Saltar a contenido principal
Fotos
Fotos
Consejos
Lo último en Houzz
Conversaciones
Estudios de Houzz
Inicia sesión
Houzz Logo Print
Ver conversaciones
Building a Home
webuser_780057684

Lost of issues post pre-dry wall meeting for a new home

Usuario de Houzz-780057684
hace 5 años

Hello all,

My wife and I are currently in the process of buying a new home from Toll Bros. We just finished our pre-dry wall walk through the house and found a couple of issues which got us really concerned.

Here are a few examples:

a. A load bearing post in the house has a 2 inch crack spanning more than half its length and also seems to be expanding. They claim it to be safe but are unwilling to provide any written guarantee regarding it.


b. Original plans showed a portion of the W.I.C being used for ducking. In the meeting, they told us they had to double the space. The reason was not quite clear. This is also not covered in the architectural plans I got from the county.


c. We have asking the builders for clarity on the backyard landscape. The backyard plans are not covered in any document or exhibit. We were told we will given a rough plan for the backyard in our pre-dry wall meeting. But we came back with the same basic questions we had. Questions like: At what level are you planning to level the land? What about the slope at the end? What about the slope at the window wells?


As of now, my wife and I feel the builders are being vague purposefully since it seems like its in their interest to prolong these questions in terms of the contract. Have any of you faced these problems? How do you recommend handling these issues from the builders? Can we speak to any authority regarding this?


Thanks!!

Respuesta destacada
  • User
    hace 5 años
    Thanks for the feedback CP. Just like you are entitled to your view I am mine. I’m allowed to empathize with posters as much as I like. I can apologize if I see fit. Don’t need your permission for any of it. I do find some of the ways people comment atrocious, not necessarily on this thread, and I do think that I can let people know that not all those reading feel that way. If someone wants to be blunt or even rude go for it but I don’t need to be and I don’t want people to think that is the only way it has to be either. I do empathize with this poster who is clearly spending hard earned money on a project they now have significant worries about. I’m allowed to do that.

    Comentarios (27)

    • User
      hace 5 años
      Última modificación: hace 5 años

      Toll Bros has been in the homebuilding business for many years. Their executives make millions. They pay a team of attorneys to bulletproof their contracts. They are on a first name basis with county planners and inspectors. Finding a higher authority will be difficult and costly.

      Fwiw I kind of like some of their communities.

      A. Photo?

      B. Ask for a small upgrade somewhere else as compensation and see what happens.

      C. My guess on the landscaping is they will do whatever makes sense for all the adjoining homes. They want it to look nice to sell new homes. But not cost too much. Yes, it is vague.

    • chispa
      hace 5 años

      I bet you could have got all that in writing if you had used it as a negotiation tool before you signed a contract. Did you have an attorney review the contract to protect your interests? I'll guess not, but I am sure you will next time you build a house!

      For the load bearing post you could hire your own engineer to take a look, but your contract most likely does not allow it.

    • jln333
      hace 5 años

      Curious - did you have a realtor help with this transaction?

      Building a new home from a tract builder is fraught with uncertainties along the way. I will say that it is pretty common to have to modify things for HVAC ductwork - it is usually not planned out perfectly before framing.

      It is also pretty common to not have a good landscape grading plan.

      Just think - if you bought a finished house, would you know about any crack in a load bearing post? They are cheap enough to stabilize and presumably they would do it if they were concerned. You will have a warranty that will cover problems that would be fantastically more expensive. They aren't incompetent most likely.

    • dan1888
      hace 5 años

      Post a picture of the post. Your description doesn't appear to be easily understandable. 2" crack is large when it spans half the length of a post which would be floor to ceiling. Get a measurement of the duct. Read off the plans what the measurement was spec'ed. Where does this occur in the closet? Include a picture. How will this affect the usability? Once you know this you can find out what the larger size change is being made for.

    • Usuario de Houzz-780057684
      Autor original
      hace 5 años

      Thank you all for the responses.

      a. Being first time home buyers, we didn't anticipate these kind of issues. Otherwise, we would have definitely negotiated the contract. Lesson learned.

      b. Here are pictures of the post from top to bottom with multiple cracks. We measured that the cracks are 2 inch deep and continuously span from top to bottom.

      We also found various studs which seemed to be sub quality. 3 our of 10 ended up this.

      As for the post, we visited other constructions for the same plan and did not find these issues. We showed the same pictures to a structural engineer and he said there is cause for concern.

      c. I have asked our project manager clarity about the extra duct space being used in the W.I.C and awaiting their reply.

