A Whitby household says a house renovation venture has became their “worst nightmare,” as building continues into its seventeenth straight month.
A Whitby household says a house renovation venture has became their “worst nightmare,” as building continues into its seventeenth straight month.
“We are never going to be able to recover from this, and the emotional trauma and shock of it. The dream has turned into a nightmare,” Premila Lobo informed Ontario Chronicle Toronto.
Lobo and her husband Rajesh Baht needed to increase the kitchen of their residence, add a household room and a authorized basement condominium suite.
They stated they employed a contractor to do the work for $255,000.
The renovations are greater than a 12 months not on time, the couple claims, and inflicting concern as they’ve already paid $175,000.
“He promised he would fix the interior by Thanksgiving and Christmas (of 2023), and so on, and so on. Now, we are 13 months in, and we still don’t have the interior done,” stated Lobo.
In keeping with the couple, the basement can’t be used, home windows nonetheless have to be put in, and with winter coming, they’re nervous components of their residence might be uncovered to the weather as they’re removed from being completed.
“We have a long way to go. The electrical has to be done, the insulation. This is supposed to be the kitchen, the family room and the legal addition and there is a lot more to do,” stated Baht.
The cash they paid to the contractor was alleged to cowl the work being performed, however they stated they have been shocked to find tradespeople, who did a lot of the work to date, had but to be paid.
“I have a whole list of unpaid subtrades right from the flooring guy to the electrician to the drywallers to the foundation company and many more,” stated Lobo.
They stated they found liens have been both positioned on their residence or pending for $88,397, and the unpaid tradesworkers’ salaries added to a different $11,000, which means there was simply over $99,00 owed.
The couple signed a contract with Dennis Design Construct of Whitby, Ont. Ontario Chronicle reached out to the proprietor, Trevor Dennis, who stated there have been points getting permits for the renovation and that he nonetheless hopes to complete the renovation venture.
“At no time have I ever walked away from this project,” stated Dennis, “The job was extremely delayed for reasons that were not mine and I’m trying to complete it.”
When Ontario Chronicle knowledgeable the couple what Dennis stated, they have been left unconvinced, saying he had additionally informed them he would end the work however nonetheless has but to take action.
“There are no specifics. He says he is going to do something, but when I say when, who, what, how there are no specifics. He will just say I’m going to do it,” stated Baht.
The renovation venture, quickly getting into its seventeenth month and yet one more Christmas season, has been troublesome for the household, as they needed a household room the place their two daughters might apply their music enjoying piano and violin.
“We want him to finish the job and if he is not able to do it, refund the money so we can get someone else to do it to give us our home back,” stated Lobo.
