Chicks in Construction

In this episode of Chicks in Construction, Mikki Paradis and Jessica Abreu dig into the ongoing lawsuit involving Minnesota attorney and content creator Dylan White, known online as @TheDadChats, and the builder of his family's custom home.

The episode begins with a bigger question: How much experience should someone need before they're trusted to build a house? Mikki and Jessica discuss contractor licensing requirements, why a license doesn't necessarily equal experience, and why homeowners should investigate who's actually building their home.

Then they get into Dylan's story.

According to allegations discussed in the episode, what initially looked like typical new-home issues—drywall cracks, nail pops, and cosmetic defects—eventually grew into hundreds of reported concerns. Mikki explains why individual problems may be completely normal, but several systems showing recurring problems can warrant a much closer look.

Then came the moment that changed everything: Dylan has publicly said his children were playing in a small bounce house in the basement when his wife noticed movement upstairs, including rattling pictures and objects moving on shelves. The hosts discuss why that experience, combined with the other reported issues, raised bigger questions about what was happening with the house.

Mikki also breaks down the difference between normal settling and a pattern of potential warning signs. A drywall crack, squeaky floor, sticky door, or nail pop alone may have an innocent explanation. But when multiple systems repeatedly show signs of movement, homeowners should start looking for a common cause rather than treating every symptom separately.

Because this litigation is ongoing, the claims discussed in this episode are allegations and have not been established as fact. The builder disputes the homeowners' characterization of the issues.

And this story isn't over. Part 2 is coming next.

00:00 – When house movement becomes a red flag
00:45 – Welcome to Chicks in Construction
04:00 – Mikki’s $5,500 vet bill
09:00 – Jess’s dog attack story
12:00 – The contractor debate goes viral
14:00 – Does a GC need experience?
16:30 – Contractor requirements by state
19:00 – States without statewide GC licensing
21:00 – Why experience matters
24:30 – The $1.2 million lawsuit
30:00 – Who is Dylan White?
33:00 – The first problems appear
35:30 – Nearly 500 reported defects
38:30 – Normal settling vs. warning signs
41:00 – Doors, floors & recurring cracks
44:00 – Stop fixing symptoms
46:00 – The bounce house moment
50:00 – How much should a floor move?
52:30 – Multiple problems create a pattern
53:30 – To be continued

Creators and Guests

Host

Jessica Abreu

As a social media expert, Jessica has a knack for identifying what makes each business unique and translating that into powerful, engaging content that resonates with clients and customers. From crafting tailored strategies and managing accounts to recording on-site content and boosting engagement, Jessica and her team handle it all so their clients can focus on what they do best.

Host

Mikki Paradis

President & CEO at PDI Drywall Inc. Mikki founded her first construction company, PDI Drywall Inc, in 2005 while she was still a student at NC State. After growing PDI into a multimillion dollar company, she has become an accomplished entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate for innovation in business and leadership. With a passion for empowering others, she has built a reputation as a forward-thinking professional dedicated to driving growth and fostering meaningful connections. Known for her dynamic energy and ability to inspire, Mikki is deeply committed to creating positive change in her industry and beyond. Whether through her entrepreneurial ventures or speaking engagements, she consistently challenges the status quo and encourages others to reach their full potential.

What is Chicks in Construction?

You plan your renovation with excitement, trust your contractor, and hope for the best...until things start going sideways. That’s when most homeowners realize they didn’t know what they didn’t know.

From permits that were never pulled to “contractors” who ghost after demo day, the construction world can feel like a maze of hidden costs and shady shortcuts. Too many homeowners end up confused, overwhelmed, and out of a lot of money.

The Chicks in Construction Podcast is here to change that. Hosted by Mikki Paradis, a licensed general contractor with 20+ years of experience, and Jess Abreu, a homeowner turned construction content creator, this show breaks down real renovation horror stories and teaches you how to protect your time, money, and home.

After building a multimillion-dollar drywall business and helping countless homeowners recover from construction nightmares, Mikki is on a mission to make sure you go into your next project informed, not blindsided. And Jess brings the perspective of someone who’s been in your shoes and now knows exactly what questions to ask.

Submit Your Construction Horror Story: https://chicksinconstruction.com/

57 - Chicks In Construction
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Mikki Paradis: . . [00:00:00] When you have multiple door- interior doors in your house that are no longer latching, they latched once and now- Yeah ... they're not latching or they're, you know, they, they, they may be latched, but like, they don't sit still.

Like, they swing. Like, when you- as soon as you open the door, the door swings one way or the other. Mm-hmm. There's movement that's going on in your house that is more than just your average settling. Mm-hmm. So one symptom usually doesn't tell you much. Five different subs- systems showing problems, you know, that's something where, okay, we need answers.

We need to understand, like, what's happening in the home.

Well, hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Chicks in Construction. I am your host, Mickey Paradise, and this is my amazing co-host.

Jessica Abreu: I am Jessica Abreu.

Mikki Paradis: And this is the podcast where two chicks, one of whom is in construction and one of whom is a homeowner, sit down with you, the viewer, who maybe is a homeowner [00:01:00] or maybe wants to be a homeowner or just likes the tea, either one.

Mm-hmm. And we explain to you a little bit how construction works, what is normal, what is not normal, what things are happening in the world of construction so that you can avoid unfortunate situations. Mm-hmm. Scams, if you will. Shady contractors, if you will. So that is what the podcast is about. I kinda c- call it like true crime, construction edition.

We ask our amazing s- what is the word I'm looking for?

Jessica Abreu: Followers,

Mikki Paradis: subscribers. Followers, subscribers, people who see our anything- If you're

Jessica Abreu: watching this, you're it ...

Mikki Paradis: anywhere, you. Yes, if you're seeing this, you. We ask you to share your stories with us. We have a website called chicksinconstruction.com, where you can just scroll down and there is an opportunity for you to share your story with us, and then we will read it on the [00:02:00] podcast and help everybody understand what went wrong in your story and how they can avoid it happening to them.

So if you're one of those people who's like,, "Hey, don't make the same mistake I did," this is the show for you, and we have a place for you to share your story. It's chicksinconstruction.com, and then we will share your woes with the world, and hopefully it will make w- at least one person maybe not make the same mistake that you've made.

I don't know. I

Jessica Abreu: mean- And also, I mean, who doesn't love being able to air the dirty laundry of- The dirty laundry ... you know, somebody who did you wrong? I mean- You guys, you guys ... it's kinda fun sometimes, you know? And you get vindicated, like we're always like- Right. Oh, yeah,

Mikki Paradis: yeah. Oh, I mean, me and Jess are gonna be on your side 100%, like, so if you, if you just really want somebody to take your side in a situation, we're here for it.