    • millworkman
      hace 5 años

      If that is a solid 4x4 post it was going to crack either now or later (after drywall), just the nature of the beast with solid lumber.

    • User
      hace 5 años
      Última modificación: hace 5 años

      The photos don't appear to show a structural deficiency but alignment (i.e. flushness) of framing for gypsum wall board should be verified. Higher quality construction would have used an engineered PSL (parallel strand lumber) post and a higher grade of stud like #2 KD. I would be more concerned about moisture content..

      Grading of studs determines the allowable frequency, placement and size of knots and overall allowable wane (missing edges). The grade should be stamped on the studs.

      The IRC allows the following 3 grades: "#3"; "Standard" and "Stud" Grade. Grades below that (Utility and Economy) should not be used for wall studs.

      Photograph the grade stamp and show us the contract specifications or framing.



    • millworkman
      hace 5 años

      "My wife and I are currently in the process of buying a new home from Toll Bros."


      nuff said.....................

    • User
      hace 5 años
      You won’t find a lot of love for tract builders here. For some reason people can’t fathom why one would choose one. However I hear you asking for help and saying you have worries about the build. That must be frustrating and now you likely get to hear trash talk about your choice to have a tract builder too. Sorry the forum does that. I don’t know enough about construction to comment on that but do want to say I feel for you and empathize with your frustrations. Building is so hard! I hope you find a way to get answers to your questions and move forward with confidence.
    • chisue
      hace 5 años

      Check the lumber they are using for beams, too. I see a window in your photo. Have they flashed the windows correctly?

    • cpartist
      hace 5 años

      You won’t find a lot of love for tract builders here. For some reason people can’t fathom why one would choose one.

      Maybe that's because so many of the big ones and especially ones like Schumacher and Toll Brothers will find anyway possible to take short cuts. Maybe because we who have been here a heck of a lot longer than you Alison continually see how those builders take the shortcuts and how OPS continually come on asking for help.

      However I hear you asking for help and saying you have worries about the build. That must be frustrating and now you likely get to hear trash talk about your choice to have a tract builder too. Sorry the forum does that.

      When did it become YOUR job to apologize for the rest of us on the forums?

      Maybe indirectly you're just as guilty of creating issues because you continue to fan the idea over and over about how nasty and mean we are. You seem to have this NEED to do it in any thread where a person gets direct info.

      Is everyone as kind as you make yourself out to be? Nope. Some of us couch our words and some of us are blunt, but trust me, it's not your job to be the nice police. This is not your house. It's an internet forum.

      To The OP:

      Are you allowed to bring in an independent inspector to check over all the work? If so, I'd highly recommend doing so. I did that with my build and it did help somewhat.

      As for your HVAC issue, mine was a custom build, yet they still wound up stealing (yes stealing) 14" from two different closets for HVAC that they hadn't accounted for. Sigh.

    • User
      hace 5 años
      Última modificación: hace 5 años

      Right. People are in a contract. Their house is being built. We see this all the time. They ask a question and instead of answers they get questions about the floorplan or they should change the window sizes. Or Toll Brothers, who has been building homes for decades, is like some fly by night roofing contractor following the hurricanes. Hire a lawyer, wave goodbye to the deposit, and start over with a real architect!!!

      Too late!

    • cpartist
      hace 5 años
      Última modificación: hace 5 años

      They ask a question and instead of answers they get questions about the floorplan or they should change the window sizes. Or Toll Brothers, who has been building homes for decades, is like some fly by night roofing contractor following the hurricanes. Hire a lawyer, wave goodbye to the deposit, and start over with a real architect!!!

      Too late!

      Except no one in this thread said anything of the sort.

      Thanks for the feedback CP. Just like you are entitled to your view I am mine. I’m allowed to empathize with posters as much as I like.

      Empathize yes. Put down others because they offer their take on what's happening, no.

      I can apologize if I see fit.

      Why do you need to apologize for the rest of us? If you do something, yes apologize, but it seems a bit disingenuous for you to apologize for others.

      Don’t need your permission for any of it. I do find some of the ways people comment atrocious, not necessarily on this thread, and I do think that I can let people know that not all those reading feel that way.

      Again if no one on this thread was out of line, why did you feel the need to suddenly apologize for people not being rude? Why the need to bring up that someone may or may not in the future on this thread be rude? No one was out of line except you.

      If someone wants to be blunt or even rude go for it but I don’t need to be and I don’t want people to think that is the only way it has to be either.

      Yes but you did it even though you yourself said no one was blunt or rude. Are you the one looking to just stir trouble where there is none?

