Imagine watching your dream home warp into its own nightmare. Such was the experience of the Lilly’s, whose treasured home in Longmont, Colo. became a twisted version of the American dream when the air in their house made themselves and daughter repeatedly sick. The culprit? Mold, caused by shoddy construction and a contractor’s refusal to take responsibility for the problem.
“We’ve had problems since the day we moved in,” said John Lilly, the homeowner, told CBS News. “Two-and-a-half months into it we had another water leak upstairs that we noticed because water was dripping into our kitchen.”
The family contacted the builder, Meritage Homes, who identified the source- faulty plumbing due to improper installation. Since the home was under a one year warranty, contractors made the repairs, but that was just the beginning of the problem.
Mold Identified
The family hired a professional to do mold testing, who confirmed mold was still a problem. Doctors said the mold was the cause of the family’s illnesses. Yet John Lilly maintains Meritage Homes refused to take responsibility for the mold.
The problems caused the family to move into a temporary apartment, and even sleep in a tent at times. It has cost them thousands of dollars and health problems. The construction company continues to refused to remediate the mold.