Company Tears Down Wrong Home, Blames Google Maps

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
What do you get for surviving a direct hit from a tornado? A demolition company tearing down your home while you are waiting on your insurance company to fix it. The kicker? The company blames Google Maps.

A demolition company mistakenly tore down a duplex in Rowlett at 7601 Calypso Drive on Tuesday. But the address of the intended work was a block away at 7601 Cousteau Drive. The demolition company, Billy L. Nabors Demolition of Seagoville, was supposed to tear down a home one block away at 7601 Cousteau Drive. The Nabors employee later texted photos from Google Maps that shows the arrow for 7601 Cousteau pointing at Diaz and Cutter’s duplex a block away.
 
ROWLETT — Both owners of a duplex in Rowlett said they are shocked that a demolition company mistakenly tore down their homes on Tuesday.

Lindsay Diaz and Alan Cutter own both sides of the duplex, and were waiting on insurance and a possible FEMA individual assistance declaration to decide on repairs at 7601 and 7603 Calypso Drive.

Diaz said she received a frantic call from Cutter’s wife on Tuesday afternoon saying the duplex was gone.

“I pull up, and — sure enough — it’s gone,” Diaz said. “There’s nothing left.”

The Nabors employee later texted photos from Google Maps that shows the arrow for 7601 Cousteau pointing at Diaz and Cutter’s duplex a block away.

No one from the demolition company would respond to repeated requests to clarify if the company demolished the wrong property on Tuesday.

Diaz and Cutter say it’s clear a mistake was made, right down to their foundation.

“That’s what their job is -- to wreck it in demo, and they really wrecked my life,” Diaz said.

She said she filled out an information report with Rowlett police to make sure the incident is properly documented. As of Tuesday evening, Diaz said no one from the company had apologized for the mistake.
 
They'd better damn well reimburse the entire retail value of those homes and any destroyed contents.
 
For something as important as demolishing a duplex why would you want to double check that you were destroying the correct place? If I was the owner, of the demolished duplex, I think I would be hiring another demolition company to "mistakenly" demolisher the offending demolishers owners house. Sauce for the goose.
 
The demo company should publicly apologize now and make this right ASAP as this is now on the interwebs... When this hits Reddit, it's on.
 
Quix said:
They'd better damn well reimburse the entire retail value of those homes and any destroyed contents.
Click to expand...


lol.

At the degraded value since they were damaged at the time of demolition. The insurance company can pick up the balance right?

The demo company should publicly apologize now and make this right ASAP as this is now on the interwebs... When this hits Reddit, it's on.
Click to expand...

Because Reddit is the all powerful defender of the oppressed?

Reddit? I'd never want those assclowns involved in anything important to me. As likely to do do more harm then good.

WTF does a public apology have to do with anything? Did the demo company publicly embarrass someone?

The demo company is probably trying to figure out how to fix this without their business tanking. If the can I bet they would love to find a way to dump this in Google's lap but it won't take long for a lawyer to disillusion them of that dream.

But it will waste some time, and they will drag their feet as I would bet the company doesn't have the funds to just pull a few hundred grand out of hide to cover the costs.

You guys acting like "they better this" and "Reddit will get them". hilarious.
 
Last edited:
lcpiper said:
Because Reddit is the all powerful defender of the oppressed?

Reddit? I'd never want those assclowns involved in anything important to me. As likely to do do more harm then good.
Click to expand...

Someone got touched in a naughty place on Reddit and has some mental scars....Sorry to hear that.

As for the article, yeah, they are certainly going to be rebuilding that, sooner than later they had no right to do what they did, so, pretty much sums that up.
 
WOW, just w-o-w @ the demolition company. :facepalm::facepalm::facepalm:

triple+facepalm.jpg
 
lcpiper said:
At the degraded value since they were damaged at the time of demolition. The insurance company can pick up the balance right?
Click to expand...
Depends. If the insurance company decides not to pay out because they can't see the damage, I'd argue it is upon the demo company to make the duplex owners whole.

lcpiper said:
Because Reddit is the all powerful defender of the oppressed?

Reddit? I'd never want those assclowns involved in anything important to me. As likely to do do more harm then good.
Click to expand...
Exactly why it is in their best interest to do so. Reddit feels they ARE the all powerful defender of the oppressed. Reddit has a habit of doxxing people. If the company wants to get a bunch of phone calls during business hours to get yelled at, and pizzas delivered, then by all means, remain quiet.

