A Douglasville woman says the new home she bought for her family has turned into a financial nightmare, with repair costs she estimates at $534,000 — a bill so steep she says she may have no choice but to abandon the property altogether.
The woman, identified as Yalanda Williams, bought the new-construction home believing it would be safe for her family, according to WSB-TV. Instead, she says she is now staring down a decision that could upend her family's finances and living situation entirely. “Either I find $534,000 to repair my house, or I walk away,” Williams told WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.
What's Known — and What Isn't
The station's report describes structural defects, foundation problems and sinking, as well as issues documented in a Douglas County inspection report, including split studs, foundation cracks, sagging drywall and nail pops. It names Meritage Homes as the builder and discusses repairs and the company's offer to Williams. It's also unclear whether the $534,000 figure comes from a professional inspection, a contractor's bid, or Williams's own calculation.
What is clear, per the same account, is the stark choice Williams says she now faces: come up with more than half a million dollars or give up the home she bought for her family. Williams tried taking the dispute to court, where the case was dismissed and sent to arbitration; the dispute also involved a Douglas County inspection report and engineers’ findings.
How Georgia Law Handles Construction Defect Claims
Homeowners in Georgia who believe their house suffers from construction defects do have a legal pathway, though it's a narrow one with specific procedural steps. The state's Right to Repair Act, codified at O.C.G.A. §§ 8-2-35 through 8-2-43, lays out a notification process for suing a builder, subcontractor or design professional over defective construction or remodeling, according to the Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. A warranty or contract signed at the time of purchase may also carry separate arbitration rights.
Before filing a lawsuit, the law generally requires homeowners to send written notice stating that they are making a claim due to one or more construction defects and that the notice is meant to satisfy that statutory requirement, the division explains on its page on the Right to Repair Act. That notice requirement does not apply in situations where defective construction has resulted in personal injury or death. It is not known whether Williams has sent such a notice or taken any other legal steps in connection with her home.
The Office of the Georgia Attorney General also notes that the Right to Repair Act sets out rules and procedures for pursuing claims against builders, subcontractors or design professionals, and that homeowners are required to be given notice of those procedures within contracts signed with those parties, according to the Office of the Georgia Attorney General. For now, the specifics of Williams's situation — including the extent of the damage and any next steps she may take — remain unresolved.
