North Fulton County

Roswell family say they’re getting no help keeping their home from falling into trash sinkhole

By Mike Petchenik, WSB-TV
By Mike Petchenik, WSB-TV

ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell family’s home is falling into a trash sinkhole after being built on top of construction debris more than 20 years ago and they say they are not getting much help keeping it above ground.

Channel 2′s Mike Petchenik first brought you the story of Connie and Michael Lam last month.

The Lams bought their Roswell home a few years ago and recently noticed some issues with the lawn. That is when they discovered their home was built on a heap of construction debris.

That sinkhole is going to cost the Lams $60,000 to repair and is not covered by homeowner’s insurance. A month later, it looks like they will not be getting any help with that bill.

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“It’s one thing to have a trash pit, another thing to have a trash with our size, and another problem to build a home on a trash pit knowingly, and keeping it concealed,” said Michael Lam.

Their realtor says the company that built the home sold it to D.R. Horton in the late 1990s.

“We don’t know what was done and what wasn’t done,” said realtor Dianna Zheng.

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Channel 2 put the Lams in touch with D.R. Horton, but it declined to help cover the excavation costs. They said in a statement

“D.R. Horton had no involvement in the development or construction of the Lam’s property or home. which was constructed over 25 years ago,” D.R. Horton Spokesperson Bethany Carle said “All D.R. Horton homes are backed by a robust warranty, and we fully stand behind the quality of the neighborhoods and homes that we develop and build.”

Lawmakers banned the trash pits shortly after the construction of the Lam’s property. However, there is currently no recourse for homeowners when their homes sink years later. The Lams want that to change.

“As a seller you’re held accountable and have to give lots of disclosures about the house. I feel as a builder actually building the house it makes even more sense,” said Zheng.

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A few years ago, a lawmaker from Woodstock proposed legislation that would allow homeowners to go after builders years after the fact for these kinds of issues, but it did not get anywhere. He and the Lams are discussing what bills they could get before lawmakers in the next legislative session.

Family on hook for $60K because home was built on top of construction debris When the Lam’s hired a landscaper to inspect the property for them, they got some bad news.

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