Below is a draft copy of a letter i intend to send to the local newspaper if I am not compansated for my grief I have been having with my house. What do you think?
Letter to the Editor
So you are looking to buy a *&* Home
So you are looking to buy a *&* Home, before you do, here is some advice. First talk to the people in the neighborhood, and not just to the people who recently purchased a house. Talk to the people who have live in their house for a few years and may have done some remodeling Most of the problems don’t show up until well after the first year or are completely hidden. Hire a home inspector and during the inspection, yourself or a professional should check for square and plum, no sense paying top dollar for low grade work. I have been in my *&* home for a little over 6 years and wish someone would have advised me before I bought. Here are list of the problems I have had or found the last 6 years.
Sump pump in the basement– I was told by *&* that the pump would never come on and was only there because the sewer authority required it. Since I bought my house in the early summer with little or no rain it wasn’t an issue. However, in the winter and after 12†of snow and a rainy weekend the sump pump was coming on constantly. The quality builders – *&* ended the dis-charge pipe right at the exterior wall which caused the water to recirculation which in turn kept the pump running constantly (Issue was resolved 7 months later (after a letter to *&* homes) even thought the sump pump still comes on with heavy rains.Front door blowing open. Even though I would lock the front door, there are times I would wake up in the morning or come home to find the door wide open (Issue was fixed and no problems since).Water in the foyer – Came home from work after a day of rain to find water on the foyer floor. Called *&* which repaired the problem. However the *&* repair person left me noted stating that “Certain blowing storms, these doors can’t hold all the water no matter what I do.Electrical – Most of the switches and outlets – back stabbed (which some electricians don’t recommend). Apparently the electricians hired by *&* don’t know how to use the strip gauge on the devices since most of the wires are bare (some an .5 inches or more) before entering the devices. Same is true for the breakers in the main panel. The breakers in the main panel are also mislabeledElectrical Continued. I had to replace a GFI in the kitchen. While reinstalling the 1.5†deep GFI and 12 gauge wire in a .2.5†deep box, the electrical box went flying out the wall (the box was not nailed and was only shoved into the drywall). Since the drywall was damaged I had to relocate the box and now I am patching and painting the wall.Steel door between the garage and house – I should have caught this during the final walk trough but didn’t. The framers must have frame the rough opening (height) an inch too short since the door had to be cut down.HVAC – Have only been in the house 6 years and have spent over 1,000 dollars repairing the HVACConcrete Steps. Again have only been the house 6 years and to replace the concrete steps and repair the porch foundation which cost approximately $2400 dollars. The steps had settled approximately 5†in that time frame, pulling the rebar tied to porch foundation out causing two holes in the foundation. *&* promised to repair a year ago but never did anything, had to have the work done on my own. It also appears that the stone that was supposed to go under the original concrete steps ended up beside them as fill in the yard. Rough Framing – Many of the walls are not square and plumb, some are out by ½â€œ inches in 4 feet. One wall is out by 1†in 6 feet. Discover today that the ceiling in the unfinished are is not level. It appears that the front wall (which intersects with the wall between the garage and the house) is approximately 1†higher than the wall between the garage and the house thereby causing the ceiling to be out of level.
Again inspect the house, paying attention to all the details and don’t close on a house until all the items are fixed to your satisfaction.
Replies
Danz:
It sounds like you're suffering from a severe case of sloppy workmanship. I can relate to that, as it seems that nothing you buy today (including houses) is of very good quality. Fortunately, though, it doesn't sound like any of your problems are really severe, like a leaky roof or leaky plumbing, each of which could cause really major damage. That's not to say that I would like to have my front door blowing open when it's locked...
I doubt that any letter to the editor that includes the name of the builder would be published. I would be surprised if the newspaper would even accept a paid ad of that type, due to liability issues (both theirs and yours).
I'm not advocating that you drop the issue, however. I would start with any licensing authorities that the builder must answer to. Next, I would try your state's attorney general's office consumer division. Finally, if you have no success there, I don't see any alternative other than to consult a local attorney.
Good luck,
Bob
You will never get a newspaper to publish that.
Way too much nitpicking of details that most people wont' even understand what you are talking about.
You might get a them to do a news story, but only if you can find a number of homeowners with similar or worse problems. Better MUCH worse.
