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Katherine Graff moved into a newly built home in Morganton, North Carolina in May 2023. In less than two years, her brand-new home has already cost her $40,000 for structural repairs.
And based on recent engineering inspections, she believes it could cost her up to $300,000 more — despite a home inspection before she moved in.
“I’m never gonna get my money back from this house. All my retirement, everything. I mean, this is your biggest investment of one’s lifetime and it’s gone,” Graff shared with WCNC Charlotte reporters.
Within a month of moving in, Graff says she noticed carpenter ants coming through significant gaps in her home’s siding. When she went into the home’s crawl space, she noticed even more issues with the foundation and structure of the home, including large gaps and misaligned pillars.
Graff has experience in building. She’s worked in brand new buildings, including schools and hospitals, “pulling wire,” a term often used to refer to the work electricians do to pull wire through walls when running electricity.
Graff reached out to builder Timothy Truitt of CMTT Properties and Belmont Builders, but he responded with resistance. “He pretty much said, ‘Nope,’ and sent me a letter from his lawyer telling me not to contact him anymore,” she said. Graff then filed a complaint with the North Carolina Licensing Board, which is currently investigating.
Graff also contacted Burke County officials for help but felt ignored, as they took no meaningful action or updated their procedures.
The situation worsened when Graff discovered Truitt might not have had a valid license when construction began. While county inspection sheets showed work started in September 2022, state records revealed the builder’s license wasn’t valid then, and the county didn’t conduct a license search until a month later. This raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of the builder’s actions.
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WCNC Charlotte contacted Burke County Manager Brian Epley, who explained that construction projects are contracts between homeowners and builders, with the county ensuring code compliance with North Carolina and Burke County standards. He confirmed the county investigated the property and forwarded their findings to the NC License General Contracting Board, but they have not yet received any results.
To protect yourself when purchasing or building a home, consider these tips:
Verify the builder’s credentials
Hire a reputable inspector
Report builder issues to local authorities and licensing board
If all else fails, be prepared to take legal action. Filing a civil case may force the builder or the builder’s insurance company to pay for updates and repairs for structural issues. Currently, Graff is urging county officials to improve their processes and prioritize citizens over builders.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