Otherwise, what the business needs to do is get a lawyer and figure out how to limit the damage this is going to do to their reputation. Have the lawyer craft a statement to the effect of "we're sorry this happened, we are working with the owner to rectify the situation."
 
Sonicks said:
The worst part is that this duplex was on the corner of the block...meaning they could have seen the street sign, with you know like their eyes or something, and would have seen the wrong street name.
Click to expand...
I'm guessing the tornado might've messed up the signs a little bit...
 
Hopefully, since they where waiting on their insurance company to fix it, they had moved most their personal stuff out.

This isn't the first time something like this has happened.
I remember one case several years ago, where someone tore down a house even though it was fully furnished and it should have been obvious someone was living in the house (furniture, food and dished in the kitchen, etc.)
 
lcpiper said:
lol.

At the degraded value since they were damaged at the time of demolition. The insurance company can pick up the balance right?



Because Reddit is the all powerful defender of the oppressed?

Reddit? I'd never want those assclowns involved in anything important to me. As likely to do do more harm then good.

WTF does a public apology have to do with anything? Did the demo company publicly embarrass someone?

The demo company is probably trying to figure out how to fix this without their business tanking. If the can I bet they would love to find a way to dump this in Google's lap but it won't take long for a lawyer to disillusion them of that dream.

But it will waste some time, and they will drag their feet as I would bet the company doesn't have the funds to just pull a few hundred grand out of hide to cover the costs.

You guys acting like "they better this" and "Reddit will get them". hilarious.
Click to expand...

I wasn't implying that I agree with the lengths folks on sites like Reddit and such will go to makes these folks lives miserable, but some folks will try and do so. The demo company should be proactive and put the fire out now before it spreads. We live in a 24 hour news cycle and this is a PR nightmare. Best to take care of it now than later before they look worse. Public opinion matters. I would think it's common sense by now to take care of these things the best you can before they spread on the interwebs.
 
This is why you have insurance. Owners should be fine, regardless of who pays.
 
I wonder if the area was too damaged by the tornado to easily check house numbers\street signs, which resulted in the error? That's all I can figure, that's a pretty big fuckup.
 
It will be ironic if the demolition company's insurance company is the same one the duplex owners have.
 
Fix Me said:
I wonder if the area was too damaged by the tornado to easily check house numbers\street signs, which resulted in the error? That's all I can figure, that's a pretty big fuckup.
Click to expand...

I thought so as well but by looking at the video there were plenty of houses that were already fixed or not damaged at all surrounding it being months after the tornado....basically a huge fuckup. Although the tornado did do some serious damage to begin with.
 
Sonicks said:
The worst part is that this duplex was on the corner of the block...meaning they could have seen the street sign, with you know like their eyes or something, and would have seen the wrong street name.
Click to expand...

How much you want to bet that the demolition crew didn't speak English and couldn't have read the street sign if it was there.

They completely depended on one person with Google maps, and didn't double check anything.
 
I don't think it would be very hard to get a judge to award them the value of the house as it stood. I doubt they'll get much, though, because the house was so badly damaged that the market value would have been very low. You can bet the demolition company's lawyer will argue that the value of the house is significantly less because it was so damaged, and that they should only have to pay the market value on a damaged house while the owner's insurance makes up the rest. They'll say, "It was falling apart anyway, we just finished the job. It certainly looked ready for the wrecking ball."

It's not a question of whether they'll have to pay the owner something, it's just a question of how much and when. I mean, unless the company has friends in high places, they're going to be roasted by just about any jury and judge. They're guilty of trespassing, destruction of property, they didn't have a permit to be there... the law is not on their side in a lot of ways, and they'll probably be hit with lots of fines and possibly lose their licensing if it goes to court. They'll be punished, but how much it will benefit the owner is anyone's guess.
 
Last edited:
david_ said:
This is why you have insurance. Owners should be fine, regardless of who pays.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure "accidental demolition" would be covered under a home owners policy. Who knows though. Either way, yea they are probably going to be just fine. It may be a long annoying road to get there.
 
Vercinaigh said:
Someone got touched in a naughty place on Reddit and has some mental scars....Sorry to hear that.

As for the article, yeah, they are certainly going to be rebuilding that, sooner than later they had no right to do what they did, so, pretty much sums that up.
Click to expand...

