Anything Wrong? Plenty....

Consort, Jeff, Mike, and company--Have you taken a look at your new roofs here lately? Any reason in particular that they are buckling, rippling, bowing, and lifting off of the actual roof? Just wondering.

With a buyer pulling out of a market home, I wonder the reason. Of course, reasons may be many--from a defective lot, to shoddy workmanship. Perhaps I could pathetically cheap roofing materials that have already buckled in the early evening heat.

Picture to come...

(It appears that the quality of roofing material used by Consort as the default roofing material has been lowered--no shock, right? I mean, cheaper roofing tiles pasted on saves the builder money which translates to more money for the same. Yay for shitty builders everywhere!)

Just Keeps Getting "Better"....

I'm starting to wonder if Consort actually knows how to build homes, I mean, do they have the technical knowledge and skill to do so. On top of everything, almost too much to enumerate at this point (especially in a home only 2 years old), the basement windows now leak.

A large storm just passed through. Upon going to the basement I see water spilling over the concrete ledge from a basement window. ARE YOU PEOPLE KIDDING ME?! As I've said before, in my many many years I have not seen the amount of problems, and range of problems--all indicative of shoddy building, cheap materials, and a shift in foundation--that I see here.

Consort--your homes are LEMONS--and you were negligent--if not more--in the manner you constructed my home. Until I receive compensation for damages and value lost, I will continue to do my best to alert potential buyers--and already building soon-to-be-new homeowners--of the dangers inherent in building here, with you, Consort.

Fortunately, a warning was given to the people building the new home just to my south. They, of course, were surprised to hear and see of the situation with my lot and lawn. Again, Consort--have you heard of the duty to disclose? Perhaps your lawyer might elaborate on the same for you--and the ramifications of failing to adhere to your various duties.

(Another interesting point--the home to the south is building a walk-out basement--I'd like to see, Consort, how you accomplish this on a lot that floods, and how you are able to bring the land down low enough to allow for a full walk-out without simultaneously comprising the stability of the edges of mine. )

Newest Developments

Sorry to have taken a few days away, but I'm back with some new developments. First, pictures still to come that document the increasing troubles with our home.
Next up will be photos of the flooded lot adjacent, with drainage sewer blocked and clogged and thus filling to over the top with water during today's rain. Also, the ever-present ineptitude or stupidity of those working on the lots--once again, leaving the dumpster door wide open for trash to fly everywhere. Nothing sells your lots, Consort, quite like flooded sewers and garbage spilling out of open dumpsters. Way to go for the sales pitch! (Fools). Such attention to detail--and one is to have faith that Consort will build with quality and attention to detail?

Now, the most interesting development: Some weeks back I mentioned the construction of a market home on the pond/drainage route two lots to my north. This market home was eventually sold--but, without the fair and honest and full disclosure required on Consort's part. As I wrote several posts prior, I had the opportunity to meet the home buyer, and to explain what had happened on my lot: The improper compacting, the failure to disclose, the sewer line 18 or so feet down (and thus the chance that the land could fall this far down), the splitting land, dying trees, mess of a lawn, flooding, and Consort's refusal to compensate me for my loss.

It seems (though I'm not entirely certain, but will find out soon) that the buyer backed out of the deal--and the home is back on the market! As I've said before, if I can save others from the lies of Consort, the distortions, the half-truths, I will. Why just the other day I saw the Consort agent working to sell the lot just next to me. When the potential buyers inquired about the lay of the land, and the sewer, she actually had the nerve to say, "Oh, and you're fortunate to have a sewer here because it will keep your lawn dry and handle drainage"--or something close to this. She did say it was a "good thing." HAHA!!! Isn't this lying to customers, Consort? Is this part of your ethical and integrity-laden pledge? Rest assured, when I next see this couple I will show them what has happened to my lot, and explain the "benefits" of this sewer. And, should I not have the opportunity to speak to the potential buyer, and they do build and move in, and later have ANY sort of trouble with their lot--I can say that I heard, loud and clear, the lines being fed to them. And...the failure to disclose.

