A shattered family claims they were left with an unfinished home with costly defects after being abandoned by its builder.
Miriam Rojas and her husband Malcolm Hancock signed a contract with 5Rivers Engineering sole proprietor Karan Bhalla to build their dream home in inner-city Brisbane.
Nearly three years later, the family of four are facing mounting financial problems after reportedly being left with an abandoned building site due to a series of frustrating delays.
Mr Bhalla’s building permit was recently revoked due to debts owed to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission.
Mrs Rojas and her husband have spoken out about their ordeal to warn other homeowners.
Over the past 12 months, the couple has experienced one nightmare after another since they hired a lawyer to end their contact with Mr Bhalla. news.com.au reported.
According to an independent construction report, the site where the family’s half-completed home once stood has been abandoned and is in need of major demolition.
Miriam Rojas (left) and her husband Malcolm Hancock (right) have spoken out about their nightmare to warn others
The couple paid for an independent construction report, which found their half-finished home required “significant demolition” that was deemed “uneconomic” to repair.
“At this stage we believe that rectifications would be extensive and costly,” the report said.
‘They would involve significant demolition of the floor and footing system, followed by reconstruction. This process is likely to be uneconomical.”
“We are having a terrible time, financially we are struggling,” Ms Rojas told the news site.
The alleged theft of windows from their home, which was stored on a neighboring property, added to the ongoing nightmare.
The couple’s attempts to terminate the contract sparked an angry response from the builder.
“I tried my hardest to get the house finished, but the market wasn’t working,” Mr. Bhalla allegedly told them by text message.
The Brisbane couple claim they were left with an unfinished home (pictured) with costly defects
“You don’t even want to pay for the peanuts I asked for.”
Mr Bhalla later allegedly texted: “I have done everything I can to make things work, with no income from you for over six months. Find someone who would want to do that.”
The couple remain hopeful of saving the site through an insurance claim.
Three insurance claims have been made against Mr Bhalla in the past 18 months, totaling almost $500,000.
The builder was also given eight penalty points earlier this year for planning breaches and failing to pay the correct insurance premiums.
Mr Bhalla says all allegations about his company are ‘demonstrably false’.
Ny Breaking Australia has contacted Mr Bhalla for further comment.
The couple spoke about their ongoing nightmare to warn others (stock photo of tradesmen at a construction site)
