Help! We recently bought a new home which was built on a slab. We already suffered through a leak in the front where we have a brick front. The builder filled in gaps with caulk and told us that slabs get moist so our wood floor should be expected to warp!! Now we are experiencing drafts along the baseboards on all of the outside walls. It is freezing!!! and our bonus room over the garage is at least 15 degrees colder than the rest of the house (the garage is finished). What can I do or who should I call to help me with these problems? The builder no longer cares or returns phone calls!!!

Hi jbyrd27,

For your benefit, and for that of others, it's always best to hire an Attorney when engaging a Home Builder. You can BET he had one review the paperwork to make sure his interests were 'protected'. As a homeowner on the other side of that contract, you should hire someone to do the same thing for you. WHen you figure out how much $$$ you're spending on this new home over the years, the cost of an Attorney is less than a drop in the bucket. At the same time, it's a good idea to hire a New Home Inspector too. Again, it's someone who's looking after your interests.

Now, what can you do? YOu can hire that Attorney. It's going to cost retainer fees (since you don't already have an Attorney.) You need to itemize ALL the problems w/the house. You'll need to give the Attorney copies of your contract too. Other than that, you can fight him yourself but you see where that gets you. AT some point, the Attorney will advise you when you should spend the $$$ to fix the problem(s). At that point, you begin putting leins on the Builder. I wish I could give you a magic pill.

My best to ya and hope this helps.

Jay J -Moderator

PS: God Bless America!