Anger over new homes
THEY say home is where the heart is - but a fed up group of residents today claimed buying new property on an Ipswich estate has left them wishing they had never bothered.  All 16 homeowners in Cranberry Square, Ravenswood, have levelled an angry blast at Bellway, criticising the developer for failing to deliver the dream home they say they were promised. They have also accused the property giant of poor customer service and shoddy workmanship, which has seen one problem fixed but another created in the process.

State-sought home fixes rarely made
Good news: In about nine of 10 investigations, Texas officials have told builders to make repairs. Bad news: Two years into the program, most builders haven't made the fixes... The informal survey seems to echo the sentiment of a statewide review of 102 homeowners. Of those, 88 said the builder didn't make the repairs suggested by the commission, according to a state comptroller's office report released this year. Some of those included cases still being reviewed, commission officials said...Guy Combs, a homeowner in Alpine in West Texas, said arbitration backfired for him. He lined up about 20 expert witnesses and provided several inspection reports to support his claims that builder negligence led to damaged stucco, a leaking roof and mold. The arbitrator ruled against him, in part because, she said, he contributed to the damages. She ordered him to pay the builder $68,000 for legal fees, which he negotiated to $50,000.

Agency set to put complaints online
Texas officials plan to air problems with bad builders in public to shame them into mending their ways – and their crooked floorboards...A San Antonio builder filed a lawsuit earlier this month against a homeowner for posting complaints on the Web site of HomeOwners for Better Building, a consumer group. The lawsuit alleges that owner Jay Hirata owes Sitterle Corp. $500,000 in damages for "misrepresentations of fact" that hurt the company's reputation. "Does this action ... send a message of fear to every new homebuyer that they, too, could be subjected to the wrath of a builder if they file a complaint?" said Janet Ahmad, president of HomeOwners for Better Building.

Please help call for a State Affairs Interim Hearing on the Texas Residential Construction Commission
If you are appalled at what is happening in Tecas please take the time to participate.  If the building industry's TRCC is successful in Texas it will spread to every state in the nation.  Read more... 

Home-building measure's effect unclear
Consumer groups are glad to see the new requirement, but they say registering with the Texas Residential Construction Commission won't do much for consumers...But Alex Winslow of Texas Watch noted it doesn't take much to be registered in the state. There aren't any tests or continuing education requirements. "It doesn't mean consumers are being protected," Winslow said. "In fact, we think it gives consumers a false sense of security, because all you really have to do is pay a fee and you're registered. There aren't any standards to be met."

Home building commission continues to draw fire
The Andrews case underscores the debate over the Texas Residential Construction Commission, which has been criticized by consumers and an outside review as a toothless bureaucracy created to protect builders. Once the commission process has been exhausted, usually within a few months, a builder who loses cannot be compelled by the commission to make the repairs. The outside review by the state comptroller found that the overwhelming majority did not...In a survey of affected homeowners, the report said 86 percent of the respondents said the builders did not fix the defects confirmed in the state inspections. It also concluded that the law provides no way to hold builders accountable for shoddy building practices and described the agency's building standards as "overly lenient."

Agency's sanctions of builders don't go far
A state agency designed to bring more accountability to Texas home builders recently -- and with much fanfare -- released a list of 49 builders that the agency has penalized. But none of the penalties levied by the Texas Residential Construction Commission have anything to do with improper home-building practices, nor had the agency taken steps to identify them on its Web site...Instead, all of these infractions are for the bureaucratic failure to register with the agency. The penalties announced this month are in addition to penalties the agency has given to builders in the past. Those also focus on registration rather than home-building problems.

Only 12 Builders Qualify in the Great State of Texas
Three years after the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC) was created only 12 builders and remodelers qualify by demonstrating knowledge and financial responsibility for the OPITIONAL Star Builder program.  Texas consumers across the state now have the option to choose from 12 “Star Builders” with verified experience and track records… See: Commission Confirms First Star Builders