Months of construction delays, flooding and mounting repair bills turned what was supposed to be a Mooresville dream home into a legal saga, according to one local couple. Matt DeWald and Tiff Hawks say their builder effectively walked away from the job, and a court has now awarded them an almost $1.6 million default judgment.
The couple says trouble started in 2021 and only got worse, forcing them to spend roughly $530,000 beyond the original purchase price just to keep the house livable. They allege the developer first pointed them to a lot costing about $100,000, then gradually stopped showing up, leaving the home half finished and them footing the bill.
Legal filings trace builder through a tangle of disputes
The dispute is hardly isolated, at least on paper. Public court dockets list Nest Homes and a network of related companies as defendants in a cluster of lawsuits filed by homeowners, subcontractors and suppliers. Case listings compiled on Justia Dockets & Filings show motions, stays and lawsuits naming Nest, Helmsman and affiliated entities in matters filed between 2021 and 2025.
Flooding videos, missed deadlines and a court fight
According to reporting from WCNC, DeWald and Hawks say they documented water flowing through the home’s foundation on video and watched the construction schedule slip past the limits spelled out in their contract. WCNC reports that court records show the couple sued Nest Homes and Harbor Chase Development in 2025, and that a judge entered a default judgment after the companies allegedly did not respond to or defend against the claims.
Permits tie companies to projects around Lake Norman
Public permitting records connect Nest and Helmsman to several projects in the Lake Norman area, indicating the companies had been active in new home construction in recent years. Iredell County’s Building Standards webpages and the eTRAKiT permit system list Nest or Helmsman as contractors on jobs in and around Mooresville and Statesville, according to records reviewed by local reporters.
Default judgment is a legal win, but collecting is another story
Under North Carolina law, a court can enter a default judgment when a defendant fails to answer a lawsuit. It is a clear legal victory on the record, but it does not automatically mean money in hand if a company has closed its doors or has few reachable assets. North Carolina’s Rule 55 sets out how defaults and default judgments are entered, and when a judge can later set them aside or require additional proceedings.
DeWald and Hawks say they are now focused on trying to collect on the judgment while other homeowners and subcontractors watch closely. Local reporting and public records point to dozens of other judgments and liens involving Nest Homes and related entities. Coverage from Moneywise and local court filings indicate the collapse of the builders has left multiple subdivisions stuck in limbo, and filings attributed to lawyers for the companies state that some Nest and Helmsman entities are no longer operating.
