Prairie Builders

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• By Mc B.

  May 26, 2020

  Home site preparation

  $20,000

  We purchased a manufactured home from Big Sky Homes of Billings. We used their in house financing and our financial account was mismanaged. Financing through them in our opinion is not worth additional fees they tack on. Not to mention it took 3 months to close! The delivery driver ran our home aground (a separate driver who moved the home said “this happens all the time, home owners aren’t usually here to see this” - Charles of C&L transportation). Inspections were signed off on before any inspection had been done. Money had been paid to Sam Peila of Prairie Builders without even discussing the work with us. Money was paid to Sam Peila for work that had never been started.

  Big Sky Homes of Billings referred us to a contractor they work with regularly Sam Peila Prairie Builders LLC. The home was brought out before any utilities were set up for the home. Delivery date was set up by Sam Peila and Corey Stovall. The home was run aground by the delivery driver, Ellestad Co LLC causing significant damage to the exterior and interior of the home. Damage included the hitch, lateral supports, siding, drywall, caulk, grout, floor bowed in kitchen. Big Sky Homes of Billings took the home back VIN#290000HA002561A highland foundation. The home sat blocking our access road for 26 days before it was moved.
  Sam Peila did not comply with setback codes of the foundation and drainfield even after we expressed our concerns.
  Sam Peila told us this was fine and to have our front porch posts straddle the drainfield lines. A structural engineer we hired said the foundation or septic drainfield would need to be relocated. Cost for us to fix estimated $2400.00.
  The backdoor to the home was unusable due to the steep slope. A structural engineer said the foundation would fail without fixing the slope. Cost for us to fix is estimated $1,500.00.
  Sam Peila also placed a 2300 gallon cistern directly in the path of home delivery site, then Sam asked for $1,000 to correct.
  Sam frequently no showed and rescheduled.
  Sam attempted to double charge for work in our original bid.
  Sam attempted to charge an hourly rate without any documentation to back this up. We documented his hours and can say what he did provide was incorrect.
  Sam wanted to run a new water line instead of using a brand new water line already installed.
  Sam asked for our WiFi password so he could make a phone call. He ended up going into our modem and broadcasting an unsecured WiFi hotspot without our permission.
  Big Sky Homes of Billings has defended this contractors work to this day.
  We asked to have the home completely inspected per the advice of a structural engineer and Big Sky Homes of Billings refused so we had to ask to have the home removed. This has been the longest and worst home buying experience we have had. A year later lawyers are involved and nothing is resolved.

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