I really... There's gonna be a day, I don't know when that day is gonna be, I'm probably gonna have to just write a book, and it's j- I'm just gonna put [00:03:00] everything that's ever happened, like, all the shenans, the- Mm-hmm ... like, high-level shenans, not low-level shenan- Yeah ... we, that would be a real long book. But all the high-level shenans that I have experienced in my- Mm-hmm

I'ma name names one of these days. But until that day, 'cause I don't wanna get sued, and not that you'd get sued, because here's the thing, we're gonna leave you anonymous, okay?

Jessica Abreu: Because I refuse to say your name.

Mikki Paradis: Jess refuses. We have- I refuse ... like, a little thing where you can click and say that you wanna remain anonymous.

Anonymous. If you click it or don't click it, Jess is still gonna change your name. I refuse to

Jessica Abreu: say your

Mikki Paradis: name. So you are good. Nobody's ever gonna know it's you. Um- But yeah, like for me, everybody would know exactly who I'm talking about if I were to name names. But one-

Jessica Abreu: Especially one name ...

Mikki Paradis: one day. Eh? I'm looking at you.

I'm gonna come for you. Anyway, we should just probably change subjects. Just stop that right now. So we do do a little thing called Chicky Chat- Mm-hmm ... [00:04:00] which is where we just do a little chat, a little catch up.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: Jess and I don't get to see each other that often. Only when we're recording really.

Jessica Abreu: Yep.

Mikki Paradis: 'Cause she's got kids and I have- Too many dogs ... very expensive dogs. Yeah, we um they all obviously... Now is this smart financially? No. But is it smart time management-wise? Yes. I take all the dogs to the vet the same week. 'Cause if, if they're at different- Each

Jessica Abreu: on a different day?

Mikki Paradis: Yes, bec- well yes, because sometimes all on the same day, but they can't all go together because Frankie, who is a little pit bull I found on the side of the road, gets so fired up.

Like, he gets so... It's like the anxiety is to such a level that he gets all the dogs all riled up. So like, Frankie has to go by himself. Yeah. 'Cause the last time we brought Frankie- Does he go last? He goes last. Mm. 'Cause like if he goes first, then he's gonna come home from the vet and tell everybody.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm.

Mikki Paradis: So we can't have that. I know you're like, "Really, Mickey?" Yes. [00:05:00] Frankie will come home, and he'll be like, "You guys, it's vet time. Everybody panic. Everybody." Last time we brought Frankie with Otis, who Otis is the alpha. He's thir- he's the smallest dog in our little pack, but he's the alpha. He runs the house.

So Frankie and Otis go together. Frankie gets Otis so riled up, they could not do his exam. I had to bring him back. Oh, my God. Because he was

Jessica Abreu: like- Do they charge you extra for that?

Mikki Paradis: Of course they did. Of

Jessica Abreu: course.

Mikki Paradis: Of course they did. So we've learned from that, okay, everybody has to go. Callie and Otis can go together.

Mm-hmm. But Prime, Frankie, and those have to go. So three separate vet visits. So that was four grand.

Jessica Abreu: Good Lord.

Mikki Paradis: Good Lord. Four dogs, four grand. Should it be $1,000 a dog? No. I am clearly going to the world's most expensive vet, and I probably need to make different life choices. So then we go to El Salvador.

We come back, Prime has a hotspot on his arm, $1,500. That's

Jessica Abreu: great.

Mikki Paradis: $5,500 at the [00:06:00] vet. Mind you, husband got a- I even got a nice vacation ... surgery for $2,800. A human surgery for $2,800. And I spent $5,500 at the vet, and I just, I'm, I am never gonna retire.

Jessica Abreu: No. Not if you keep having dogs.

Mikki Paradis: No. I, I... And especially big dogs.

'Cause like, like that's the problem. People are like, "Oh, my vet's not that expensive." So vets base everything based off of weight. So because Prime weighs 200 pounds, it's like we're paying out of pocket for like legit medical services because he's so big. Like, so they... I almost choked the vet tech. She comes in, she's like, "Oh, we've got this antibiotic.

It's $600." And I was like Turn yourself right back around- ... take that $600 antibiotic and put it right back in the bottle, and find an antibiotic that doesn't cost $600 because this is ridiculous. [00:07:00] Mm. So she was able to find one for only $200.

Jessica Abreu: Oh. Imagine that. Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: But even still, like, I- my God today.

Jessica Abreu: Mm.

Mikki Paradis: My God today.

So yeah, I do spend a whole lot of money at the vet. It's, it's offensive. It hurts the soul.

Jessica Abreu: I can't. This is- Yeah ... why I don't have pets.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, no.

Jessica Abreu: I mean, that and-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, you could-

Jessica Abreu: They, they require way too much.

Mikki Paradis: They do. They do. They're, they're a whole lot. But I do love my dogs, though. I mean, they're kinda vibes.

Jessica Abreu: Mm.

Mikki Paradis: I do not love it when Prime throws up No, yeah, he- That is- We had a thunderstorm. Did you guys lose power in that crazy-ass storm? Did it hit Fuquay? I don't know, 'cause you, you- When

Jessica Abreu: was that?

Mikki Paradis: It was, like, two nights ago.

Jessica Abreu: No. We had, like, I could see lightning- ... in the distance, and there was a little bit of a thunder boom, and I was like, "Oh, that's pretty."

Mikki Paradis: Oh, it was, like, directly over our house. Actually, I think somebody, a tree fell on somebody's house and somebody died. It was actually, it's really sad. Rest in peace. [00:08:00] Um, we lost power, so, like, it's, it's, it, it is h- going. Like, it felt like we were in the middle of, like, some sort of, like, national disaster, and the house is shaking.

The dogs are all freaking out. Prime gets so stressed out, he throws up. Of course, he does. The power goes out. We didn't have power all night, so, like, it's hot as hell in our house. I was just like-

Jessica Abreu: Oh my God ... this

Mikki Paradis: is great. This is great. So I'm trying to clean Prime's vomit up with a flashlight in my hand, and I was like, "I don't want to adult anymore."

Jessica Abreu: Oh, God, that sounds terrible.

Mikki Paradis: It was not, it was not the best moment. It was not the best moment. Welcome to having four dogs, one of them being 200 pounds.

Jessica Abreu: And the biggest baby ever.

Mikki Paradis: And he is also the biggest baby ever. Like, when he, when we go to the vet, he tries to hide by getting under the chairs.

Jessica Abreu: Oh, yeah, 'cause if he can't see you, they can't see him.

Mikki Paradis: Right. Ostrich style. And so all that fits under the chair is actually his head. [00:09:00] Like, none of his body fits under the chair, but, like, once he gets his head under, he's like, "All right, phew."

Jessica Abreu: Safe.

Mikki Paradis: Safe. Nobody can see me, thank God. And everybody wants to pet him, and he's like, "Oh my God, if you, I'm gonna have a panic attack."

And I'm just like, "Please, don't, don't touch him. He's, he'll die." And they're like, "But he's so big." I'm like, "It doesn't make sense. Don't, don't try to make it make sense." Oh my gosh. It doesn't.

