Local residents claim builder failed to make hurricane repairs

GALVESTON - Claiming Calibre Homes Corp. failed to fix their storm-damaged Galveston home, Gina and Jason Richie have filed a lawsuit.

Court papers filed July 26 in Galveston County District Court state the Richies paid the home builder close to $90,000 after Hurricane Ike; however, the defendant did not meet the plaintiffs' deadline to complete the project.

The parties entered into an agreement on Dec. 18, 2008, which called for the respondent to finish the job on or before Jan. 18, 2009.

"In context of the contract between the parties, the defendant has been paid the entire contract but has failed to complete the work as promised (contracted to complete work 30 days from the date of start)," the suit says.

According to the original petition, in late March 2009, the defendant's agent approached the Richies and explained that "the defendant was making a business decision to walk away from the project."

The complainants further assert that they negotiated for the next four years to have the subject task completed to no avail as "the quality of the work is deficient and the plaintiffs will have to incur additional expenses to correct the problems associated with the work performed."

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Anthony P. Griffin of A Griffin Lawyers in Galveston is representing the Richies, and Galveston County 405th District Court Judge Michelle Slaughter is presiding over the litigation.

Case No. 13-CV-961