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Building New Home - Am I setting my standards too high? - Quality Concerns
- Thread starter RyanR317
- Start date
The issue is that the contract does not specify finish of walls or anything to that effect. What is even more unsettling is the part of the contract I've attached. My pre closing orientation is this Friday. I've already sent an extensive list with my punch list items and a letter expressing my concerns to the construction mananger.
I wish I knew then what I know now.
Attachments
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next time post a thread..considering buying a pulte home and we would have been able to work it through.If you signed that agreement..then you agreed to thier onerous terms ....If these things bother you that much.....get a lawyer familiar with local RE.....I'm assuming this contract includes the lot,and financing?
Like others said, I wouldn't close until they are fixed. I went through the same thing with my builder 10 years ago. Put any issue in writing or it didn't happen. Every single little thing needs to be documented. I had the same issue with a cable outlet. They didn't have one in my family room. We later found that it was in the wall, but they covered it up with drywall. They "forgot" to tile my entryway when they did the flooring. They ended up doing it the morning of my closing and was still drying when we tried to move in. We had to move everything in through the garage and not the front door. I had issues with things being straight as well.
My brother had an interesting story a few years ago. He was building a house with a large national builder in one of their golf course subdivisions. They picked out that the model and lot that they loved. They put down $20k and waited. The builder then told them that they needed to change their floor plan because another house with the same plan was approved the same morning as theirs a few houses down. The HOA won't let them have 2 similar houses that close and were told to change lots or change the outside look of their home. They didn't want to do that and wanted to stay with what they bought. The builder and HOA wouldn't budge so they asked for their money back. Keep in mind that no actual work had been performed yet. The builder refused. They argued back and forth for weeks until my brother told them that he would go ahead and move forward with the build. He then added that when it came time to pick the colors, cabinets, etc.. that he would pick the ugliest carpets, paint colors, cabinets, etc.. that he could find and then not close on the house. He'd lose his money, but the builder would be stuck with a house that they couldn't easily resell. They gave him his money back.
My brother had an interesting story a few years ago. He was building a house with a large national builder in one of their golf course subdivisions. They picked out that the model and lot that they loved. They put down $20k and waited. The builder then told them that they needed to change their floor plan because another house with the same plan was approved the same morning as theirs a few houses down. The HOA won't let them have 2 similar houses that close and were told to change lots or change the outside look of their home. They didn't want to do that and wanted to stay with what they bought. The builder and HOA wouldn't budge so they asked for their money back. Keep in mind that no actual work had been performed yet. The builder refused. They argued back and forth for weeks until my brother told them that he would go ahead and move forward with the build. He then added that when it came time to pick the colors, cabinets, etc.. that he would pick the ugliest carpets, paint colors, cabinets, etc.. that he could find and then not close on the house. He'd lose his money, but the builder would be stuck with a house that they couldn't easily resell. They gave him his money back.
Update: I have a meeting scheduled for this Thursday with the construction manager's superior. He saw all of my pictures and says that they will not force me to close until it is all fixed.
Or is there just a live wire dangling?
At the end of the day the builder doesn't have to live in the house so they usually don't care as much as the owner does. For this reason I do almost all work myself. If I do have to get someone to do anything I make it really clear up front that payment will not be made and will be held until I am 100% satisfied. I have gotten into MANY screaming matches about this very issue. I usually do a walk through with red tape and a assistant with a note pad so none of the tape can be pulled by the workers as if it were fixed and wasn't. The list helps me to realign myself with the project once the tape is missing. Don't worry about what the builder thinks or says, it's your house and your paying for it to be the way you want it. The reason why the sheet rock is so far off is because of the framing crew who are usually the most sloppy...workmanship wise, on any job. The sheet rockers could have shimmed out the rock and made it right but why should they when they can blame it on the framers and the sheet rockers aren't getting paid to fix the framers screw ups. They are getting paid to hang drywall and usually by the foot so they want to get in and out ASAP. The rounded corner issue was a total ball drop by the GC and honestly you too. If you're ever in the position to build another house the best thing you can do is be very involved with every step along the way and stop by as often as possible before mistakes are extrapolated through each step of construction and magnified by the time the final touches are being put on.
I recently had a similar situation and I let the builder know I'm holding payment. Of course he was pissed and we are yelling back and fourth. He comments that I have all the control to which I replied, your f...ing right I do and I will until I'm 100% satisfied.
Oh and take pictures everyday and be sure the builder see you doing it. Document everything!
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Next time ask for paper tape corners. And at 132 a square foot there shouldn't be an ounce of ceramic tile, caulk, any other cheap materials or anything used to hide mistakes. I do not allow caulk guns to get past my front door. If someone can't get the cut close enough that they need caulk then they can hit the road.
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For this any many others reasons associated with buying a new home, I have never bought a new home. Aside from construction quality at closing, I am also concerned about unknown neighbors. I want to know the type of neighborhood I am buying into and the type of neighbors. Lat thing I want is a family of 15 living next door with 8 cars and 24 hour activity.
If you could, put it on paper.
That's what I had to start doing. I worked in the same building, on the same floor as the offices for my builder. I got tired of the verbal empty promises so I started emailing everything back and forth to keep a record.
