Gallery Custom Homes / First Texas Homes (Houston, Garland: transfer, buying, home inspection)

[hamiltonpl]

Originally Posted by hungb

Maybe I am missing out something here guys. I bought a FTH 3800 sq. ft 2 years ago, and so far, knock on wood, it has been well. The one year walk was very nice. They fixed up all the cracks and drawings that my children made on the walls without charges. Also after they left we found more cracks that actually our fault in putting the kids beds scraching the wall, they fixed them (when not supposed to come back after the agreement been signed.) I thought that was much better from my previous Trend Maker homes. Trend maker home had much more cracks and defects after one year, and craftmanship was not impressive to both me and my wife. We paid much more for the Trend maker home but did not like it at all. We also put in a water softener system, which require some sheetrock fixing and FTH fixed them and painted over them without question asked.

There are some lightning issues with FTH though, I do agree in this. All their lights are 60 Watts bulbs. I upgraded all the lights in the house to CFL lights and other lights upgrades but overall not too bad so far.

Anybody want to trace this one back to FTH?

[hungb]

To hamiltonpl:

Man I don't work for FTH. I just stumple on this site because I was about to refer my friend to buy a house in the Park Lake Gated neighborhood. I was shocked to see how bad everybody give FTH bad reviews. I am in the medical field. If you want to talk to me call me 832-250-2701. Don't hate.

[RJJDFCH]

Originally Posted by JamieFL

Hi!

I understand that these two company's are the same or affiliated (they also have some of the same floor plans avail) have you had any dealings with either? Have any of you bought one of these homes? How do you feel about the quality? Any information you have about either of these, or one vs. the other, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks,

Jamie

Jamie,

check ripoffreport.com and you will find that you will NOT what to buy a home from First Texas Homes

RJJDFCH

[RJJDFCH]

Who cares about minor settling cracks as that is normal and should be expected with new construction. And surely your not concerned about a 60 watt bulb are you? What one should be more concerned about is the construction of the home, type of quality materials they use or the lack thereof, not a stress crack or the wattage of a bulb.

[genem]

I bought an inventory home in Celina a year ago. We had a few issues that were addressed. There were two foremen who we dealt with the first is no longer with the company, he was pretty much guilty of a lot of things mentioned here when the other assumed our issues, we were taken care of in a timely and appropriate manner. The problems being chipped granite on a sink, cracks, sticky doors, faulty thermostat, etc. We have not experienced any major stuff as of yet. They were not any worse than the other builders I have dealt with (this is my third home in my lifetime), as a matter of fact they seem easier to get along with. I have not noticed any evidence at this point of particularly substandard materials. The driveway does have a crack, but that is part of living in Texas I am afraid.

[Cat1]

I'm currently having a Gallery Custom Homes Renaissance floor plan built.
I'm taken aback by most of these issues, they are significant, but to what point?
Low wattage bulbs, concrete and interior cracking?
Welcome to Texas, nearly the entire State used to be an ocean, the ground is sandstone above the "topsoil", not the best foundation to build upon but it is what it is, things are going to crack it's a given.
Low wattage bulbs, I don't necessarily think of that as an issue, but I would squawk if they charge me another $125.00 for up wattage bulbs.
Leaking roof, windows, ETC this IS a big issue and that does need fixing, no doubt.

I'm building in the Sendara Ranch community, so far most things have gone OK. Either myself or my wife visit the site weekly and we take a lot and detailed pictures of the progress. So far so good, and that is the stance I have right now.
But, and I am a weary one, that could change in an instant.
One thing I don't like about the framing so far is that it is what I call "glued lumber", you know the lengths of 2 X 4 that are not solid 2 X 4 but are several pieces of 2 X 4 that are jointed and glued together has been used in every single piece.
Structurally, it's the same as a solid piece, I just don't like the look of it. I used to build cabinets for a living and all the serious structural pieces were marked to not use "glued lumber".
I haven't really been subjected to anything other than red-line at this point, and my intents were made known, and incorporated into the design.
I may have a small advantage though, I as an Electrical Engineer, and a trained drafter, understand how the plans are done and how to red-line a set of prints so that the drafter drawing it understands it, the better they understand it the better the builder will be able to make it.
Don't get me wrong though, there will be mistakes, we are all human.
But if the actual individual building it comes to me with the architect didn't understand what it takes to build this, and this is how it really gets done in the field so we had to cut 30 square feet out of this room to do it... Yes, I'm going to get miffed, the individual is going to show me what he did and then be escorted off the site with tools in hand and told not to return EVER.
Chipped granite happens, doors not aligning with prefab strike plates happens, stuff happens.
I am now going to hire a certified inspector though.

Folks, if you could, present a specific list of what you found wrong and in what stage of build for those of us that didn't know this site existed please.
I will keep in mind that each crew is different, some are craftsmen, some are collecting a paycheck.
By the way, the builders agent I am dealing with is Deb Mitchell.
She has been nothing but up front with us, and to the point. I think she only works at the Sendera Ranch location, but with her so far so good.
I hope the rest of you folks get the issues sorted out, and that I don't become a repeat poster here or at ripoffreport.

[baubkatt]

Originally Posted by Cat1

By the way, the builders agent I am dealing with is Deb Mitchell.
She has been nothing but up front with us, and to the point. I think she only works at the Sendera Ranch location, but with her so far so good.

I 2nd that. Deb was GREAT in helping us with building our home in Sendera Ranch. When there were 'minor' issues, she worked them out for us. She was a HUGE part of why we liked Sendera so much. Kudos to Deb.

-D&D

[sheilacook]

Yes, I too went to look at several builders before deciding upon one. I read all the rip off reports too. But after looking at the bbb, they have an "A" rating. The number of complaints in the last 36 months was 1% of their customer base. Several of the other builders had fewer number of complaints, but when you look at total number of houses built, their % of complaints was much higher. I would do some homework before purchasing with any builder & just go door knocking in the community. People will give you the truth. Best of luck to you.

[sjhills]

Iam in the process of buy a inventory home in your community of Westhiemer Lakes/West Houston....after reading you blog i am very concern ...... would you please give me a call at 832-483-7676....i would like to speak with you and any other home owner in this subdivision....thanks inadvance

Originally Posted by 25547_Canyon_Crossing

Hi Guys,

Whoever is building with First Texas / Gallery Custom Homes should absolutely run away from them. I just finished building them at Westheimer lakes in west Houston and it was one of the worst experience I have had in my life.

They did NOT follow house Blue Print. they lied to us even when they gave us in writing and accepted no responsibility. They did not follow any standards. I have all this in writing and documented in pictues, exmils and faxes. Jose, the builder, is absolute worst I have met in my life. He walked away angrily from pre-sheet rock meeting when we confronted him with ICC code and there was a violation. They made us pay for their mistakes, about $10000. They moved our closing day thrice because "buyer found too many mistakes in finished house". I'm not ranting and have documented/pictured proof of everything they said they would do failed to do it.

They have no contact number. When I managed to get one, I was told, All complaints will have to be directed to sales person even when her replies are ridiculous. She said "our architects did not knew what they were doing" among many other things. She said she has no power to influence anything but you only have her for any talk. Its classsic car-salesman technique.

[nsumner]

Originally Posted by sjhills

Iam in the process of buy a inventory home in your community of Westhiemer Lakes/West Houston....after reading you blog i am very concern ...... would you please give me a call at 832-483-7676....i would like to speak with you and any other home owner in this subdivision....thanks inadvance

You do realize that the posting is 2 years old! and the OP hasn't logged in since then.

I suggest that you drive the neighborhood and knock on doors and speak with the current homeoners.

Naima