Englewood couple says delays, damage ‘tainted’ home elevation project

MANASOTA KEY, Fla. —

At their home on Manasota Key in Charlotte County, Calvin Loshinskie and Mary Tinsley had talked for some time about having it elevated.

Then, in 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit back-to-back.

"I would say that just, that just sealed the deal for us to do it," Mary said.

Just weeks after those storms flooded their home, they signed a contract with Davie Shoring to lift it and put more than $60,000 down.

The hope was that work would be done in the summer of 2025.

DELAYS AND DAMAGE: 'TAINTED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS’

"Repeatedly, through the sales process, we were told, ‘Shovels in the ground, April 1st (of 2025). We will be done June 1st.' So, a two-month, maybe three-month process," Calvin recalled.

In the meantime, Calvin and Mary renovated the home.

But Davie Shoring didn’t actually start work on the site until July, the couple said, and to this day – nearly a year since then – Calvin and Mary say the job still isn’t done.

They’d planned to host their daughter’s wedding at the home, but had to cancel that because of the delays.

"Sad," Mary described, holding back tears. "Sad about how it played out."

But delays aren’t their only concern.

The couple said the crew made mistakes while the home sat on temporary supports. Now, they’re left with damage on both the outside and the inside of the home.

"Our ceilings that were all new are cracked," Calvin said. "There are places through the walls, the blockwork that's cracked, stucco work in a couple areas."

Calvin and Mary said their pavers were also damaged, along with the fence surrounding their home.

They estimate it’ll cost between $20,000 to $30,000 to fix everything.

"You're taking a house that was here — and putting it there," Calvin said. "I get that's it complicated. But it tainted everything about this."

COMPANY STANDS BEHIND WORK: 'WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND’

When Gulf Coast News reached out to Davie Shoring, owner Warrie Davie sent a statement, saying in part that the home had "multiple additions – five in total," which "created significant structural inconsistencies." He said the company "went above and beyond the original engineered plans."

"We stand behind the quality of our work," Davie continued in part. "Especially given the complexity and condition of the original structure."

As for the damage, Davie said "Only minor cosmetic impacts occurred," which are "typical in projects involving older structures with non-uniform construction."

Davie Shoring initially offered to give Gulf Coast News a site visit, but later said they didn’t have time to meet.

In a follow-up call, Davie said their scope of work is complete. And he said the homeowners are responsible for repairs to the house.

"Even if it is cosmetic, it is something to worry about to us," Calvin said. "We're the customer. And our home was pristine, and we were told there would be no problems."

FLORIDA LAW GUIDES TIMELINES FOR CONTRACTORS

Mark Wagner is an attorney with the Law Office of Jursinski & Murphy. While he’s not involved in the Manasota Key case and couldn’t comment on it, he did talk generally about contractor law in Florida, where timelines are guided by state statute.

"This is a very nuanced area of the law," Wagner said. "I don't think most homeowners have much of an idea of what the duties and obligations are."

Florida law states that once a contractor takes a deposit of more than 10% of the total project cost, that triggers certain requirements.

"There are certain duties and obligations on the contractor," Wagner explained. "For example, the contractor has to apply for permits within 30 days, and then there are time constraints on when they have to start the work."

That is, unless the contractor has just cause for failing to do so, the law stipulates.

Wagner said that while delays are not uncommon in projects, there does come a point.

"If it's not justified, or it's unreasonable, or there's no end in sight, that's when it starts becoming a problem," he said.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY COUPLE FILES COMPLAINTS

In Mary and Calvin’s case, records show they paid $61,000 in October of 2024, about a quarter of the total project, which was deposited by Davie Shoring in November.

And yet, county records show the permit application wasn’t submitted until mid-March – about four months later.

When Gulf Coast News asked Davie Shoring about that in the follow-up call, Warren Davie said there was a lot of work that went into drawing up plans.

"All I can say is, we feel dismissed," Calvin said. "It's a very dismissive response. If you can get a response."

Mary and Calvin have since filed complaints with both the state and Charlotte County.

The couple has already spent more than $200,000 on the project, but has held off on making a final payment given their concerns.

The biggest problem, they said, is the difference between what they were sold and what they actually got.

"Go into this project with your eyes wide open," Calvin said. "Sometimes it's not easy, simple, quick, and you shouldn't believe everything you're told when the contract is being pushed toward you."

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR NEXT MAJOR HOME PROJECT

Wagner offered advice to homeowners before taking on a major project:

• Hire an expert to review contracts

• Include an agreed-upon completion date in the contract

• Include the recovery of legal fees in the contract

• Get a second opinion on costs, contracts

• Hire an owner's rep to oversee your project

"There are a lot of steps that an owner can take to protect themselves," Wagner said. "It comes at an additional cost, but it could ultimately prevent a catastrophic loss in the long run."

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