LIMESTONE CONSTRUCTION CO

They contracted to build a home from passive solar plans provided by us for approximately $408,000. The home was started in August of 2006 and not yet completed by August of 2007 when they pulled their workers off the job. They went over the price by approximately $200,000, blaming it on "changes" that were never documented, some of which were actually in the contract and not changes at all, some of which were trivial. No change orders were ever signed, despite language in the contract stating that they were required. The footprint of the house was never changed. The notice of completion was filed before the house was completed. We have had to do much of the painting and finish work ourselves. The stairs are still not finished. The contract was not fulfilled. When we sought legal advice, they abandoned the job, demanded final payment for a house that was not completed, put a lien on our property, and sued us. After spending several hundred thousand dollars in legal fees and repairs, we were forced to settle out of court because we could no longer afford the legal fees. This brings the price of the house to almost $900,000 (and counting). Items such as expensive tools, as well as garage doors and other items that were returned, were charged to our account and not "refunded" until well into litigation. There were numerous defects in the house. The repairs are ongoing. We wanted a new house and got a handyman special for the price of two new houses. What a deal! Without exception, hiring this builder was the worst and most expensive mistake we ever made in our lives.