KB Homes (Atlanta, Woodstock: new home, neighborhoods, buying)

[stephand1]

Originally Posted by bc4672

Does anyone out there have any positive stories with KB Homes? We are building a new KB home in the subdivision in Woodstock.

I purchased a KB Home in 2006. I have yet to be able to live in my home without having to have someone in or outside my home to make repairs.

My entire main floor hardwoods have had to be taken up and reinstalled. All of the Puron leaked out of my airconditions due to nails. Holes have been cut out in my master bedroom and dining room walls due to this and had to be repaired. My shower had to be taken out due to improper installation and re- installed which caused a hole to be cut into my family room ceiling that had to be repaired. We have cracked concrete in the garage and driveway and discolored cement on front and back porches that had to be refaced, appliance problems, painted surfaces that seems never to dry. Everything that is placed on them stick. We have ridges in our smooth ceilings. Poor paint job on the exterior. Plus, problems with doors and windows. Also, we have to deal with customer services reps that try to tell you that certain things are standard and if they correct it, it is done as courtsey to you. Need I say more. BE WARE!!

[Vampgrrl]

I used to live at River Park/Rivers Edge in Woodstock. House was ok I guess. not great. Customer service was actually pretty good, they repaired everything (new home stuff) really quickly.
That said, it was a cheap house, but my only real problem was the HOA property management KB gets to run the subdivisions...they don't have good customer service, they treat you like dirt and all they know how to do is threaten you. (They aren't KB, but KB pays them to manage things while the neighborhood is still under construction).

I had to pay $6k to get out of my property (and I put $5k down in 04), the market is bad esp. for barely used but not new property. So if you buy it, stay in it for a while.

[harobinette]

I too am having these problems, I think we have nails in our lines. I have been without air for several days and it is 90degrees in my house. I need help getting KB to pay attention....this is serious defect when they built my house, how ignorant can you be that when you put up siding on the houses you also put nails in the air conditioner lines? So frustrated this is going to cost us lots of money, I need help finding others like us.

[stephand1]

I would suggest you contact KB and ask for the vice president's or even president's office. Explain to them that this problem was hidden from you because it was in the walls of your home and there would be no way of you knowing this or to see it. It was a slow leak and you were not aware of it until all of the puron ran out. Insist upon them repairing it. Tell them that you will go to the media about it. Be persistent!!

The person of contact in that office is Glenda Waddy. Her e-mail address is, gwaddy@kbhome.com.

[banker]

The thing to remember with all builders is that they (trac builders for the most part) all have expensive and cheap lines. Those of you complaining about nails through the siding...well that is a risk of getting siding no matter what the builder. I personally woundn't buy a house with siding. I am currently looking at a KB development in San Antonio TX that has standard 100% four sides Brick and/or Stone. In Texas - KB neighborhoods on the entry level end tend to have cheap touches and less attention to detail. The more expensive neighborhoods offer much more architectural detailing and a higher attention to detail. In Texas if you have a neighborhood that starts over $200K as the base price (no matter what builder) then you will most likely be ok in terms of quality. Recently Centex, Pulte and KB were rated as the top three builders in Texas in terms of Quality and customer satisfaction. Based upon what we have seen here in San Antonio I believe it.

Sure they have cheaper neighborhoods...but they have nicer ones as well. Just follow up with your work, get an inspector and realize that you get what you pay for.

[stephand1]

Approximately four months ago there was a documentary focusing on problems homeowners were experiesing with builders. The builder of focus was KB Home and the sommunity was located in Texas. KB had built homes on land previously used for testing hand-grenades for the military. The investigation started when a homeowner found a hand-grenade in their yard. Several others were found as well as many more throughout the entire community. KB was taken to court and the homeowners were paid some restitution but left with homes that they can never sell.The homes were four sided brick and the community looked "upscaled." Homes with Hardiplank exterior is considered by the insurance companies as brick homes because it is made of cement just as is the square bricks.

