Manvel homeowners file suit against their home builder, claiming their brand-new homes are unlivable

HOUSTON - Two Manvel homeowners are filing a lawsuit against their home builder claiming that their brand-new homes are unlivable and making them sick. 

Cortney Colville says she paid cash for her Coventry-built home, but is afraid to walk inside.

"Because it's full of mold and makes me sick," she said.

The backstory:

Erin Chavez says she's paying a monthly mortgage on her Coventry-built home, but says she's too afraid to live there.

"For one thing, I'm seven months pregnant," she said. "And we have mold contamination in our house."

This was supposed to be where Cortney Colville lived after retirement. She says she no longer wants to live here.

"Absolutely not," she said. "I can't even imagine, it's so stressful just to be here."

Erin says this was her dream house where she could raise her family. Now she calls it a disaster and a nightmare.

What they're saying:

"I don't want to go into the house at all," she said.

"The reality is, this is devastating to the homeowner," said attorney Ernest Freeman. 

"It's a kin to your house burning down, but it's a slow burn. At the end of the process, they have a house they can't live in."

Freeman is representing Erin and Cortney in their lawsuits against Coventry Homes.

"It all has to do with how the house was put together, and whether the builder employed best practices and or followed building codes," he said. "Oftentimes, they don't do either."

The lawsuit accuses Coventry Homes of negligence, breach of contract, and common law fraud.

"If I had to boil it down, I would say the builder doesn't seal the house properly from the outside in," said Freeman.

Both Erin and Courtney say the mold caused them to get sick, and and their house deemed unfit to live in.

"I had lots of rashes. I also had two miscarriages while I was in the house," Erin said. "Thankfully, a year after being out of the house, I'm pregnant and expecting my first child."

We reached out to Coventry Homes' attorney by phone and email for response. We've yet to hear back.