Fairhaven Residents Fear Further Damage To Homes, Retaining Walls
"The house is moving and sinking," said Brian Benavides. "It's scary," said Peggy Benavides.The Benavides said they found cracks in their new home, contacted Pulte and the builder came in and tore the home apart, patching cracks, filling holes and putting dozens of beams underneath to support the foundation. Still, the couple questions whether the cracking and shifting will continue. They said the problem has returned slowly because the land is sinking and sliding. The playground wall has already been repaired and so has the sidewalk. Chunks are missing from curbs and huge gaps are appearing between sidewalks and driveways and garages and driveways.

Homes Sinking, Cracking In NE Neighborhood
Fairhaven Residents Fear Further Damage To Homes, Retaining Walls

View KSAT's Bryan Mylar Report
Fairhaven is a Pulte Homes neighborhood in Cibolo, where retaining walls are used where the land has been built up.

Homeowners Brian and Peggy Benavides said that is the problem.

"The house is moving and sinking," said Brian Benavides.

"It's scary," said Peggy Benavides.

The Benavides said they found cracks in their new home, contacted Pulte and the builder came in and tore the home apart, patching cracks, filling holes and putting dozens of beams underneath to support the foundation.

Still, the couple questions whether the cracking and shifting will continue.

"I was told point-blank, 'Yes, you can expect these things to happen again,'" said Brian Benevides.

They said the problem has returned slowly because the land is sinking and sliding. The playground wall has already been repaired and so has the sidewalk. Chunks are missing from curbs and huge gaps are appearing between sidewalks and driveways and garages and driveways.

Diana Taylor has also seen problems at her house.

"There's a lot of unhappy people out here and I'm on the (Homeowners' Association) board and you can go around to neighbors," Taylor said. "They are very unhappy."

A Pulte representative said the company has hired a nationally recognized third-party engineering firm to examine the situation. After testing, they plan to present the findings and recommended solution to the affected homeowners.

Peggy Benavides said she has another idea and a message to Pulte.

"At some point, you've got to stand behind your product and say, 'You know what, this is not the way Pulte builds and we are so sorry this has happened to you,'" she said. "Buy my house back."

Neighbors now can only keep a wary eye on their retaining walls and their own homes.

Pulte said some kind of answer should be available in June.

To view an official statement issued by Pulte in regard to the Fairhaven situation, click here.
http://www.ksat.com/news/27868393/detail.html#story