So, Petras and crew, you see, you've lost a buyer. Offering me compensation, doing the right thing, as asked for for almsot a year now, would have cost you less.

Interior Walls

Another day, another development with the home and lot--not only is our lot splitting further, but our interior drywall is staring to show bends at the seams, and, for that matter, show seams. Again, have to say, I lived in my first home for 20 years--never once saw anything like what I see happening here. No frost and ice on my interior walls, nor on my fireplace, no bent and curved walls (unless designed that way), no gaps between door to outside and frame so large that you can pass mail through it, no cracking around window frames. Quality is key when buying a home--Consort doesn't deliver.

Pictures to follow...

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!!

A Quick Thank You to Google--Hacker Prevention

I'd like to take a few lines here, in this blog, to thank Google for their vigilance, security, and account protection. Last night there was an attempt to hack into my email account--and this blog-->Google shut it down and I have someone investigating the origin of the attack on my account. Thank you Google!

Garbage: Indicative of Consort's Practices

Something else of interest re: Consort Homes: While driving around other subdivisions in development, I notice a general cleanliness, attention to detail, tidiness to the area--a lack of construction garbage, in other words--with respect to the empty lots and to the areas surrounding. Here, in Countryshire, Consort seems oblivious to these very same things.

Here in the areas under construction at Countryshire, there is harmful debris next to homes--from large pieces of wood to nails to metal stakes-- surrounding open lots, and refuse laying next to Dumpsters--but not in them.

This is but a teeny tiny bit of what I have been dealing with for two years. At one point, I had to call a construcion manager to my home to load up over 20 boxes and Tyvek, in addition to related construction refuse found on my lot and those neighboring. I've had to pick up no less than 100 roofing tile bags left out after the men finish work. I've had to pick up scraps of roofing from my deck. I've had pieces of siding blow across the street and strike my car. I once collected no less than 10 boxes in a single morning from the side of our lot--all under the observation of your men building a house across the street. No one made a move to pick them up themselves, no one has apologized.

A construction manager himself has driven up and down the street countless times, construction refuse clearly evident, and not made a move to dispose of it--instead, he often blamed the construction refuse on another builder, several streets away. As I look out the window across the street, large pieces of plywood and drywall sit on an empty lot, just waiting for another wind gust.

All of this is indicative of Consort's approach: sloppy, fast and in a hurry, not attention to detail. And, as a self-touting "green builder," I wonder how Consort justifies canisters of chemicals left out on the lots to drip into the soil (isn't this an EPA violation?).

We have a neighborhood FULL of children, young and old, and family pets. I don't even want to think about what might happen to any of them if they are struck by debris or exposed to chemicals from canisters leaking into the soil, or crawl into a dumspter left wide open from the side, or struck by electrical cords left dangling from roof tops overnight in a storm.

Now, when I made the construction manager aware of these issues I received an extremely rude, inappropriate, and unprofessional email from the construction supervisor (Mike), telling me that all of "this" was "none of my business." I said it then, and I'll say it again now: OH BUT IT IS, WHEN IT REFLECTS ON PROPERTIES, WHEN IT VIOLATES ORDINANCES, WHEN MY YARD IS COVERED WITH GARBAGE, WHEN IT CAUSES RISK OF HARM--IT CERTAINLY IS.

Consort has been reminded, regularly for two years now regarding this problem. Deaf to customer concerns?

**Mr. Petras, as Director of Sales and Marketing I would think this would interest you, or no? Actually, Mr. Petras, I would think all of what I've been writing would be of interest to you--sales and marketing, and those PROFITS PROFITS PROFITS depend on the court of public opinion, do they not?

The Never-Ending Story....Consort Lot Nightmare

AKA, Consort Homes, LLC disaster. My previous post showed a widened crack on the north side of my lot, the worsening state of the lawn a result of excavation and grading one and two lots to my north.