I agree with Bill, you look like a nit-picker to be expecting this published. There are other ways to try to get satisfaction, but the first half of what you wrote - down to about the electrical - shows that they paid attention to trying to make things right. It ios only when you describe the more major difficulties and sloppy workmanship that they look bad.
The electrical box sounds like you miught have caused it by your carelessness, depending on other facts I don't have...
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The electical box i refered to with the gif was not nailed or attached to the top plate would have send a pic to show you..........how come I was able to nail off a standard size box and replace the outlet with no problems.
Dan
If you do go ahead and send that letter to the paper, do yourself a favor and have someone proofread it and correct spelling and grammar errors. You will have a better chance of getting it published if it is well written. And maybe if it was worded a little differently it could make the basis for a bigger story by one of the feature reporters.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
how come???Well, I'm not there, you are, and you surely must know more about electrical work than I do...but my point is that it may have been a pop in retrofit type of work box inserted to clamp to the SR. we use them a lot in remodeling and if the sparky was asked for any of a number of reasons to add another GFCI, that is likely how he would have done it.Yanking on the wires with one of them would definitely cause you a SR repair. Hollering about how the original sparky did poor work would only make you look bad.but in every complaint there are always two sides. I have no doubt that you have some valid issues.But this letter to the ed will solve none of them. I'm just the kind of guy who looks for solutions instead of heaping the $h!t heigher on the manure pile and raising a stink. I'm not defending the builder. I am saying that your letter does more to make you look like a complainer than to make him look bad.I thought you asked for opinions. Now you got mine. Do what you want with it.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
What FE said, bad grammar and spelling/typos is a no-no.
I'd sub that part out to a more erudite lexicologist, we have one here on board, but she is probably overkill for your situation.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"have the cold, comfortably numb"
For Darcy.
OK, gents, so as to not trivialize our fellow poster's issues (which don't sound trivial to me, and also make me wonder what else might be going on that is not yet in evidence), what would you suggest?For my part, I'd get a quality contractor in to look the whole house over. Authorize some invasive investigation such as looking inside the walls under a window or two, etc. The local paper will not be interested because it's not sensational enough, but what's a guy to do... file a lawsuit?
I'd just mutter under my breath and fix it all my self.
But I am competent and tooled up and would have avoided the situ in the first place.
I bought my project with in my means, there is no such thing as a house that has no issues..fix it, or get someone who can..and quit bitchin about it.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"have the cold, comfortably numb"
For Darcy.
Thanks for you comments, the post was just a draft and i inetend to work on it, but this weekend as the last straw, very upset with this house. If I hadnt bought the house new I would expect problems.The builder also adverties them self as a quality buildier, I get very upset. The problems I listed are just the tip of the iceberg....didnt mention the water after a fheavy rain in my driveway that was up to the middle of the rims on dodge ram truck. How does a quality builder let two walls be build with one 1" higher than the other? Didn' mention that I have to exit the house from the garage since I can only completly shut the door from the inside. The comments about me nit picking.........I guess its no big deal and no problem unless its happing to you.By the way the box with the gif wasn't an old work box the other side of the wall is not finished and is completly exposed ..........that's how I was able to nail in a new box which should have been done in the first place.
Dan
Lessee ---- AC was broken on delivery, more or less. This one at least the builder covered, but it took all summer to get it fixed.-- Piece of garden hose, hung on wall with strips of flashing, served as the AC condensate drain.-- Two plumbing failures resulting in minor floods, due to poorly installed risers for the two bathroom sinks.-- Furnaces improperly adjusted on install, resulting in the pilots going out repeatedly.-- Dip in the front yard due to poorly compacted fill over utility lines. I've filled and refilled it several times over the years -- would likely be 18" deep if I hadn't. Still noticeable after 30 years.-- Driveway sunk a total of about 6" in front of the garage. Had it mud-jacked at 4", needs it again.-- Ceiling in downstairs bath 2" higher in one corner than in the rest.-- One corner of garage roof 2" lower than the rest.-- 1" hump in kitchen floor.-- Chimney is slowly moving north, taking leave of the rest of the house (but taking part of the foundation with it). (Gonna have to have an engineer look at this pretty soon, I guess.)-- Insufficient insulation in attic (about 3" in some areas, and this is Minnesota). "Bypasses" not sealed at all or sealed with pieces of cardboard loosely stuck in place.-- Posts supporting deck resting on pieces of rubble just below soil level.-- Front stoop poured against brownboard sheathing for house.And probably a dozen more that I've forgotten.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Forgot to mention the flooding. And in our case there was no sump or sump pump.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Oh, and the 1/2" gap under the front door threshold.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
I guess some of these people wouldnt go back to the car dealer if the windshield on their new car was letting in rain......no new car is perfect........fix it yourself.......
