Consort--Can Never Deliver the Entire Package

One has to look at Consort--and the construction managers at Countryshire (Jeff, Mike)--as "challenged" or somehow not able to fully understand or carry through their responsibilities. We submitted an estimate, from our landscape firm, to Consort for necessary repair work to our back lot many days ago--of course, no reply. Consort must understand this much if nothing else (although I won't hold my breath): If you (Consort) are negligent, leaving us (the one with the damaged home and lot) no longer "whole," you (Consort) must reimburse us in order to make us--our home and lot--whole again. When we purchased the lot it was in GOOD FAITH that the seller had disclosed all flaws (as legally obligated to do) and that the seller had performed all duties (again, as legally obligated to do). When we then proceeded to put upwards of $18,000 worth of landscaping and landscape design in, we did so under the good faith impression that our lot would not turn into a swampy, fallen, jagged, dropped, and split mess.

Judging from the new home and lot across the street--where of course Mr. Jeff didn't see fit to replace all grass--now with large dead pathces on what was promised in the contract to be a fully sodded lawn (too cheap or too lazy to see it through I assume)--I shouldn't be surprised at Consort's lack of response.

Along those same lines with Jeff--so he wanders around the lots under construction here but doesn't do some of what he should be doing--securing the lots for safety, for one. The full Dumpster--with construction debris next to us has been open from the rear for 4 days now--Jeff stood in front of it, but didn't make any move to shut it. Neither did anyone working for him for that matter. I've said it before, and would be more than happy to say it again: Are you people hoping that someone, a child perhaps, crawls in while playing and gets trapped, injured, or worse? I'm sure that there are safety codes.

PS: Oh, and Consort, Jeff, Mike.... tell your workers that the wind blows and garbage has a miraculous ability to drift here and there in the wind, up and down, over and around. It's nice that you put a wall up next our property--but when workers on the lot at the beginning of Country Trail just throw their personal refuse on the ground (hey, isn't the ground one big dumpster anyway?! *sarcasm*), and you don't check all lots before leaving for the day to pick up this garbage, guess what happens? Yes! It blows down the street and ends up on my, or my neigbor's lawn. Is this concept of throwing away garbage so hard?

Consort--Can't You Even Get This Much Right?

So, I'm watching the new sod installation across the street. Finally, it seems, Consort agreed to replace the dead sod. Funny thing though (well, not funny--sarcasm), they're only replacing about 50% of the dead grass/useless sod. It looks like they're leaving about half of the front lawn--dead and dry as a bone--there for all to admire. Again, this is their M.O. The minimum, the cheapest, the easiest, the fastest FOR THEM. Not the best for the the homeowner, but for Consort. Do they really think half a dead lawn is an improvement?

*Update* Confirmed by the sod installers that Jeff has directed them NOT to replace the full front of the lawn. I hope to God that Jeff is there on his knees replacing it--as it WON'T COME BACK. Neighbor, I'm willing to help you with the legal issues here--and finding an attorney. This is PATHETIC. Even the sod installers seem perplexed as to why the rest wasn't replaced.

Honestly, Consort--can you EVER do the right thing? What kind of advertisement (Pepe/Petras, isn't this a concern for you?) is this for YOU? You really think it looks good for potential buyers to see that you can't even lay down sod for a new owner--and sod over the entire lawn? So 50% is what you deliver, Consort? Not 100%? Maybe you should put that in your advertising: We promise 50% satisfaction.

We have repairs to be done at home, but the hell they'll be done by Consort. This lawn debacle is just another affirmation of their pledge to cheap and easy. This seems to be the only thing that they do with any steady commitment--crappy and half-way work.

Shame shame. Pitiful.

Consort--Are you KIDDING?!

Unbelievable. Words would be superflous as, after all, pictures are worth a thousand words.

Here we have the promised photos** of the lot across the street, and the problems related to Consort's screw ups. This home has been occupied for all of a week, and completed only weeks ago.

(Consort, seriously? Look at the sidewalk. GREAT job grading, compacting, dealing with the sewer line, and preparing the lot, Consort, GREAT JOB.)

**Photos were taken with permission.

Consort, integrity? Business Ethics? Another example of none.

Newest Consort fiasco, evidence--once more--of their crappy work, lack of integrity, and total absence of business ethics. This time, not about my home, but a new home just across the street. Consort won't work with anyone--be warned before you engage them to build your home.

Pictures to follow...but for now:

New owner took possession of their just constructed home about a week ago. The construction manager, one or the other--both apparently equally indifferent, was to notify the new owner when their lawn would be sodded. It has been an extremely hot several weeks here, with blazing sun. The construction manager not only failed to notify the new owner of the sod installation, but did the installation over the 4th of July weekend--when many people, including the new homeowner, are out of town. The grass was laid down and without anyone to water the same (again, no notification), it obviously died.

