|
Support HOBB - Become a Sustaining Member |
|
|
|
| Register Your Builder Complaint |
Please let us know what has happened to you, and let us know if you would like to help us make buying new houses safer.
Tell us your story.
click here
Louise Harra
|
posted 15 September 2005 11:29 CET
Does anyone know about the quality of Gemcraft Homes (NOT the one that used to opperate in Michigan, but the one that builds in the mid-Atlanic)? We're thinking of purchasing their Topeka model. |
Shelly Hegyi
|
posted 15 September 2005 11:08 CET
Consumer's Original Complaint :
We purchased a home through Eagle Valley last year and have already had our "inspections" we were having problems with our AC unit not cooling off our bed room which is staying about 5 degrees hotter than the rest of the house. When E.V came out they told us the problem was fixed but we have once again been victims of a hot summer with little AC circulation in our bed room. We have had to sleep in other areas of the home to be able to breath and be comfortable. We have had another person come out and look at it and we were told that the home builder did not route the ducts/ pipes that are in the attack correctly and that it looks like that they tried to cut cost with the job they did. Our room basically got shorted on receiving the proper installation of AC routing.My husband is leaving to serve his year in Qatar and Bagdad and are pretty strapped financially but are having to pay out of pocket to get this fixed.
Consumer's Desired Resolution:
To get reimbursed for the amount we are having to pay to get the problem fixed.
BBB Processing
08/25/2005 web BBB Complaint Received by BBB
08/29/2005 skm BBB Complaint Validated by BBB Operator
08/29/2005 Otto EMAIL Send Acknowledgement to Consumer
08/29/2005 Otto MAIL Inform Business of Complaint
09/07/2005 WEB BBB RECEIVE BUSINESS RESPONSE : Contact Name and Title: Manuel Garcia, Jr.,CS VP
Contact Phone: 210-889-4167
Contact Email: mgarcia@eaglevalleyhomesa.com
Our Eagle Valley Homes go through vigorous city inspections before homeowners can move in. As you know Mr. and Mrs. Hegyi hired an independent inspector. After Mr. Hegyi called me to report the inspectors findings I requested that he give me the inspectors phone number so that I could talk to the inspector to discuss the finds and possibly set-up a meeting with him and our heating and cooling contractor. Mr. Hegyi said he would have to get with his wife to get that phone number. Up to this point I have not heard back from Mr. or Mrs. Hegyi.
As far as the temperature difference in their bedroom it clearly states in our 210 Warranty Booklet that there will be a 15 degree difference between the downstairs and upstairs bedrooms being that heat rises upward.
09/09/2005 skm EMAIL Forward Business response to Consumer
09/12/2005 WEB BBB RECEIVED CONSUMER REBUTTAL : (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Ok, first of all what Manuel Garcia is saying is not true at all and is nothing but likes. We did not hire an independant contractor to do the inspection, the man that was hired was referred to us by Eagle Valley, we are new to the area and know no one. I do not see how he can lie like that. Secondly as far as the AC goes, we understand there will be a difference between the upstairs and downstairs however the problem is, in 2 of the bedrooms on the upstairs it stays really cool.Our bedroom is extremely hot and is not getting any AC through the vents but what is left over from cooling the rest of the second floor. It appears that they routed it wrong, so an explination of why the 2 bedrooms, 1 bath room and the family room is always cool and why are bedroom and the matser bath is hotter than hell would be nice. We actually called 2 different people that work in AC to come look at the problem. Both in which stated the same that EVH routed things wrong and apparently did it on a tight budget. We feel raped by them. We are paying a lot for this house and to have this problem and not be able to sleep in our room is absured. This is really upsetting too because my husban is leaving in 3 weeks for Iraq for a year and I am left to deal with this alone. Eagel Valley needs to step up to the plate and accept their screw up and fix it. Especially when we did the 2 inspection with them after we moved in and told them of the problem, they called their AC contractor to come look in which he claimed he fixed the problem which is a total lie.
09/13/2005 skm MAIL Forward Consumer Rebuttal to Business
09/14/2005 WEB BBB RECEIVED BUSINESS' REBUTTAL RESPONSE : Eagle Valley Homes is not in the business of referring inspectors to anyone. We do however, give our customers a point of contact to a business and their phone number being that the a/c is warranted for 2 years. I did contact Mr. Hegyi today, September 14th, and have a pending appointment to go out and check this problem.
