Orlando Sentinel – Day 1
OCT. 31
UCF team did inspections for 6 months
Industrial-engineering students from the University of
Central Florida were trained by Ron Resch, a 56-year-old
former general contractor and certified building inspector
from Lake County, and two UCF associate professors, Mike
Mullens and Ahmad Elshennawy.
OCT. 31
Region's new homes riddled with flaws
A yearlong investigation by the Orlando Sentinel and
WESH-NewsChannel 2 found almost 80 percent of 406 new homes
built in Central Florida in 2001 were full of problems,
including cracks, leaks and mold.
Orlando Sentinel – Day 2
NOV. 2
'Good enough' work means shoddy homes
New houses in Central Florida are likely to have heating and
cooling problems; cracked walls and windows; mold and poor
drainage. But many homeowners experience far more -- and worse
-- than that.
Orlando Sentinel – Day 3
NOV. 3
Homes often are rush jobs, critics assert
Often rushed and
poorly supervised, the so-called "subs" sweep onto a job,
complete their individualized tasks as swiftly as possible,
then move on to the next site. The faster they lay block or
drive nails or run air-conditioning ducts, the more money they
make. Production is key, critics say, not quality.
Such carelessness
is the result of building too many houses too fast, with
workers who have little training and not enough oversight,
builders and hired hands say. Adding to the problem is the
fact that many workers can't speak or read English, or
decipher a blueprint.
Orlando
Sentinel – Day 4
NOV. 4
Top builders downplay homes' flaws
“Centex, which refused repeated
requests for interviews or comment, averaged more problems per
house -- 9.2 -- than any of the other major production, or
tract, builders in the survey of 406 randomly selected homes
built during 2001. It is the first statistically valid study
done of new-home construction in Florida and likely the
nation.”
Don’t miss the
Shaky Toilet
Photos & Video -
http://extra.orlandosentinel.com/buildingproblems/mediagallery.aspx?sm=21
A spokesman says many of the errors are minor or are due to
poor maintenance.
Orlando Sentinel – Day 5
NOV. 5
Mexican migrants carve path of hope to Orlando
There are more Mexican migrants working residential
construction in Central Florida -- at least 25,000 -- than any
other ethnicity. Without them to hammer nails, lay block and
install windows, the industry would grind to a halt.