Today, I found another horrific surprise--a hole adjacent to this crack that has turned out to be the "mouth" of a 19 inch void in the soil. As I suspected, my landscaping is now "resting" upon a hollow, a "sink hole" of sorts, extending 19 inches straight down under the surface of my lawn. Essentially, it seems that the ground beneath my landscaping, the ground and earth upon which Consort should never have built, and upon which--even better-- they improperly built (per their own admission re: soil compacting), has sunk, completely dropped, and continues to drop, leaving an unstable surface lawn--with no support underneath it.

I've attached pictures of a pole that we stuck into the hole--straight down with ease (and over to all sides under the lawn surface)--as well as a ruler against this same pole showing the depth of the sinkage.

I'm not sure if Consort is actually waiting for my entire rear lawn to simply fall before taking any action to compensate me and remedy an unsafe situation? Or, if once more, they are deliberately denying that a problem, a LARGE problem, exists.

Please, for your own good, if you are considering a home in this stretch of lots, THINK AGAIN. Do not lose your investment, do not risk watching the value of your home drop, and do not take this kind of stress upon yourself--battling a corporate entity deaf to your losses (at their hands), one that claims to be tops in customer service), and losing all hope of re-selling your home. Allow me to put it very plainly: Consort is NOT A BUILDER WHO CARES. They are a BUILDER who DOES NOT CARE.
Not only did they sell (and continue to sell) lots unsuitable for building, they then, by their own admission, screwed up when it came to preparing my lot, and now refuse to acknowledge or confront the issue they have created.

Still No Problem, Consort?

Is Consort blind? Or just so filthy greedy that they will ignore a problem that has been staring them in the face for some time?

Whatever it may be, their actions seem to have reached the plateau of gross negligence: "The reckless, wanton, and willful misconduct causing bodily injury or damage to property. In this case, the standard of due care has been ignored by such a wide margin that it almost amounts to an intentional act. Read on...

Yesterday I posted that bulldozing very nearby--from digging a hole for a market home to grading that lot and the one adjacent--was causing severe vibrations/tremors of my home. I noted that my lawn was being split further apart, that a new crack was appearing in the foundation, and that the house felt as though it was shaken by earthquake.

I don't know if I want to cry or scream--this morning I noticed that a crack in my lawn had been further widened and opened as a result of the construction on the lot one over. I have told Consort that what they are doing compromises my lot, my property, my home, my investment--perhaps even my safety. They continue, nevertheless, to go about their work--without so much as a response to me.

LISTEN UP, CONSORT--WHAT YOU ARE DOING--THE BULLDOZING, DIGGING, GRADING, VIOLENT SLAMMING ON THE EARTH ADJACENT TO MY LOT AND ONE OVER HAS CAUSED MY LOT TO FURTHER CRACK, TO FURTHER DROP, AND MY HOME TO FURTHER CRACK. I am left with no other explanation other than gross negligence.

A home is slated, it seems, for the lot directly next to mine. If this is not halted, if some word from Consort regarding my drastic loss of property value is not forthcoming to me, anyone remotely interested in buying a home--from realtors, purchasers, to passer by--will hear of this.

Mr. Petras, let me ask you, how would you feel if this was YOUR home? YOUR lot? YOUR loss? Would you buy this property of mine? How would you feel if this was happening to your family?

Next Up....Media Outlets

Next up, local media outlets/TV stations....

Stay tuned as this moves forward.

In the meantime, I'll try to get some new pictures of my severely damaged lot, as well as photos illustrating the problems in my home that I believe are caused by the same (either that or by INCREDIBLY shoddy work).

Word is Getting Out--Thank You.

Word is getting out about Consort's practices re: my home and property, and my related blog. From realtors to local business to potential home buyers--this blog has been shared with at least 700 people! Let's keep going and spread the word--if each person can share this link with another 20, we can reach 14,000.

The more realtors and potential buyers who know about Consort's practices related to my land, home, and surrounding lots-- and their subsequent unwillingness to compensate me for value lost as a result of their acts--the better. We all know that grassroots movements have the power to grow--and grow quickly.

