SAINT JOHNS, Fla. – What began as a simple home upgrade turned into a nightmare for one local family, and now, they’re warning others about the risks of free appliance installation services.
Bradley Byrd and his family say a $3,500 refrigerator purchased from Costco has cost them an estimated $700,000 in damages after a faulty water line installation caused massive flooding in their home.
“Right now, we’re down to what appears to be a construction site. Still, it looks like an unfinished home, because it is an unfinished home,” Byrd told News4JAX.
The fridge, purchased in December, was delivered and installed by a third-party contractor arranged by Costco.
Byrd said everything seemed fine initially, until he received a frantic FaceTime call from his daughter just six hours later when she got home from school.
“She facetimes me and says, ‘Dad, the house is underwater,’” Byrd said.
Video taken by Byrd shows water splashing beneath his feet as he walked through his flooded home. He later discovered the water supply line had been improperly installed.
“So what happened is, during installation, most of the extra water line is wrapped into a coil and taped on the back of the refrigerator like it is now,” Byrd explained.
He continued, “But the installers didn’t do that. They allowed it to go underneath the refrigerator, and they allowed the refrigerator’s wheels to sit on a line, which caused a crack that grew larger and larger.”
The damage was widespread, soaking carpets, furniture, electronics, musical instruments, and structural elements of the house, forcing the Byrds to leave their home just before Christmas and move into an Airbnb.
“We got the tree up, Christmas presents wrapped. Everything was great. And then all of a sudden, a couple of days later, we had to leave,” Byrd said.
Air quality testing later revealed high moisture levels and mold in a majority of the home’s first floor. Byrd says neither Costco nor the delivery company took responsibility, so he began paying out of pocket for remediation and repairs.
“So far, I have spent about $300,000 on repairs, mitigation, third-party charges for reports and testing, and to get our belongings moved out and into storage,” he said. A public adjuster estimated total repair costs at about $700,000.
However, Byrd said the best offer he received from the companies involved was just $175,000.
“They drop the ball and are hoping that I foot the bill with my life savings for their bottom line,” he said.
MORE: News4JAX I-Team investigations
As of March, the Byrds have returned to a partially habitable home that remains without a fully functional kitchen or bathroom.
Lawn chairs and folding tables are all that furnish their living space.
“We purchased these lovely tables to prepare food on and to eat at,” Byrd said.
He said he accepted a $38,000 no-strings-attached payment from Costco to help cover temporary living expenses but has not agreed to any settlement related to the damages.
He now plans to take legal action. He’s created a website documenting the mounting costs of water damage - www.costcowaterdamage.com
“I think that, unfortunately, is the next step,” Byrd said when asked if a lawsuit is coming.
On his website, Bradley writes: “These are the expenses to pay for our alternative living, mitigate our house, and bring our house back to the same condition it was in before the damage. Any enhancements, upgrades in materials, etc, are not reflected here. These are my costs to be made whole and not a penny more. Not all expenses are listed, but notable ones are.
- Approximate damage to house - $360k
- Personal property damaged - $76k
- Alternative Housing and living expense - $78k
- Mitigation and moving and storage - $117k
- Professional services to recover monies from RXO so far - $72k"
News4JAX has reached out to Costco for comment via phone, email and social media. The company has not responded. The local contractor who delivered and installed the fridge through RXO Last Mile Delivery declined to comment, saying the issue is not theirs to solve.