Jessica Abreu: I was running the other day, um, in a preserve- Oh, wow ... if you will. Yeah, you know, on a path and whatever. And I stopped short because this woman had her dog off a leash- Oh

and I, I don't know what kind it was. It was, the back of it was, like, up to my hip. No way. And then its head was up higher, and I was like, I stopped. You're like, "This

Mikki Paradis: is how I die."

Jessica Abreu: And the lady's just, like, walking, you know, j- I'm like, um-

Mikki Paradis: You're gonna take care of this

Jessica Abreu: or... It's, is, why, why isn't your dog on a leash?

And she's like, "Oh, he's old." And I was like, "Oh, [00:10:00] okay, so he's not gonna come near me when I run by?" And she just starts laughing. And I was like, "It's not funny." Like, I don't want to be chased by a dog. Yeah. I don't like big dogs. I was attacked by... Yeah, when I was I think it was my freshman year of high school.

Ah. I was running, and I was in Boston, so, like, there's no- This

Mikki Paradis: should teach you to stop running, Jess. I know.

Jessica Abreu: Really, it's my fault. I'm the problem.

Mikki Paradis: It's me. Obviously this is Jess' fault.

Jessica Abreu: And, um, a person didn't have their dog on a leash, and it saw me running. Ugh. And it came. Prey, yeah. And it just bit, it bit the, um- It bit your butt.

It bit my back of my leg. It didn't get all the way up to my butt, but it bit the back of my leg, and it clawed at my- Ah. And it hurt.

Mikki Paradis: I mean, my, yeah. Um, but yeah.

Jessica Abreu: See,

Mikki Paradis: I would f- I would throw a punch at a dog. Like, I've, I've been, I've had a dog chase me. Here's, here's the thing, making direct eye contact real uncomfortable.

I don't be chased. I will turn [00:11:00] around and grab you by the throat, and that is actually what I did to the dog. Okay. So the dog was chasing me, and I just said, "You know what? I'm not running from you." I turned around, looked it, I squared up. It came at me. I, I ca- I went at it, and I grabbed it by its throat, picked it up, put it on the ground and just held it there.

And I was like, "Are we done here?" And it was like, "We actually are done here." And I was like, "Great," and I just got up and walked away. Well,

Jessica Abreu: I had no idea what was going on because I had my AirPods in. Oh,

Mikki Paradis: yeah, 'cause you're running. You're like- I'm

Jessica Abreu: running. I'm, you know,

Mikki Paradis: I'm jamming to my- ... just minding your own business

and

Jessica Abreu: all of a sudden it's like, I'm like, "Oh my

Mikki Paradis: God." You're like, "Something just shot me in the butt." You had a Forrest Gump moment. You probably haven't seen Forrest Gump.

Jessica Abreu: I've seen parts of it.

Mikki Paradis: Man, it's a classic.

Jessica Abreu: I know run, Forrest, run. Run, Forrest, run. Life is like a box of chocolates.

Mikki Paradis: Yes, it is. That's a good movie.

That's one of my faves, top 10. Top 10, one of my faves, me and some Tom Hanks. Woo.

Jessica Abreu: It's a long movie, though, isn't

Mikki Paradis: it? It is a long movie. Yeah. But listen, it's a national treasure.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, someday.

Mikki Paradis: It's a national treasure.

Jessica Abreu: Someday when I have nothing else to do.

Mikki Paradis: Which will be never. Yeah.

So listen, guys, we, we have sparked a [00:12:00] fire- Mm ... on the internets, on the socials-

Jessica Abreu: Oh, yes ...

Mikki Paradis: by just repeating something that a man said. I don't know who we think we are. But, um, the story goes like this. We were telling you guys about the story we're gonna cover today in today's podcast. Um- It is a social media, I guess he, we would call him an influencer.

But he, like, that's not his main gig. So he is a lawyer in Minnesota. His name's Dylan White. Him and his wife, Susan, or is it Suzanne? I think it's Suzanne. Sorry. I don't remember. I frequently mix those, Susan and Suzanne, up. I

Jessica Abreu: mean, it's, they're so close.

Mikki Paradis: I'm real- They're so close. I'm doing the best I can, you guys.

So him and his wife kinda just started going on social media and talking about, it's just a- adorable stories about their kids. And, like, I know that you had never heard of him when we first started- Mm-hmm ... researching, but, like, Ranch Baby is, that's [00:13:00] his thing. Like, his kid was obsessed with ranch and would, like, just, like, everything would b- have to have ranch with it.

Like, and just, the stories this guys would tell. He's a great storyteller, um, and he's really passionate about a lot of things. So he becomes super famous on Instagram. He's still a lawyer. He has actually been, um, the lawyer for a bunch of class action lawsuits against companies that manufacture products that harm women.

So he's- Hmm ... he's, he's a good guy. Like, I'm a fan. Um, so I start, like, I'm, I am following him. I start seeing stories about an issue he's having with a contractor, and I'm like, Spidey sense, excuse me. I start paying attention, and that is where we got today's story. But to get to where- we got spicy with people on the internet.

Mm. We literally just repeated this guy's very in, like, [00:14:00] serious surprise at how easy it is to become a general contractor. Yes. He was say- You know, we, we here are just trying to get you to hire a licensed general contractor. We haven't even gotten into if that's really the, the top of the top or the end of the search.

Like, in all actuality, you don't just want a licensed general contractor, you want a experienced- Experienced ... licensed general contractor. Mm-hmm. And so when he was learning how easy it is in Minnesota, and many other states in the country- Mm-hmm ... to become a licensed general contractor, he was low-key outraged because so many other, almost every other licensed anything requires you to have experience.

Yes. So he, you know, he was explaining how to be a lawyer, you not only have to go to college for it, you have to pass the bar, you have to pass an ethics test. Mm-hmm. You, you, you know, [00:15:00] you are held accountable for, you know, how you act in the court of law and as a lawyer by, by the Bar Association. And there's just-

Jessica Abreu: So there's actually repercussions when you're a lawyer There's

Mikki Paradis: repercussions.

There's sanctions. There's, you could- Right ... you could lose your law license. Not so much so with contractors. I mean, ask Rudy Giuliani. It did not go well for him. So, like, there are consequences in the legal profession if you don't do your job right. Unfortunately, this guy has learned the hard way that there are absolutely no consequences for general contractors that don't do their job right.

Like, general contractors ma- must have the absolute best lobbyists that have ever existed in the history of ever, because they can pretty much get away with s- robbing people blind, with building houses that they know are not structurally sound, and there are, we've yet to see real serious consequences yet.

Mm-hmm. So we're just kinda retelling this guy's shock at how easy it [00:16:00] is to become a general contractor. Um, the, our, our Reel software clips that, we post it online, and the comments start coming in. Oh, this is good. And so again, I don't have TikTok. I'm never gonna have TikTok. But my niece will from time to time come to me and be like, "So you're trending, not in a good way."