I'm still aghast that Consort has made no effort to reach out to me regarding my lost property value. I know you (Consort) are following this blog, how in the name of God can you ignore what your ineptitude, lack of ethics, negligence, and/or malfeasance has wrought on my property/home value? Have you NO shame? Such callous behavior again speaks volumes about your business model.

Friends, when you come to this page you need not comment, BUT PLEASE SHARE THIS BLOG! Help spread the word. Thank you to those who already have.

I'll be sending out mailers/flyers soon, and posting information on local bulletin boards (Dierberg's, Schnuck's, etc). The community has a right to know that Mr. Petras and his fellow Consort employees will seemingly do anything to protect their profits. Again, what Consort offered was pitiful. Put some dirt on my dropped land and fill some cracks with foam. I'm sorry Petras and others, this is a slap in the face. You know it, I know it--my property will never be the same, there is no real way to "fix" a natural drainage route running to sewers and ducts. My home value is lost--permanently.

Oh, and Green Builders?!?! Not with the cracks, water, insufficient insulation, and mold forming in this house. Readers, please note, this home is only two-years-old!

Consort Homes Ignores Further and Continued Damage to Lot/Property

For five hours now, Consort's bulldozers have been grading the lot adjacent and two over from mine. (The latter is for the "market home" that they seem to be building in a hurry in order to cover up that pesky drainage route, flooding, and pond issue.)

It's important to mention, that they're grading--not digging. The vibrations--strong enough that lamps on my second-floor are rattling and shaking, dresser knobs clanging, dishes and glasses shaking in the kitchen cabinets, and floor vibrating like an earthquake leaving even the beds shaking--seem to be FURTHER destabilizing my lot and lawn:

A new crack, visible in my basement, has suddenly appeared in my foundation. The cracks on my lawn have widened, and the lawn seems to have further broken off at one of the "shelves," and sunk more steeply in the same area since this grading and severe ground shaking started.

I'll be ordering signage today, or making my own, for my lawn--making it clear that the lot is in danger, is falling, and warning others of the sudden drop on the lot, as well as sinkage.

One more thing, Mr. Ed Petras from Consort Homes is reading this blog, and sadly (but not too surprisingly) there has been NO ATTEMPT ON THE PART OF CONSORT TO REACH OUT AND ASK HOW THEY MAY HELP, HOW THEY MAY COMPENSATE FOR OUR LOSS. Mr. Petras, is this how Consort operates?

Click for Larger Images

A quick note to let readers know that clicking on an image will allow you to expand the same--and there's nothing quite like seeing the ice-covered fireplace close-up, or the land splitting and cracking under the mulch, or....etc etc etc. You get the idea: Consort screwed up big time and with total lack of remorse and willingness to compensate me for value lost, continues to try to pass off lots that are, in my opinion, unfit for building.

But don't take my opinion, see for yourself! A picture is worth a thousand words....

BTW, the blue wall is the master bedroom wall--covered in ice.

Other builders handle drainage routes differently....

As promised...take a look at these photos. Notice that these drainage ditches are outside of the property sold for home lots...hmmm, wonder why? Could it be, I don't know, that one shouldn't be building across the entire line of a drainage route and pretending that the property will remain perfectly fine and dandy???

Again, in my opinion, either unethical or inept. Either negligent or inept. Either malfeasant or inept.

Speaking of the shelf upon which Consort is building...

See, I suspect that building on this shelf led to many of my problems with the house. When Consort artificially created an even surface over a drainage route, they created a recipe for damaged property. With the rear half of the home resting on an artificially created mound THAT HAS PITCHED AND FALLEN AND SUNK, the home on this artificially created mound will naturally shift. Just plain physics, I'm assuming.
So, when the back of the lot drops dramatically, naturally anything that was supported by this former mound will also shift--in my opinion. Thus, the issues with our home interior: misaligned walls, floors, gaps between the same, fireplaces blowing drafts from their frame (not the inside, Consort, not the inside--nothing to do with the flue as per your genius construction manager), ice and frost forming all over fireplace exterior, ice on bedroom walls, cracks in the foundation--clear through--that occur exactly where the land splits and falls, etc.

