FROM DAY 2 IN 2023 OF A RATIFIED CONTRACT TO THIS DAY, AS YOU READ THIS REVIEW PAGE, I CAN NOT THINK OF ONE GREAT EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH EITHER BENNIE ELLIS OR HIS WIFE, CAROL ELLIS OF ELLIS FAMILY CONSTRUCTION LLC.  BENNIE’S WIFE STARTED OUT WITH DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ME ON DAY TWO OF A RATIFIED CONTRACT DUE TO MY BANK LENDER FOR  A VA LOAN. THIS PUT A SPIRAL IN EVERYTHING AND AS A DISABLED COMBAT VETERAN, IT DID NOT GO WELL AT ALL FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH. CAROL, MADE MANY FALSE CLAIMS AGAINST MY LENDER, WHO IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED VA LOAN LENDERS IN THE NATION. THAT, ITSELF, IS DEFAMATION! THE CLAIMS THAT CAROL MADE, WERE LATER FOUND OUT TO BE FALSE BY MY LENDING AGENT WHO LOOKED UP THE ELLIS’ COMPLETE HISTORY WITH VETERANS UNITED. THE ELLIS’ CLAIMED MY LENDER WOULD NOT CLOSE ON TIME NOR RETURN CALLS, YET, IT WAS THEM WHO DID NOT RETURN CALLS OR REPLY TO EMAILS TO MY LENDER. 

DAY ONE OF RATIFIED CONTRACT; FELT HAPPY.  DAY TWO, CAROL ELLIS HAD TEXTED AND COMMUNICATED WITH MY AGENT ABOUT FORCING ME OFF THE CONTRACT DUE TO MY LENDER. DAY THREE, I TRIED TO SPEAK TO CAROL, HOWEVER, THAT CALL, LASTED JUST FIVE MINUTES AS SHE WAS SO NASTY AND RUDE TO ME THAT IT TRIGGERED MY PTSD AS A DISABLED COMBAT VETERAN AND I ENDED THE CALL (THIS IS WHERE AND TO THIS DAY I STILL WISH, I WALKED AWAY).  DAY FOUR, I CALLED CAROL’S BROKER, ASHLEY AT WAINWRIGHT & CO IN SALEM VIRGINIA AND WE SPOKE FOR 80 MINUTES. IT WAS HARD TO NOT BE EMOTIONAL WHILE SPEAKING ABOUT THIS WITH ASHLEY, WHO AT SEVERAL TIMES DURING THIS CALL, ABSOLUTELY COULD HEAR MY CRYING AND EMOTION AS I WAS BEING THREATENED BY LAWSUITS AND LAWYERS FROM CAROL ELLIS. DAY FIVE, ASHLEY HAD SOOTHED THINGS OVER, BUT ON THE 80 MINUTE CALL ON DAY FOUR, I DID MENTION I WAS GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST CAROL AND ASHLEY HAD ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF I STILL PLANNED ON FILING A COMPLAINT IF THE SALE WENT THROUGH AFTER ALL. HIND SIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE FILED. 

ON THE DAY OF CLOSING, DURING THE WALKTHROUGH, I FOUND GRAVEL ALL THROUGHOUT THE YARD, WHICH IS STILL THERE TO THIS DAY FROM A GRAVEL PILE THEY HAD IN THE BACK YARD. MY AGENT CONTACTED THEM AND ASKED WHAT COULD BE DONE. WITHOUT ANY PRIOR NOTICE OR EVEN ASKING, BENNIE ELLIS HIMSELF, CAME TO MY HOME WHILE I HAD PEOPLE OVER AND TOLD ME EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT; “BENNIE IS FULL OF SHIT”. HE CAME TO MY HOME NOT TO THANK ME FOR PURCHASING A HOME FROM HIM, OR TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE DISCRIMINATION A MONTH PRIOR, NOPE, HE CAME TO LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE GRAVEL SITUATION. STANDING IN MY FRONT YARD, BENNIE LET ME KNOW THAT THE FIRST GOOD RAIN THAT COMES ALONG, WILL WASH OUT ALL THE GRAVEL HE LEFT BEHIND. I STOOD THERE, LOOKING AT HIM AND STATED “YOU’RE GOING TO TELL ME THAT RAIN IS GOING TO WASH AWAY ALL THAT GRAVEL”? “YES” WAS HIS REPLY. I ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN TO ME HOW RAIN WOULD WASH AWAY THE AMOUNT OF GRAVEL IN MY BACKYARD (WHICH IS A LOT).  IF YOU’RE NAIVE, I’D STAY CLEAR OF BENNIE ELLIS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN BENNIE SINCE THAT DAY. I PURCHASED THE HOME AND IN JUST THE FIRST FEW MONTHS, I FOUND SO MANY AREAS HE CUT CORNERS.