My husband informed me that Mr. Garcia did call but is insisting that we get the people back that came and looked at my AC unit in order for EVH to fix the problem; my husband also stated that he did take responsibility of this screw up. I have had two different people look at this problem and both have stated the exact same. I will not release the names of the individuals that looked at it, that is a breech of privacy and an invasion of privacy.
I am still very upset after reading their response of them denying suggesting their contractor to inspect our house. The card with the name of the inspector didn’t pop out into thin air and land in our laps, it was and I insist WAS given to us by them the day we were signing papers, and given other information for the house, they handed the card to us and said " this is the contractor that EVH recommends for walk through inspections" being that we are new here and do not know many people we thought that they would be a good source. Since our unit has a 2-year warranty, they need to come and fix this ASAP. Therefore, to make a long story short there is no set appointment date as he indicated which another lie is. I want them to give an exact date to look at the problem and to fix their screw up. I am so tired of dealing with the lies of Mr. Garcia; he is just telling us what we want to hear.
So, if we have a two year warranty why haven’t they fixed the problem before now, and how do we know that they will indeed fix it and not lie to us again stating it was fixed? Who is to say that we wont have issues again once the warranty is out?> |
Colleen Mullen
|
posted 15 September 2005 09:32 CET
I hired Tim Hanson Construction of St. Paul in July, to install cedar siding on my house. He was given more than half of the money prior to the job. He stated it would take four to five days to complete my siding. He put me off for 2 months before he started, it then took him 2 weeks to finish the job. After, inspecting the job myself I noticed that he used the improper sized and kind of nail. With cedar siding over foam board the nail needs to be 2 3/4" for smooth nail and 2 1/4" for a rink shank nail. He used nails that were less than 2" and most were smooth shank nails. Also, I found multiple boards that were cracked, large gaps throughout the siding, missing trim peices, damage to trim peices- corrected with caulk and small nails, multiple boards attached by one nail, multiple boards not attached to studs, some peices used were not cedar, and areas of bowing. He also damage my phone line, pulling my indoor cable to the outside of the house, the dumpster sank in my driveway, and left trash all around the house. After contacting the State of Minnesota Commerce Department, I found that he had a stop work order in 2001, he has no licence, and if he worked out of one job skill set he is committing a Gross Misdemeanor. Which he did on my house by installing my new outside lights and tried to fix the phone line which he damage and was told the phone company was coming to fix the line. I have recently obtained an attorney and will meet with him soon. I am having difficulty finding a cedar siding contractor that will state the siding was done improperly, no one wants to touch this. |
Garrett Hawkins
|
posted 7 September 2005 14:22 CET
For the past year I have been talking to legislators about the deficiencies in HB 730. I have been forced as I am sure many others feel into filing a complaint with the TRCC. The biggest issue that I have with the builder were 3 leaks due to improper flashings. The problem was exacerbated by the builders lack of response to the problem. When they finally came out about a week after the fact they took a water house squirted it at the window in question at the time. The window did not leak at that time. I was not present for this test as they did not appear at the time they said they would my wife was there. After discussing the matter with the builder's onsite warranty rep who performed the test I was informed that because they could not duplicate the leak they had to conclude that the leak was due to wind driven rain. At that time I argued my point, first there test duplicated wind driven rain by squirting a hose at the window. Second, the window in question was a first floor window 10 feet away from a 2-story home. This window was not subject to wind driven rain by the defintion of wind driven rain. I was once again told that because they could not duplicate the problem there was nothing they could do at the time. I was however told that they would fix the interior damage which did include mold. I assumed that they would do this properly. They came in once again late for an appointment when my wife was home and simply painted over the mold.
At the same time a second leak in the garage was attributed to an improper flashing. Again there was some interior damage from the water as well as mold. Once again they simply painted over the problem. When I informed them that this was not the proper technique for repairs when mold was present they asked me what mold. It is my belief that the repairs that were made were for the sole purpose of covering up the mold that I pointed out to them prior to any repairs were made.
Subsequently, another larger leak appeared in the kitchen. Water ran from the ceiling to the floor and actually puddled in the floor. Finally at this point the builder agreed to do an invasive test. When they cut the whole in the ceiling you could actually see daylight between the flashing and the roof.
I once again asked the builder due to the nature of the leak and the fact that this was 9 months after the home was built that the leak was discovered to treat the area as if mold were present. Again they simply made cosmetic repairs.