No wonder i perfer to do it my self and make sure its done right
Most of these defects don't show up for 2-3 years, after most builders stop "warrantying" their work. Certainly someone savy in the building trades might spot some of them earlier, but most home buyers don't become that savy until AFTER they buy the house.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Actually, almost everyone here is very sympathetic with your situation. Unfortunately this quality of work is all too normal now. It is wrong to try to compare a lemon car with a house. In fact, there isn't much that you can compare with a house.
Why? Take the car for example. You could, theoretically, go to any Ford dealer in any state and buy an identical F-150, and all the parts would be fully interchangeable with any other F-150. A car is built in a factory, under controlled atmospheric conditions, by people who are specialists. They build the same car 100 times a day, every day for a year.
On the other hand, every house is unique. You can swap door knobs and light bulbs, but not much else. And it gets built in all kinds of weather. yes, a house costs 10 times what a car does, and it's unfortunate that they aren't perfect, but that's the nature of the industry.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
it sound like the typical spec home, where the contractor trying to build as fast as possible to make profit. Not saying it right but it is the norm.
You can have the 5 houses built side by side by 5 builders off of the same set of plans and you'll have 5 houses that look pretty much the same standing in front of each house, however, when you look at the attention to detail and workmanhip, you see 5 diffrent houses you can just see who made a bigger profit by hiring the low ball subs who just stopped in to Home Depot to buy a carpenter's belt to go along with their newly leased F-150.
ok.. your looking for opinions? here's mine. I think home buyers want everything for as little as possible which is fine. but when the Builder hires inexperienced people to compete then the buyers complain about the workmanship. I think most people here posting are people who take pride in what they do but I also think we are the minority. most people work for a paycheck and that's it. when home buyers demand higher quality and the economy is forced to respond ,until then ,my friend, you will have to join millions of folks with similar problems. your stuff is not all that uncommon. Terrible that you have so many things to fix. until the focus of the buyer changes, the resulting workmanship will remain the same."it aint the work I mind,
It's the feeling of falling further behind."Bozini Latini
I wouldn't mind paying more for qualitity but what gets me in a crawl is how they advertise them selfs as qualitity builders, even had a radio ad claiming that 9 out of 10 people would buy their homes again.......I don't know who these (9 out of 10) people are, because everybody I have talked to has complaints about their new house. My neighbors had the same problem with their front door.......would wake up or come home to find the front door wide open. My house was build in 2000 and for what I paid for it I estimate it cost+oh/p approx 93 bucks per square foot..........being in State College Pa (moved here from Pittsburgh) ........not sure if that wass cheap or not........keep in mind the flooring is carpet and vinyl ....... vinyl siding......nothing special abou the kitchen cab or conter tops..... 2x4 framing.........non brand windows........ etc.........based on a house that just sold thats almost identical to mine they are now charging about 140 bucks per square foot + this house does not have a basement.
My ex-boss had them custom build a house for approx 400k. When they went to put the kitchen cabinets in they found the walls where approx 4" out of square in about 15' or so feet. After he moved in most of the drywall started cracking in the corners. Hell I drywalled my basement a year ago and yet to see a crack and this is only the second time I have drywalled in my life........did the garage to practice. I dont see how one can blame the consumer when they are mislead like this.
Dan
Dang Dan, you make me feel like I ain't got it so bad with my decrepit 100 yearold cottage on the lake after your scenario.
be a happy camper
Thankfully, the structure itself is fairly water-tight, so no rot after 30 years (except the deck, the second one of which is starting to show its age), and we don't live in termite country so I don't have to live with that problem. Aside from the siding (the softer hardboard stuff, replaced over 15 years ago) the materials the builder used were pretty good quality, the construction just sucked. The floor plan could be better but isn't majorly unpleasant. All in all, after investing maybe 20K in repairs and improvements, it isn't half bad.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Sounds like Bud Weiser built this house with Anheiser Busch quality contro.
