Some of These Builders Are Crooks

[Mark K]

I was by a Horton project and noticed that several pieces of siding on one house was seriously buckled. These were built only last year.

There used to be a lot of that when the builders used 'chrome' insulation board under the vinyl. All the heat reflected back to the siding. Vnyl on the sunny sides of the houses was very wavy. Also happens if they don't leave a small expansion gap in the proper place or if they nail it down too tight.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

You are in California and should know, that most sales agents are scared to death of not disclosing significant defects - the type agents often get sued for not disclosing, such as windows that leak during heavy rains. However, some defects are just aesthetic and minor. They also run into problems from potential buyers if the the MLS photos do not show realistic colors are are touched up. So most competent Real Estate Photographers are in the habit of taking all photographs under pure white flash light.

-- There is very real danger here. I like to think of the owner-builder who never got through final inspection because he had put 14-gauge wire in the kitchen, where 12-guage is required. That is a safety violation --- a fire hazard. - You could probably discover this just by pulling some receptacle cover to look at the wiring.

To me, it makes more sense to have a property inspector instead of an appraiser do the final on new construction. Structural issues in particular,

Truss supports cut too short, etc. I'd rather have my trusses built in a factory and set rather than having the carpenter make them. Like no nails or plates holding it together.

 

[OSU Beavers]

 

[RCA]

To me, it makes more sense to have a property inspector instead of an appraiser do the final on new construction. Structural issues in particular,

Truss supports cut too short, etc. I'd rather have my trusses built in a factory and set rather than having the carpenter make them. Like no nails or plates holding it together.
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It's becoming increasingly challenging to find skilled carpenters. This trend is likely to continue. The best ones often end up in the more affluent neighborhoods, where they can build houses, put their name on them, and then sell them as custom-built. Around here, you would unlikely find the above type of work. Construction must go through building department inspections, which is not easy. If a licensed contractor screws up, the damn building inspector might not catch the error until the very end, and then the contractor has to go through and correct everything, even if it means ripping out walls and the like.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]