60 lawsuits allege flaws in homebuilder D.R. Horton’s SC houses-Yahoo

Approximately 60 lawsuits have been filed in Richland, Lexington and Horry counties alleging construction flaws in residential houses built by major national homebuilder D. R. Horton.

The lawsuits allege various construction flaws relating to roofs, I-joists, flashing, siding, weather resistant barriers and cladding (protective coverings), depending on the house. Some defects allegedly can allow water intrusion, the lawsuits allege.

They charge D.R. Horton with negligence, breach of warranties and breach of contract, and in some cases, violations of South Carolina’s Unfair Trade Practices Act. In some cases, D.R. Horton sold homes to people knowing there were defects, some lawsuits allege. The plaintiffs seek actual and punitive damages.

D.R. Horton sold homes to plaintiffs “that required tight construction schedules with insufficient resources and labor to build a top-quality Residence,” says one lawsuit, filed by Sam and Kristina Prest about their Little River home.

D.R. Horton, a Fortune 500 company whose stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, describes itself as the largest housebuilder in the nation. It is headquartered in Texas.

The company is currently building houses in 125 markets in 36 states, including South Carolina, according to its 2024 annual report. In South Carolina, its projects are in areas around Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach.

After being contacted by The State, a D.R. Horton official emailed a statement saying it doesn’t comment on ongoing litigation.

But the official said the company “is aware of the claims and actively engaging with these homeowners and their counsel” and added, “We have retained independent third-party engineers and experts to investigate the claims.”

“D.R. Horton stands behind the homes we build and remains willing to work with our homeowners to address any valid and warrantable concerns,” the statement said.

The current lawsuits are not the first against D.R. Horton in South Carolina.

Last year, D.R. Horton, subcontractors and suppliers reached a $16.1 million settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging construction defects in more than 200 houses in a..Read More