There were 2 other windows flashed in the same manner. The 1 that mold had formed around previously suggested as a result of wind-driven rain and another bedroom where my 3 year old and 1 year old slept by the way. They agreed to repair the flashing in the bedroom that there was water damage. The third window they refused to repair as there was no evidence of water penetration even though it was flashed in the same manner as the other 2. In my opinion it should have been obvious to the builder that there was a problem because the intial flashing was outside the brick the repaired flashing actually required that they take the brick of and place the flashing in the brick. There is an obvious difference in the repaired flashings over the 2 windows and the third unrepaired window.
At my own expense I had a mold test performed. Because the external samples had been painted over it required that the an invasive test be performed. I picked behind the areas that I actually saw mold on the exterior of the wall. Both samples tested positive for various forms of mold. The builder was sent copies of the report and once again requested that all of the areas of water penetration be repaired by removing all sheetrock and insulation and manually sanding the studs in the affected area based on the recomendation of the mold inspector. The builder agreed to this when they came out to do the work the had no sheetrock and no insulation. I questioned how they were going to make the requested repairs. They told me that they would only treat the areas that the mold inspector actually tested. They did this by spraying kills on the area behind the sheetrock and replacing a 6 by 6 inch sheet of sheetrock and about a 12 by 24 inch area of sheetrock in the garage. The area in the garage was actually black, grey and green all the way through the sheetrock. They took samples they said for there environmental inspector. I never heard back what there inspector found nor were any more repairs ever made.
I sent a copy of the inspection and mold inspection along with the SIRP. I then heard back from the TRCC that they needed a copy of my warranty or contract and that my SIRP would be placed on hold for 30 days if they did not recieve this information within 30 days they would treat my dispute as dropped. I sent an email back stating that I was not sure what my warranty had to do with the dispute and that I felt like this was an attempt to place another obstacle in my path as the homeowner to have my dispute heard.
I agree with your organization that the TRCC is an extension of builders and an effort to insulate builders from legitimate suits brought by homeowners. I wish you luck in your endeavor. I will continue to use my case to present this fact to the legislation as an example of how detrimental to the homeowner the TRCC actually is. If my story can benefit your organization in any way please feel free to use it. My builder was Plantation Homes they are registered as MHI Partnership, Ltd. |
Dimpleshy
|
posted 6 September 2005 17:22 CET
I am a single woman in my mid 50's, who is trusting and believes what is told to me in good faith. I have invested my life savings in a Ryland house purchased in August 2004. It took me a long time to buy my dream home only to learn 3 months after moving in that Ryland Homes had shattered those dreams by building my home with a major defect that they could not correct.
My home, the first to be built in the neighborhood, sits well below street level in a ravine between two other houses, vulnerable to flood.
No one buys a home looking for a lawsuit. People just want to be happy living in their house and be proud to be a Ryland homeowner. Instead, I have been expected to accept drastic high and low angled slope modifications to my driveway in conjunction with a drainage ditch in front of my door, leaving my home sitting well below street level and other neighbors. Obviously Ryland deceived me by telling me that there would not be a problem because they have the best engineers to solve the problem. It is now clear that no matter what they do, the home will never be what Ryland promised.
This would have never happened if the house was originally set higher when the foundation was built. Repairs have proven to be unacceptable. My home will forever be subject to a driveway that is strange and unsightly, and at risk for possible water intrusion.
Worse yet, it is becoming more evident that homeowners in Texas have no place to go for help. My home was inspected by the city, yet they say they can't do anything to help me. The Governor and Attorney General have both encouraged me to hire an attorney and pay a fee to file a complaint with the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC). Other officials said they will get back with me.
Since I used my life savings on my home, even if I borrowed the money to hire an attorney I must first, in accordance with Texas law that regulates me, pay a fee of $450.00 to go through the 5-month TRCC process and in the end TRCC officials have told me they can’t make Ryland do anything.
Realistically, why would Ryland help me during the TRCC process when in the end I can be forced into binding arbitration where builders always win because they give repeat business to the arbitration companies?
Ryland must not get away with a take-it-or-leave-it patching of their mistakes by digging a bigger, deeper ravine to do short term fixes. The fact is they made a major mistake and I am the loser.
This is a mistake that was not of my making but that of Ryland homes and I should not have to pay for their mistakes. All I want is for Ryland to do the right thing and buy my home back.
I am looking for some elected official that can help me find a just solution for Ryland’s mistakes. I am a very unhappy Ryland homeowner in need of help. |
kinh Yahla Guyman
|
posted 6 September 2005 06:35 CET
great site i don land guyman i love this site. |
Janet Ahmad
|
posted 5 September 2005 08:52 CET
I have read the Tel Home complaints however, only one has given any contact information. I would ask that anyone having problems with a Tel Home to please contact me personally about your experience.