Jessica Abreu: I mean, it was in a good way. It was people saying that, um, like not in my state, or some people were like, "I can't believe that," because so I did a little digging-

Mikki Paradis: Okay ...

Jessica Abreu: so that people can, like, calm the down.

Mikki Paradis: Calm

Jessica Abreu: the F

Mikki Paradis: down. Okay? What is wrong with y'all?

Jessica Abreu: We made a blanket statement. Okay, so your little state is fine.

All right. So according to the Google-

Mikki Paradis: Okay

Jessica Abreu: California-

Mikki Paradis: Mm-hmm ...

Jessica Abreu: does require four years of experience.

Mikki Paradis: I love that. I love that for you, California.

Jessica Abreu: Florida, Arizona. [00:17:00] Shocking. Hawaii Um, also require four years of experience. So- That's great ... California has the toughest one. But- I

Mikki Paradis: love that ...

Jessica Abreu: um, they have to be a foreman and, um, and pass within 10 years.

Okay. Like, they, um, Florida has a mix of proven, proven experience, college credits, hands-on experience, and at least one year in supervisory role-

Mikki Paradis: Honestly, I did not expect that from Florida ... me neither. You could just have a gun willy-nilly in Florida, so I was expecting them to just be like, "Do what you want.

Do- Maybe it's because of the hurricanes ... we do everything else that way." Oh, that actually makes sense. That does. Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Because of the- That tracks ... the, the bad hurricanes. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's the only, that was the only thing that could make, that could make any sense. Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: yeah, yeah. 'Cause, like, Florida just be out here wildin'.

They are. Like, they'd just be like, "We do what we want up in here." Mm-hmm. "I will ride an alligator to the wawa." "I will." "

Jessica Abreu: I want to." "

Mikki Paradis: I want to."

Jessica Abreu: Um, Arizona, the four years of practical, um, or [00:18:00] supervisory experience in construction. Hawaii is the same thing. Love that. Alaska is the same thing. Love that. And then South Carolina requires a minimum of two years of commercial experience within the last five years.

Mikki Paradis: I can't imagine why that is such a short list of states that require actual experience to build a house, and a lot of people have come in the comment section and been like, "This, it is ridiculous. It is ridiculous that you think a general contractor needs to have experience. All they are are managers."

Jessica Abreu: Project managers. I'm

Mikki Paradis: like, really? "All they are are managers."

Jessica Abreu: How do

Mikki Paradis: they know if the- Of, of building a structure- Mm-hmm ... that you're gonna put your family in. All they are is managers? That's like saying a surgeon is, all they are is a manager. Like, hmm, no thank you. Th- like, that is beyond ridiculous. Mm-hmm.

It is beyond ridiculous, the [00:19:00] idea. And, and here's the thing, just so we're all on the same page. You are outing yourself. When you come in our comment section and you defend that a general contractor does not need to have experience, you are outing yourself as an inexperienced general contractor, as somebody who woke up one day, decided you were gonna be a general contractor, got a license, or in some states like Texas, didn't, and just- Oh, yeah

started pretending like you're a general contractor. So listen, keep outing yourself.

Jessica Abreu: Do you wanna know all the states that have no- Oh, yes ... statewide- Do

Mikki Paradis: it, yes ...

Jessica Abreu: general contractor license? In alphabetical order.

Mikki Paradis: I love this.

Jessica Abreu: Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming.

Mikki Paradis: No licensing requirements?

Jessica Abreu: States with no statewide general contractor [00:20:00] license. You... What? What, according to the Google.

Mikki Paradis: Oh my God. It's right

Jessica Abreu: there- Holy- ... on Google ... crap. That's s- 17.

Mikki Paradis: N- wow. I just thought it was Texas.

Jessica Abreu: No.

Mikki Paradis: Holy m- wow.

Jessica Abreu: There's 17 of them.

Mikki Paradis: Y'all, so, mm,

Jessica Abreu: okay. Like, that, how is that a thing? Now, they could, they could require other, other things it says.

Um-

Mikki Paradis: Colorado surprises me because that seems like s- we've had a story from there once that it, you know, it ended badly. Mm-hmm. But in the story, th- their, like, licensing board, I thought, had a thing where they, all the general contractors came together and fixed the problem for free. I, maybe I'm not remembering that correctly, but wow, that's so surprising.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: Huh. Yeah. So-

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, you know, listen, guys, we [00:21:00] I, I don't know. I- if you just think that general con- like, to, if you, if it is your thought that a general contractor doesn't need to know anything, like, all they need to do is to be able to manage people- Mm ... we just don't agree. You know? Like, agree to disagree, we don't agree.

Like, as someone who's been in construction for 21 years and has my general contracting license, I still would not go out and build a house by myself, like, on my own. Like, if I were to, you know, venture into hou- home building, I would work with someone who has built- Has built a- ... a house before. Because, yes, while I know enough to have a license, and I know everything there is about drywall and paint, I don't know everything there is about foundations and structure and load-bearing.

And like- Mm-hmm ... all of the things that genuinely matter in order to build a safe, long- Right ... standing home, I know that I don't know [00:22:00] those things. So, no, I would not just get my general contractor's license, which I did, and build a house, which I have not done, because it's just not n- no- No ... it's not okay.

Jessica Abreu: You wanna make sure that you're never the first one. Yeah. The first client.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah. Like, yeah. That's not- It's just like, that's absolutely not ...

Jessica Abreu: not

Mikki Paradis: happening. Like, I would... Even in what we do, so we specialize in multifamily new construction. In the state of North Carolina, if you want to build, like, let's say you wanna build a multifamily structure and your company has never built a multifamily structure- Mm

you have to work with a company that has. That has. Oh, that's good. So, like, yeah. Like, I had a, we had, we worked with, for this one guy, and he only built homes, but he wanted to build a senior building. So he had to work with a company that had previous, like, that's what they do. Because- Mm ... the difference between even in building a home to building a commercial building is night and literal day.

Yeah. So it's just wild to me that there l- exist in the world people that think [00:23:00] it's perfectly okay to not have a clue what you're doing-

Jessica Abreu: Well, you know what, what's gonna happen is that- ... and build houses ... those people that think that the general contractors aren't anything, that they're just, you know- They're managers

project managers- They're project managers ... and that's why I hired a, a licensed electrician, good. But they're the people who are gonna end up writing in, telling us a horror story- Right ... because their general contractor was crap.

Mikki Paradis: Right. Like, the, I will say, somebody made a pretty spicy comment, which, like, it's, it actually was a good comment, it didn't need to be so spicy, about how that's why you work with really good architects.

You know, it's a really good point. Architects can be that buffer for you between a general contractor that's not doing things right and an- And like getting screwed over. Mm-hmm. Like but not every project requires an architect.

Jessica Abreu: Right.

