AURORA, Colo. — A Colorado family is desperate for solutions after buying the house they thought was their dream home, but has turned into a nightmare.
Carrie Taylor's home was supposed to represent a new chapter in her life.
"I actually was crying. Crying good tears, I was." Taylor said."This house represents a lot more than just a home. It represents starting over, new roots."
Taylor lost her mother in early 2020. Her father, Randall Kuch, helped her to purchase a house by Richmond American Homes in Aurora. Using life insurance money from her mother's passing and savings, they were able to put money down for the home.
But a year later, her feelings have sunk with the house.
"Kind of deflated. That's probably the best way to describe it," Taylor said. "They look good on the outside, everything looks nice and pretty. And then, once, you know you buy a home, then you just bought a lemon."
She says the house is sinking as the foundation settles into a drainage ditch from five other houses uphill. One of those houses directly above hers is still under construction and draining directly into her back yard.
"Every time it rains, it's like a mudslide, and now that has backed up in our drainage," Taylor said. "It's literally causing the back end of our house, specifically my closet, to shift."
Taylor said she started raising alarm bells about the drainage and foundation issues in the spring, but her complaints went ignored. She says many of the cracks in the house were given cosmetic fixes, but the foundation issues remain.
"They came out and looked at it, and they brought out a drywall person to cover the cracks," she said. "I've made numerous calls. I've made over 30 warranty requests. I just don't know what the problem is."
Assessors that surveyed the current damage say it will cost more than $5,000 to repair. But, they say that does not address the issues causing the damage.
"I would say [it will cost] at least $20,000," Taylor said. "They're going to have to do everything underneath again."
Her family is now warning other potential buyers to do their research.
"Do your research on your developers and your builders," Kuch said. "You'll find some surprises in there."
Denver7 Reached out to Richmond American Homes for comment, but the company declined saying they "do not publicly comment on details of individual homeowner circumstances."
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