FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — A Fayetteville homeowner says she’s been forced to live in a hotel for nearly two years after she says she was sold a defective home.
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Emoral Farmer says it’s been two years since she’s been able to live in what was once her dream home.
“Bamboozled, like I’ve been played on what we call the American dream,” Farmer said.
She told Channel 2′s Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincon the entire first floor of her home has been gutted down to the stubs and cement floor because of ongoing plumbing and sewage issues.
“I can’t afford to lose my house,” she told Lincoln.
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In 2023 Farmer told Lincoln they were hit with a surprising sewage backup, just two weeks after moving into her home.
“Very overwhelming,” she said.
The developer Chisel Mill Homes paid for her family to stay in a hotel while they investigated. The president of Chisel Mill Homes told Channel 2 Action News during that investigation they had to halt repairs after learning the power company Coweta-Fayette EMC mistakenly severed the septic line, while installing their electrical line.
“Everyone can say it’s not your fault, but it doesn’t matter whose fault it is, it’s still my home, my kids have to live here,” she said.
Coweta-Fayette EMC says they accidentally cut the septic line in January of last year. A CFEMC worker notified the contractor about the incident and CFEMC says they left a hole in the ground for Chisel Mill Homes contractors to make repairs.
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Chisel Mill Homes told Channel 2 Action News they deny CFEMC’s claims that they were notified. Chisel Mill Homessays had they known it would have been fixed prior to Farmer moving in.
After Channel 2 Action News′ 2023 report Coweta Fayette EMC hired a third-party company to inspect Farmer’s home. The insurance company that represents CFEMC states in a denial letter CFEMC mistakenly severed Farmer’s sewer line. But claims that the accident didn’t cause continued sewage and plumbing issues. The third-party inspector discovered the home was defective well before the home was sold to Farmer.
Documents state the developer Chisel Mill Homes is responsible for improperly installing plumbing between the home and the septic tank and for inadequate indoor plumbing.
Fayette County sent Channel 2 Action News the following statement about its inspection process:
Fayette County conducts inspections to evaluate the structural integrity of new construction homes and ensure the proper installation of electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems within the house and on the exterior walls. Our inspection process does not cover finishes or private utilities. Private utilities refer to the connections between the main utility lines and the property, such as the water line extending from the meter to the house or the connection between the home and the septic tank.
Inspections are performed at specific stages throughout the construction process to verify compliance with minimum building codes, and the inspection process does not guarantee that future issues will not arise. Our involvement with the property concludes once a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Any problems that arise after this certificate is granted should be addressed between the homeowner and the builder or contractor, typically through contractual home warranties or civil proceedings.
Farmer and her two children have been living in a hotel. She’s started a GoFundMe to help with expenses as she’s still having to pay the mortgage for this property.
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