land purchase

[InletBchDweller]

:roll: that is all I have to say about your response. In your heart you know what the truth is. I believe the "liberal hands" that "changed the rules" on you knew you well and your building history.

As far as Treetop is concerned. Why would you expect the Realtor to buy back the lot? Each person was able to view, research, and ask questions (if they had any) before they purchased the lot. Unfortunately around the time that Treetop was completed and the County signed off that building could start the Real Estate market started to fall and that was that. It is not just Treetop that it has happened in, but many many subdivisions. Treetop is just one of the many subdivisions where a majority of the lot owners were "flippers" and they got caught with their pants down. (or some owners did);-)

I can give you peace and space.... I just think naming peoples names is wrong if it is done in a negative fashion and they are not here to defend themself. I also like the truth. ;-)

 

[AAbsolute]

That's exactly what I'm talking about when I said liberal. When you buy property and know the covenants and then someone completely changes them and continues to do so on the fly because they think the end justifies the means, its liberal. So let's say my friends and I buy the controlling majority of a neighborhood next month and with majority control we modify the covenants as we see proper and it hurts someone who is already an owner. It's still not equitable treatment. Just because we can do it doesn't mean it's correct in the eyes of the highest authority.

I've been working with my hands in the field since 1995. We built for lawyers and businesses everyone around here knows. We built for builders Artisan, Wave, Breaux, New Creations, St. Joe, Paul Thrasher, Sunset Beach, Allen Construction, Starbucks, The U.S. Post Office and more than I remember.

My company built the building, porches and interior trim for another builder who needed us at the Southern Accents home in Rosemary Beach. My architectural design for my Rosemary model was chosen by the editor in chief of Southern Living magazine for his personal vacation home, he hired me to build it after reviewing my work and I have the contract to prove it. Most people don't know me when they see me and that's fine. We just like to work.

If anyone was involved with Rosemary Beach at the time of developer turnover they'll remember that as a homeowner 5 times over I had some serious issues that I wanted addressed to protect every other homeowner. Instead LUK went on an attack against me and buried us. To this day we walk with a limp. Most of the issues I warned of came to cost the owners of Rosemary within 2 years.

Just is just. I learned a lot and sacrificed much. I will do it all again, because that's how we are. I'm not here to hurt anyone.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Just curious, AAbsolute, have you ever been fined, had your Contractor's license suspended, and been required to attend further education due to registered complaints against you? More than once? (I know that you are aware that any of that information, with dates, is available via the FL DBPR, by searching for your name or company name.)

BTW, I'm not affiliated with Treetops, in any form or fashion.

 

[AAbsolute]

Just curious, AAbsolute, have you ever been fined, had your Contractor's license suspended, and been required to attend further education due to registered complaints against you? More than once? (I know that you are aware that any of that information, with dates, is available via the FL DBPR, by searching for your name or company name.)

BTW, I'm not affiliated with Treetops, in any form or fashion.

In my 28 contracts of the period between 2000 and 2001 I had 6 complaints filed against me in 1 week by a group of people who acted together. I did everything in my power to settle their claims individually including: I offered each party who complained to reimburse them the original purchase price of their lot, plus all costs of construction, plus $100,000. I did not want anyone to ever say that they were not financially better off for hiring me. No one accepted my offer.

3 of the parties claims were unfounded. 2 parties claims were heard by the County Board in a quasi-judicial hearing without a finding of probable cause that was promptly appealled by Writ of Certiorari in which the Record of the proceedings was surprisingly damaged by the Board. In the last, the State required me to form a corporation and obtain a new QB license which I complied with.

I had over $5,000,000 worth of business receipts audited and the County determined that 1 bill for $500.00 should have been paid by my firm and 1 bill for $1,600.00 should have been paid by my firm.

The $500.00 bill was for a fireplace that the customer wanted that neither the bank or the customer reimbursed me for.

The $1,600 bill was for trim material ordered at my customers request that was ordered 4 weeks after the last time I was paid on the job.