Coincidence? I think not. Isn't there an old saying about too many coincidences NOT being a coincidence?

PS: The last two images are of the ice and frost-covered fireplace. Every single person to whom I show these fireplace photos is astounded--NOT ONE HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. Again, I assume that Consort either built on land they shouldn't have, and/or is TOTALLY inept.

Some pictures of the large LARGE drainage duct...and then some

Here we're looking at the drainage sewer/duct prominently situated on and through lots for sale. If you follow the path of this duct you end up precisely at the contour of my now damaged and destroyed lawn--and we're talking about 4 lots down.

The next image is to the north of my lot (the above image being to the south)and shows the area of the pond over which Consort has now decided to construct a "market home." I can only assume that Consort preferred that potential buyers NOT SEE THE PROBLEMS with the lots, land, drainage, and a very real pond--thus they bulldozed some mud and started a house. Now, a new market home will be sold to an unsuspecting buyer--this one built over such an enormous drainage repository that a pond existed for almost two years.

Why is Consort still selling these lots? Why are these offered for sale with a few words about "oh, we'll just fill that ditch right up." Why are they attempting to build homes on a shelf that falls into an enormous ditch from which soil moves out and thus displaces a lawn and shifts a house?

Seems that Consort Doesn't Want the Word Out

Seems that Consort has blocked me from comment on their Facebook page. Apparently the truth about their business practices as related to my lot, my home, and my situation is difficult for them to swallow. No worries, I have this blog--and other avenues for publicity. In my opinion, Consort is just one more greedy and unscrupulous corporate entity in a string of greedy corporate entities seeking to make a quick buck. From the financial industry to the mining industry to oil/gas companies, to builders and construction--greed and deception are the motivators. Corporations seem to be driven by these mantras: How can we make the most buck? How can we make the fastest buck? How can we pull the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting buyers? How can we do the minimum and make the most? How can we take advantage of the building boom (now over) and build as much as possible, as quick as possible, with no thought or duty to ethics or quality. (I heard that bonuses were given to the home contract workers--painters, e.g.--for finishing as quickly as possible.)

It's the corporate entity versus the little guy.

Where are the good business practices? Where is their concern for my damaged home and lot--and related permanent LOSS OF VALUE? While they rake in the profits, I've lost the comfort of home, and the security of a good and wise investment.

Greed is NOT GOOD, Consort.

Again, homes built on a drainage route??

Build Your Home Here? Didn't Think So.

So, these are some images of the lot line that connects to my property. If you follow on past this large drainage structure you would reach the road that has buckled, and cracked, along this same route and contour. Seems the problem goes on for a loooong way. How can Consort fill these lots? They can't. Why not? Look at the large sewer in the middle of the picture--this large concrete drainage pipe. Look at the pictures of the road previously. All of this is necessary drainage, natural drainage. To fill these lots up to prevent this drainage, as Consort seems to think would be a grand idea, would impair the ability (and necessity) of the land to drain properly. The large aquaduct/sewer/drain with the stones surrounding is actually on a lot being offered for sale (incredible!!) and connects along the natural route to my lot and others in the opposite direction. Again, THESE LOTS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN OFFERED FOR SALE. OUR VALUE IS LOST.

Something else I've recently noticed: Consort building a "market home" two lots over from my north side. At first I scratched my head, wondering why a market home on this flooded area? (They already have another market home for sale for almost 2 years now.)Then, AHA!, it clicked. The market home is being built upon a parcel of land that had sunk, and flooded so extensively (again, on the route of drainage), that there was a pond on the same. A pond deep enough for ducks to swim and graze. I can only assume that after showing this lot to potential buyers month after month, all all balking (rightfully) at the flooded parcel, they decided it would be better to just go ahead and fill that big pond up with some mud, and quickly build a market home. Thus, hoping for a better chance to sell it. Of course, this lot is on the natural drainage route, with a sewer just adjacent, and will very likely continue to drop and flood as mine has.

