A woman in Minnesota has gone viral on TikTok after she raised concerns that construction work next to her home may be causing structural damage. According to her account, a nearby building project began digging a large hole following heavy rain, and since then, her home has shown what she describes as signs of water intrusion and foundation cracking.
The story was shared on the woman’s TikTok account, listed as @momchats, where it gained millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes. The video appears to have spread widely as users reacted to her claims and to the visible condition shown in the footage. Many of those users expressed support and concern.
In the video, the woman explains that her family has apparently been dealing with several issues since the construction began next door. She describes new cracks appearing in her daughter’s bedroom, doors that no longer close properly, and what she says are signs of sinking in parts of the house. She also expresses concern about nails popping out and what she believes is worsening structural movement over time.
A look at what the woman says she asked the construction company to do
According to her account, the woman attempted to contact the construction company to request a temporary pause in the work so the property could be protected, but she says that request was denied. She also claims she asked representatives from the company to inspect the damage in person, but says no action was taken.
She clarifies in the video that she was not asking the company to permanently stop construction. Instead, she says she only wanted the work slowed or paused briefly so her home could be assessed and protected from further damage. She says the digging has continued despite her concerns, leaving her worried about the long-term stability of the structure. Land use disputes like this can escalate quickly, as seen when a Texas park was sold to a developer for $10 million.
The woman claimed that she had to document the situation in real time because, in her words, “my home builders decided that today was the day that they needed to dig a giant hole right next to my house, right after it rained.” She says she asked the owner, who she claims had never walked through her house, to come look at the property before the digging started next door.
According to her, the empty lot had been sitting unused for nearly three years before construction began. The woman says her family asked the company to pause for a couple of weeks so they could get their contractor out, and that they also went to the city to ask for help. She maintains that they were never asking the developer to stop building entirely.
In her words, “We weren’t ever asking them to not build, we just asked that they give us a couple weeks so we could have the proper things in place because we have water intrusion issues.” She says her understanding is that the company said no.
@momchats Today it was hard to find the humor in things. It was hard to show up as a good parent. At one point, my child asked me why I didn’t go out there and stop them. I told them that sometimes there are people in our lives that don’t deserve more of our energy. I hope that sticks with them when it matters most.
♬ original sound – momchats
The woman also says she is facing the task of emptying her home, repairing it, remediating for mold, replacing siding, and checking the framing. She states that she is not sharing the video for sympathy, saying, “Sharing this not for sympathy, I don’t need it, because at the end of the day I’ll find a way to figure this out.”
She also acknowledges that, in her view, the developers have the right to build on their lot, and says, “they have every reason that they can dig on their lot.” According to her account, she and the developer are “in active litigation for many things, including construction defect and invasion of privacy.”
TikTok users reacted strongly to the situation, with many sharing opinions, suggestions, and questions in the comments. One user wondered whether the same builders were involved in both projects, writing, “Please tell me the people that are building the house next-door aren’t the ones that did yours?”
Another commenter offered a suggestion aimed at the developer’s reputation, writing, “Just a suggestion…. Put a huge sign in your yard and invite potential buyers to come over and see what kind of work those builders do.” Property fights between communities and powerful interests are not unusual, including one case where a diocese opposed Trump’s border wall to protect a statue.
Some users took a more critical view of her position. One wrote, “the simple fact is nobody owes you anything. if your property was damaged during this there’s a process to address that.” Others drew on personal experience to offer practical advice.
One user, who said they worked in insurance, wrote, “From working in insurance….take lots of pictures and if their digging effects your home, the builders insurance company is responsible for your damages.” One commenter questioned whether the family should stay in the home at all, writing, “Can you guys not just move?! This house is like a lemon. I’m sorry!!!” As of writing, the construction company has not addressed the video publicly.
