By Amira Van Leeuwen

BUDA — Roger and Roberta Haas’ walls are decorated with paintings, the fireplace mantle is filled with candles and glass pumpkins and family photos are displayed on bedside tables and in the dining room. But their beautiful home is falling apart. 

Photo By Amira Van Leeuwen

Roger, 82, and Roberta, 80, first moved into their home, located in the Garlic Creek neighborhood back in 2015, and have had infrastructure issues since 2017. The joints and wood flooring in their home are separating, and the kitchen tile is not only cracking but lifting as well. The couple has had to place tape on a few of the cracks because the tile and grout are flaking.

“You cut your foot, or my husband would be tripping on it. He has to wear a special boot,” Roberta said. 

She also recalled waking up one night around 5 a.m. to a loud sound. 

“I thought we had an intruder. It was a very loud sound,” she said. After looking around and not seeing anything, she decided to get back in bed. But about a half hour later, she heard another loud sound. The next morning, she discovered it was nail pops, which are small circles that protrude from the drywall of walls or ceilings. 

Another issue the couple experiences is excessive runoff. Roger described the runoff as a “river.”

Photo By Amira Van Leeuwen A crack runs in a corner wall in the living room of the home of Roger and Roberta Haas.

“Anything like that is going to impact the soil and shift it, and we think it wasn’t graded properly. Something happened during the grading and the laying of the slab and foundation that created a problem,” Roberta said. 

Roger, a retired engineer, said he isn’t buying  Pulte Homes’ rationale for what is happening. 

“There’s something odd about the soil,” Roger said. “We know it’s about the soil underneath the slab.”

And Roger is correct. According to MLAW’s latest engineering report from July 2022, the foundation has experienced soil-induced movement. However, the report states that the foundation is still within acceptable limits established by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). 

The house’s elevation has dropped three inches since July 13, 2022. But according to Pulte’s criteria, the house would have to drop another three inches to meet its threshold of failure.

“They don’t find us in the threshold of failure, according to their standard; however, this is some sort of failure,” Roberta said. She was at a loss for words. 

Pulte and MLAW have visited the Haas residence two other times prior, once in November 2020 and a second time in 2021.

Photo By Amira Van Leeuwen

Although the information from the engineers has been helpful, Roger said it’s left him more puzzled about what’s actually happening.

“And we’re doing everything that they’ve told us to do in terms of soaker hoses. And I’ve got the water bills to prove it,” Roberta said.

“The slab can’t settle three inches without the soil underneath it failing as well,” Roger said. 

Roger said he is considering hiring someone to come do soil borings, also known as geotechnical boring, to investigate and determine soil composition and conditions around the main corner of the home. 

Although the home is still under warranty, it will expire in a few weeks.

“We’re starting to feel truly desperate,” Roberta said.

On Nov. 4, representatives and engineers from Pulte went out to the Haas’ home. 

“They are going to send the engineers out again to take measurements,” Roberta said. 

However, they do not expect anything will change. 

“It’s more than frustrating,” Roberta said.