I, fortunately, took pictures of this pond some time ago and will be posting those as well!

Finally, notice the picture of my lot and the severly angled island of landscaping. You can be sure that my landscape designer and I didn't purposely intend to bury a maple tree 15 inches deep in a drainage route, nor did we think it would be artistic to build an island tilting deeply on its side.

More on Images Below--Ruined Lot

What are we looking at in the images below? First is a picture of the edge of our property on the north side. You'll notice a split in the mulch. These splits formed, and continue to form, ALMOST 12 INCHES DEEP, across the width of the property. They run in parallel lines, again tracking the large drainage route that you see in the subsequent photos. So, we have a splitting, falling, shelf-creating, flooding piece of property--value lost. Isn't that every home owner's dream?!

Also, you'll see that the ENTIRE width of the lawn is impacted. Consort's laughable suggestion that they might "fill in with a little soil," has left me wondering if they are truly this inept or perhaps just very greedy. Again, nothing can be remedied on this land--even an attempt (which would be unsuccessful because of the nature of all contiguous lots and large drainage pipes and sewers indicating a necessary drainage route) would necessitate the uprooting of thousands of dollars of landscaping.

Why is Consort deaf to our loss of value? Homes are an investment, as well as an emotional attachment. Homes are our refuge. However, when your home is the nightmare, you can forget about the refuge.

Next up, pictures of the drainage sewer on the land they are attempting to sell for homes. Later, a comparison to the way other builders treat these drainage routes. HINT: Not by building homes upon them.

A Welcome to Pepe

A warm welcome to Mr. Petras, Consort Homes Director of Sales and Marketing, aka "Pepe." And to all interested in learning more about what has happened with my lot and home, please read on. I will try to post pictures and updates daily, keeping this information fresh and up-to-date. Nothing like photos and video--what's the old adage?--pictures and video are worth a thousand words.

Mr. Petras, as Director of Sales at Consort, you surely must understand that this home has permanently lost its value, and will never be able to compete on the market with other similar homes, but those that do not have egregious lot damage or ice building on their fireplace and melting on to the hardwood floors, bedroom walls covered in frost and ice, a shelf on their lawn making it impossible to care for, gaps between floors and walls letting in 20 degree F drafts all winter, doors that have fallen askew in their frames and will no longer shut, bulging walls, ceilings separating from tops of walls, cracks coming out on the diagonal from windows, and flooded land and destroyed landscape design. Ha! Tell me this house and lot haven't lost value.

That Consort has not offered compensation for permanent loss of property value is astonishing and speaks volumes of Consort's practices--not to mention abject greed. Listen up, readers, offering to fill tremendous drops in land with "a little more soil" and a plastic tarp, and suggesting that the home owner close their flue to prevent icicles from forming on the home interior, is pitiful. This is a pitiful attempt to minimize the gravity of the situation, and loss of value.

When a flat lawn suddenly drops drastically down into the contour of natural drainage, creating a shelf, and then another shelf, a little bit of soil isn't what is needed. When streets are buckling down in this same drainage pattern--a little bit of soil isn't the answer. The lot line in question should have been treated as it is by reputable builders, and those not driven to squeeze every penny out of the land--by simply not building upon it.

Look around, folks. You'll notice that other areas have these drainage ditches and drainage sewers ON THE OUTSIDE of developed lots--not sold as usable land and property.

Tomorrow, I'll be posting pictures on how reputable builders handle these drainage areas. I can tell you one thing, they don't attempt to sell them as usable land for homes. Stay tuned....

More Thoughts on Land Collapse

I've posted pictures of the backyard, but again reiterate that the pictures cannot possibly depict the pitch of the drop, or, of course, the rapidity with which the land fell.

