Running Into Builder Issues with Upscale Tract Home
thewinterking
3 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (34)
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoJazz Easy
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Issues with Builder
Comments (28)PLEASE keep the questions to one thread. it is difficult enough for all posters to read previous posts...when you throw multiple threads into the mix we end up re-covering ground. you're right...I was thinking of blacked in inspections. pre insulation, pre cladding. will you get to do a walk thru at this point?? Iike to inspect before house wrap. as housewrap covers a lot of stuff. nailing patterns of foam.. solid sheated corners etc. prior to cladding you'll want to make sure all seams of foam are taped and any penetrations sealed. your pre drywall inspection will give you a chance to see insulation prior to it being covered. look for voids, insulation settling, and that the insulation is flat between studs looking down the lenght of the wall. windows & doors will be installed, so you can see what was done as far as air sealing & insulating voids around these areas. again...low expansion foam..not insulation shoved into gaps. personally I like to see windows caulked to frames.. at this pre drywall time, there are other things that can be addressed. sole plate sealed to slab/subfloor. SIll Seal is a gasket used prior to walls being stood up, but you can still caulk sole plates to floors. sheetrock will cover caulking. your ductwork should be installed. so take the time to see that it is all mastic sealed. bath fans should be in place, with back draft dampers installed & vented to exterior. you'll want to make sure that the damper is installed correctly & that both damper & venting is secured. I've asked several times about attic insulation.. and location of ducts. any info forthcomming on this?? the baffle inserts for IC recessed cans are pricy. and a huge pita to install. do-able...but difficult. better & more cost effective to install ICAT. each insert will cost approx $15.00 once sheetrock is installed, this is what I do. go into attic during the daytime. take a flashlight so you won't mis-step...but look for light from living space below. things like cuts at bath fans, a/c supply boxes are covered inside by covers & supply registers, these are huge holes in the air barrier between attic & living space. thermal bypasses. ANY opening in attic where you can see into the walls of the house below. plumbing walls, dropped ceilings, fireplace inserts and knee walls if you have vaired ceiling heights. these areas should be sheetrocked air tight and then insulated. just as I've recommended sealing sole plates to slab..you have a potential gap at ceiling to wall sheetrock...again that gets covered with ceiling moldings. Ask to have sheetrock installers tape & float this area as if there were no moldings being installed. this gap is direct to attic extreme temps. ideally...seal around all mentioned above, any penetration of sheetrock into living space below. this sheetrock ceiling is the air barrier between you & attic. and we cut lots of holes in it. best of luck....See MoreTract Home 'Cleaner Upper' & 'Fixer Upper'
Comments (13)Hi "mary md7", Please read my blog post and my intent and what I'm asking of Ryland Homes will come crystal clear. I'm not looking to make money, but something needs to be done to protect consumers from a lot of stress and aggravation when they are looking to enjoy their new home. Ryland Homes response to my BBB complaint made me say: "I take that to mean that Ryland Homes believes that what happened to my wife and I was "normal", and that all homebuyers should expect that 100 plus problems can happen during their first year warranty!" Hi rockmanor, Please read my blog post and my intent and what I'm asking will come crystal clear. Rather than getting angry, or asking for selfish compensation from my builder, I want to help them. To answer your question: "Does this mean there was not a full blown, multi-hour thorough inspection by a certified inspector hired by the OP?", that is correct. I could not have put off COE anyway, unless I wanted to spend a lot of money on motels and storage fees. Many people are caught in that same dilema, and the builders know it. The initial "Punch List" was about 60 problems, and the rest were discovered as we lived in the house. Many new home buyers, IMO, are caught between a "rock and a hard place" when it comes to a decision of putting off COE until all known(at the time) problems are fixed. Finally, the real point of the post is what I asked to begin with = "Was it OK for Ryland Homes to fix 100 + things wrong with my new home over a stressful year that wasted a lot of my time?" I'm curious how the professionals here feel about the tract home building industry's attitude about sometimes delivering "Cleaner Upper' & 'Fixer Upper" new homes at COE? I personally don't think it is good for the building industry, Realtors (I used to be one), lenders, escrow agents, or anyone associated with the buying and selling of homes. The bottom line is that the more new home buyers, especially Baby Boomers, are afraid to buy a new tract home (at any price), the more they'll stay put where they are, or buy a resale home. In both cases, the overall buying and selling activity could be reduced. Customer service standards for tract home builders need to be raised like the National Association of Home Builders is trying to do with its "NHQ Certified Builder Program" (See Link Below). Here is a link that might be useful: NHQ Certified Builder Program...See MoreWorking with a tract builder
