The inside of Karen and Darryl Dagenais’s house looks as if it’s under construction. No drywall, electrical switches or lights. And only a couple of plugs to power the kitchen appliances.
The two say they had to rip out all the plaster and insulation last year because it had been badly damaged from rain water pouring into the house through tarps serving as a temporary roof.
“It was basically like Niagara Falls in our home,” Karen said, adding the roof had been removed during a renovation project to add two more levels to their back-split home in Windsor’s Forest Glade area.
Karen has been living at home, the way it is, off and on for about a year. The conditions are uncomfortable, she said.
“We have been going back and forth between our son’s and here when the weather wasn’t working here. We had no heat until November, so up until then, we used electric blankets,” said Dagenais.
The couple is suing the contractor, Daher Developments, for $800,000 in damages.
The statement of claim states the tarps “were in poor condition and had holes in them” and “were not properly affixed to the roof.” No statement of defense has been submitted to the Essex County courthouse, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
Ted Daher, owner of Daher Developments. said the couple was informed.
“The tarp was put up properly,” Daher told CBC News, “and they were warned to remove anything of value from the house.”
He said his insurance company is handling the claim.
Frank Dayus, president of Dayus Roofing, said that in projects like this, contractors typically add two levels to a home before the old roof is removed.
He said covering large spaces with tarp always comes with some risks.
Karen said they would lose money if they tried to sell the house as is.