Mikki Paradis: So, like, also, that's a huge expense. Expense. That ... They, they are spicy priced.

So, like, yeah, when you're building a custom home-

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm ...

Mikki Paradis: [00:24:00] yes, an architect is an amazing thing to have because they have licensing much like a lawyer- Mm-hmm ... where they are, they're held accountable. Like, there, there are consequences for them doing things wrong. Mm-hmm. So, yes, like, an architect is a great buffer between a general contractor and, and a homeowner.

But again, if you're doing a re- reno- renovating your kitchen, you're not using an architect. I mean, if you are, that's a hell of a kitchen renovation, and also congratulations on the copious amounts of money that you have in your bank account. You know? Like, really, I tip my hat. But so yeah, there's, there's, there's that.

So architects are great. But again, finances. Mm-hmm. Not everybody has access to that. Nope. So today we're gonna talk about this story, about, um ... So this episode is called The $1.2 Million Nightmare: What Every Homeowner Can Learn From the Dylan White Lawsuit. So [00:25:00] one thing that we have to be very clear about, because as I was writing this script, it came up again and again and again.

This is ongoing litigation. So

everything in this story is alleged. None of it has been proven, and everything that Dylan White is accusing his, um, his builder of doing, the builder has said that that is not true, that it is not accurate. So just, you know, for legal purposes- He said, she

Jessica Abreu: said. Yeah ...

Mikki Paradis: we are not saying any, any one side is true or not true.

We are just reporting to you the facts of what we have found in the newspaper. So there's multiple sources on this. Some of it is coming directly from Dylan White, but there was also an article in the, I think it's the Star Tribune, um, which I think is the w- Massachusetts, or not Massachusetts, the- Michigan?

Minnesota ... Minnesota w- um, one of their, [00:26:00] the newspapers in Minnesota. So- One of those

Jessica Abreu: M states.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, those damn M states. They're really, they're tricky like that. So- We're not claiming that anything has or hasn't happened. We are just reporting the story to you because I think it's a really great opportunity for people to kinda see it happening to somebody who is intelligent.

Mm-hmm. Who is... 'Cause, like, that was, that's a l- a lot of the stories that people write in, they feel really stupid. They feel like, "How did I, how did this happen to me?" Yeah. "How did I not see the signs? How did I, you know, how did I end up in this situation? I'm a smart person." Like, we had this one person that wrote in that was like, "I own my own business.

I negotiate multi-million dollar contracts. How is it that this happened to me?" Mm-hmm. N- and the point is, this happens to literally anybody, an- like, this could happen to anybody. Yeah. It has happened-

Jessica Abreu: Because you don't know what you don't know.

Mikki Paradis: Right. You don't know what you don't know. This guy's a lawyer, but he doesn't do construction law, so [00:27:00] he doesn't know how construction works.

Mm-hmm. So when he kinda found himself in the, in this situation and started to realize that everything was off, that's when he started kinda documenting the story. And I think it's a great opportunity because, one, it's still ongoing, so you can go... It's, um, his handle is @thedadchats, um, which I'm sure we can put up in, like, somewhere on the screen so that you can see it, or in the show notes so you can go and check him out.

He's a... Th- this is a very small portion of what he talks about on his show- Mm-hmm ... or on his, um, Instagrams and TikToks. I know it's not called Instagrams, but it's fun to put the S. I also call it the Facebook because it's fun. Anyway, so he, very little of this is he talking about it frequently. He tells great stories about his kids, and it's a l- lot of fun.

I'm surprising that I follow it and you don't since I have dogs and you actually have human kids.

Jessica Abreu: I say, "I deal with children all the time. I have enough

Mikki Paradis: stories." Yeah, you're like, "I don't need anybody else's stories. I have my own." It's

Jessica Abreu: like, sorry, I [00:28:00] don't feel bad for you.

Mikki Paradis: So yes, we wanna be very clear that, um, everything that we are saying is alleged, that- There are claims that, you know, there's a lawsuit ongoing, so we're, a lot of what we're talking about is referenced from the lawsuit.

It's referenced from the news articles, and then from, um, The Dad Chats himself. So here's the script. Dun, dun, dun. Imagine finally getting the keys to your dream home. Not just any house, a custom-built home over a million dollars. It was $1.2 million. Designed exactly the way you wanted it, every cabinet, every light fixture, every finish, built specifically for your family.

Now imagine that less than a year later, your kids are jumping in a bounce house in the basement, which I think is a really important thing to note. 'Cause when I think of a bounce house in the house, I'm like, "Well, [00:29:00] that's funny. That's not where a bounce house goes." But I could see it in a basement. Like, it seems- Are his kids

Jessica Abreu: little?

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, they're l- well, th- he's got ranging, so, like, like, a two-year-old, a four-year-old.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. So, but the little ones are the ones jumping in the bounce house. Yeah,

Mikki Paradis: probably, yes. Yeah. So-

Jessica Abreu: He's... We could put a bounce house ... so

Mikki Paradis: I think a bounce house in the basement tracks. Mm-hmm. But I think it's important to note that it was, like, on a, the lowest of floors.

Mm-hmm. Turn it around. So your kids are jumping in a bounce house on the, in the basement, and the floor you're standing on upstairs starts moving. Pictures began rattling, furniture was shaking, and your wife looks at you and says, "Something isn't right." That wasn't a movie. According to public statements made by Minnesota content creator Dylan White, better known as @TheDadChats, that's exactly what happened inside his family's newly constructed home.

Today we're going to break down what happened, what the lawsuit actually alleges, how the builder has responded, and most importantly, what every [00:30:00] homeowner can learn before they build or renovate their own home. Mm-hmm. So we've already discussed that, you know, all of these are allegations that we're, you know...

Even what we're sharing from the lawsuit, it is not, you know, there's not been a judgment. So just because it's already in the lawsuit doesn't mean we're saying this is true. We're just sharing with you what we- Sharing

Jessica Abreu: what the allegations are.

Mikki Paradis: Yes. We're sharing the tea as we do. We're gonna get into segment one

Jessica Abreu: Who is Dylan White?

Mikki Paradis: Who is Dylan White?

Jessica Abreu: If someone hasn't been following the story, who is Dylan White?

Mikki Paradis: , So as we've ta- discussed, Dylan White is a Minnesota content creator, goes by Dad Chats, The Dad Chats on Instagram.

I think he's also on TikTok. Him and his wife, Suzanne built an audience by making funny videos about parenting, which they are really hilarious. He also is known for, like, sitting in his car and drinking copious amounts of coffee, which I think also [00:31:00] tracks for being a parent, and especially having four kids.

So they're not construction influencers, they're not home inspectors, they're just a family documenting life online which is one reason why this story has exploded. Um, just 'cause he has, I think on Instagram alone he has 1.3 million followers. Mm. Which I'm just so jealous. I could not be more jealous.