>>>If I hadnt bought the house new I would expect problems<<<
Hate to say it, but that's really when you should expect problems from a developer built house.
Good Luck!
"It's always better to have regrets for things you've done than for things you wish you had done..........."
EXACTLY! You took the words right out of my mouth. Er...keyboard.Buying used gets you some real advantages with a home. Many of the big problems become evident in a few years, settling and so on. Then a savvy buyer with a house inspector can find them and negotiate from a position of strength.Homes in subdivisions with known problems can be avoided, or priced accordingly.Every decade in every region sees some schlock, some top flight work, and some in-between, but the ratios vary by the era. Right now there is a high percentage of schlock being made and sold.Bill
"The builder also adverties them self as a quality buildier"That should have been your clue. Quality companies don't have to actually advertise themselves as being quality. ;o)
if you find a inspector walking around with a level checking all the walls,doors,windows please send me his name,most of them i see are doing good to have a ladder to get on the roof.larryhand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.
No I don't expect the home inspector to, but if and when I buy another new house, i am gonna be walking around with a square and level. I just wished I spend more time checking this house out before I bought it. I also think its a good idea to talk to the people that live in the development as I stated in my original post.
You mean there are inspectors that will actually climb a ladder?
be will wonders never cease:o)when in doubt add garlic
I used to be proud to call myself a Contractor and a Home Inspector. What I have seen over the last 30 years (at least in my part of Michigan) though, is the quality of both crafts plummet.
Homebuyers themselves, who are notorious for whining and complaining, get little sympathy from me as they have caused much of the decline in quality. Too many buyers want mountains of square footage, coupled with all the bells and whistles, but as inexpensively as is humanly possible.
Most buyers hiring inspectors also look exclusively at price, thus end up with an "inspector" who is literally right off the street (Michigan is completely unregulated), and with little or no construction knowledge. You are correct - those guys seldom walk roofs.
Randy
I couldn't agree more Randy! Garett
(also from Michigan)
Yeah, look at it as an excuse to buy tools.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Hell yeah. And go get motel sex while you vacate the premises, and the wife gets outta cooking while the kitchen is being usurped..sheesh, some people.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"have the cold, comfortably numb"
For Darcy.
Hate to say it, but that all sounds "normal".
I dont believe it would get published (it does seem that at least your builder attempted to address your problems). You really dont have anything to back up your acquisitions (I know its probably spelled wrong).
Second, you really need to read that yourself before you send it off. Spell check wont catch incorrect phrasing (you used thought, in place of through).
Small claims court might get their attention, but 6 years? That's a slow burn and plenty of time to rewire all those outlets and fix the front door, you know? The thing about the walls not being plumb and the door being cut down makes you look as ill-prepared to buy a house as the contractor was to build it. Perhaps you should have followed your own advice and hired a HI.
If you have documentation, take them to court for the sump pump, the settled steps, the HVAC, but leave out the piddly stuff or it will all look piddly. Small claims isn't expensive and just the build-up to it (you will need to write the company a detailed letter asking for redress and send it by certified mail) might get you the response you need.
These BT guys are all about not sniveling so they popped you on that part of your rant, but you have legitimate concerns about the settling especially. There was a whole subdivision in Fresno that the builder had to redo the founds for for settling excessively. The Fresno Bee did an article on that, but no paper is going to print your letter, edited or not.
So...reporters or JP...or both. No whiners!
Edited 10/15/2006 10:34 pm ET by splintergroupie
Can I hire you to phrase the rest of my posts here?Well said! As always
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I'm curious what your state's "latent defect" laws are. I'm in California and we have a 10-year time frame for substantive problems. (I'm no lawyer, so the wording might be wrong).The good news is that the company is still in business and is around to fix things. The biggest problem many people face in your situation is that the builder has disappeared.
Thanky, darlin'!
So, you wanna handle the previous one for me? I don't really know what my state's latent defect laws are specificly. I always handle any thing wrong with my work without regards to time frame, so it isn't an issue for me to find out.I'll gladly pay you in compliments for the service, but I think I'll have to brush up on that sort of thing too.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
LOL! Don't look at me...i guaranteed even my lowly cutting boards for life.
We all live and learn, and your predicament is an all too common example of how sometimes we learn the hard way. Poor workmanship and inexperienced tradesmen caused 90% of your problems. I doubt even a good building inspector would have causght problems like the sump or the A/C.