Someone's never been to Reddit cause Reddit has nothing for them. Poo poo :yuck:

Kids.
 
Google cases where they forclosed on the wrong house. It tool them months to get it straightend out. One story I read the guy had not mortgage, he paid it off years before and they had the wrong address and the sheriff came to kick him out
 
groebuck said:
Google cases where they forclosed on the wrong house. It tool them months to get it straightend out. One story I read the guy had not mortgage, he paid it off years before and they had the wrong address and the sheriff came to kick him out
Click to expand...

This. It is not going to be settled any time soon, unless the demo company has a heart and helps the home owners out.
 
BigJayDogg3 said:
Depends. If the insurance company decides not to pay out because they can't see the damage, I'd argue it is upon the demo company to make the duplex owners whole.


Exactly why it is in their best interest to do so. Reddit feels they ARE the all powerful defender of the oppressed. Reddit has a habit of doxxing people. If the company wants to get a bunch of phone calls during business hours to get yelled at, and pizzas delivered, then by all means, remain quiet.

Otherwise, what the business needs to do is get a lawyer and figure out how to limit the damage this is going to do to their reputation. Have the lawyer craft a statement to the effect of "we're sorry this happened, we are working with the owner to rectify the situation."
Click to expand...


Ok, first off, I don't give a flying fuck how noble these Reddit assholes think they are. If they are harassing people then they are as wrong as the people they are targeting.

Don't go putting yourself in the demo company Owner's shoes. "Oh Hell, You guys did WHAT?". Are you at all considering that this poor smuch might be looking at the complete end of his business over this screw up. His guys get stupid on a simple job and now his ass is in the wind.

All you self righteous goons get the stupid stick up your asses and act like the business owner did this on purpose, he woke up that day and said "Oh man, what a hoot it would be to take down someone's place by mistake. Hey, I could put it on youtube". Right, that's how it happened.

You don't even consider that that business owner is just as much a victim of stupidity as the property owners were. Fuck yea, Reddit will save the day on this one. What the fuck is in your head man?






EDITED: BigJayDogg3, I'm sitting here re-reading what you wrote and how I responded and to tell the truth, my reply to you was too harsh. I just had it in my head I was still dealing with Zigmorph and his silly comment. But I am not changing the message cause I think it's valid. But I want you to know I want to redirect my aim away from you personally. I hope you'll accept that.
 
Last edited:
lcpiper said:
Ok, first off, I don't give a flying fuck how noble these Reddit assholes think they are. If they are harassing people then they are as wrong as the people they are targeting.
Click to expand...
Never said they weren't. I just said it happens and if you want to avoid it and the PR disaster that's unfolding, make a public statement.

lcpiper said:
Don't go putting yourself in the demo company Owner's shoes. "Oh Hell, You guys did WHAT?". Are you at all considering that this poor smuch might be looking at the complete end of his business over this screw up. His guys get stupid on a simple job and now his ass is in the wind.

All you self righteous goons get the stupid stick up your asses and act like the business owner did this on purpose, he woke up that day and said "Oh man, what a hoot it would be to take down someone's place by mistake. Hey, I could put it on youtube". Right, that's how it happened.

You don't even consider that that business owner is just as much a victim of stupidity as the property owners were. Fuck yea, Reddit will save the day on this one. What the fuck is in your head man?
Click to expand...

You have to be trolling right now. If that's the cost of doing business, so be it. Your company is responsible for what your crews do.
 
I didn't get my posted edited before you saw it and replied. Truly I want you to know I feel I was wrong in directing that to you in such a personal way and I apologize for it.
 
lcpiper said:
EDITED: BigJayDogg3, I'm sitting here re-reading what you wrote and how I responded and to tell the truth, my reply to you was too harsh. I just had it in my head I was still dealing with Zigmorph and his silly comment. But I am not changing the message cause I think it's valid. But I want you to know I want to redirect my aim away from you personally. I hope you'll accept that.
Click to expand...


Blame the mistake on Google.
 
melteye said:
Blame the mistake on Google.
Click to expand...
LOL

@Icpiper
Guess I should take back the troll statement then. But still, the business is responsible for what the employees do. Employees get into car accidents all the time and the company ends up in a lawsuit because of it.

lcpiper said:
If you are saying that that's what I am doing then no I am not and no I never said that. How about you kindly take your words out of my mouth.
Click to expand...
Not aimed at you. Its a joke/reference to the employee blaming Google Maps.
 
lcpiper said:
If you are saying that that's what I am doing then no I am not and no I never said that. How about you kindly take your words out of my mouth.
Click to expand...

