Hired a builder who skipped the vapor barrier, basement smells like a swamp now

Honestly, I thought I did all the due diligence on this crew in Columbus. They came recommended, had good reviews, and the contract looked solid. Fast forward to the first heavy rain last week and I started noticing this damp, musty smell in the lower level. Pulled back the drywall in the utility room and sure enough, zero vapor barrier behind the insulation, just bare concrete and framing. The builder is saying it's not a big deal and that a dehumidifier will fix it, but I've already got a small patch of mold near the floor joists. I'm looking at roughly $3,800 to tear out and redo that section properly. Has anyone else dealt with a builder who cut corners on moisture control and how did you get them to actually own the fix?

2 comments

2 Comments

paulk8923d ago

Told him flat out I'd be calling the state licensing board and filing a complaint if he didn't make it right, and that got his attention real fast. He tried the whole dehumidifier line on me too, but once I showed him the mold spot and the moisture meter readings, he knew he was beat. Took some back and forth but he ended up eating the cost of the demo and redo, plus paid for a mold inspector to check the rest of the house. I also learned to put a clause in the contract about moisture barriers and inspections before drywall goes up. You gotta be the squeaky wheel here, don't let him gaslight you into thinking a dehumidifier solves rot and mold, it's just a band aid on a bigger problem.

grant.jason23d ago

Jeez, I had the same thing happen and ended up threatening to leave a brutal review until he finally caved.