I've heard from relatives that builders now put arbitration clauses in their contracts so withholding money at closing or even going to small claims court are no longer options for buyers.
Good luck with getting all this fixed.
Sorry to hear about your problems. Like others have said....that's normal stuff for large builders.
The problem is actually the customers that continue to buy their shoddy workmanship w/out an inspection. They buy these homes because it has large walk-in closets, vaulted ceilings, granite counter tops, and a spa tub.....and it's all NEW.
I recently spent 10 months selling a 50 year old home that is as solid as a rock, because all the buyers were flocking to the "new construction"....go figger.
and it's all NEW.
And "new" has to be "best, right?" they all seem to ask after the fact . . .
It's like there's some myth that all older houses have problems 'cause they're old; a new house would be built better, so's it won't have any of them problems or suchlike . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
I do agree with one thing. If you don't trust your builder or know his reputation, then don't close until it's complete to your satisfaction. Going to the newspaper is not the answer to your frustrations. It does appear that your builder did make an effort to fix the problems you called him about. Obviously some builders are better than others. Check around next time first. But understand that in new construction these days nothing is perfect. As with everything now, it's always a cheaper, thinner, more cost effective way to do everything. That's all the way from computers, to cars, to shingles and lumber. Having a level and a square out before closing is not the best way. The house is built by humans. Humans are not perfect and do make errors. If you looked at your car, kids, or anything long enough you could find problems. You need to sit back and look at the big picture. Is it nice when you come home? Your guests are not going to put a level on the wall. If the builder is grossly negligent with drainage or etc then call him and give him the opportunity to fix the situation. It has been six years since you moved in to the house. I don't know your soil situation, but if it's high in plasticity the porch may not entirely be the builder's fault. The builder is not perfect, and either is your house. So many people these days have the misconception that a new house is susposed to be perfect. It's not. It is susposed to be great, but not perfect.
Is it nice when you come home?
Guess it was pretty nice when he came home and the locked front door had blown open.
Nice, just not great.
<G>
"It's always better to have regrets for things you've done than for things you wish you had done..........."
Yeah. I can't seem to figure that one out. No deadbolt?
I did a small addition and kitchen remo for an old guy who then caled to accuse me of coming and letting myself into the house while he was gone, and leaving the door open. Practically called me a thief.He was old and confused so I politely asked him to demonstrate to me how he had closed and locked the door that morning.I don't believe that he remembered to even close it, but his technique for doing so was weak, to say the least.
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We need more details..................
..........and pictures.
Had to have been a heck of a gap in that door.
"It's always better to have regrets for things you've done than for things you wish you had done..........."
Chances are someone had screwed up the latch installation so even tho' the door clicked shut just the tip of the bolt was catching in the latch.
A little pressure from wind and the thing blows open.
Warped a neck on a guitar years back in a place I was staying. Guityar left out leaning against the wall near the door.
The door blew open in the winter. Woke up freezing 'whathe&^%$'. Just a little finetuning fixed the door but the guitar wasn't so lucky.when in doubt add garlic
Yeah, that's what I figured....the 'fix' could be pretty involved though or just minor.
Sorry to hear about your guitar.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." Ben Franklin.
Well i got a call from the builder.... I am gonna get a check, so i guess my tactics work, I am not one to lay down.......fight for what is right. You all wonder why lots of us weekend warriors perfer to do it our self........ i will work on it till its right and not have to worry about some body else coming in and screwing it up. I feel i can do it just as good or if not better that some of these so called pros
I agree with the majority of the posted replies, with the exception of being nit picky. I am willing to bet every one of you haven't had a builder build your own houses. You did it yourselves, or bought one built already. This guy is pissed, and rightly so. As a builder, it is your job to do it right the first time. You aren't going to live there, your customer is. Sloppy craftmanship is all too common, and just plain unacceptable. The Department of Consumer Protection here in Conn. allows a homeowner to lodge a complaint against a contractor. Perhaps you can start there. Oh, as far as phrasing and grammar is concerned, I'm not surprised that became an issue, as that was probably all you could see fit to comment on.
as that was probably all you could see fit to comment on.
