'We're better': Community helps get Sanford family into their home after builder declares bankruptcy
New details into a Troubleshooter investigation involving a local builder who left its customers in financial heartache and left them with unfinished homes. After our investigation, that builder had its license revoked and the owner also declared bankruptcy.
However at least one of its customers was able to pick up the pieces and get into his home thanks to the help of the community.
It's been a long road for Brandon and Christa Honeycutt when it comes to building their dream home.
"We're still got a little ways to go but we're in a better, better state. Thanks to a lot of people that have helped us out in the last couple of months," says Brandon Honeycutt. The help came after Troubleshooter Diane Wilson's investigation into the builder J&R Homes of Sanford.
In May, we showed you how the builder took thousands of dollars to construct new homes, but then stopped all work leaving the Honeycutts along with more than a dozen other customers of J&R Homes with not only unfinished homes but thousands of dollars of liens of their properties. Honeycutt adds, "The money's got to be somewhere because they're not paying the subcontractors with that money."
After ABC11's story, the builder declared bankruptcy, and their contractor's license was revoked. The Honeycutts left with little hope until ABC11 Troubleshooter ran their story.
Honeycutt says to Troubleshooter Diane Wilson, "The night that the story ran, I started getting messages from people wanting to help." People and businesses in the Lee County community offered electrical, plumbing, and septic services to still get the Honeycutts into their dream home. "It's been a blessing, you know, it was rough early on, for sure, but it's getting better," Honeycutt adds.
Getting better as thanks to so much help, the Honeycutts can finish their home.
Christa Honeycutt says, "Our community and family just like majorly stepped up for us. So it's just a big deal for us, forever grateful to be able to complete this thing."
Some of the local companies the Honeycutts say helped get them in their home were Red Elk Electric, PipeWorx plumbing, Larry Sharpe septic systems, Southern Carpet and interiors, and Taylor George welding.
The Honeycutts are all moved in and say they're grateful for the community's help to make it happen. As for the builder J&R Homes of Sanford, that case is working its way through bankruptcy court.
Many customers say they are not as fortunate as the Honeycutts as they have not been able to finish their homes as they lost so much money in deposits to J&R Homes and have liens on their property from sub-contractors who claim the builder didn't pay them for the work done.
