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CB Sustainable Home and Construction Review of Blackwell and Blackwell Construction
Blackwell and Blackwell Construction

Blackwell and Blackwell Construction review: Unlicensed Builders and Fraud 2

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I purchased my home built by brothers Christopher and Eric Blackwell. I started having defective isues and after not receiving the help I needed a couple months later (literally) I filed a formal complaint with Consumer Affairs and The TN State Licensing Board. Since then I contacted them several times. I filed the complaint because beforehand the Blackwell's sent some sub-contractors to fix a couple of things. The work was so shabby by them but the Blackwell's wouldn't ever come to see it. Consumer Affairs told me on three different occasions that they could not help me even after all the criminal and civil offenses on the builders behalf, so what are they there for. They had the nerve to tell me that since the Blackwell's weren't communicating there was nothing they could do, or you kidding me. Initially the state board asked for proof by requesting copies of my closing papers etc, because they wanted to see if the brothers father name were on them and not the son's. If the Father name wasn't on them they would be in violation, because they weren't authorized to sign any papers only the father, because the father was the licensee and the son's were listed as his employees only not as contractor's and she also said my paperwork at closing and all contracts were actually illegal because they wasn't authorized to sign anything as an employee. The state issued the son's a cease and desist. During this time one of the son's met with the board and told the board they didn't know they couldn't use the father's license (that's ludicrious because it's specifically is stated on the website for the board what the procedures are for licensure and for any licensee who wishes to turn over their business, plus it's just plain common sense) etc I got together a list of homeowners who homes were completed by the Blackwells after the cease and desist, although the Blackwell's had told the board that they didn't, the board still allowed one of them a license 6 months later, but they (the board director) said she never got the list. It's not the truth and I told her so, I have the emails I sent to her, the assistant director, and the boards attorney, but again, they still allowed the one of the son's to get a license. The State contractors licensing board fined the father $3000 after pulling 3 permits that had the son's name on them and not his (plus they the board fined him as contracting in a name other than the business name, that was ridiculous, how could they fine him like that when they already by then knew he wasn't in the business so how could he be contracting in the wrong name, but they fined the son's only $1000 for building my home without a license. Why would they do that when they knew the son's have built hundreds of homes unlicensed and it's a class c misdemeanor in TN to build anything without a license over $25, 000, my home was $140, 000. Also, the board by then knew the father had to of falsified documentation (financial documents are required to renew license) to renew his license if he wasn't actively in the business himself, at least that should have been common sense, and I begged them to revoke his license and take his name off of the board as licensee. They kept him listed as licensee for a whole year after that and finally listed him as retired the last end of 2009. That was fraud to keep him listed, because the public was doing what I had done, checking for licensee and what they found was someone who wasn't actively in the business, someone who were allowing his son's to not only use his license to build with, but also get building permits from the city. I informed the city of this, the city building permits dept. told me that they didn't know that the father wasn't actively in the business because they had a letter on file by the father William S. Blackwell stating the son's could get permits on his license and that they wouldn't be allowing them anymore permits. However, even after informing the city of what was going on they still issued permits to the son's. Six months later the state board allowed the son Eric Blackwell to get a license, I was completely and utterly outraged over such. The title company knows all about them and still kept on closing for them and the seller of their homes kept on selling for them. I am also have my story listed on squeakywheel.com and worldlawdirect.com. I have not had anyone in the city to help (Mayors, permits dept, no attorney's.), I'm a veteran and it's a VA loan (they wouldn't do anything and I have proof of that too, they said they don't really have anything to do with it etc), HUD, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, RESPRA (who by the way all of their names are on my contracts, my bank USAA and PHH (who service it) knows that I'm technically in my loan under false pretense and lies (the son's weren't licensed as contractors at the time nor were they licensed as a business under the name they were using--- it's common sense because there's no way any person can be licensed as a business under a certain name unless they are licensed to operate the business like contracting). They didn't honor the one year warranty or the home inspection that I had done again four months after the initial one which listed all the problems. I have proof of everything even of all conversations between the agencies that wouldn't do anything and the board director who said a lot of things that she probably shouldn't have, but at the end of the day did nothing to help me.