I made a comment about the grammer, so I'll respond. Your comment offended me. If you read what I said, I was not being critical. I was sugggesting that he might get a better response from the paper, or anyone else, if the story was polished.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Wanna comment on the idea that the OP posted here asking for opinons and then got all offended once he read them?The issue is not whether this builder did him right ornot. It is answering the original Q about whether the letter he wrote can be effective.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
There is one big difference between a "builder" and a "developer".
A builder is hired by a home owner to build a home, one home, their home. His loyalties and attention are focused on that project, and that customer.
A developer builds hundreds of homes, then tries to sell them. Their loyalty is always to the bottom line.
The homes tend to differ in quality.
Sorry for your problems and I can understand your frustration. But a letter the local paper isnt going to get the results you want.
I would send this letter to the builder with copies to your cities BI and your states attorney BBB and local Carps Electric, Plumbing Unions. Plus other orgs. Depending on where you live they might have use the cheapest (illegal alien) labor and you might get their attention with all the CC's you put in your letter.
But to my knowledge as long as they are repairing the issues as covered in their warranty in a timely manner their isnt much you can do short of hiring a lawyer.
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I kinnda got a kick out of reading all these posts.
My house was built by a local builder. It has it's problems, and it's 20 years old.
Anyway, a few years ago one of my neighbors purchased a home a few blocks away in a subdivision. When she asked me to look at it, I did and told her to pass. When she asked why, I showed her a bunch of issues. But most of all, i explained that it was being built by the same guy who built our current homes. She said "No way he would never do anything as questionable as the work in the houses we own now".
She asked him if he had built her current home and he denied it.
SO I let it be. Now, four years later, she is miserable, Her house is falling down around her (almost literally) and she can't even sell it because of some of the issues.
So imagine my joy when I pulled my countertops off for a kitchen remodel and they said " @#%^* Builders Lot XX Block XX. And damn if her builder isn't @#%^* builders.
Don't think I didn't tell her " Told ya so"
six weeks ago, I posted a discussion on." How accuacy is perfect"I build my house, 100% of it. I walk around my house, I know where each screw up is, concrete not finish right, one wall out of plumb, this and that, everywhere.I reallt do not think you can build a perfect house. The question is, after three years how many of the little screw up have you fix and why not.Most people going say. Is not my job, or I did not make them, or that why I paid him.The angry going eat you up.Another story: two years ago I built my garage, the concrete driver added alot of water to the mix. it was after 5 pm so plant was closed, Last two year I been piss off at the driver." Its my garage"I cored it last saturday, I broke the cores today 3400 psi. it was only 3000 mix. I been angry for two years.Get over it.......
A. Probably won't get published
B. If it does, you had better be able to back it all up with facts. Be ready for the lawsuit.
C. Unfortunately, sounds like any tract build house these days.
Was at my Dad's house last weekend. He has three big jobs going on right now. Despite efforts to hire quality subs, he shared this with me.
He doesn't hire tradesmen anymore. No matter how hard he tries all he ends up with is a Translator. The one guy who speaks english takes a big cut for that skill and then gets all his cousins fresh from south of the border to do the work.
Hell, One of his big framing contractors can't even frame a hip roof. Never learned and neither did any of his help. What he can do is speak english and spanish.
Sorry about the house but I bet on the following things:
1. I bet you were as proud as a peacock when you bought that new spiffy house in the newest and greatest development(aka: trailer park without wheels), the WOW and look at me factor riding high.
2. You missed all these glaring defects before you bought? Did you actually look at the house or just buy via a model/demo?
3. The door from garage would have never gotten by the local fire dept. inspector, no way, no how.
4. How can you know the ceiling in the unfinished area is not level if it's unfinished
5. The sump pump discharge, you never noticed the shortfall in all your home inspections of your house? Do you think the development where you live may have changed the water table in your area and thus the flooding? Be happy the pump was installed and you didn't find out that you needed one when basement filled. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.
6. Backstabbed electrical....you get what you pay for. Alot of electricians do it that way.
7. HVAC, did you contact the makers of said unit for warranty information?
8. Front steps....would love to know where aforementioned sump pump discharge was.
9. The ceiling height between garage and house are two different heights, and......what...wait...huh.
I'm sorry dude but this what you'll be up against. Small claims will laugh at you. You might try Judge Mathis on TV.
My house is 110 years old and I'm still finding things screwed up. Should I sue the builders great-great grand children?