Um, because the point is, like, this could have happened to anyone. According to reporting by The Star Tribune, Dylan and Suzanne contracted with Michael Lee Homes, which I think is quite interesting that now operating as, do you even know how to say this word?

Jessica Abreu: Kutenzy?

Mikki Paradis: Kuten-

Jessica Abreu: Kutena?

Mikki Paradis: Kutenia? Kutenia Homes.

So they've already changed the name of their company, which, listen, what that is first flag on the play. Mm-hmm. That's suspish. If there, if you didn't do nothing wrong, and I'm just saying this as a spectator, if you didn't do nothing wrong, how come [00:32:00] you changed the name of your business?

Jessica Abreu: Mm. '

Mikki Paradis: Cause, like, listen, I've been accused of a thing or two in my life.

I've not changed the name of my business once, because the things I was accused of I didn't do. Which- I'm just saying ... it's

Jessica Abreu: like a law- well One of the things that they'll tell you to do if you're go- going after somebody, if the business is shady, they're gonna say, "Bankrupt the business- Right ... and make it a different name."

Yeah. So ta-da. Well,

Mikki Paradis: I'm not saying, I'm just pointing out the facts. I think that's weird.

Jessica Abreu: That is weird.

Mikki Paradis: So now operating as whatever their new name homes, um, to build custom homes in Woodbury. I'm assuming that's bury and not- Mm-hmm ... yeah, it's Woodbury, Minnesota. The home reportedly cost approximately 1.2 million.

Construction wrapped up, the family moved in, and they expected to finally enjoy the home they've spent years planning. Instead, within months, things started happening that they didn't expect.

Jessica Abreu: Mm-hmm, and this is what struck me immediately. [00:33:00] If I spent over a million dollars on a custom home, I expect perfection.

Right. Like, maybe I'm being a little unrealistic, but, like, I don't think that I should be worried about the structure of my home. Like maybe- No ... a little paint touch-up. No. Yeah. Maybe something got dinged as furniture was being moved in. A cabinet, you know, sometimes things shift a little bit- Yeah ... and like the cabinet just needs the door rehung or something like that.

Right. Small-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ...

Jessica Abreu: things.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: I cannot deal with wondering whether my floors are moving.

Mikki Paradis: Du- seriously, and that's the im- a really important distinction. So no new home is perfect. I- perfection just does not exist in the world. I don't care who you are, and your home's not gonna be perfect when you move in.

Every builder gets a punch list. Every house has items on the punch list. Every new home settles to some degree, but one of the biggest questions in this lawsuit is whether the Whites experienced issues that went far [00:34:00] beyond what would normally be expected in a new custom home. That's exactly what the litigation is about.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, so what were the first problems that they noticed, and were they immediately talking about structural issues?

Mikki Paradis: So no, they were not immediately talking about structural issues, and that's one of the reasons this story is so relatable. Um, according to the lawsuit and subsequent reporting, the first issue sounded fairly ordinary, um, drywall cracks, nail pops, and cosmetic defects.

Things that many homeowners are told to simply are, like part of the first year home warranty. Mm-hmm. Which like we went through that when we bought the townhouse. Yeah. He was like, "You know, you're only getting one, like warranty walk so save it all for like, let it settle, let the house do the things that it's gonna do and then we'll come in and we'll fix everything, you know- Mm-hmm

that you see that's a problem." And um, and that's, that's really genuinely normal. No matter how much money you [00:35:00] spent on the house, there's gonna be settling. Mm-hmm. There's gonna be things that happen that's totally normal.

Jessica Abreu: You can't help the earth moving underneath.

Mikki Paradis: Exactly. Like that's not a builder's fault that- Mm-hmm

like the soil, like c- c- It gets- Contraction and expansion is not like a failure in bu- in, in building. Mm-hmm. Um, so things that many homeowners are told are simply part of the first year, which is totally normal. If the story had ended there it wouldn't, we wouldn't be talking about this today. But according to the complaint, the issues didn't stop, they multiplied.

The Whites alleged that they eventually documented nearly 500 separate defrac- defects throughout the home. And what's really interesting is in the newspaper article there's a picture of them standing in their stairway and the amount of blue tape, it is ridiculous. Now listen, as a, as a drywaller, part of the reason why I don't do [00:36:00] residential work is because homeowners- Of the blue tape

and the blue tape. Like y'all be putting blue tape where there ain't nothing there. And I'm just like, what, what is the point of this? Like did, did you just doing it to be dramatic or did, did like at some point your eyes, like did you have a floater in your eye and you thought it was on the drywall and you just put the tape?

Like I was, I get real confused. So-

Jessica Abreu: There was dust there. It w- or it was a hair.

Mikki Paradis: No.

Jessica Abreu: It was a hair and they put the tape there. You took the tape and was like, "Oh."

Mikki Paradis: That is literally happened. Like it was dirt or it was like, it was not a defect at all. You could have literally just taken your finger but instead there's tape.

There's blue tape. So I saw the tape and as like a construction professional I immediately like, ugh, because just, ugh. Mm-hmm. 500 separate defects is a whole different thing. So if you think about that for a second, it's not five, it's not 50, it's nearly 500. Photos published by the news outlets show the blue [00:37:00] painter's tape attached throughout the home to mark items the homeowners believed required repair.

The builder disputes the homeowners' characterization of those conditions. And listen, I can guarantee you of those 500 that there's some blue tape on stuff that there shouldn't be blue tape on there. But still, that-

Jessica Abreu: It's not gonna be 450- Right ... spots where there shouldn't be blue tape. Exactly.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: There's probably, like, 5 or 10.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, yeah.

Jessica Abreu: They were just like, "We're at 490. We're just gonna-

Mikki Paradis: You're like, "We'll take these-" Get some Yeah. They're not like, "We'll just put 10 on to make it a s- a round number." Get on the wrong number. Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Um, but 500, I mean, I honestly had to read that number twice because- Yeah

it's- It's

Mikki Paradis: a lot ...

Jessica Abreu: insane. Because when I hear the word punch list, and if you're not familiar with what punch list is, it's like a to-do list for the contractor- Yeah ... to come back and fix things that you deem as incorrect. Um, so I'm thinking, like, a couple scratches- [00:38:00] Yeah ... some paint, maybe some trim. Not hundreds of issues.

Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: I mean, th- that- that's exactly the point. Like- That's where homeowners need to understand something that's really important. There's a huge difference between a punch list and a pattern. Like, one scratch means very little. Hundreds of documented concerns deserves a much closer look. So the red flag, number one, even though I've kind of already thrown a red flag on the play.

Um, when cosmetic problems stop being cosmetic. So something I want every homeowner to really listen to and remember is, like, drywall cracks by themselves are rarely enough to conclude that there's a structural problem, and I get this cr- all the time. Um, we've talked about it in just, I think in the last episode, of like, you know, a drywall crack can happen for a lot of reasons 'cause the house, like the wood itself isn't fully dried out.