So, what happens next? The rightfully distraught new homeowner contacts the construction managers--the very same people who were supposed notify of the sod installation--and asks for new sod to be installed. Consort, of course, refuses. Consort, once again, was negligent, Consort, once again, screwed up. Consort, once again, fails to make the situation right. Listen up readers, Consort Homes LLC is not a builder with whom you want to work, and not a builder with whom you want to build your new home. They are basically making the case on their own--their lack of concern, ethics, integrity, and workmanship speak volumes.

One more thing, not only did the lawn die (over 75% is brown and dead)--but Consort failed, on this lot across the street, to properly grade and prepare the soil. AGAIN. The house has been finished for a few weeks and already the lawn has sunk, sidewalk has buckled, and concrete has cracked. I know Consort, I know--these things are "normal occurrences." The problem is, Petras and crew, that these "occurrences" seem to happen as a result of your "craftsmanship" on an alarmingly frequent basis.

Is Consort Trying to Conceal The Problems?

The holiday weekend is over, and more news about the shoddy, unethical builder, Consort Homes. What's new? I have to wonder if Consort is attempting to conceal the issues with the lots along this stretch--sewer to sewer, from one end to the opposite side of Paul Renaud.

Just a few days ago, I was working in my lawn when I had the opportunity to meet the person who purchased the market home under construction two lots to our north. She complemented me on my landscaping, and we started a conversation about the lots--and the problems on mine, as well as along the entire run. She was more than surprised to hear of this--it seems Consort didn't tell her of the issues. No shock really, they haven't exactly behaved with integrity. I may be wrong, but I believe that there is a "duty to disclose" by the seller, once they are aware of critical issues. I'll be putting my law degree to work and looking into this.* (This post is written by the daughter of the homeowner.)

For now, back to the market home purchaser--I showed her the drop in our lawn, she connected the dots to the sewers, I showed her the drainage duct to the south, explained that Paul Renaud had buckled, that the sewer pipes were abou 18 feet down. She asked if it was a grading problem--I explained, "oh no, it's not the grading, it's that these lots likely should not be built upon, especially in their current state." Take a look around, most builders do not sell land over these lines for homes, but rather keep them outside of the buildable area. I again reiterated the likely 18 foot drop. Consort, however, was/is greedy, and wants to squeeze as much as possible on as little land as feasible.

The new purchaser mentioned she would talk to one of the construction supervisors--I'll call him Jonesy for the purpose of this blog. What she doesn't realize is that Jonesy will say anything, lie through his teeth if need be, to sell the home, and convince the seller all is okay. Jonesy still maintains that ice inside my home is "normal", eg. I can only conclude that he is either inept or intentionally misleading.

My greatest surprise at this point? That Consort's legal counsel isn't advising Consort to behave within the BOUNDS OF THE LAW. I understand that as their attorney he has a duty to zealously represent his client's interest, but he also may not turn a blind eye to knowing falsehoods, misrepresentations, and guilty acts.

Not to mention INTEGRITY? ETHICS? I'm wondering if the Missouri Builder's Association would be interested in this case.

I'm still waiting for Consort to offer just compensation for value lost. I hope that the words in this blog, and our spreading the word mouth-to-mouth, will reach and protect potential purchasers. If they lose even one buyer, they lose an average of $250,000, maybe more. Maybe then Consort will understand the gravity of what they've done.

Unethical? Gross Negligence?

Another thought occurred to me: Consort KNOWS now about this situation, they know about the problems with these lots, they MUST know that the land is poised to collapse further due to the depth of the sewer line and failure to properly prepare the land across a span of 10 lots, including the road known as Paul Renaud. They know that there are now homes on these lots at risk of structural damage. KNOWING all of this, they continue to offer these lots for sale? It's too late for compacting--and the know it.


(How would I make my case that they know? Well, Mr. Ed Petras, "Pepe," is a fan of this blog--so there is no denying that they are aware of, and seemingly indifferent, to the very real issues here. Should anything happen, on my lot or elsewhere, there will be no pleading ignorance--they know.)

How is it possible that Consort is (1) Constructing a market home directly over this sinking land as I write this, and (2) Offering these lots for sale knowing, or should know, about the risk of property loss, damage, even, God forbid, injury?

Greed? Lack of business ethics and integrity? Lack of regard for legal concepts? Carelessness and stupidity? All of the above is my guess.

Jackpot--FINALLY, Someone opens up the sewer!

Consort, GO TO HELL. Mr. Petras, and all construction managers lead the charge down. I've just had a landscape architect at my property, and finally someone who understands the situation. FINALLY, someone who opened up the sewage line in order to assess the depth, and related drop, and if my lawn was finished sinking. The expert's assessment? THE LOT ISNT EVEN CLOSE TO THE END OF ITS DROP...in fact, it can be expected to finish dropping after it reaches the depths of the sewer line: 18 TO 20 FEET!!!!!


