Our Story - Click on the Read More Link Below! They didn't just destroy our home -- They buried our lives in toxic mold infested dust. The experiences described in this article are based on our personal knowledge, memories, and opinions. All statements reflect our sincere and honest perspective. We do not claim to represent anyone else's views or speak on behalf of any other party. All individuals and companies mentioned are named solely in relation to our personal experience, and we have made every effort to be truthful to the best of our ability. This is not intended to be legal advice or a formal legal accusation --- This is our story Hello, our names are Donald and Genevieve Giannini. We have lived in Northern Idaho for about 30 years now. It's a beautiful community and we are proud to be a part of it. We couldn't have picked a more wonderful place to raise our kids. They're all grown now, and we have 6 very special grandkids. What you are about to read may shock you. We can assure you----never in our lives did we imagine something like this could happen to us. But it did. We are sharing our story to bring attention to a serious issue: contractor negligence. We want to hold those responsible for their egregious, dangerous, and reckless actions. As of this writing, Daum Construction LLC and Great Floors LLC have failed to respond to our attempts to communicate and resolve the damage they caused. We will not allow them to ignore us. We will not stay silent. They must---and will---be held accountable Although we are tenants of this home and not the owners, this in no way absolves Daum Construction, Great Floors, and any other of their Sub-Contractors, of their direct liability for the harm they have caused us. It was May 2022 when we moved into our brand-new home, built by Daum Construction. By June of 2024, we began to noticed that the vinyl flooring was popping up throughout the house, creating dangerous tripping hazards. Shortly after, our landlord discovered through the Homeowners Association that there was a major issue affecting flooring installations throughout the entire subdivision. We were horrified to learn that mold was growing underneath the floors, due to a botched and negligent installation job. We were told that the flooring contractor had failed to properly seal the cement, had skipped installing a proper vapor barrier, and had used low-quality materials for the floors themselves. Tragically, this meant that we had been unknowingly exposed to black mold for months. Even more disturbing: our landlord was never directly notified by Daum Construction or Great Floors about the flooring failure. We only found out through word of mouth. Ironically, for several months, we had noticed a contractor moving up and down the neighborhood with a trailer, but we had no idea what was going on. No one said a word to us. As of this writing, we are aware that many homes in our subdivision still have not been repaired. One of our neighbors told us that when she reached out, Daum Construction and Great Floors told her they were no longer repairing the floors. To this day, we are concerned that Daum Construction and Great Floors have never formally notified all affected homeowners, not by mail, not by phone, not by any professional or responsible method. What we know for sure is this: not every home was repaired, and these contractors have walked away from us personally. We have to ask: Have they walked away from the entire community of Daum-built homes in this subdivision? Is this the new standard for construction liability? It couldn't have been a worse time of year. Construction on our home was scheduled to begin on Monday, December 16th, 2024, right in the middle of the holiday season. To make matters even more complicated, Great Floors hired their own sub-contractor to perform the repairs. All we were ever given was a first name---Alex. The week prior to work beginning, it was Alex himself who informed us that every home they had repaired so far had mold growing underneath the flooring. He instructed us to clear all furniture from the rooms where the work would take place and told us the work would take up to one week to complete. We would work all day Sunday the 15th clearing out our furniture and belongings. We moved large furniture into our garage, with everything else being stored in our 2 bedrooms and office, which had carpet flooring and were not part of the flooring repair. The Contractor, Alex and his crew showed up on schedule, Monday the 16th at 9:00 am in the morning. We walked through the house with him and he was happy to see that we did a really good job of clearing out the rooms. Apparently, sometimes people are unable to move larger furniture themselves and the contractor has stepped in to help. We asked him if he was going to protect our cabinets and our belongings and his answer was yes, of course. We had been told that to repair our floors, the contractor would be grinding our cement floors down, hence removing the mold. They used high speed grinders, and the rest is history. We would spend the next 5 nights at an Airbnb. At end of week, we received a text message from Alex the contractor stating that our house was ready to go. The Nightmare begins It was now December 21st, 2024, and we were finally returning home. Despite the stress of the repairs, we were filled with anticipation, ready to put things back in order in time for Christmas. We were especially excited to prepare the guest bedroom for Genevieve's sister, who was flying in from Georgia to spend the holidays with us. But the moment we walked through the door, that hope was shattered. At first, it didn't even register, utter disbelief overtook us. We stood almost frozen, trying to comprehend what we were seeing. Never in our lives could we have imagined such a devastating scene. Our home, our belongings, had turned into something unrecognizable. A thick, choking layer of dust covered everything in sight. It was everywhere! Our floors, walls, windows, furniture, our personal belongings, all covered. It felt as if a tornado had torn through our home. But it was worse than just ordinary dust. This was mold-infested cement dust, and it had spread like smoke, infiltrating every corner and space in the house. The dust had settled inside of our kitchen cabinets, covering our dishes, food, and cookware. It invaded our closets, coating our clothing, bedding, and towels. It contaminated our medical supplies, our office equipment and supplies, even our music gear, our