LAKEWOOD, Colorado – When an electrical fire ravaged Regina Ortega and Frank Vigil’s Lakewood home, they got to work rebuilding it.

“We definitely thought we were going to raise our family here,” Ortega said. “We thought this was just a moment in history.”

But around two years later, their house is still uninhabitable. Repeated problems with building contractors leave the family in limbo, and the insurance sum is no longer enough to cover their living expenses.

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“It feels like it was a whole book and not just a chapter,” Ortega said. “I just want to go home.”

After the 2022 fire, the couple hired Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Denver, which was recommended by their insurance company, Allstate.

“We thought we were doing everything right,” Vigil said.

But after a year of fire protection work, the company told them it did not have enough workers to finish the job, Ortega and Vigil said. In a statement, the owner of Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Denver said the project manager for that project had left the company, so the family was suggested to turn to another company.

That’s where contractor number two comes in: Bigfoot Restoration and Repair. Vigil and Ortega wrote the company insurance checks totaling more than $240,000. But after some construction progress, owner Marc Lucero told them he was going to file for bankruptcy, and the project stalled again.

The family has been living in an Airbnb for two years. Rent is paid by Allstate, but their insurance plan only covers 24 months of outside living expenses.

Due to labor and material shortages, this problem is becoming more common, says Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association.

“Reconstruction will take longer,” she said.

New legislation required insurance companies to offer extended periods of additional living expenses to people who lose their homes in natural disasters such as wildfires. Many policies currently cover up to two years, but Walker said it’s not realistic that insurance companies would offer much more than what’s stated in the policy.

“This is something that could get an insurance company in trouble and put them in bankruptcy themselves if they simply add additional living expenses beyond what they’ve collected premiums for,” she said. “Most insurance companies will work with you if there are reasonable delays and you do everything you can to rebuild.”

In a statement, an Allstate spokesperson said it worked with Ortega and Vigil to resolve an issue regarding the payment. The family said they received an additional $1,700.

“I feel like the only reason they even responded to us is because you were snooping around,” Ortega said.

Lucero of Bigfoot Restoration declined to speak on camera, but said by phone that while he has not filed for bankruptcy, he will not pay a settlement agreement reached with Ortega and Vigil and the matter will be resolved in court.

Denver7 Investigates also contacted Jason Wardrip of the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council. He said there are many good residential construction contractors and called Ortega and Vigil for help.

“We love this work – we love helping people out there who are in dire straits,” Wardrip said.

At the end of a difficult chapter, Vigil and Ortega still have some hope for their home.

“A lot of people told me I should just give up, but this is my home,” Ortega said.

Denver7 Gives is raising money to help Vigil and Ortega during this time. If you would like to help, visit Denver7 Gives and select “Help Lakewood family after house fire and problems with contractor” from the dropdown menu. You can also use the form below.

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