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Old 02-23-2014, 05:05 PM
 
Location: NM-CR
325 posts, read 577,188 times
Reputation: 220

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Quote:
Originally Posted by apollo77 View Post
As I mentioned in a separate thread, I am considering a move to either the Nocatee or Palencia area. I'm greatly appreciating the opinions in the other thread about these two areas, so now I solicit more advice.

I've seen that some of the more prominent builders in these areas are:
Dostie Homes
Toll Brothers
Lennar Homes
Cornerstone Homes
Arthur Rutenberg
ICI Homes
David Weekley

Does anyone have opinions, advice, warnings, or recommendations about any of these builders?
Much thanks in advance!
When we lived in So Fla (90's) we had to look for a new home, as ours got blown away. Lennar seemed to have the market cornered, but when we visited build sites and we shooed away by them, we got suspicious. Upon a visit when the building inspectors were on scene we discovered them not putting the required hurricane straps in the roof system. When we pointed it out to the inspectors we were told - not to worry about it. That was when we went with Arthur Rutenberg. We got a similar house to the one we had in Homestead for about a third less and built to the new code. We sold it when we left for South America and actually made money on it.

Heard about Cornerstone - but have no opinion on them

As to flood zones - pretty much the whole state exc for Ocala-Gainesville is in a flood zone of one kind or another. Check with the Fed Flood Insurance webpage to determine what your new policy will cost. Remember to be at least 12 ft above mean high tide - which essentially means you need to build a stilt home.
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Old 02-23-2014, 05:05 PM
 
Location: Nokomis Fl
1,008 posts, read 2,635,679 times
Reputation: 475
Lennar are thought as cheap and awful
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Old 02-24-2014, 06:24 AM
 
196 posts, read 427,791 times
Reputation: 103
I have not had a personal experience with Lennar, but know several people who have built them them and none of them are happy! I know people that have built with them in Lakeside and Willowcove and all have had issues with quality and customer service. Basically, they promise you the moon and deliver you a cheese ball. Perhaps Lennar is only having issues in Nocatee, or perhaps I just happen to have met the dozen or so people that have had problems with them. All I know is that I have met enough people from two different communities and heard enough stories that I personally would stay far away and if a friend was asking my thoughts, I would also tell them to stay far away! There are a lot of builder's out there - why would I recommend the one that I have heard NOTHING positive about?
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Old 02-27-2014, 08:00 AM
 
63 posts, read 135,642 times
Reputation: 23
PLEASE someone chime in on Lennar some more! The obvious thought in this thread is to avoid them. I was down there this past week and looked at several homes in Willow Cove. Of course as everyone says here, Lennar has most of the available houses. So what else is the problem with them? I am considering putting an offer in on a house that is Lennar and it is EXPENSIVE so I don't want to get in a house with many problems or that is cheaply built. The only other builder there is David Weekly. UNFORTUNATELY, Lennar has the lot we are looking for and David Weekly doesn't. Is it worth sacrificing lot for the simple reason of avoiding Lennar? The house is already built and YES, I can definitely see the difference in quality between Lennar and DW but please help me to understand more....THANK YOU!!!!!
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Old 03-07-2014, 12:47 PM
 
5 posts, read 18,773 times
Reputation: 28
Stay away from ICI....As a previous ICI homeowner, we had our worse nightmare in our history of home ownership.
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Old 03-08-2014, 08:59 PM
 
94 posts, read 190,272 times
Reputation: 61
It is with regret that I am sad to announce that we have just discovered that we have been burned by David Weekley. We are an out of town buyer and I have been a Big Proponent of David Weekley. We are a few weeks away from closing. However, we just became aware that they built a totally different Master Bathroom in our new home. To their credit they have taken responsibility for their mistake. It seems that there was a change to our model (so they say). Prior to construction, they pulled the new, but wrong floor plan and built a terribly laid out Bathroom. Not what we agreed to purchase. No one picked up on this until I did from a photo. We were asked what do we want to do? We have considered several options. A re-do of course will set things back, but they still won't be able to give us the identical layout. They can make alterations to make it look nicer but we will lose a closet. I don't like to lose storage space. Our excitement and anticipation has been tarnished. They have asked us to tell them what we want? We have yet to personally see the home , but from photos & video it looks good. What would you do or ask for?
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Old 03-08-2014, 09:33 PM
 
199 posts, read 468,883 times
Reputation: 103
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ditto23 View Post
It is with regret that I am sad to announce that we have just discovered that we have been burned by David Weekley. We are an out of town buyer and I have been a Big Proponent of David Weekley. We are a few weeks away from closing. However, we just became aware that they built a totally different Master Bathroom in our new home. To their credit they have taken responsibility for their mistake. It seems that there was a change to our model (so they say). Prior to construction, they pulled the new, but wrong floor plan and built a terribly laid out Bathroom. Not what we agreed to purchase. No one picked up on this until I did from a photo. We were asked what do we want to do? We have considered several options. A re-do of course will set things back, but they still won't be able to give us the identical layout. They can make alterations to make it look nicer but we will lose a closet. I don't like to lose storage space. Our excitement and anticipation has been tarnished. They have asked us to tell them what we want? We have yet to personally see the home , but from photos & video it looks good. What would you do or ask for?

How much would it take to make it right? Are there structural changes required?

Anything can be done; it just comes down to time and money. Your time, the builders money.

What do you really want at this point? The layout you signed up for or just some extra finishes? Ask for the moon. If they won't take it down to bare bones and give you what you signed up for, then I would ask for the amount you figure it would cost to do that. Out of curiosity, which model is it?
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Old 03-08-2014, 10:40 PM
 
94 posts, read 190,272 times
Reputation: 61
I'm not sure if they can replicate the Model Bathroom. It appears that a Door to a walk in closet is throwing the whole thing off. It created a Domino effect in terms of the layout. Linen Closet & Water Closet had to be moved around. No Structural Changes.But the changes they made took away the open effect in the bathroom and made it look Boxy, IMO.The Bathroom is functional and has all the same features we wanted, but its not as open. Its not as appealing. It may have something to do with the sq. footage be slightly different. I'm not sure. What do or did we want. We wanted the Bathroom we saw in the Model. But we might have to get over that now. Shoot for the Moon? How about a Pool? I'd like a Pool. Realistically though, we have a value in what this mistake is worth and we'll be discussing it with them. It is The Orchid Model.
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Old 03-08-2014, 10:53 PM
 
63 posts, read 135,642 times
Reputation: 23
Ask for a pool. Your quote about having a value in what the mistake is worth needs to be thought of like this---your personal satisfaction is worth more than even a pool. You're dissatisfaction is extremely high and can only be alleviated with something as valuable and although a pool would not quite cut it, you'll take it. I wouldn't hesitate to do that!!!
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Old 03-10-2014, 04:25 PM
 
2,415 posts, read 4,247,783 times
Reputation: 3791
Quote:
Originally Posted by apollo77 View Post
As I mentioned in a separate thread, I am considering a move to either the Nocatee or Palencia area. I'm greatly appreciating the opinions in the other thread about these two areas, so now I solicit more advice.

I've seen that some of the more prominent builders in these areas are:
Dostie Homes
Toll Brothers
Lennar Homes
Cornerstone Homes
Arthur Rutenberg
ICI Homes
David Weekley

Does anyone have opinions, advice, warnings, or recommendations about any of these builders?
Much thanks in advance!
Stick with Arthur Rutenberg or David Weekley Homes, and avoid the others as the other posters have said. I'm in the business, and have first hand experience with all the above.

CornerStone isn't bad, but the other two I named are a cut above them.

SS
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