Sarandon Suing Clarksburg Construction Company
STAMFORD, Vt. — Actor Susan Sarandon is suing a local contracting company related to work done on her $2 million home.
The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Springfield on Thursday and first reported by news service Reuters.
She alleges that DeGrenier Contracting and Property Management LLC of Clarksburg, Mass., did not construct the home to the standard expected, that numerous failings and problems were not rectified, and that the owner misrepresented his experience in being able to manage the construction of such a home.
Sarandon says she paid $140,000 in caretaker fees but the company "has performed essentially no work."
In addition, she claims that DeGrenier charged for items or work in the construction or property management that was not done, that invoices were inconsistent, incorrect and could not be verified and that a requested punch list was never compiled.
A lengthy list of issues in lawsuit include mold, missing caulking, poorly hung doors, missing or improperly installed insulation, improperly installed Sheetrock, warped and buckling shingles, missing or loose trim inside and outside, cracking walls, unfinished electrical, and an inability to use the solar panels and geothermal system that Sarandon had hoped to make the home sustainable off-grid.
The Oscar winner purchased the property as the Right to Bear Farms LLC from the late Robert Moulton Jr. in 2018 and built what is planned to be her retirement home.
"Ms. Sarandon envisioned that the Stamford Residence would serve as a haven for herself, her children, and her grandchildren, and that it would function as a second home for her family and eventually as a primary home for herself," states the lawsuit.
DeGrenier Contracting, owned by Chad and Carin DeGrenier, was selected as the main contractor on the recommendation of the original architect for the house, according to the lawsuit. When those plans were rejected as being too costly, a consultant who had been hired because of his experience with corten steel continued to work with Sarandon on drawing up new plans.
Corten steel is a "weathering" steel in that it resists exposure and develops a brown patina that does not require painting or maintenance. It is also much more expensive and, according to the suit, Sarandon gave up on the idea of a corten steel home on the recommendation of DeGrenier as a way to cut costs. The steel consultant, who had been overseeing the project, left when the decision was made to switch to a woodframe building.
Sarandon's suit says the issues in the house were noticed over the Thanksgiving holiday last year and again when the family spent time there during the winter.
"Correction of the extensive problems at the Stamford Residence will require significant expenditures, as many items or portions of the home will have to be removed and reinstalled or reconstructed entirely from scratch," the lawsuit states. "Ms. Sarandon will have to remove her furniture, artwork, and personal effects, and she will not be able to use the home for an extended period of time."
Sarandon is asking the court award damages in an amount to be proven at trial.
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