Some people think Cowman's wrath is misdirected - like blaming the TV set manufacturer when your cable goes haywire. Neither the Better Business Bureau nor the state Consumer Services Division seemed all that sympathetic, Cowman said. Still, the sign stands out against the whirling pinwheels and garden gnomes of this quiet beach neighborhood. People notice it. I'd bet there's been a hundred people in here.
Cowman takes visitors on a twisted version of a show-home tour.
Instead of showing off a sumptuous interior, he points out the cracked ceiling, slanted wall and gaps in molding. The Cowmans sunk their nest egg into their new home. Since then, they say, their dream home has been a nightmare. A crack appeared in the ceiling and traveled the length of the house. Four times it was fixed, then, as if to mock them, reappeared.