Did you hear that Consort? PLEASE TELL ME HOW IN THE HELL I AM SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH A HOME BUILT ON A LOT THAT WILL SINK UP TO 18 OR 20 FEET?! My theory regarding irreparability has also been confirmed. At this point, it is a lost cause. Consort was grossly negligent in their failure to properly compact not just my lot, but the entire string of lots--even to the street--under which rests the sewer line. The entire back stretch of these lots should have been compacted in stages all the way down to the 18 to 20 foot level.


Consort was correct that compacting was missing--but what Consort failed to admit was that it is impossible to remedy the situation as it would require compacting to 18 feet along the entire stretch, and thus destruction of existing built lots, as well as the destabilization of the homes. Consort knows this and has deliberately concealed this information.


Another point, as the lot further sinks, we can reference the well-known theory that nature abhors a vacuum. As a void continues to build below, it is obvious that the soil from the entire lot will shift, thereby impacting my home. I believe it already has. The house, indeed, may not have any "structural damage" YET (the issues I now have inside could be the fault of shoddy construction), but it will!


I've begun notifying my neighbors of the situation--and this blog--and will continue working to get the word out--whether by fliers, signs, ad space in local papers, and/or local media assets.

Consort...once again, ignoring the issue

Today I received a letter from Consort's attorney, we'll call him Vito for the sake of these posts. Vito wanted to remind me that Consort still stands willing and able to perform some work outlined previously. The funny thing is, Consort still pretends (I say pretends because to say otherwise would suggest that they are totally inept--and, frankly, that's scary)that the issue with our lot can be "repaired" by "adding some soil."

How they fail to comprehend the problem is beyond me. They simply do not want to acknowledge the extent of the issue, its irreparability, and the loss of value. Again, this HOUSE CANNOT BE SOLD. I have lost a significant investment. My lot has fallen--drastically--across the entire expanse north to south, and most severely across half the east-west orientation. IT HAS REVERTED TO ITS NATURAL DRAINAGE ROUTE as it follows the path to a large drainage tunnel (images posted previously) and sewers. In addition, the entire pitch of the lawn has changed as a whole.

Let me reiterate, perhaps Mr. Petras will pass the message along, $18,000 worth of landscaping has been installed that is now either sinking, cracking, dying, falling, flooding, etc as a result of the drainage issues on the lot. If their construction manager truly believes that adding some soil will fix this problem, I am frightened at Consort's lack of understanding and skill in this business. As I noted before, a natural drainage route cannot be "fixed"--IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SOLD AS A BUILDABLE LOT. This steep drop now on our lot, and the cracking apart of our land, is indicative of a natural drainage route--visually apparent across at least 8 lots, and across a side street and on towards the community tennis court. Adding soil to my lot will not remedy the issue as it will again, in time, drain out from underneath. Consort doesn't want to see the situation for what it is--they simply want the cheapest "fix"--very likely in the hopes that I stop putting my story, and the story of these lots, "out there."

At this point, I have decided to retain an independent home inspector--as well as, very likely, involve my mortgage company, as well as a landscape architect. With the home having lost its marketability, it's a must that I inform the mortgage company of issues with their collateral.

Oh, and one last thing, Vito has to be joking if he thinks that I would allow the same construction manager who believes that it is "normal" for ice to form on my fireplace mantel. The construction manager once said "these homes are built so tightly"--uh, huh. That's why 20 degree winds and ice were flowing out from my master bedroom wall and frost and ice dripping from my fireplace. His suggestionh was (seriously!) to close the flue.

I've lived in other homes--I've never had "insulation disappear" or ice form on walls. I have never seen a flue (whether open or shut) lead to ice formation. NEVER IN MY LIFE, NEVER IN THE HOMES OF FRIENDS. What kind of crappy construction is it if, as Consort says, high winds "just blew away insulation from my attic?" Do they think I am an idiot? And this is a "tight house?" How is it possible that I lived in a home for 20 years previously and never saw ANY of these problems. Consort has never offered me an honest explanation. Vito, maybe you can? Why doesn't Consort do the right thing for once?

Do they really think that I trust them, after such obviously shoddy and what I believe to be dishonest practices, to "repair" anything? Come to think of it, I have pictures of some of their earlier "repair" work on a wall cap upstairs--a drunk monkey could have done a better job. I have curved walls in my kitchen--with countertops pulling apart from the wall on the curve. (Of course it pulls off the wall--the countertop is straight and the wall is curved. No amount of caulk is going to make that work.) I have crooked walls, curved walls in my bathroom. A fallen lot and ICE ICE ICE. A real estate agent has already told me that this house CANNOT go on the market, it CANNNOT be sold.

Hey, doesn't everyone dream of waking up to walls covered in ice in their new home?) Way to go, GREEN BUILDER!!