They tore down the wrong house and you responded to the wrong person, both cases of mistaken identity. It's a joke, although not a very funny one. Calm down.
 
lcpiper said:
. I just had it in my head I was still dealing with Zigmorph and his silly comment. But I am not changing the message cause I think it's valid.
Click to expand...

Thought I clarified my position above, but since you can't seem to let the Reddit thing go I'll clarify some more. Reddit, like it or not right or wrong, has a sizable voice and following on the interwebs. Redditors eat this shit up and latch on. I used Reddit as an example. Simply put, the company should make a public statement before the inevitable media shit storm. Again, I used Reddit as an example of said shit storm. It happens, often. I am not condoning how they go about things over there when it comes to this stuff nor do I really care. My tone was off, I am by no means championing Reddit, but as I said, they eat this shit up and act. Now a days with our never ending news cycle it's just easier for a company to own it than let things snowball. IMO of course.
 
Last edited:
You know, the demolition company should require the person (or representative) who owns the property (who can authorize it) to be physically present at the beginning just to avoid stuff like that.
 
BigJayDogg3 said:
LOL

@Icpiper
Guess I should take back the troll statement then. But still, the business is responsible for what the employees do. Employees get into car accidents all the time and the company ends up in a lawsuit because of it.


Not aimed at you. Its a joke/reference to the employee blaming Google Maps.
Click to expand...

Melteye's post quoted me and what he quoted had nothing at all to do with Google Maps anything so yea, I think melteye was trying to say that I must be supporting the employee's "claim" if you will, that it's google's fault. And that is trying to make it sound like I am saying something that I have not said. I don't even understand why you'd get into that one.

And I never said the company wasn't responsible. What I said is that the owner must be crying about this one pretty damn hard. His employees did something pretty damn boneheaded and now his business might be doomed. He could be talking about foreclosure at this very moment and looking for a way out of a very tight corner. All the "should haves" in the world won't change his reality if that's the case.

I doubt many people her would react that much differently if put in the same situation. Sure some of you would be out there talking to the "victims" and apologizing cause that's the kind of people you are, I probably would as well, and yes the people deserve an apology. But if the demo company is going to be ruined by this screw up I would bet that even more people on this website would be more concerned with their own hide then playing nice nice with the victims of the bonehead.
 
lcpiper said:
Don't go putting yourself in the demo company Owner's shoes. "Oh Hell, You guys did WHAT?". Are you at all considering that this poor smuch might be looking at the complete end of his business over this screw up. His guys get stupid on a simple job and now his ass is in the wind.

All you self righteous goons get the stupid stick up your asses and act like the business owner did this on purpose, he woke up that day and said "Oh man, what a hoot it would be to take down someone's place by mistake. Hey, I could put it on youtube". Right, that's how it happened.

You don't even consider that that business owner is just as much a victim of stupidity as the property owners were.
Click to expand...

You're absolutely right, although that's not going to be a popular sentiment. Even without the Internet and Reddit, people would raise a stink about this and demand justice for the homeowners.They'll be seen as victims because they've just been through a storm, and the demolition company will be seen as the bad guys. They'll be seen as running a bumbling and irresponsible company at best. The Internet doesn't need to tell people to feel that way, that's pretty much human nature. The first instinct of anyone who finds out what happened will probably be to make sure that they never do business again. Think about a local DA or a judge seeking re-election? Coming down hard on these people would help their next campaign, they can run ads talking about how they brought that company to justice. Even if they stay in business by some miracle, imagine how their competitors could use this against them. Vultures will circle. This is an opportunity for a lot of people to benefit from destroying that company.

In fact, I worry that after the government is through with them, that company won't have anything left in assets to repay the homeowners. But everyone will be so satisfied with seeing the company suffer that they'll probably stop paying attention before they realize most of the company's assets were eaten up in fines and very little went to the owners of the home. And what little they do get will probably be spent on legal fees (unless they're lucky enough to get someone who works Pro Bono). In the end, no one will win except the government and the lawyers. Both the business owner and the homeowner will likely be a lot worse off in the end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top