[00:39:00] So when, you know, you're, you are installing all of the stuff onto the frame of the house when it is not air-conditioned, it's not ... You're, you're fully still exposed to, like, what's happening with the weather. Mm-hmm. So then we air condition it, and it starts, you know, it starts drying the wood out. So, like, as the wood starts to dry out, you get drywall cracks, you get nail pops, you get s- things like that, and it's very common.

Like, every year our caulk w- like, on our, on our, to the trim in our master will w- expand- Contract ... in the winter. Like, it- Mm-hmm ... looks like it's cracked, and in the summertime it looks perfect. And so it's just one of those things where there's contraction and expansion- Mm-hmm ... and so the house kinda swells up and then it dries out.

And so th- there's movement there. If we actually caulked it, like re-caulked it when it was, it's, it's spread out, when it goes back down, then it would push the caulking out. So [00:40:00] kinda sometimes leaving things where they are. Mm. And if that cycle continues to happen, where it's like, okay, you can track it by the seasons, that's not a structural issue.

That's just you live in a h- a more humid climate, or you have, you know, spicier weather, things like that. So S- these are all super common. Um, but according to this complaint, the Whites weren't just seeing drywall issues. They allege that floors, um, squeaked excessively. Um, that floors, floors that deflected and visibly moved.

Drywall quack- cracks required, um, repair after repair after repair, which that is something. Like, when something keeps coming back in the same spot, okay, it's no longer just like, okay, the house is moving. There's something to investigate more. So they claimed that there was moisture concerns in mul- multiple locations, doors and finished components requiring [00:41:00] repeated adjustments.

So that's another big thing that suggests you've got some movement in your house that's not, that kind of goes beyond the pale. When a door that was... And it's not just one door. When you have multiple door- interior doors in your house that are no longer latching, they latched once and now- Yeah ... they're not latching or they're, you know, they, they, they may be latched, but like, they don't sit still.

We need to understand, like, what's happening in the home.

Jessica Abreu: Hmm. All right. So now I need you to explain something because if I see drywall cracks and then I see squeaky floors, I [00:42:00] immediately assume those two things are connected. Are they?

Mikki Paradis: So like, yes and no. It, it's kind of like more of a maybe, maybe not.

That's why construction defect investigations are complicated. Um, let's take a squeaky floor. Sometimes it's simply a- an issue of, like, the fastener didn't fully set. So, like, we, we have an issue in our kitchen, and I ac- I actually had somebody write into me about this, and they're like, "Why is my wood floor squeaking?"

Mm. Because the nail is still in place, but the wood is actually moving on the nail. So you ever step on, like, a spot on your floor and it's like, "Ee, ee?"

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: What that's doing is, like, the wood is moving against the nail, so, like- Don't do that ... it's secure. Oh, sorry. It's, it's moving against the nail. Like this.

Sorry. If you're watching, I apparently did something inappropriate with my hands, which is pretty much tracks for me. But so it's [00:43:00] making that sound because the wood is touching up against the nail, and it's moving, and it is then making the squeaky sound. So that doesn't mean that there's something major going on with your house.

Um, it could be that there's movement bet- movement between the subfloor and the floor joists. Sometimes it's a improperly installed subfloor. Sometimes it's seasonal humidity. Um, now combine that with reoccurring drywall cracking, reported floor movement, moisture concerns, and repeated repairs, that's when I stop looking at an individual symptom and I start asking, "What's the common denominator?"

Because houses don't randomly develop multiple unrelated issues all at the very same time. That's not super ... It doesn't happen super often. Yeah. That's why investigations become so important.

Jessica Abreu: All right. So homeowner teaching moment number one.

Mikki Paradis: Yes.

Jessica Abreu: If your builder [00:44:00] repairs the same issue multiple times, don't just ask, "When can you fix it again?"

You need to ask, "What do you believe is causing this?"

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: Those are two completely different conversations that you're going to have, and then you're going to be able to get to the root cause of why you constantly have to have them come back and repair it. And that second question is so much more valuable than the first.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah, 'cause it's just ... I feel like ... We did the drywall in a house. It was like a real modern house, and they had- They had a flat roof, and I don't know. I don't know if they didn't use hurricane strapping. Mm-hmm. Like, I'm just the drywaller, right? Like, I have nothing to do with the framing of the house. But when they would h- when storms would happen, the wind was getting under the f- the, like, flange of their roof- Mm-hmm

and it was lifting up. Oh, God. And it, and it was b- it was cracking their [00:45:00] drywall. And so, like we came once to fix it, and I was like, "Um, guys, this is kind of a serious crack." Like, it wasn't just your average crack. Yeah. And I, like, let the ho- like, not the homeowner, but I let the builder know, like, "Something's going on here.

You need to start investigating it." Well, of course, they didn't until the homeowner ... It happened again and again and again, and finally the homeowner- Yeah ... was like, "No, I don't want you to fix the crack. I want you to fix the problem that's causing the crack." Right. Because it was a brand-new home. Yes. And so I completely understood why, um, th- you know, they were like "No, don't just keep fixing it.

Fix it so it doesn't happen again. I don't wanna deal with this for the next 30 years."

Jessica Abreu: Yeah, you definitely don't want to. What is the cause? Fix that. Right. Just like when you're sick, you don't want to just- Don't- ... treat the symptoms. Yeah. You want to treat what's actually- Right ... going on.

Mikki Paradis: 100%.

Jessica Abreu: Same thing.

Same thing. Um, so now let's talk about this bounce house- Yeah. ... because that's what really changed this whole situation from just, you know, a few drywall cracks to You know, it made millions of [00:46:00] people-

Mikki Paradis: Yeah ... stop scrolling Stop scrolling and start paying attention.

Jessica Abreu: And, um, it wasn't just a homeowner complaining about the drywall cracks.

This was the moment where Dylan and Suzanne have publicly said that they realize that something might be fundamentally wrong with their home. Walk us through exactly what happened.

Mikki Paradis: So according to Dylan's public statement, um, and, and the reporting in the Star Tribune, their children were playing in a bounce house in the basement.

Um, now, if you're a parent, 'cause I'm certainly not- Mm-hmm ... um, you've probably had a bounce house, I guess, in your house or garage before. That one was surprising to me. So- I was like, "Have you?"

Jessica Abreu: I have not had a bounce house in my home because my homes have all been too small- Yeah ... for a bounce house.

Mikki Paradis: Yeah.

Jessica Abreu: However, um, I did have a friend up in Massachusetts, and she had a s- so it's not the big bounce houses that, like, people put in their yards.

Mikki Paradis: Okay.

Jessica Abreu: It is a- Okay, that's what I

Mikki Paradis: was envisioning.

Jessica Abreu: No. It is... There are smaller versions. Okay. So they're only [00:47:00] about six or seven feet tall.

Mikki Paradis: Okay.

Jessica Abreu: And they're, they're meant for little k- that's why I asked the age of the kids.