Comments (39)Toll Brothers are tract builders...they just happen to build "luxury" homes on larger lots, but they are basically still tract builders! Alphatin: On another note, when one meets with a builder, what are some questions to ask regarding the bones of the house? Basically trying to figure out if quality construction will be done vs cutting corners - or is there no such questions and one doesn't know until they are knee deep? Full disclosure: We have built four custom homes...and by custom I mean, homes...the idea/design for which were first drawn out on note pads, and even a table napkin...not "customized" tract homes as is so often what people mean by custom!!! Our first steps (in two different states, and now a second home in Texas) has always been to do a lot of research into local builders. We have actually walked up to a house, and asked the owner who built their home! What you ask a potential builder about the bones of the house depends on a variety of subjects including your geographical location!!! Here are just a few things to ponder...do you want stick framing? Two by four? Two by six? Concrete? Cedar? etc Siding choices: Stone, stucco, brick, Hardie board, cedar....etc Do you want/can you have a basement? An attic? Do you want standard roof trusses or custom built roof trusses? (Think space! Attic venting needs, roof type!) etc. If/when most people build with a tract builder some/all of these things are dictated by the company's process, but you don't have to pay as much consideration to the research needed to choose from the few options you might be given. Some tract builders are better than others! A small, locally owned builder with a great reputation would build a great home for you. They value their reputation and seek to keep it. A large, multi-nationally owned builder is almost always more about profit than any other consideration...not to say they would necessarily cut corners or build a sub-standard home...but complaining about it to the project manager would most often go nowhere, and your frustration levels may be breached!!! Whatever you chose to do...the one word of advice I offer is: Research. Good luck!...See MorePlease critique this finished kitchen layout in a tract home like mine
Comments (14)That kitchen should not be your model. There are pros and cons to a cooktop at the end of a peninsula. If it's the only traffic pattern in and out of the kitchen, it WILL BE a problem with young children. My own stove is at the end of a cabinet run, but it's next to the door to the outside, not to get into the kitchen. It's also a big range so it's just not a problem with pot handles (it's 42" wide with a griddle in the middle). What will be a problem in the new kitchen shown, is opening that refrigerator door next to the wall. It will never open all the way. And a counter-depth refrigerator would have been a better choice no matter where it was located....See MoreJeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agolafdr
3 years agoDesign Interior South
3 years agoUser
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoJust Me (Zone 6a)
3 years agoGerry
3 years agochispa
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoKatie B.
3 years agoJP Haus
3 years agoroccouple
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoSJ E
3 years agojustlol
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoLindsey_CA
3 years agotedbixby
3 years agosuero
3 years agoWestCoast Hopeful
3 years agomillworkman
3 years agoShadyWillowFarm
3 years agoUser
3 years agoCharles Ross Homes
3 years agogalore2112
3 years agoShola Akins
3 years agobry911
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agolexma90
3 years agoDavid Cary
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoAngel 18432
3 years agoarcy_gw
3 years agovinmarks
3 years agothewinterking
3 years agoUser
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agonhbaskets
3 years ago
Related Stories
ARCHITECTURE7 Builder Upgrades to Skip in a New Home
Consider taking a pass on these options. You’ll increase your choices by doing them later
Full StoryMODERN HOMESHouzz Tour: Builder Moves From Party House to Kid-Friendly Home
A Texas pro designs and builds a one-story home with a safe room and an unconventional layout just right for her family
Full StoryHOUZZ TVRetired Houston Couple Replaces Starter Home With Forever Home
See how the Elders built their dream home while preserving the memory of the home they lived in for nearly 4 decades
Full StoryFEEL-GOOD HOME9 Ways to Boost Your Home’s Appeal for Less Than $75
Whether you’re selling your home or just looking to freshen it up, check out these inexpensive ways to transform it
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSHow to Bring Out Your Home’s Character With Trim
New project for a new year: Add moldings and baseboards to enhance architectural style and create visual interest
Full StoryROOFSWhat to Know Before Selecting Your Home’s Roofing Material
Understanding the various roofing options can help you make an informed choice
Full StoryBUDGET DECORATING9 Tricks to Boost Your Home’s Appeal for Less Than $400
Whether you’re redecorating or just doing a quick update, check out these ways to enhance your home on a budget
Full StoryCONTRACTOR TIPSHow to Calculate a Home’s Square Footage
Understanding your home’s square footage requires more than just geometry
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNDreaming of a Spa Tub at Home? Read This Pro Advice First
Before you float away on visions of jets and bubbles and the steamiest water around, consider these very real spa tub issues
Full StoryLIFEHouzz Call: Show Us Your Nutty Home Fixes
If you've masterminded a solution — silly or ingenious — to a home issue, we want to know
Full Story
Flo Mangan