      I do empathize with this poster who is clearly spending hard earned money on a project they now have significant worries about. I’m allowed to do that.

      We all empathize with the poster which is why I offered if allowed he/she should get an inspector in to triple check. Notice I didn't put down others for their comments, even though none of the comments were "bad"

      You are fairly new here, yet you've decided right from the beginning that we all need a hall monitor and you're going to be it.

    • User
      hace 5 años
      CP you seem pretty riled up about this. Perhaps I hit a nerve.
    • strategery
      hace 5 años

      That 4x4 is crap, as is the 2x4 with the pex line, especially when it comes to attaching drywall. Ask for replacement. And while you're at it, since it is all open now, talk to your builder about an engineered unit for the 4x4.

    • User
      hace 5 años
      Última modificación: hace 5 años

      It’s the passive aggressive asides of bitchery that really should be apologized for. Come right out and be a witch if that’s what you want to be rather than the long suffering self congratulatory superior person who cannot be soiled by the forumites engaged in explaining why the Emperor is naked. And a spade is an implement that digs in the dirt, for sure.

    • everdebz
      hace 5 años
      Última modificación: hace 5 años

      And S>W> I've seen your supposedly funny posting of lighter fluid for an OP's ugly fireplace - that's outright alright.,,, etc. who made you the demolition queen?

    • everdebz
      hace 5 años

      It's sorry OP, and I hope you get the help you need.

    • everdebz
      hace 5 años

      Some houzzers end up responding to pros though someone else made the jab --- it was something about Toll being not much...

    • User
      hace 5 años
      Interesting to see who agrees with who. It’s no surprise really. And honestly that’s totally fine. But I don’t think that one voice should be the only voice. I’m sorry if that irritates those that feel they’ve had freedom to comment without opposition but get over it. Some of you ruffle my feathers and clearly I ruffle yours. Who cares? Both of us can and will be here.
    • cpartist
      hace 5 años
      Última modificación: hace 5 años

      I will repeat Alison, you're free to respond. And no one said there should be a single voice.

      As I said, YOU commented on how the OP shouldn't take people's "rude and blunt" comments to heart even though no one, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, said anything rude or blunt in this thread.

      Why do you need to be Pollyanna and head off something that hadn't happened. Frankly it speaks more to you than to the people you're trying to warn the OP about.

    • User
      hace 5 años
      So you keep saying...
    • PRO
      Solar Texas
      hace 5 años
      If that was my house and I was building it, I wouldn’t use that 4x4 for load bearing. That said, you’re likely dealing with the building manager who has a responsibility for ensuring the home gets “turned over” on time and within budget. Delays and rework reflect on his/her performance. These companies use lots of sub-contractors and you seem to be getting a non-committal “maybe” until it all gets buttoned up at which stage, the new homeowner just wants to get in the home. It costs money to get the subs back.
      Go over your building representative’s head to the next stage of management. You may not get satisfaction, but at some point, at least you have worked the chain of command and supervisors are aware of the issue. That’s the best I can recommend.
    • PRO
      Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
      hace 5 años
      Buy or don't buy, that is your choice.

      For the money, tract builders offer more footage, reasonable quality.
    • cfillyaw
      hace 5 años

      I think right now the problem is that for most builders the sub-contractors are so busy that they are trying to get the job done as quick as possible. I am currently building a "custom"(I guess) home and while the builder is receptive of my feedback to correct issues, many of them should not have been made in the first place. I think most of the issues I have found are due to trying to get the job done fast.

    • PRO
      Chalk Hill LLC
      hace 5 años

      While your post is not pretty, I doubt it is structurally compromised since the loads it sustains are all vertical and the shrinkage cracks are parallel to the stresses. There might be more cause for concern if it were a beam. It appears to be a 6x6 post, with an additional 2x6 attached, and in all likelihood is well over and above any actual load imposed. Likewise with the the stud that appears to be already attached to an engineered member.

      Overall, I wouldn't let this color my opinion of the home, and I would not make it the basis of hiring outside opinion.

    Patrocinado

    Volver a cargar la página para no volver a ver este anuncio en concreto

    España
    Personalizar mi experiencia con el uso de cookies

    Houzz utiliza cookies y tecnologías similares para personalizar mi experiencia, ofrecerme contenido relevante y mejorar los productos y servicios de Houzz. Al hacer clic en 'Aceptar' confirmo que estoy de acuerdo con lo antes expuesto, como se describe con más detalle en la Política de cookies de Houzz. Puedo rechazar las cookies no esenciales haciendo clic en 'Gestionar preferencias'.