The law is clear, if a bill for materials or services is not paid for by the customer then the lien law relieves the contractor of responsibility. That's what the Notice to Owner rules are for and they are clear. The State did not find me guilty of the wrongdoing, the Quasi Judicial Board of the County did. The 2 Building contractors that the County had on the Board both argued with me during the hearing on this issue and all they had to do was read the lien law. The State subsequently took back control of those hearings after my appeal.

I'm sorry it ever happened and I don't get up and go to work everyday in this business to do anything but what is valuable.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I appreciate the reply. I was very curious when I was reading the information from the DBPR.

 

[AAbsolute]

Thanks

I appreciate the reply. I was very curious when I was reading the information from the DBPR.

Thanks for coming out and asking me directly to both Smiling Joe and Inlet Beach Dweller. For a long time I've had people talk but only in anonymity and I truly appreciate you making yourself known.

We haven't missed a day's work since 1997 and it's not always been easy in both this downturn and 2001. I've employed over 300 of the locals and really wish only peace. If you see me and have more questions just ask.

 

[AAbsolute]

Thanks for coming out and asking me directly to both Smiling Joe and Inlet Beach Dweller. For a long time I've had people talk but only in anonymity and I truly appreciate you making yourself known.

We haven't missed a day's work since 1997 and it's not always been easy in both this downturn and 2001. I've employed over 300 of the locals and really wish only peace. If you see me and have more questions just ask.

I've been getting private messages both positive and negative and want to say to anyone and everyone who wants answers:
My name is John Carroll. My company is Chambers Street Builders, Inc. I live in Watercolor. I drive an ugly old Dodge truck. I have 4 kids. I build and design homes. I started in construction as a tile man's helper in 1987. I have worked in construction since then learning the trades working for contractors as a laborer. I lived through a big recession in the New York metro area in the late 80's and early 90's when my first daughter was born. Times were hard and I had to work at anything I could. I quit drinking when I was 19, but am still nothing to look at. It was hard to keep the same job in construction for very long as the economy was bad so I labored in drywall, hardwood floors, concrete, roofing, siding, framing and more.

Working amongst the lowest end of the totum pole I learned Spanish and Portugese and a work ethic from people who are not typical. I've always been grateful for any work I've been afforded. I built my first home in 1995. We've done about 17 million in sales so far. As a contractor here my pricing has made me unpopular with my peers. I never tried to hurt anyone, I only wanted to work.

It's true that when I had my trouble in Rosemary I was fired from about 6 jobs and the sherriff came to my house it seemed like every other night. I had a guy and his family file a restraining order against me several times that were denied, but eventually he was granted a protection order. I never touched him and wouldn't. I don't know why he kept after me. To this day, when I file a Notice of Commencement on a new house, he searches it on the Official Records and will call the people to get them to fire me. He has camped out in front of jobs on a weekend so he could meet my customers to try to get them to fire me.

I was on the front page of the Walton Sun at least 3 times during the time I was in a legal battle against LUK. I was also charged with stealing water, taken to jail and at trial found not guilty. At about he same time they had me charged with grand theft, 6 sherriff cars came to my house at 1:30 a.m. and again I was taken to jail. Before trial the State dismissed those charges completely. LUK filed a lis pendens against 1 of my properties and wound up paying me double to settle, but only after they impuned my credibility. I've had people claim a house was built to low to stop me from building and after review I've been cleared to continue. I've had people claim a house was built to high to stop me from building and after review I've been cleared to continue. People have called my banks to break my relationships, suppliers and the few subs we use.

I am not here to hurt anyone, and I wish for space and peace. I never think about what other's are doing. I'm concentrating on my own affairs. This message is intended only for the few people who care. For the rest, I'm sorry to have taken your time. If you see me and want to ask me anything else I'll talk with you.

 

[Pirate]

pricing

It's good to see a local builder tell the truth about building costs. Thanks AAbsolute.

 

[AAbsolute]

It's good to see a local builder tell the truth about building costs. Thanks AAbsolute.

Careful Pirate.

 

[Pirate]

Careful Pirate.

You're right. I have never seen another builder post prices here. I have only seen guesses that were higher than I have seen actual construction completed for. I should have said thanks for telling us the costs and not inferred anything else. Thanks again.