CUT CORNERS:

ELECTRICAL WIRING OUT OF THE PANEL, LOOKS LIKE A BOMB WENT OFF. I HAVE HAD THE AC COMPANY OUT TO MY HOME SEVERAL TIMES AS THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW ISSUES WITH THE AC, BUT ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT HAS TO DO WITH A CHEAP LAYOUT OF THE DUCT WORK AND VENTS; THE TWO BEDROOMS (NOT MASTER), HAVE TO HAVE THE DOORS LEFT OPEN A GOOD AMOUNT TO COOL OFF OR HEAT UP (DEPENDING ON TIME OF YEAR). THE AC COMPANY CHECKED FOR LEAKS ON TWO OCCASSIONS, HOWEVER, MULTIPLE TIMES, THEY HAVE INSTRUCTED ME THAT HOW HE WANTED THE DUCT WORK LAID OUT, THE DOORS NEEDED TO BE OPEN AT ALL TIMES IF I WANTED IT TO COOL OFF IN THOSE ROOMS. MY NEIGHBOR HAS THE SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS CLEARLY AS THE AC COMPANY REPAIR MAN STATED. IMAGINE, HAVING GUESTS OVER AND HAVING TO ASK THEM TO LEAVE THE DOORS OPEN SO THEY STAY COMFORTABLE. PRESSURE TREATED 2 X 4S IN MY ATTIC HAVE BEEN FOUND AS WELL AS MANY BROKEN ONES IN THE ATTIC AS SUPPORT, WHICH CAN BE SEEN THAT THEY WERE INSTALLED DAMAGED. ASPHALT ALL OVER MY ENTIRE LOT (WHICH IS AROUND 1/2 ACRE). THE CABINET DOORS WARPED (DESCRIBED AS “CHEAP CABINETS” BY VENDOR). I WOULD GUESS ABOUT 2 OR MORE 50 GALLON DRUM WORTH OF GRAVEL IN MY BACKYARD. BROKEN BOARDS INSTALLED AND FOUND IN THE SOFFIT. CLEAR PLASTIC TAPE WAS FOUND HOLDING ON VENTS IN THE SOFFIT DURING WEEK ONE. FLOORS INSTALLED AGAINST THE FLOW OF THE NATURAL LIGHT (FLOORS SHOULD BE INSTALLED LENGTH WITH FLOW OF NATURAL LIGHT). CRACKED SUB FLOOR, LENGTH UNKNOWN BUT IT IS ATLEAST 20 FEET IN LENGTH (BENNIE HAS STILL TO THIS DAY, NOT RESPONDED TO MY WARRANTY INQUIRY). HE DID NOT INSTALL WINDOW SCREENS AND THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH SCREENS TO INSTALL; HE WAS SHORT ON THE AMOUNT NEEDED (I HAVE PURCHASED ONLY NEW CONSTRUCTION HOMES AND NO SCREENS INSTALLED, THIS IS A FIRST, IN MY OPINION, HE WAS JUST BEING LAZY). THE CARPET IN ANY ROOM, CAN BE PULLED BACK FROM ANY EDGE WITH JUST TWO FINGERS. AND A WHOLE LOT MORE NOT WORTH GETTING INTO. 

 THERE IS PRESSURE TREATED LUMBER IN MY ATTIC ON NAILS. PRESSURE TREATED, SHRINKS. BROKEN WOOD WAS USED IN PLACES BENNIE WOULD NOT THINK THE AVERAGE HOME OWNER WOULD EVER LOOK. AWFUL INSTALLATION OF TRIM WORK, THE ENTIRE CARPET IN MY HOME, CAN BE PULLED AWAY FROM THE CORNER/FLOOR WITH TWO FINGERS, GRASS WON’T GROW IN MANY PARTS OF MY YARD DUE TO AN ABUNDANCE OF ASPHALT UNDER THE TOP SOIL, DRIVEWAY WAS CRACKED BEFORE I EVER SIGNED CLOSING DOCUMENTS, HOLES IN THE OSB BEHIND THE VINYL SIDING THAT WERE NOT EVEN FILLED, MISSING WINDOW SCREENS, CENTRAL AIR DOES NOT PROPERLY COOL ONE ROOM (I WILL SAVE THE COMMENTS BY THE VENDOR FOR THAT SECTION), MY ENTIRE LOT USE TO HAVE AN ASPHALT ROAD OR DRIVE OF SOME SORT (CONFIRMED BY SPANKY, WHO AT ONE POINT, OWNED ALL THE LOTS AND POSSIBLY, WHO SOLD BENNIE MY LOT). THAT ASPHALT, WAS BROKEN UP BEFORE BENNIE. WITHIN WEEKS OF MOVING IN, BUILDING A FENCE WAS THE FIRST NEED AND IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AS NEARLY MY ENTIRE YARD, JUST 12 INCHES OR LESS BELOW GROUND, HAS ASPHALT NEARLY EVERYWHERE. THE HOUSE NEXT TO MINE, BUILT BY BENNIE IN 2022, HAS THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE HAD TO CONSTRUCT WAYS TO REINFORCE MY FENCE TO MAKE IT WORK. I’LL HAVE PICTURES IN THIS REVIEW FOR WHAT I AM REFFERRING TO.

