Braselton builders--Chateau Elan (Atlanta, Peachtree City, Fayetteville: real estate, home owners insurance, builders)

[nadinenv]

Would you suggest buying a resale house or having one built by an approved builder in the Chateau Elan area of Braselton?

Any comments on builders there...both pro and con.

We now live in a Sun City, (pre-Pulte merger) and would like to keep the number of kids in the chosen neighborhood to a minimum. However, after reading some horror stories of the DelWebb/Pulte homes that are currently being built, we are probably not interested in another Del Webb community.

Thank you for your help.

[movingwest]

Well having a home built in GA is a problem...the builders are NOT licenced!!!!

I have several friends that have a. used a "refered" builder, b. did their own sub-contracting and c. had a friend who was a builder do their home.

All of the homes have major problems!!!

Keep in mind, you need to find a builder who has been around for a LONG time. Watch them like a hawk. And hope they'll be around in 2-5years when you start having problems.

Home owners insurance is a joke....much of the inspection is done on the "good ole boy" net work.

Because I'm a title examiner and work for a very large real estate law firm I see suits EVERY day about problems with hi dollar homes.

My home came in on wheels, it's now 6 years old and I haven't had a lick of probs with it. My friends are tearing their hair out trying to contact builders no longer in business, or pointing fingers at sub-contracters ect.

Be very careful about buying a home here.
Builders will "go out of business" and then start up under another name and there is nothing you can do.

I hate to sound so negative, but I come from a state where developers and builders, sub-contractors must be licensed...huge difference in the quality of homes.

[MrTudo]

We have been stunned at the lack of honesty and professionalism from contractors in Peachtree City and Fayetteville area and all we were looking to do was minor renovations ( tile, paint, enlarge a deck, lighting).

Stunned is an appropriate word.; I could not even imagine contracting to build a house there.

[musicgirl]

http://www.atlantahomebuilders.com/

Check out the Atlanta homebuilders association for testimonials and good ratings, etc. Also the Better Business Bureau on any contractor or subcontractor before choosing. About all you can do is check out complaints on different companies, etc., and pray! We are wanting to build a geodesic dome, which is going to require us doing 1/2 of the work and the rest being subcontracted. I am also worried after reading the previous posts.

[Nareke]

I have b een researching sun city developments and am sold on the activities, pools etc. I am also hearing about building problems and not just in GA. anyone know about this?

[kc_tinman]

There are some jacked up homes being built in North GA. Siding blowing off in wind, back yards with concrete blocks, debris, huge rocks with grass seed thrown on top of it. There are good builders but you have to take the time to find them.

[gcoleman]

I am a builder in the Chateau Elan area, and it really gets me steamed that a few fly-by-night builders skew the perception of the reputation of builders in general. Builder licensing is coming to Georgia, and it will help tremendously, but in the interim, the best source for oversight is the Home Builders Association "Certified Professional Home Builder" program. They do extensive background checking, require the builder to be code certified, (what a concept), require continuing education, and monitor complaints from homeowners.

[Georgia]

You have to be licensed as a builder now in Georgia, also if the ACLU and the rest of their ilk fails to stop Prop 529, things will only get better.

Chateau is a nice place but very, very pricey. If you are in Sun City, there is now a Sun City, Braselton. Right across from Chateau. Opened a few months ago.

I live close to the Chateau area and have grown to like it. I don't like the amount of builders though licensed or not getting building permits handed to them like bubble gum to a child. Development here is "out of control" and if something does not give soon from Braselton to downtown Atlanta will be a 24 hour parking lot, instead of the current 12 hour parking lot.

[ireland917]

Whatever you do stay away from McCar Homes aka MDC Homes. I lbought a spec home in Canton (Forest Creek-builder's training ground). Since day one nothing but problems. Roof leaked, tried to say it was from the storm I had to contact my homeowners, funny thing I didn't settle until March (after the storm). Second floor bedroom floor joist popped thru sub-flooring only took 3 visits (2 never showed up) still not fixed properly. Then we fiind out that our model house has a flaw in the plans. Do think they did anything about - NO! 2nd floor bathroom, oops they forgot to put the seal in, damaged my family room ceiling, took several weeks to get out here. I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift.

All I want to do is save some other family from the nightmare.

[kc_tinman]

Also if you are already involved with a questionable builder. You still have power right up until you close (sign the mountain of paperwork). Once you sign you have lost a lot of leverage. Get someone to go with you . maybe a friend who does some kind of construction work. These guys know what looks right & what does not.