A picturesque Utah neighbourhood of 21 newly built homes is rapidly deteriorating, with houses cracking and sinking into the ground, leaving young families fearful for their futures and facing financial ruin.
Families Forced Out as Cracks Spread
Families in the Winn Ridge neighbourhood in Nephi, approximately 85 miles south of Salt Lake City, report alarming cracks spreading across their walls, creating unsafe living conditions. Edgar and Chelsie Rios invested a staggering $700,000 for a brand new home in November 2022, but have now been compelled to abandon their property due to extensive damage.
'We worry about wires being pulled and starting a fire or gas lines breaking, pipes breaking,' Rios told FOX 13. 'This was our house. We expected to be here for a while.'
Rios described witnessing her house fall apart as profoundly emotional. 'I have a hard time going inside and going in my kids' rooms,' she added. 'It makes me really sad.'
Legal Action Against Builders
All 21 homeowners filed a lawsuit in Utah state court earlier this year against Riding Siding Construction, the company allegedly responsible for the project. The homes, constructed in 2022 and 2023 according to the complaint, are reportedly riddled with cracks and sinking into unstable ground.
Rios explained that settling caused a separation in the roof, allowing rainwater to pour into the garage, forcing her family to desperately cover it with a tarp. Residents claim cracks are proliferating through drywall, particularly around door corners and windows, while floors have begun to slope noticeably.
- Some doors no longer latch properly
- Fissures have allegedly opened in basement floors
- Cracks are permitting 'dangerous levels of radon' into homes
Alleged Construction Failures
Builders were allegedly informed that soils in the neighbourhood possessed 'a moderate to high collapse potential.' A geotechnical report prepared for the company supposedly instructed builders to use six to ten inches of fill soil, depending on compaction. Instead, they placed 12-inch loose lifts, according to the lawsuit.
Foundation drains mentioned in the report were also not installed, homeowners claim. The homeowners are additionally suing Salisbury Homes, which they assert handled most sales.
'The fraud that homeowners have alleged are that there were important facts about these lots and the way the soil was prepared – or not prepared – that were not disclosed,' stated their attorney, Chase Wilde.
Residents Want Repairs, Not Relocation
Despite the severe issues, Wilde emphasised that homeowners do not wish to leave their supposedly idyllic neighbourhood. 'They don't necessarily want to move,' Wilde said. 'They don't want to sell their homes. They just want the homes repaired.'
Another resident, Brandee Wing, confirmed her home was among those affected. 'It's so frustrating,' she said. Her husband, Michael Wing, explained that rectifying the situation would require 'a lot of money and piering.'
'The layout of the whole house is beautiful and it's what we wanted,' he said, expressing a preference to remain in the neighbourhood.
Staggering Repair Costs
Repairs to the Wing home, involving lifting the residence and installing piers underneath, are estimated to cost nearly $270,000. This represents more than half of what the Wings originally paid for their Winn Ridge house. The lawsuit does not specify any dollar amount sought by the homeowners collectively.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Wilde, the homeowners' attorney, Riding Siding Construction, and Salisbury Homes for further comment. The case highlights significant concerns about construction standards and consumer protection in rapidly developing residential areas.