Janet Ahmad, President
HomeOwners for Better Building
president@hobb.org |
GUEST
|
posted 4 September 2005 08:03 CET
BUYER BEWARE TEL BUILDERS IN WEST VIRGINIA BUILT ME A TOXIC MOLD HOME !
THIS IS DEADLY !
I REPEAT BUYER BEWARE! |
guest
|
posted 3 September 2005 14:56 CET
i had a home built by tel builders here in west virginia !
my home has aspergillus , penicillium, and cladosporium in it which are toxic molds due to tel builders poor workmanship !
one of my neighbors also has mold in there home it was tested and found to have mold ! i have the bbb and ftc involved and i am getting ready to have the epa out about this matter ! this molds cause death and sickness and tel builders has not done anything to help us with these problems instead they write the bbb and tell them that the mold specialist said there is nothing to worry about ! the bbb has asked me to hire a lawyer and they will help with this matter since the builder has done nothing! my family including myself have been sick ! also they are turning information over to the government with details of what tel builders had wrote and done ! |
Karen Manning
|
posted 1 September 2005 12:51 CET
I urge anyone considering buying from Rottlund Homes to visit my website www.myrottlundhome.com |
Mark Paschall
|
posted 30 August 2005 19:44 CET
Parkside Homes (Hovanian Homes) refuses to refund Earnest Money of $500 and threatens to charge 1% sales admin fee when THEY cancelled the Sales Contract a full 2 days PRIOR to expiration! Throughout the 12 days in force, they insisted on end of month closing (to keep their "incentives" in force) and falsely alleged that would not occur because we shopped lenders andrefused to order appraisal until OUR lender was determined. We wish to seek refund PLUS damages. Any suggestions? |
Heidi Wanken
|
posted 30 August 2005 11:28 CET
Darling Homes won't make repairs to our home. We found an email that seems to imply that politics may play a role in why they won't fix our home.
The email talks about checking "who comes to Mayberry" - our subdivision's name is Mayberry Park. Attached to the email (which was sent from a neighbor we don't know to Darling Homes' employees and lawyers) is an article about our involvement in Democratic politics. We have been told that our kind aren't welcome or wanted in this neighborhood and Darling Homes has slandered us to our neighbors and members of our community, but we couldn't figure out why - until now...
Darling Homes had promised to make the repairs and asked us to wait six months - to allow the house to "cure." When the six months were up, we sent them a letter asking the repairs to be made. They revoked all offers to repair our home and have done everything possible NOT to make the repairs, even though they had promised to make them.
Has anyone else had problems with Darling Homes?
Please go to our website, www.texashouse.org, read the email (it's on the website) and see the problems with our house. We just want to know why Darling Homes won't fix our home. Is it because of our politics?
If you've had problems with Darling Homes, please contact us at info@texashouse.org.
Thanks...
Heidi |
Fred Cahn
|
posted 28 August 2005 16:49 CET
Utter disrespect for current home owners in Surprise, Az |
Shelly Hegyi
|
posted 25 August 2005 18:16 CET
We purchased a home through Eagle Valley last year and have already had our "inspections" we were having problems with our AC unit not cooling off our bed room which is staying about 5 degrees hotter than the rest of the house. When E.V came out they told us the problem was fixed but we have once again been victims of a hot summer with little AC circulation in our bed room. We have had to sleep in other areas of the home to be able to breath and be comfortable.
We have had another person come out and look at it and we were told that the home builder did not route the ducts/ pipes that are in the attack correctly and that it looks like that they tried to cut cost with the job they did. Our room basically got shorted on receiving the proper installation of AC routing.
My husband is leaving to serve his year in Qatar and Bagdad and are pretty strapped financially but are having to pay out of pocket to get this fixed. |
Chaquana Holloway
|
posted 25 August 2005 16:41 CET
My home was built in 1998. In Jan 2005 we noticed that there was cracking in the mortar in the arch over our porch. The cracking is so bad that the arch is about to fall in.Choice Homes built my house and they state that the 10 year warranty does not cover the porch. I understand that, but this type of damage in my opinion is bad workmanship and should be taken care of. |
 |
 |
|
Guestbook Home | Get This Guestbook | Get Joomla! Mambook v2.5. Copyright © 2003-2006 by Saka.
|
|
Home 
