer to the beach, and probably has a bigger yard. Our home was built in 1999 so it was here when Floyd went by and did fine.
Always do your homework. Read up on the history of the builder. In particular look to see if they have any pending lawsuits against them. Ever since the creation of the suburb we have had cookie-cutter homes, and there's nothing wrong with that. There was a day in this country though when builders took pride in their work and built neighborhoods to blend in with the natural surroundings. Today they find it necessary to chop down every tree in sight. Construction of homes used to be done by skilled laborers who were able to make a good living. Today it's done mostly by illegal immigrants. When they cut corners on the labor, why would it come as a surprise to anyone that corners have been cut on the final product?
Take a drive through places like Snee Farm, Ashborough & Ashborough East, the older sections of Crowfield, Shadowmoss or the older sections of West Ashley and James Island. Then drive through the newer developments and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Posted by majorjohnson on July 7, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Show me a builder with no lawsuits pending and I'll show you a builder who isn't building. Another story here included someone whose driveway had chipped and she wanted the entire driveway ripped out and a new one poured. There are bad builders and there are bad contractors and there are jerks who see a run in the paint in one room and expect the entire house to be re-plastered.
I also agree with a previous poster that kids don't cry themselves to sleep at night because they can't sleep at their new house. You don't have to replace their toys, go get the old ones. Be a parent. Because the toys are in this house they are contaminated? Freaking crap!
This is what America has become, pampered crybaby sue crazy liberal air conditioned whinies, and that goes for the republicans too. I think it's pretty pathetic that the only difference between republicans and democrats is that republicans believe bigger government is ok as long as their religion is involved. I consider myself a conservative, no debt other than my mortgage, i don't care if joe and joe marry each other because that doesn't effect me, I wouldn't give a thimble of warm spit for keeping joe blow from snorting coke as long as I can shoot him if he tries to steal my stuff to pay for it, I want the taxes I pay the federal government to pay for things the federal government is responsible for, not local sidewalks and "pleasure paths" and beach renourishment. Between religious socialists and sectarian socialists, i'm just sick of it. a pox on all of your houses. If you have to be air conditioned, so be it. You're part of the problem as far as I'm concerned. We grew great till we had air conditioning, then we decided the world could be conditioned to make us all comfy and forgot that it gets kinda hot and humid sometimes.
Posted by LowcountryMoose on July 7, 2008 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
majorjohnson, you are a wise man.