It's every homeowner's worst nightmare. You finally buy your own place, spend ages getting it just right, and then the government comes along and levels it to the ground.

Pity then, poor Andre Hall from Pittsburgh, who came back to his home only to discover a lot of hay in its place -- all thanks to a clerical mistake on behalf of the demolition contractors.

He'd bought the house while it was about to be foreclosed but had successfully petitioned his local Bureau of Building Inspection to prevent it from being destroyed.

However, it seems that the house next door was still set to be taken down -- and the demolition team took Hall's down with it.

Hall had planned to move in with his girlfriend and his children in a few weeks' time, but now his $31,000 dream home is no more.

We're betting lawyers will be hearing about this.