Building a luxury custom home is a major investment, both financially and emotionally. Unfortunately, my family’s experience with Sterling Homes Cincinnati, led by Brad Olinger, was deeply disappointing. What began as a promising project ended with frustration, significant delays, financial losses, and lingering legal disputes.

Our custom home, located in Hyde Park on Grandin Road, was intended to reflect the highest levels of craftsmanship and professionalism. While some aspects of the process started off positively, the overall journey was far from what we expected. The following reflects our personal experience working with Sterling Homes Cincinnati.

Lack of Communication and Transparency

nightmare sterling homes experience

In the beginning, Sterling Homes Cincinnati presented itself as a premium builder with high standards and a client-focused approach. However, after signing the contract, we personally experienced a breakdown in communication. Updates were infrequent, timelines were unclear, and responses were often delayed or vague.

For example, when we inquired about the status of the project or requested clarification about billing, we frequently had to follow up multiple times for basic answers. In our opinion, this lack of transparency and accountability created unnecessary stress and confusion throughout the process.

Billing Issues and Lack of Documentation

Throughout the project, we were billed for numerous extras, yet supporting invoices or detailed explanations were not always provided when requested. In our experience, this lack of clarity made it difficult to understand whether certain charges were justified. This issue, in our opinion, is a significant red flag for any homeowner embarking on a project of this scale.

Delays and Cost Overruns

Nightmare Sterling Homes Experience and Lawsuit

Our contract specified a 14-month timeline for the completion of our custom home. However, our experience was vastly different. The project stretched to 28 months under Sterling Homes Cincinnati, at which point we terminated the contract. Ultimately, it took 34 months and additional contractors to complete the home—far exceeding both the original timeline and budget.

The delays resulted in an additional $500,000 in costs to complete the home. While delays can happen in construction, the extent of the delays and the lack of timely solutions in our case left us feeling deeply frustrated.

LEED Certification Not Achieved

One of the key reasons we chose Sterling Homes Cincinnati was their assurance that our home would meet LEED Platinum certification standards, as outlined in our contract. This certification was important to us for sustainability reasons and for its associated property tax benefits.

However, in our case, the certification was not achieved, resulting in the loss of nearly $790,000 in property tax savings over 15 years. In our opinion, this failure to meet a contractual obligation represented a significant breach of trust.

Ongoing Legal Disputes

In an effort to hold Sterling Homes Cincinnati accountable, we’ve incurred over $100,000 in legal fees and are still in litigation. This process has added to the emotional and financial toll of the project. In our opinion, the company’s unwillingness to address these issues amicably has only compounded the challenges.

Lessons Learned

If we could do it all over again, we would approach this process differently. Based on our experience, we would recommend:

  • Thoroughly researching past client reviews and legal histories of builders.
  • Including clear penalties for missed deadlines in contracts.
  • Demanding detailed invoicing and financial oversight policies.

For us, building a home with Sterling Homes Cincinnati was a difficult journey, but we hope sharing our experience will help others make informed decisions.

Final Thoughts

This review reflects our personal experience with Sterling Homes Cincinnati. While others may have had different outcomes, we encountered delays, financial losses, and unmet contractual obligations that we feel were unacceptable for a luxury homebuilder.

We regret our decision to hire Sterling Homes Cincinnati, and we encourage potential clients to exercise caution.

Disclaimer: This review is based solely on our personal experience and is intended to share our perspective for informational purposes. All claims of financial loss or delays are supported by documented evidence.