Board delays ruling on charges against prominent builder

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

Falcon Homes President Fred Ahlstrom has been granted a one-month reprieve on a threatened suspension of his contractor's license, pending a meeting between Falcon representatives and a North Las Vegas homeowner.

Ahlstrom faced a disciplinary hearing Tuesday before the state Contractors Board to discuss possible suspension of his license on charges of faulty construction, substandard workmanship and a failure to comply with construction laws.

The board is scheduled to make a decision Feb. 23.

At times a heated debate, the hearing was an opportunity for both sides to present their case. The hearing arose from complaints filed by North Las Vegas resident Russ Lewis.

Lewis bought his home from Falcon in 1993 and immediately began reporting problems to the company, one of the largest home building companies in Southern Nevada.

Unsatisfied with Falcon's response, Lewis posted signs on his property, called reporters, wrote letters to elected officials and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and filed a complaint with the Contractors Board.

The board chairman said that the issue was not how Falcon could fix the problems but that the defects should not have happened in the first place.

Board chairman Kim Gregory challenged Falcon attorney Brian Terry during the hearing.

"We can't fix this guy's home. We don't provide a settlement, and this is not a court of law. If there was never a problem, you wouldn't be sitting here," Gregory told Terry.

Part of the almost two-hour debate dealt with the charges against Falcon: that it used nonconforming sill plates and anchor bolts, and that there was a wall overhanging the foundation.

While Terry agreed there was a wall overhang, he disputed that the sill plates and anchor bolts were not used according to code.

While the city of North Las Vegas and the Contractor's Board found the shoddy workmanship after examining a 4-foot section of Lewis' garage, Terry insisted the sample was inadequate.

"He saw one 4-foot section of the entire garage," Terry said of investigator Tom Tucker. "He only looked at a 4-foot section, so how can he sit there and say it violated the Uniformed Building Code?"

While Terry stressed that Falcon was willing to fix any problems with the home, Gregory said a resolution "is of no consequence. The damage is already done."

"There is some argument to the fact that when someone buys a home, they expect it to be correct," Gregory said. "The time to correct these problems is when they happen."

After conflicting statements from expert witnesses, the board made a motion to postpone the decision until inspectors from both sides could try to find a solution to the problem.

"If you reach an agreement, fine," Gregory said. "We're trying to make the homeowner whole. If we can't do that, we'll deal with the charges."

But Lewis maintains that the house is beyond repair.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm discouraged," Lewis said. "My house is unrepairable. We will not stay in that house."