**We have been offline for a few weeks as I was served a fraudulent Restraining Order by Shane Garst accusing me of threatening to kill him and his family. This is categorically false and the Court agreed, and I paraphrase the Judge "Garst has provided no proof that there was any threat whatsoever. This was clearly an attempt to chill Cramer's First Amendment Rights...." The Court doubled down on this victory by awarding full repayment of court and attorneys fees. Now that we're thru this case we're re-publishing our story in an attempt to warn the community about aligning with builders/developers that might not have your best interest in mind..
We thought we were investing in our promised turn key dream home on Adams Street in Carlsbad Village, but what we got was a nightmare. The owner builders, Jayme and Shane Garst aka “The Sydekicks” promised us a sturdy, and well-built house with awesome features shown in renderings, but it turns out they cut corners, used subpar materials, and changed designs without our consent. Now, every time it rains, our home leaks like a sieve and we're left with severe water damage throughout the majority of the home. We've been forced to move out after only four months from close of escrow. Architects and Engineers have opined that the house is "catastrophic" and estimate that repairs due to sub-par oversight and build quality will take one to two years to complete, forcing our family to bounce from rental property to rental property. This process is a nightmare and Jayme and Shane Garst are doing everything they can to make it even worse, filing false liens to "get our attention," filing frivolous restraining orders in an attempt to chill our first amendment rights, delaying where matching materials could be purchased for repairs elongating or increasing the expense of this horrible process, and even emailing several our new neighbors suggesting we have threatened to kill their family and that they should be careful.
To make matters worse, Jayme and Shane abandoned the project before it was even finished. We were left with unfinished rooms, exposed wiring, changes to plans, and other hazards that put our family at risk. They left us with a home that was not only poorly built but also dangerous for our family.
Adding insult to injury, the Garsts' have claimed not to be the Owner Builder on the project, rather passing the blame on to the construction company (whom they hired) and the sub-contractors (whom they also hired). Despite this claim they have filed (in our opinion) a fraudulent lien on the house (and as such on us) of almost $500,000 knowing full well that we do not owe any monies to contractors, sub contractors, workers or material providers and closed escrow free and clear less a small holdback for finishing work of which they did not finish. Moreover, mechanic liens are only allowed and designed to be filed by licensed contractors, of which they claim not to be. When questioned as to why Jayme said "we had to get your attention."
At the end of the day, we picked the wrong builder in Jayme and Shane Garst, The Sydekicks. We've spent over $2Million dollars out of pocket thus far to start the repair process and begin court proceedings to make this right. This is now our full time jobs vs. the turn key home we were promised.
Don't let the promise of a beautiful home cloud your judgement. Do your research and make sure you're working with a builder who uses quality materials and has a proven track record of finishing projects. Otherwise, you could end up with a leaky, unfinished and unsafe home, just like us.
We hope our story serves as a cautionary tale for those in the market for a new home. Stay safe and choose wisely. If you'd like to learn more or discuss your situation, please feel free to email: winou1@yahoo.com