IN MY OPINION, IF THERE’S AN AREA HE CAN CUT CORNERS, BENNIE ELLIS IS MEASURING TWICE!

UP UNTIL JANUARY 2025, MY NEIGHBOR’S DRIVEWAY, BUILT IN 2022, WAS IN FINE SHAPE, IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT YOU LOOKING AT. THE ONLY DAMAGE IT DID HAVE, WAS A SEVERELY LARGE CRACK (NEAR THE HOME). IN JANUARY, MY NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY WAS FINE. PICTURES WILL BE IN THIS REVIEW AS WELL. HOWEVER, IN THIS PART OF VIRGINIA, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY ICE IN 2022, 2023, OR 2024. THE FIRST ICING FOR BOTH OF OUR HOMES, BUILT BY BENNIE, WAS JANUARY 2025. AFTER THE ICE/SNOW WAS GONE, I FOUND DAMAGE TO MY DRIVEWAY; A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE. I IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT TO BENNIE, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER WITHOUT MY AGENT AND BROUGHT THIS TO HIS ATTENTION. I RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT STATED “SEEMS SALT GOT ON THE DRIVEWAY AND CAUSED SPALDING, PRESSURE WASH IT AND SEAL IT. GOOD LUCK, BENNIE”. PLENTY OF EMAILS WILL BE IN THIS REVIEW, AS WILL THE ONE I AM REFERRING TO. “GOOD LUCK” TO ME, MEANT “YOUR PROBLEM, GO AWAY”. AS BENNIE WAS NO HELP I WENT TO MY NEIGHBORS HOME TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE AS HE HIMSELF HAS A HOME BUILT BY BENNIE. UNKNOWN TO ME, MY NEIGHBOR’S DRIVEWAY WAS LITERALLY DESTROYED; THEIRS WAS WAY WORSE THAN MINE. THEIR ENTIRE DRIVEWAY WAS CRUMBLING AND MY NEIGHBOR SAID HE CALLED BENNIE WHEN HIS STARTED IN JANUARY AND SAID THE SAME THING TO HIM; “IT’S SALT”. CONCRETE, IS NOT SOMETHING I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN, SO ANY STRONG REMARKS OR STATEMENTS I MAKE IN THIS REVIEW PAGE, ARE DIRECTLY FROM LICENSED CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE BEEN TO MY HOME AND MY NEIGHBORS, WHOM ALL GAVE THEIR PROFESSIONAL OPINION TO THE CAUSE. I TRIED TO EMAIL BENNIE AGAIN, HE CLEARLY WASHED HIS HANDS FROM EVEN COMMUNICATING. WHAT BENNIE DOESN’T KNOW, IS THAT I TRACKED EVERY SINGLE EMAIL AND HE OPENED THEM, MANY TIMES WHICH I WILL INCLUDE ON THIS REIVEW PAGE. PRESSURE WASH, A DRIVEWAY THAT IS CRUMBLING, WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE?  OVER THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS OF DISCOVERING THE DAMAGE TO MY DRIVEWAY, (THE TOP LAYER IS CRUMBLING AND FALLING APART. PARTS FLAKED OFF THAT I STILL HAVE IN A ZIP LOCK BAG) I CALLED MANY CONTRACTORS, WHOM ALL VISITED MY HOME IN PERSON.  THEY FOUND ON MY SIDEWALK AND MY NEIGHBORS SIDEWALK, MANY AIR POCKETS RIGHT UNDER THE TOP LAYER OF CONCRETE. 