I'm continually aghast that Consort trots out potential buyers to surrounding lots--sometimes with the construction manager in tow explaining away any issues, as though what potential buyers see and presume (correctly)to be a problem is just a figment of their imagination. I've actually heard the construction manager saying, "oh, don't worry, we'll just fill that ditch in" when referring to adjacent lots. Disgusting.

Let me explain that when *I* bought this lot, the first lot sold on the problematic line of lots, the land had been filled. The lots had been cleverly covered with enough soil to give an impression of even land. I initially found the backyard so boringly flat that I wondered how we might enhance it. Little did I know. I now look at the buckled street and sidewalk several lots down and am incredibly dismayed, again, at the rapidity with which all the underlying land sunk and shifted. When my home was built, the street showed no signs of damage. Now? It's buckled, cracked,and prone to flooding--and, funny enough, following along the same line of drainage that tracks all the way through my lot and contiguous lots.

I'm heartbroken at what has happened to my property. But beyond heartbroken, I am incredibly stressed. Again, a home is an investment--and watching the value decline because of Consort's greed in selling unsuitable lots is a daily burden and strain.

Does *YOUR* bedroom wall have ice on it? Didn't think so.

Awoke in the mornings to ice forming almost one-foot up the master bedroom wall and shock to feel a carpet as cold as snow, despite the home thermostat being set on 74 degrees. Actual ice on the surface of my bedroom wall! I wasn't sure if I should cry or scream. The air blowing in the room--from the gap between wall and floor created after the lot fell--was so cold and so strong that it was necessary to line the wall with blankets. Ice formed nevertheless.

Consort dismissed this as an issue or as a problem. In fact, their lack of surprise and horror was mind-boggling. They offered to shove a little insulation on the attic side of the wall (shouldn't insulation have already been there?), but dismissed the notion that a gap like this between floor and wall was even a problem. What about the likelihood of mold growing as a result of the ice and condensation trapped in the dry-wall? Consort was similarly disinterested. Just offered more mud for the back lot. Hmmm. What about the house that is now off-kilter? Why has compensation for our loss of value not been offered?

Lost Lot Continued

Additional Photos....

Consort thinks a little extra mud will do the trick here. At one point, their construction manager suggested a tarp at the edge of the lot--uh huh, a tarp. Those tarps do wonders for sinking land.

This property will never be able to compete fairly on the re-sale real estate market. Value is permanently lost.

What a Lost Lot Looks Like

These photos--some from October of 2009 and some more recent--illustrate what is occuring on our lot. Unfortunately, they don't do the problems justice. But, nevertheless, it's worth documenting so that potential buyers understand that when Consort tries to sell them a lot along this line, Consort is, in my opinion, attempting to sell a lot--and an entire stretch of land--that should NEVER be built upon.

Photos show the backyard, as well as the adjacent lots where the same pattern of drainage exists--also visible is a drainage sewer.

The photos with the painted stakes (white in some, white with orange streamers in others) illustrate a shelf created. From the top it drops suddenly about 15 inches straight down, as though pulled from underneath.

Foundation Cracks

With the house sitting on an artificially created mound (and shoddily created at that by Consort's own admission), and soil being pulled and eroded from below, we've noticed issues inside the home that very well may be related. We suspect they are as they became evident at the same time the lot started drastically collapsing in the rear.

This crack is one of many in the basement. Yes, it may be within "the norms" allowed by the concrete industry, but what is interesting is that it appeared so drastically within a year of the home having been built, AND that it corresponded--in terms of time of appearance--to the drastic drop in our back lot. This crack goes clear through to the outside of the property. Cracks on the opposite wall correspond--again interesting because they follow a line outside of the most severe drop in soil.

This is a classic case of the "little guy" battling corporate interests. It's our commitment to make sure that builders like Consort will not get away with unethical, negligent, even malfeasant behavior in their pursuit of quick profit. While they turn over their shoddy product, and bring in cash, the home buyer loses re-sale value. Again, where is our compensation for value lost? The relentless pursuit of profit translated to Consort selling lots that SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SOLD FOR HOMES.

Consort--you can't trivialize this any longer. We will get the word out.