On top of everything my home is falling apart in every single room, door frames and window frames or tilted, frames and sills throughout house are cracked up very bad, cracks along the walls, bulges, and dents in the walls and ceilings, doors to closets and rooms don't fit can see light all around doors shining through, same with garage door, cracks in kitchen and garage floors, floors are soft and gives in areas, floors pop badly in areas, I can go on and on. Structural engineer said it would cost $24, 000 to get things fixed. Still I haven't received any help. Many people have moved because of it and many have tried to do something but got so many doors slammed in their face they gave up and don't bother. I won't give up because every month I pay my mortgage and the home isn't worth it. My property taxes went up and I appealed and once the assessors office saw my evidence (how horrible the house was) they dropped my property down by $20, 000, now what does that tell you about how bad it looks on the inside and areas of the outside too? I've become physically ill over this. I've written the President of the mortgage company so called legal dept., President of the U.S. like 4times, FTC, the Attorney General 2x, Consumer Affairs 3x, Governor 2x, my representatives, etc all say it's something they can't help me with, I've done everything right, I've written everybody possible, tv shows, radio, home association, regulation board, and everything in between, NO HELP! What is the world coming to, to allow a citizen (disable veteran on top of that) to be victimized like this? The city hasn't done a thing and has this builder still building houses neither has the board. Yet, if you go to the tn licensing contractors board and browse through disciplinary actions, you'll see how they charge people big fees for being unlicensed. They even charged one guy $25, 000 here in Clarksville and I know he couldn't of done what the Blackwell's have done. What happens if the house fall apart (ceilings have cracks entire length, etc) and hurt someone, then what? I have my story plastered everywhere so the city can't say they didn't know. I feel all agencies are just as guilty for allowing them to still be building homes. It goes to show you what money can do for you, but that doesn't make it right. Someone should stand up to do their job. Why even have all of the agencies in place if you don't do your job, you sit back and allow the citizens to be blantantly victimized. If you read the worldlawdirect site you'll see a few complaints from others. The pictures are some of the older images that I had on this computer but my home is way worst now, everytime it gets cold it gets worst, you can put a nickel in cracks that's how wide they have gotten.

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Update by Ms. Upset1
Mar 23, 2011 10:59 pm EDT

All of you need to write to the President and to your represenatives and senators. Doesn't seem as if no one cares but at least try.

Update by Ms. Upset1
Mar 23, 2011 11:02 pm EDT

The Blackwell's here is Clarksville are now using the names Chris Blackwell Construction and WE Blackwell Homes they stopped using Blackwell and Blackwell Construction.

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RWmw
Clarksville, Tennessee, US
Jul 30, 2021 6:02 am EDT

Chris Blackwell forced us out of our contract because we called him out on social media. He had teen agers working framing and kids under 10 painting a house we were going to buy. After reading this, I'm so glad we were "forced" out of our contract. Chris is a real PoS and could care less about the community in which he builds his poorly constructed houses.

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haley sue
Lewisburg, US
Jan 03, 2014 12:01 am EST

Whatever happened? did you get any justice? I am having the same thing happen to me. the builder (Precision Homes) is not properly licensed. they left out drains for the crawl space and building piers. I have tried to get attorneys to help but they want mega bucks! I'm already out 10 grand and it will cost 20 g to fix everything. the consumer affairs has been of no help. they are a JOKE. the licensing board hasn't said anything yet. I plan to get Gov Bill Haslam involved if they don't come through. what is the use of having laws if no one makes people comply. Unlicensed contractor activity is a FRAUD. It should be a civil and criminal matter. Tennessee is collecting way too much in taxes not to be there when we need them!