TO SUMMARIZE THE PROBLEM FROM ALL THE CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE BEEN TO MY HOUSE, THE CONCRETE WAS TOO WET AND WAS EVEN RAINED ON. ALL OF THEM POINTED OUT RAIN DROPS IN MY CONCRETE AND SAD FOR BENNIE, I HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS THAT HAVE MY DRIVEWAY IN VIEW AND IN SOUND, SO I ABSOLUTELY DOWNLOADED THE FOOTAGE OF CONTRACTORS AND THE REASONS FOR MY DRIVEWAY FALLING APART. THOSE VIDEOS WILL BE UPLOADED TO THIS PAGE IN TIME ALSO.  BENNIE NEVER REPLIED TO MY INQUIRY OF WHO DID THE DRIVEWAY, HOWEVER, WHILE GOING THROUGH ALL THE EMAILS FROM THE ELLIS’ TO MY AGENT OR LENDER THAT I HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, BENNIE, IS WHO INSTALLED THE DRIVEWAY, NOT A SUB CONTRACTOR, WHICH IS WHY NO REPLY OR HELP WITH THE ISSUE. I EMAILED THEIR BROKER LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE, SHE ASKED ME TO LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS ONE, SO I HAVE, IN REGARDS TO EMAILING HER. I TRIED TO HANDLE IT CIVIL LIKE WITHOUT THE COURTS, HOWEVER, I WAS FORCED TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST BENNIE IN ROANOKE COUNTY. THE LAWSUIT WAS NOT JUST FOR THE DRIVEWAY, BUT IN LATE FEBRUARY AFTER I WAS RECOVERED, I HAD THE CARPET IN THE MASTER BEDROOM REMOVED FOR PLANK FLOORING TO BE INSTALLED. WHILE TALKING WITH CONTRACTORS ABOUT THE CONCRETE DAMAGE, ONE THING THAT THEY ALL MENTIONED IS THAT THEY BELIEVED THAT THE GRADING OR THE WAY IT WAS SETTLING FROM THE HOME BUILD, THEY WERE SURPRISED THERE WASN’T MORE OF AN ISSUE AND THAT’S WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT PICTURES OF THE FLOOR IN MY MASTER BEDROOM; THERE IS A LONG CRACK THAT STARTS IN THE BEDROOM AND RUNS INTO THE LIVING ROOM, HOW LONG, UNSURE BUT IT’S OVER 20′ AND IN SOME PARTS, IT’S WELL OVER 1/8TH OF AN INCH. I HAVE HAD A FEW CONTRACTORS THAT SPECIALIZE IN FOUNDATIONS TAKE A LOOK AT THE CRACK AND BOTH HAVE STATED IT NEEDS TO BE EPOXY’D AND THE COST IS AROUND $3,500 AND UP. FOR MY DRIVEWAY, I HAVE ESTIMATES RANGING FROM $7,000 UP TO $13,500. ABOUT 10 CONTRACTORS IN TOTAL HAVE INSPECTED MY DRIVEWAY AND ALL HAVE STATED “THE CONCRETE HAD TOO MUCH WATER AND OR IT GOT WET” AS WELL AS SETTLING ISSUES THEY BELIEVE FROM THE WRONG GRAVEL BEING USED. IN FACT, IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, MY NEIGHBOR, WENT AHEAD AND HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO REPLACE RIP UP HIS DRIVEWAY AND REBUILD HIM A NEW ONE. THE SAME CONTRACTOR, ALSO WROTE UP A QUOTE AND GAVE HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION ABOUT HOW THE DRIVEWAY TO BOTH OUR HOMES WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. UNLIKE MY NEIGHBOR, I DON’T HAVE AN EXTRA $7,000 TO $10,000 TO REPLACE A DRIVEWAY, THAT WAS PART OF THE HOME PURCHASE PRICE, AT THE TIME OF DISCOVERING WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD IS BENNIE ELLIS’ FAULT. WHO EVEN WANTS TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY ON A DRIVEWAY, THAT IS STILL, NEWISH. MY DRIVEWAY WAS INSTALLED IN MAY 2023 AND RUINED LESS THAN 21 MONTHS LATER AND ALL BENNIE HAD TO SAY WAS “GOOD LUCK”? AS I FILED FOR A LAWSUIT, I FELT KEEPING ATTORNEYS OUT OF IT WAS FOR THE BEST AS WE ALL KNOW THEY CAN BLEED SOMEONE DRY IN COST, SO I FILED FOR SMALL CLAIMS, WHICH ONLY CAN PREVAIL WITH A MAXIMUM OF $5,000, MEANING, IF I WON, I WOULD STILL BE SPENDING MORE THAN $2,000 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO REPLACE MY DRIVEWAY. ALL CONTRACTORS HAVE SAID “IT’S A REPLACE, NOT A REPAIR. THE DRIVEWAY IS FALLING APART UNDER THE TOP LAYER AND THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT.” I HAVE ALSO HAD CONTRACTORS TELL ME THAT IT IS SPALLING, NOT SPALDING. THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF CONCRETE DAMAGE; SPALDING, SPALLING AND DELAMINATION. WHAT BENNIE DOESN’T KNOW YET, IS THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT, HE HAS RUINED OTHER DRIVEWAYS IN HOMES HE HAS BUILT AND I WON’T GO INTO THAT YET. BENNIE HAS A PATTERN OF BAD DRIVEWAYS. HIS CUSTOMER APPRECIATION IS NON EXISTENT AND WITH THE THINGS HE TOLD ME ON CLOSING DAY, HE’S A LIAR, FLAT OUT. WHAT BENNIE DOESN’T KNOW, IS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN DIRECTLY TO NEARLY ALL OF HIS VENDORS AND NEARLY ALL OF THEM, DO NOT HAVE GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HIM. MOST OF THEM CALL HIM “CHEAP” ON THE THINGS HE CHOOSES TO PUT IN A HOME. THAT IS ALSO COMING LATER ON THIS SITE.

