CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago couple says their dream remodel turned into a construction nightmare. Now they’re suing a local contractor and turning to the ABC7 I-Team.

The lawsuit claims shoddy siding and exterior work left their home damaged and unsafe.

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The couple says warped siding, gaps in the exterior and other problems have ruined their exterior remodel. They said they will eventually have to strip all the exterior down and start over again.

“The siding is shoddy, it’s falling apart. Its cracking and bowing,” Bill Lennon said.

At first glance, Bill and Mary Lennon’s newly-remodeled Roscoe Village home looks picture perfect, but when you look closer…

“It’s all swelling, cracking,” Lennon said. “All the trim on the bottom is splitting and cracking in spots.”

Still photos show a clearer picture. There are also chipped panels and openings that Bill says will allow water to enter.

In 2023, they paid Cobblestone Remodeling $108,000 of the $120,000 contract for a new exterior, including windows, siding, gutters and more. They didn’t pay the balance because they say they aren’t happy with the job.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Lennon said. “The fact that everything needs to be replaced and they disagree.”

According to a lawsuit, they were also left with that improperly installed siding, a defective roof from improper gutter installation and an unstable porch which is allegedly not up to code.

“These were nail holes that were cosmetically bad, and this was their correction. Some of the nails still poking out,” Lennon said.

The Lennons say two independent inspections show the defects. In their lawsuit, they say additional repairs like re-installing siding and exteriors on the home could cost an at least $150,000.

“We are shelling out money that we don’t have to pay for an attorney… to try to get some money back to redo our house,” Mary Lennon said.

In Cobblestone Remodeling’s response to the lawsuit, it denies that its work was defective, unprofessional, or in breach of the contract and warranties. The company denies all wrongdoing and disputes claims.

Cobblestone Remodeling is now closed. An attorney representing the company says a younger partner and the former owner Bill Conforti have organized a new company around the corner, called “Cobblestone Exteriors LLC. That company is not named in the lawsuit .

Attorneys say it is part of Conforti’s retirement plan for exiting the business. ABC7 saw Conforti driving by while at the business.

He didn’t comment, but his attorney calls the lawsuit “unfortunate” and says the business tried multiple times to resolve the dispute, but all offers were rejected. The company stresses it has faced only two lawsuits in 35 years, with the first one ending in its favor. Cobblestone points to its long history in Chicago, completing thousands of projects and maintaining an A+ Better Business Bureau rating.

“It’s been an absolute nightmare,” Bill Lennon said. “It’s not like we have the cash laying around, so we took out a 20-year loan.”

The Lennons say Cobblestone did offer a new roof after theirs was damaged from the gutters and some exterior replacement, plus forgiveness of their $12,000 balance. But they rejected it because they want the entire exterior replaced.

Experts say when hiring a contractor to always pay in thirds, at the beginning , middle and end of the project, and use a credit card to be able to dispute charges.