artwork, our pictures, our books, everything we owned. We were beyond devastated. Our shock turned to tears. Tears gave way to anger. "How is this even possible?" "Who could do this to someone's home, and just leave it like this?" "Why didn't they protect our home, and our belongings?" "Who allowed this to happen? "This just can't be real!" Not only was our house destroyed, but so was our holiday season. Our plans, our family visit, our joy, gone. Genevieve’s sister, unable to stay in the toxic environment, had to book a hotel. There are hardly words to capture the anguish, the betrayal, the deep pain and frustration we felt in that moment. This wasn’t just a construction failure. It was a violation of our home, our health, and our peace of mind. Now What Do We Do? The day was already half gone. After discovering the shocking state of our home, we immediately contacted our landlord and sent him photos of the devastation. That same day, he reached out to someone at Great Floors to report what had happened. We, however, never received a single phone call, message, or visit from Great Floors, not then, and not since. We will share more about their complete lack of response later in this letter. What became painfully clear in that moment was this: Every room, every surface, every item in our home would have to be cleaned. We rushed to the store, spending hundreds of dollars on cleaning products, masks, gloves, and a shop vac. But no amount of preparation could have prepared us for what came next. The cleanup process was grueling. Cement dust is not like regular dust—it’s ultra-fine, like talcum powder, and incredibly difficult to vacuum. And once water touches it, it turns into a paste, like wet concrete. This made cleaning a double-edged sword. After vacuuming every object and surface, we had to carefully wipe and wash them—knowing that every stroke of a damp cloth could potentially turn dust into cement sludge. That first night, we worked straight through until 12:30 a.m., just trying to clean our bedroom enough to make it barely livable. Even simple things like using the toilet, taking a shower, or putting away clean clothes, became overwhelming tasks. Where do you even place clean laundry when the towel racks, walls, and cabinets are all covered in dust? How do you rest when everything around you is contaminated? It would take a full week before we could even get our carpets cleaned, which were heavily packed with the cement dust. We were exhausted. We were broken. And we had only just begun. We managed just 4 hours of sleep that night, as Genevieve had to be at work early the next morning. The emotional toll, combined with the physical strain, was already taking a major toll. Over the next two and a half weeks, we pushed ourselves harder than we ever have. Together, we worked between 14 and 16 hours a day, logging more than 200 hours of manual labor trying to reclaim our home. Genevieve not only had to hold down her professional career, but was forced to work long, hard and demanding hours at home before and after her work shift. The longer we worked, the more depleted we became. We were both in a physical and emotional state we had never experienced before. This wasn’t just cleanup, it was survival. Back to the Contactors Our landlord spent several days trying to communicate with Great Floors about our situation, but his calls and emails initially went largely unanswered. After persistent effort, he was finally able to arrange a meeting. As of the day of this writing, we have not been contacted by Great Floors or Daum Construction. After it became clear to us that our landlord was caught in the middle of this, and we had not received a single communication from Great Floors or Daum Construction, we decided to send a formal "Demand Letter" to both contractors on the same day via registered mail. Both Daum Construction and Great Floors signed for the documents on February 10th, 2025 Here are some portions of our complaint to them On Dec 27th, 2024, our landlord, met representatives of Great Floors, Mr. Taylor Smith, and the General Manager (whose name we do not have at this time). Our landlord shared his, and our complaints, and provided photographic evidence of the damage caused during the flooring installation process. During the meeting, Great Floors dismissed our concerns, stating that we should be appreciative of the new floors, that they didn't have to replace them. Great Floors also stated that we are the only ones to have complained, out of 27 homes that have been repaired. Comments like this to defer responsibility, and gaslight, are unprofessional. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, Great Floors, with the exception of agreeing to pay for the air ducts to be cleaned, refused to take any further responsibility for the negligence of its subcontractors. Great Floors declined to reimburse the carpet cleaning bill, citing that they could have done it themselves. Great Floors refusal to pay, what turned out to be a 140.00 charge for carpet cleaning, reflects a concerning lack of accountability. This response does not negate their obligation to remedy the situation. We believe this is unacceptable and are concerned that Daum Construction, the General Contractor responsible for overseeing the project, may not yet be aware of the issues we have been experiencing. We are addressing this letter to both parties to ensure that all responsible entities are informed and can no longer claim ignorance of the harm inflicted. As a direct result of the gross negligence, reckless misconduct, and failure to follow proper Federal, State, and local safety protocols during the flooring installation process. Hazardous, mold-infested cement dust was released into the air, contaminating every part of our home. The extent of contamination is severe and unfathomable. Furniture, clothing, books, electronics, and all belongings were contaminated. The dust level was so extreme that it infiltrated our kitchen cabinets, our closets, and even into our dresser drawers. The contractors failed to provide any warning about the potential dangers or risks associated with their work. They did not take the necessary precautions to protect our living space, belongings, or health, nor did they notify us of the hazardous conditions that would result from their actions. This lack of communication and disregard for basic safety measures left us exposed to harmful contaminants without our knowledge or consent. No help was offered to assist us in addressing the