Nederland residents blame repairman for destruction of home's foundation

Two Nederland residents allege their home’s foundation has been destroyed after two professionals failed to adequately repair it.

Chenoa and Coy Stark filed a lawsuit Oct. 22 in Jefferson County District Court against Olshan Golden Triangle and Ted Harp Jr.

In their complaint, the Starks allege they bought their home on Uvalde Street in Nederland in a foreclosure sale. However, the home had problems with the slab beneath it, and Harp was hired to provide his opinion about how to stabilize the house’s foundation, according to the complaint. Olshan was hired to actually do the work and correct the problem, the suit states.

Neither Olshan nor Harp, though, actually discovered the cause of the problem, and the slab continued to fail, the complaint says.

“Ultimately, the most likely cause of the failure was due to plumbing leaks in the slab, which were not discovered by Olshan or Harp,” the suit states. “This failure to investigate and remedy the true cause of the foundation failure by Olshan and Harp constitutes negligence, which has proximately caused the complete failure of the foundation, and subsequent catastrophic property damage to the home.”

Because of the damage, the Starks claim they have been forced to incur repair costs.

In their complaint, the Starks are seeking a judgment in excess of the minimum jurisdictional limits of Jefferson County District Court, plus pre-judgment interest at the maximum rate allowed by law, post-judgment interest at the legal rate, costs and other relief the court deems just.

Brett S. Thomas and Thomas P. Roebuck of Roebuck and Thomas in Beaumont will be representing them.

Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd District Court, has been assigned to the case.

Case No. E193-385