‘It’s caused depression’: Family says they gave home builder almost extra year to finish; it didn’t

GASTONIA, N.C. — Verity and John Howard were looking for a bigger house and more of the “country” life.

They hired Golden Construction-Sumter to build them a house in Gastonia.

They signed the contract in 2022. It said the project was supposed to take roughly 180 days, so they said January 2023.

“All he had done was just put the basement walls with a little bit of framing on the first floor, and that was it,” John said.

The Howards said they gave the company roughly an extra year to finish, so until January of this year, but that it still didn’t.

“It took a toll on our marriage. It’s just been hard,” Verity said. “It’s like issue on top of issue on top of issue … bad.”

They said they even talked about bankruptcy and foreclosure.

“It’s been horrible. It’s been a nightmare. We’ve been extremely stressed. It’s caused depression. We’re financially strained. [We’re] almost pretty much broke at this point,” John said.

They hired another company to finish the house and it’s almost done. But they say -- by the end -- it will have cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars more than planned.

The builder emailed Action 9 saying, “Our company remains fully committed to transparency, ethical business practices, and maintaining open communication with our clients. We take these matters seriously and have provided a response that clarifies the situation while respecting ongoing discussions.”

It also provided a more detailed statement, which reads:

“We have been made aware of the concerns raised by Mr. Howard regarding a construction project initiated in February 2022. At Golden Construction-Sumter LLC, we prioritize transparency in our communications and remain committed to providing high-quality service to all our clients. We take these concerns seriously and would like to provide a response while respecting ongoing discussions regarding this matter.

Due to the complexities involved in land subdivision and septic system approvals, which are subject to local city regulations beyond our control, the project experienced unavoidable delays. We have consistently communicated these challenges to Mr. Howard and worked diligently to address the issues within the scope of the project. As with any construction process, adherence to municipal regulations and unforeseen site complications can impact timelines and progress.

Regarding the financial aspects of the project, all expenditures were allocated to necessary site preparation and development efforts. We maintain accurate and thorough records of these transactions, in line with industry standards, and continue to remain transparent in all our operations.

While we understand the frustrations expressed by Mr. Howard, Golden-Construction-Sumter LLC firmly denies any allegations of wrongdoing, including claims of mismanagement or fraud.

We are committed to addressing any valid concerns and resolving disputes professionally, within the framework of the agreed-upon contract and applicable laws.

As this is an ongoing matter, we will refrain from discussing specific details publicly to ensure fairness to all parties involved. We remain open to constructive dialogue and hope to achieve a resolution that aligns with the best interests of all parties.”

If you have problems with any major home project:

• You may want to talk to a lawyer.
• You may want to report the company to the state licensing boards in North Carolina and South Carolina.
• If you exhaust all your other options, there’s always the Homeowners Recovery Fund in North Carolina.

VIDEO: Customers aren’t only ones upset with York County builder facing charges

Customers aren’t only ones upset with York County builder facing charges

©2024 Cox Media Group