THE FIRST WEEK I FILED A LAWSUIT, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM AN ATTORNEY, WHICH WAS A SETTLEMENT OFFER AND LETTING ME KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO SIGN A NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. I MEAN, IF THAT’S NOT AN ADMISSION OF GUILT, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS. THE ATTORNEY WROTE SOME STRONG WORDS LIKE “AGGRESSIVE DEFEND” AND SEEK LEGAL COSTS. AS I DID NOT REPLY TO THAT LETTER, A FEW WEEKS LATER, ANOTHER LETTER ARRIVED FROM A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY. ONCE IN COURT, THE JUDGE GRANTED HIS ATTORNEY TO MOVE IT TO GENERAL DISTRICT COURT, WHICH WOULD COST ME FOR ME THAN THE ACTUAL DRIVEWAY, SO IN COURT, I ASKED THE JUDGE TO DISMISS THE CASE. I WAS ASSURED BY THE CLERK THAT THE HEARING DATE, WOULD BE THE TRIAL DATE AND NO DATES WOULD BE SET LATER, OF COURSE, ATTORNEYS HAVE THEIR WAY IN COURT. I HAD TWO CONTRACTORS WITH ME AND ALL THE EVIDENCE I NEEDED TO PRESENT MY CASE TO THE COURT. 

SO HERE WE ARE. BENNIE ELLIS, HAS NO REMORSE NOR DOES HIS WIFE CARE TO BE PROFESSIONAL. BENNIE WILL LIE TO YOU, TO SAY WHATEVER HE THINKS YOU WANT TO HEAR SO YOU CEASE ASKING ABOUT THAT SUBJECT. 

SINCE MOVING IN, I HAVE MET NEARLY ALL VENDORS OR SUB CONTRACTORS THAT WERE HIRED BY BENNIE ELLIS TO BUILD MY HOME.  THE MAN WHO INSTALLED THE CARPET IN MY HOME AND MY NEIGHBORS FOR BENNIE, HAS TOLD ME SEVERAL TIMES AND ON VIDEO “THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY. ONE DAY, I WAS STANDING THERE SMOKING AND WHEN BENNIE CAME TO THE HOME I ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CRACK AND IF HE WAS GOING TO FIX IT. BENNIE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO FIX IT, BUT I CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES AND VIDEOS, HE DID NOT EVER FIX IT.” THAT CRACK, WAS SEVERELY LARGE AND I HAVE PICTURES AND VIDEOS. UPON MOVING IN TO MY HOME, MY CABINET DOORS WARPED AND I HAD TO REACH OUT TO THE VENDOR AND DURING THE WARRANTY OF THE DOORS, THE VENDOR STATED “BENNIE LOVES CHEAP” AS HE DESCRIBED THE CABINETS HE USED IN MY HOME (WHICH ARE THE ONES HE USES IN ALL), AS “THEY ARE THE CHEAPEST ONES WE OFFER. WE MOSTLY PUT THOSE CABINETS IN RENTAL PROPERTIES IN BLACKSBURG (VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY I AM ASSUMING). LATER IN MY REVIEW, I WILL POST A “WHAT’S MISSING FROM MY HOME” SECTION AND THAT SECTION WILL BE REGULAR THINGS THE HOME SHOULD HAVE HAD, BUT DID NOT, SUCH AS EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ANYWHERE ON THE HOME, OTHER THAN THE FRONT DOOR.”