Oh, the age.

Mikki Paradis: Okay. So just for

Jessica Abreu: the little ones. So they're, they're smaller, so you're not-

Mikki Paradis: Okay. 'Cause in my mind, I'm envisioning, like... I'm like, "Dude, how big is your freaking basement?" Like- No ... it's like the bounce houses that I've seen are, like, 15 feet tall.

Jessica Abreu: No.

Mikki Paradis: So, okay, that actually... One, that makes more sense, but two, it also makes this so much more concerning because it's like I'm...

Now I'm envisioning one of those, like, li- like, little, like, miniature, um, trampolines, like one of those exercise trampolines.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah.

Mikki Paradis: So it's like, that's kind of putting it more to scale than, like, this giant bounce house. Yes.

Jessica Abreu: That is, that is more accurate.

Mikki Paradis: So having a bounce house in your basement, it doesn't sound like s- it's something that should become, like, a national, like, national news, which this did.

But according to Dylan, as the kids were started jumping, Suzanne was upstairs. She noticed the first floor was shaking. Pictures were reportedly rattling. Objects on the shelves began [00:48:00] moving. The floor itself appeared to vibrate enough that it immediately caught her attention. Dylan was publicly described, um, has publicly described that moment as the point where they realized this isn't just settling anymore.

Again, um, those are their public statements, and the builder disputes the allegations made in the lawsuit. So apparently up to this point, they were having a lot of these cosmetic issues, and they kept going to the builder, and the builder kept somebody, kept send- sending somebody out- Mm-hmm ... to fix them. So, like, the, the 500 pieces of tape had been fixed multiple times.

And so they kept going back to the builder, and the builder kept saying, like, "Oh, no, it's just, it's just it's normal. It's just struct- it's just-" Mm-hmm. "... you know, house is settling. It's moving. It's new construction. This is gonna happen." But then, you know, they, one, they s- kind of stopped- Of sending somebody out as quickly.

Mm-hmm. They kind of started, you know, treating it like, "Listen, we've [00:49:00] done..." Like, they kinda were like, "We've done everything we can do. You're just gonna have to live with it." Yeah. And so, yeah. These

Jessica Abreu: are the problem, the problem homeowners-

Mikki Paradis: Right ... that they ran into then. Mm-hmm. Like, "Oh, you think you're famous?"

Yeah. I don't think I... Like, again-

Jessica Abreu: We don't know ...

Mikki Paradis: we're ma- I make, I'm literally making that up. But that was where It, in that moment, that was when they realized, like, "Okay, I think we're being gaslit a little bit," because I'm literally s- s- something that's happening downstairs- Mm-hmm ... is so violently shaking upstairs.

Like, in the world of, like, load transfer, that is shocking.

Jessica Abreu: Yeah. Like- Like, if my kids were playing downstairs, and

Mikki Paradis: the

Jessica Abreu: whole-

Mikki Paradis: The upstairs is shaking ...

Jessica Abreu: first floor and second floor started shaking, I'm not going to be thinking, "Oh, this is probably normal."

Mikki Paradis: Right.

Jessica Abreu: No, I'm going to be thinking, "Let's get everybody outside-

'cause my house is not safe." Now, I might be overreacting, but I don't think so. Um, but would you react the same way?

Mikki Paradis: Oh, I would, I would, I, I, 100%. [00:50:00] Like, if, if I'm seeing, if things are falling off the shelf because, in my case, my dogs are bouncing in a bounce house. Should I

Jessica Abreu: have a big ball pit?

Mikki Paradis: 100% see my dogs doing.

Um, yeah, no, I'm immediately like, "We're s- we're getting a hotel." 'Cause, like, th- that's structurally th- giving this is how your house collapsed vibes. Mm-hmm. So I definitely would want to understand what I was seeing before jumping to conclusions. Like, well, I did just jump to conclusions, but, like, the logical mind and the part of me, like, when I get hired to go and help somebody figure out, like, what's happening with their house, like, you, you come into it and you're like, "Okay, this is, this is a serious sign.

Like, let's look into it more. Let's figure out, like, what's happening." So there's something that's important for homeowners to understand. Every floor system moves, which it's literally designed to move. It, that's normal. Whether it's, um, traditional [00:51:00] dimensional lumber or it's engineered floor trusses, which there's, there's two different ways that you can frame a house and you can fra- frame a floor system.

I s- we mostly see, see engineered floor trusses- Mm ... but in other parts of the country they have the, the dimensional lumber. Um, there will always be some deflection under the load, so that's like the pressure un- of the house. There's al- like, they literally build it. I mean, we've talked about this. They, they do it in the multifamily structures that we have as well.

Your floor structure is meant to move, um, because there is so much weight that's going from the top floor down, down, down. Um, building codes always anticipate that. The real question isn't did the floor move, it's how much it moved.

Was it performing within its design limits? And that's another thing that you wouldn't know if you weren't, like, a structural engineer in construction. Um, there are limits to w- how much something should move, and if it moves past that limit, then it is in failure. And [00:52:00] so those things are built into- structural engineering, it, it's part of what they understand.

Mm-hmm. So when you have engineered floor trusses, they are engineered with a, this, it is supposed to move this much. So is it performing within the design limits? And are there other symptoms happening at the same time? Because that's where context becomes everything. If all I know is a floor moved, I'm not ready to tell someone there's structural problems.

But if that movement is happening alongside repeated drywall cracking, reoccurring nail pops, doors that are out of adjustment, reported moisture concerns, and repeated warranty repairs, now I'm looking at it, at with the entire picture instead of one isolated system.

Red flag number two, multiple systems matter more than one. One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is [00:53:00] treating every issue separately. So they'll say, "I've got a squeaky floor, I've got a drywall crack, I've got a sticky door, I've got nail pops." Each issue by itself might have an inconvenient explanation, but when multiple systems begin showing signs of movement, that's when you have to stop asking, "How do I fix this one thing?"

And start asking, "What could connect all of these patterns?" Mm-hmm. And patterns do matter in construction. So segment four is coming up next, but y'all, we at time. So we're gonna do our first to-be-continued episode, and we'll, we will finish the story of Dylan White and his $1.2 million lawsuit that he has going on in the next episode.

If you have a story like Dylan's and you wanna share it with us, you can go to chicksinconstruction.com and share your story with us, and we would appreciate it. We would also love it if you would like this video and subscribe. You can also check us out on all the [00:54:00] socials. Jess, where can they find us?

Jessica Abreu: On Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn is @ChicksInConstruction Podcast, on TikTok, it's @ChicksInConstruction.

Mikki Paradis: And listen, the- the- the TikTok is where you gonna see a lot of fire comments. You're gonna see a lot of fire on the TikTok, so you should check it out, if you like tea, if you like drama, there's plenty there. All right, guys, we're gonna catch you on the next one. We'll see you. Bye. Bye.

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