Manus and his wife and business partner, Sissy, said some of the homeowners exaggerated small problems, then stirred up their neighbors. The Manuses blamed some construction flaws on subcontractors, but said those problems are now behind them. Gary Manus said. We had a couple of bad years, bad models. But a closer inspection reveals the problems that have consumed the family.
Cracks mar the wall near the fireplace.
The chimney is crooked, and a top county building official warned the family not to use it until an expert determines whether there's a fire hazard. An engineer found serious structural flaws. In reports filed with the state licensing board, he noted that many of the required roof braces were missing. Much of the floor wasn't properly supported. What's more, the engineer reported, a section of the house that extended 2 feet beyond the foundation wasn't properly supported and was in danger of collapsing.