contamination, and no home inspection was conducted prior to us moving back in, leaving us to navigate this hazardous situation entirely on our own. The lack of any warning, guidance, or support demonstrates a blatant disregard for our safety and well-being, forcing us to face significant health risks and emotional distress as a result of their grossly negligent actions. Damages and Violations 1. Property Damage *Furniture, clothing, and other items in closets and in drawers. *Books, pictures, pillows, bedding *Food and kitchenware in our pantry and cabinets. *Expensive musical equipment. *Electronics such as our computer monitors and home office equipment. *Personal belongings, including medical items, which suffered contamination. *100% of all walls, ceilings, closets, and cabinets were covered with, and or filled with contaminated, hazardous dust. *The heating system, packed with dust, and running on high when we arrived. *Literally every single belonging in our home was contaminated. 2. Emotional & Physical Distress *Severe emotional suffering, anxiety, and distress caused by living in a contaminated and hazardous home *Physical exhaustion and pain from extensive cleaning efforts *Mental anguish due to the complete disregard for our health and well-being *The stress and hardship of having to fight for basic accountability and fairness 3. Financial Losses *Expenses incurred for decontamination, and restoration. *Replacement costs for personal belongings rendered unusable due to contamination *Costs for cleaning supplies, cleaning equipment, and personal protective equipment we had to purchase ourselves. 4. Negligence & Gross Misconduct, Breach of Duty & Accountability *Blatant disregard for health and safety measures. *Failure to follow industry-standard safety precautions, putting us at serious risk. *Failure to protect our home, and our personal belongings from contamination. *Lack of communication or warnings regarding the dangers posed by the work being performed *Reckless endangerment of our health by allowing hazardous dust to contaminate the home. *Lack of proper containment, air filtration of hazardous dust particles. *No recommendation, or instruction about removing all of our belongings out of the home before construction began. We were instructed only to clear out the rooms that were getting new flooring. *No home inspection by Great Floors or Daum Construction, prior to us moving back in. *No attempt by the responsible parties to rectify the harm caused or compensate us for damages *Complete disregard for Federal, State, and local laws, concerning environmentally hazardous, mold infested cement dust. *Multiple OSHA and DEQ. violations regarding exposure to respirable crystalline silica *Failure to provide a remediation plan. No attempt was made to mitigate the contamination or offer solutions after the damage was done. *Failure to provide professional oversight. No quality control, accountability, or supervision during the construction process. *Failure to conduct proper risk management. No evaluation of potential health hazards before or during construction. *Dismissal of our concerns and outright failure to take responsibility for the damage inflicted, despite clear evidence. *Violation of duty. Contractors had a legal obligation to perform their work safely and failed to do so. Negligence in the hiring and oversight of subcontractors, leading to catastrophic harm *Refusal to acknowledge liability despite clear evidence of wrongdoing. Conclusion of Demand Letter We have carefully documented this catastrophe, keeping an extensive picture and video record of the damage caused to our home and our belongings, as well as the emotional pain and suffering that we have endured. Although we are tenants of this home and not the owners, this in no way absolves Daum Construction, Great Floors, and any other of their Sub-Contractors, of their direct liability for the harm they have caused us. Under well-established legal principles, contractors and subcontractors have a duty to perform their work in a safe, professional, and non-negligent manner, regardless of whether the affected individuals are tenants or homeowners. Their failure to take basic safety precautions and their reckless disregard for the health and well-being of those residing in the home make them directly responsible for the damages we have suffered. The contamination of our personal belongings, the exposure to hazardous dust, and the significant financial, emotional, and physical toll this situation has caused are all direct consequences of their gross negligence, and they are legally accountable to us for these harms. To ensure a fair resolution, we request that Daum Construction investigate this matter thoroughly and take the necessary steps to hold all responsible parties accountable. We hope that you will recognize the severity of this situation and work with us to find a fair and amicable resolution. In addition to financial compensation, we require a written admission of responsibility by both Daum Construction and Great Floors acknowledging the harm caused and committing to corrective measures to prevent this from happening to others. If we do not receive a satisfactory response by February 25th, 2025, we will have no choice but to escalate the matter further; 1. Engage a legal team specializing in contractor negligence and tenant rights. 2. File formal complaints with all applicable Federal and State Regulatory Agencies, including the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, OSHA, and the Department of Environmental Quality. 3. Publicly disclose our experience through all available channels, including news media, social platforms, and consumer protection organizations. 4. Engage directly with neighbors, homeowners, and tenants within our Daum Construction- built subdivision to raise awareness of these issues, along with potential remedies. Here we are today - ConractorFail.com As mentioned above, we are sharing this letter publicly—both on our website and throughout the broader community—with the hope of raising awareness and asking for your support. Together, we are stronger. Please help us hold Daum Construction and Great Floors accountable for the harm they have caused. Stand with us. Let your voice be heard. We encourage you to share this message, forward it to others, and post our story on social media. Your support means the world to us. We will continue to provide updates on our efforts to seek justice moving forward. Thank you for standing with us.