One Colorado family’s hopes turned into a nightmare after they said a construction company disappeared mid-project, then filed for bankruptcy.
It’s been more than a year since Northglenn residents Christina and Scott Latimer embarked on a construction project they hoped would bring their family together.
“My mom is getting older. She just turned 80, and we were a little worried about her in her home, just going up the stairs, and just wanted her closer,” said Christina.
However, the project has since become more of a nightmare than a solution.
“It’s frustrating, it’s extremely frustrating,” Christina said.
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The Latimers contracted a company to help build an accessory dwelling unit for Christina’s mother, Peggy Eversole, to live next to them. The money was pooled together from some of what Peggy made from selling her home.
“It’s a 750 square foot unit for my mom and an attached 2 car garage,” said Christina.
“We thought we did everything correctly. We went on Angie’s List. We looked at all of the reviews,” said Scott.
The project cost more than $320,000, which Christina and Scott were ready to pay through installments they negotiated with the contractor, Cooner Construction LLC. The construction company broke ground in April 2024.
“We paid the progress through the whole thing, on time, whenever he sent us the bill, so we would pay him,” said Christina.
After months of seeing progress, Peggy’s new ADU came to a halt.
“August 13 of 2024 was when the last person was out here doing anything,” said Christina.
The Latimers had spent around $300,000 up until this point, with roughly $25,000 still scheduled to be paid.
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“We have a heating and air conditioning unit set up behind you, so those are not up yet. We still have to paint, we obviously need cabinets and shelving and vanity and shower door and doors,” said Christina. “They need to put the lighting in and fully connect the plumbing and hook up the electrical because there is no electric and running water here.”
The Latimers believe roughly forty percent of the project is still left to be completed, including a patio extending from their home to the ADU. When they realized the project might never be finished, they installed temporary pavers and drainage to protect their homes, themselves and their dogs from potential flooding.
“There’s a lot of tears that come from me,” said Christina. “It’s really hard to go through this. It’s not something I wish on anybody.”
The last time the Latimers heard from the owner of Cooner Construction LLC, Joel Cooner was in September.
“He had indicated [in] construction sometimes runs into some issues, and just to be patient with us,” said Christina. “It was the following week that we were served with our first lien.”
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Multiple subcontractors and suppliers who worked on the house started demanding payment from Christina and Scott when workers did not receive any payments from Cooner. However, Christina and Scott had paid for each part of the project up until that point and believed that money had gone to everyone involved.
“It seems to me like almost all the contractors that worked on the place did not get paid,” said Scott.
Facing lawsuits from the subcontractors amid an unfinished project, the Latimers issued their own lawsuit this past January against the construction company and Cooner.
However, in February, they learned Cooner filed for bankruptcy.
“One remedy that homeowners do have in this situation is, if a contractor takes their deposit, if the contractor doesn’t hold it in trust for their project, that’s defined by statute to be an act of civil theft,” said Attorney Jesse Witt.
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Witt has been helping the Latimers hold Cooner and his company liable for all of the money that’s been taken from them and the subcontractors. This month, he filed an adversary complaint with the hopes of taking Cooner to bankruptcy court.
“It’s not right what he’s done,” said Christina.
It is a wrong this family worries might just take too long for Peggy to see corrected, even if the Latimers win their case.
“I will say that I’m not sure I’ll even be alive to be in here if we don’t do it soon,” said Peggy.
The Latimers are now turning to crowdfunding to recuperate some of the money they poured into this project, while warning others who take on any construction project, “[They] should be including proof of payment, so you know he’s paid his subcontractors and suppliers. Keep it in writing, keep track of everything, try not to let it get too far out of hand.”
“Be in more control of your money,” advised Peggy.
