Lake Stevens family suffers home renovation nightmare

LAKE STEVENS, Wash — It started as a uncomplicated approach to transform their garage into an condominium for Shawn Alameda’s aged mothers and fathers, but matters arrived aside speedily.

“It truly is a nightmare,” said Shawn. “This is honesty the worst point we have ever skilled as grown ups in our lives.”

The Alamedas say their contractor identified a leaky roof which unleashed a torrent of problems, to the place exactly where the pair moved their 3 young children out of the residence around protection issues.

“It’s so unfair,” claimed Julie Alameda, the kids’ mother. “It truly is unbearable.”

Soon following the roof repair service started, it begun raining.

Water soaked the couple’s learn bed room and tub up coming to the garage, executing considerable hurt. That was back at the commencing of June, and the household still has no roof.

Incomplete repairs have remaining the household with no operating h2o. Bottled h2o cleans the dishes. The couple showers at a close by campground, and they are unable to use their toilet.

“We get in touch with it the walk of shame to go use the toilet, a Porta Potty in my front yard,” reported Julie, shaking her head in disbelief.

“It is hell. It really is,” Shawn added.

The couple claimed they paid out the contractor a whole of $82,000 and their residence is barely habitable.

“This is just not $82,000 well worth of perform, but I warranty you it really is $82,000 well worth of injury,” stated Julie.

Making matters even worse, the household explained experts advised them the drinking water destruction isn’t confined to the area all around the garage. It is all through the overall house.

“They’re suggesting that my overall dwelling be taken down to the studs,” stated Julie. “That could price tag $180,000.”

The Alamedas invested 10 a long time creating their residence alongside a bucolic region street. They’ve elevated chickens and grown their own foods. Now, their times are eaten with basically placing a roof above their heads.

They are practically out of cash, and they are working out of time as the seasons modify and rain is looming.

“The stress, the anxiousness … I am bodily ill,” said Julie. “The tension has me vomiting just about every day.”

At this place, the few is just hoping to sometime have their family members below one when roof again.

“We go to bed making an attempt to determine out what we are gonna do tomorrow to make it a far better working day,” stated Shawn.

The Alamedas requested KING 5 News not to use the contractor’s title mainly because they are however hoping to get the job done out a resolution.

In a assertion to KING 5, the contractor accused the few of earning fake allegations versus him and violating their agreement.

The contractor said he is doing the job on having the right permits to end the work and included, “I have always performed my greatest to give all my prospects what they pay back for and go earlier mentioned and further than for them.”

In accordance to the Legal professional General’s Place of work, contractor-similar complaints are not rare. In 2022 alone, their office has 710 contractor issues. In 2021, they been given 893 complaints.

Washington Division of Labor and Industries (L&I) has thorough ways on how to choose a contractor. The steps include things like producing a in-depth undertaking plan, verifying the possible contractor’s license and finalize a created agreement. Additional facts can be found on L&I’s web site.

Close friends of the relatives have commenced a GoFundMe for them. It can be located listed here.