The city inspector says" minimal standard req met" so it is fine with them. Any advice what to do next? We spoke with the field manager again and they will not poor in a new concrete wall but use epoxy and we asked to talk to his manager.He said he has to talk with him first and he will get back to us with his phone#. They have 10 years structural and 5 years leak warranty but we don't want cracked brand new house. This post was edited by adymax on Fri, Sep 20, 13 at 11:34

Are you doing this with a building permit? You'd be smart to involve an engineer and your local building authority. If your municipality doesn't require an engineer's stamp, they may go so far giving you a plan to work from. They may also have info on your soil type. Some things a professional would consider: Soil, frost line, seismic issues, slope, existence of any fill (maybe during the construction of your house the builder filled some areas of the lot), drainage, water table, etc. For general info on building a block wall and a plan showing a footer and rebar placement, see my personal website: http://www.billb.name/diy/retainingWall.asp. At least it'll give you some language for speaking to your building inspector. Bill

You should absolutely seal ALL natural stone you use anywhere there is moisture. The watermarks you have right now should dry up on their own, if they do not, they can easily be removed with baking soda mixture. Once the color has been restored, use any sealant that is suggested to seal marble (HomeDepot has many options and someone will be able to assist you). Check to make sure the tile is still sealed every couple of years and reapply as needed.

Everything IS bigger in TX! Find a builder or home that is Energy Star certified or insist on it for your current build if it's not too late. You're correct to be concerned with your build's lack of attention to detail behind the finished surfaces. Not only is the concrete inaccurate, the brushed surfaces indicate a lot of honeycombing cosmetic cover-up. No sill sealer or garage leg shear wall?