Lesson 1
If my builder has a good reputation, I don’t have to worry about them just covering up shoddy or dangerous workmanship, or do I?
Wrong!!! Brint Construction damaged the framing to our home in 2016. They just covered over the damage with sheetrock, but told us it was properly corrected. We did not know the damage was still there until we had another contractor remove the interior walls in 2018 for mold remediation.
Around August or September 2016, the house was framed, walled and roofed, and most of the windows were installed. We were at the site one day watching the work crew. One of the workers began cutting out around one of the window frames.
(We originally asked for 3 foot wide windows, but the Windstorm Engineers said structurally they must be 2 foot windows with additional framing.)
On this particular day, a worker saw an opening for 2 foot windows, but 3 foot windows had been delivered, so he began cutting out the additional framing AND THE WINDOW HEADER to install the wrong window.
When we saw what he was doing, we stopped him. We told Brian Byrom of Brint Construction what had happened, and then left for the day.
The next time we were at the site (a week or two later), the walls had sheetrock on them, but Stevie Ray Vernon of Brint Construction, assured Anne that the cut window framing and header had been properly repaired and passed inspection. We took him at his word.
Fast forward to July 2018, we hired contractor Leo Castillo to remove the sheetrock in the front walls for mold remediation. Mr. Leo found the window framing and header was still cut almost all the way thru. Leo told us this was very dangerous, and that he must repair this for us. Mr. Leo gave us a signed statement to these facts, and he was willing to testify to this in court.
MUST READ THIS RECENT UPDATE: Tim Byrom and his attorney sent me an email on April 27 2023 where he stated “The cut window framing was repaired by additional bracing, clearly visible in your own photos”. Please show the photos below to any home builder, building inspector, or 7th Grade Wood Shop student, and ask them if the window framing and header was properly repaired. Then ask yourself “Should I believe ANYTHING that Tim Byrom says about this”? (I will be posting the entire email, and all of Tim Byrom’s comments.)
Pictures below were taken July 17 2018, (after we had been living there for a year and a half!)
TIP TO AVOID THIS: A very smart friend told us “During the framing stage of construction, be on site watching, EVERY DAY. That will be the time to catch and repair errors and mistakes”.
NOTE: It will not always help, but it still is good advice!
Hidden Damages
