Dream home turns into nightmare, sinking into the ground in New Jersey
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (WABC) -- A dream home became a nightmare in Florham Park, New Jersey.
When the homeowner was handed over the keys he suddenly learned his new home was sinking, cracking, and crumbling.
"I spent all the money I had and I was cleaned out. I have nothing now," said Humayun Akhtar. He thought he was building his wife the home of her dreams, a gleaming palace where they'd live together.
But nearly a decade later, they've never spent a night here.
"Look at this, won't even close," he said at the bathroom door.
Weeks after closing, the cracks started to form, and he soon found he'd sunk his life savings into a house that was sinking into the ground.
"I used to be a singing, laughing person," said Akhtar. "I don't listen to music anymore. I haven't seen a movie in ten years, I can't relax anymore."
"I've had a whole bunch of houses gone wrong cases, but nothing like this," said his lawyer Jay Rice.
He claims the builder, JDN Properties, defrauded Akhtar by cutting corners on the soil under the foundation.
As a result, the house is cracking and crumbling, and creeping down a hill.
If you look anywhere in the master bedroom, you can see cracks that show there's something seriously wrong. But to truly appreciate what's really gone wrong, you need a marble.
I took a marble, placed it on the floor and let it go. I didn't push it, but it rolled and rolled.
There's just no reason this should happen in a $1.6 million house.
A few years ago, a judge ruled the builder had defrauded Akhtar and ordered JDN Properties to pay millions in damages, but successfully appealed that decision just this month.
Now the case will go to a jury.
The builder's attorney tells Eyewitness News there was no intent to defraud. And his client tried to fix the foundation years ago, but Akhtar wouldn't allow it.
He says he wishes he never hired the builder in the first place.
"I feel like a fool. Now I have to live 250 years to recover all the money I lost," he said.
