"It really has been a nightmare for us."
That's what Anthem homeowner Lisa Vializ told the CBS 5 i-Team.
She says she gets a sick feeling every time she see the cracks that have formed on the walls of her home.
We asked Vializ if this is what she expected her 4-year old home to look like.
"Absolutely not," she replies.
An attorney hired by Vializ and several other Anthem homeowners says the problem that's causing the cracks is the "expansive soils" beneath those homes.
Tom Miller says, "Expansive soils are clay soils."
Tom Miller says that clay expands and contracts with moisture and that, he claims, is causing cracks in foundations and walls.
Miller says, "It's already causing damage."
According to a U-S department of Agriculture map of the valley, the area where Anthem is located contains a high concentration of expansive soils. You can see it in red, but so do other parts of the valley - like the Gilbert-Mesa area.
The Arizona Department of Real Estate says developers must disclose if they're building on expansive soil.
A questionaire reads: "Are the subdivision lots subject to subsidence, or expansive soils? If yes, provide the description and remedy in plain english from a registered engineer."
That information is available to the public.
Bryan Coleman says, "All concrete does crack due to the drying process."
But Bryan Coleman from A-Pro Home Inspection Services recommends all new home buyers insist on having an independent inspector check out the new home twice, once while it's being built and again at the end of the process.
Coleman says, "Reputable home builders will allow an independent inspector to come in and do a home inspection and remedy any problems that may exist within the home."
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