The original price of my home was $266.400.00 , I do not consider it a cheap home. Research in the community have found that most people do not know what to look for when inspecting their new homes. The South Hampton Subdivision is being built by KB Home and signatured by Martha Stewart is having the same problems. Most of the homes ther are in the $300.000 to $400.000 + price range. As is my home they are built with hardiplank and stone exterior. I leve very near homes that are $500.000 na homeowners are having problems with ceilings, hardwood floors, condensation on doubled windows, cracked cement on driveways and porches. And yes, punctured airconditioning tubeing that leak puron into your walls, leaking water pipes and ridges ridges in ceilingsand walls. In one such case water was leaking between the brick wall and the house. Needless to say the brick had to be taken off and the walls and leaks had to be repaired (which was major). The brick may look very pretty as do the stone and hardiplank on the outside, but what's really going on in the inside of your home??

[banker]

Originally Posted by stephand1

Approximately four months ago there was a documentary focusing on problems homeowners were experiesing with builders. The builder of focus was KB Home and the sommunity was located in Texas. KB had built homes on land previously used for testing hand-grenades for the military. The investigation started when a homeowner found a hand-grenade in their yard. Several others were found as well as many more throughout the entire community. KB was taken to court and the homeowners were paid some restitution but left with homes that they can never sell.The homes were four sided brick and the community looked "upscaled." Homes with Hardiplank exterior is considered by the insurance companies as brick homes because it is made of cement just as is the square bricks.

The original price of my home was $266.400.00 , I do not consider it a cheap home. Research in the community have found that most people do not know what to look for when inspecting their new homes. The South Hampton Subdivision is being built by KB Home and signatured by Martha Stewart is having the same problems. Most of the homes ther are in the $300.000 to $400.000 + price range. As is my home they are built with hardiplank and stone exterior. I leve very near homes that are $500.000 na homeowners are having problems with ceilings, hardwood floors, condensation on doubled windows, cracked cement on driveways and porches. And yes, punctured airconditioning tubeing that leak puron into your walls, leaking water pipes and ridges ridges in ceilingsand walls. In one such case water was leaking between the brick wall and the house. Needless to say the brick had to be taken off and the walls and leaks had to be repaired (which was major). The brick may look very pretty as do the stone and hardiplank on the outside, but what's really going on in the inside of your home??

I heard about the KB neighborhood that had old grenades...but don't know much about it. Clearly - the proper site work was not done.

But - it seems like with all the major builders you can find people that hate their work. Pulte, KB and Ryland especially have a loyal hate filled following. How much of this is the Vocal Minority theory? I have really tried to go into this selection of a builder with an open mind. I'll be the first to say I naturally would not have gone for a KB home - but seeing things first hand...I can honestly say that in the segment I am shopping that their quality is equal to or better than Pulte, Ryland, Plantation and Centex Homes.

[Jarvisteam]

It's important to look at the homes being built and not focus so much on the models. They make sure the model looks the best (in most cases). If you're seeing problems in the model, then you should run. That tells you of things to come for you.

In general, the trac builders mentioned here offer a product at a reasonable price. It is, what it is... a "cheap" home. If you want custom cabinets and detailed trim work, you'll want a custom built home or you'll have to spend more.

[bc4672]

I finally made it through the build and am in my new home. I had to stay on them constantly. Luckily I only lived a few miles away so I stopped by almost every other day. We also kept a document trail of all our issues. You have to find the builders contact information because the sales staff are clueless. Most of the problem before closing were cosmetic. The builders were accomidating and fixed everything that I asked for. I guess we'll see how their customer service is.

[banker]

Originally Posted by bc4672

I finally made it through the build and am in my new home. I had to stay on them constantly. Luckily I only lived a few miles away so I stopped by almost every other day. We also kept a document trail of all our issues. You have to find the builders contact information because the sales staff are clueless. Most of the problem before closing were cosmetic. The builders were accomidating and fixed everything that I asked for. I guess we'll see how their customer service is.

Are you in a KB Home?