What builder would you recommend? (Chandler: job, houses, contractor)

[loveinarizona]

Dear all,
we have been looking houses in Chandler, and thinking to buy a house in Brown Family. I was discussed with my friends about the house we are going to buy, and my friend told me that I need to be careful because the quality of constrcution materials Brown Family use is not very good..... I really don't know how to tell the difference, but my concern is.. is it really that bad? Or should I look for other builders? What's your opinion about Brown Family?

by the way, another new community next to it called Calex Homes? What about this builder? I have heard Shea and Futon Homes and I know they are pretty good, but the price is high as well.

Any inputs for this would be very welcome!!
Thank you so much!

ps, we are looking around $300k ~no more than $370k house....

[Ponderosa]

Studs, styrofoam, and stucco, it's all the same quality. Codes and practices are the same too. There is not an iota of difference in the basic home construction. Labor is the major cost in homes and all the tract builders have pretty much the same level subs and imported craftsmen. Things that add to price are things that have a lot of labor associated with them - high or cathedral ceilings, rounded drywall corners (slight), beyond code wiring like lots of 3-4 way switches and ceiling cans,tile, odd window shapes or a lot of windows , roofs with lots of intersecting angles, and garage size and LAND (aka location). You can also expect to pay premium prices in homes with fancy doorknobs and plumbing fixtures though they don't cost nearly as much additional as you will pay - takes the same time to put in a cheap fixture as an expensive one. Basic homes will have things as upgrades that are included in higher priced models.

[Jethro]

I've never heard anything *bad* about any builders in the Valley.

Our house was built by Standard Pacific and they did a great job.

The only complaint I have is this...
To save time in the construction of the home, they put in the base board BEFORE they put down the vinyl flooring.

That way the painter only has to mask windows before spraying the inside of the house and doesnt have to worry about overspraying any flooring.

The RIGHT way to put in vinyl flooring is to have the base board go in after so it holds the edges of the vinyl down.

When I mentioned it to the inspector he told me all the Valley builders do it the same way, to save time.

Other than that minor detail, they build a great home.

[MotleyCrew]

Shea does the same thing with the baseboards here in Vistancia. The drywall finish was a little rough, but we sort of like the "third world motif" so we just decorated differently. We like our home very much.

[jco]

loveinarizona, have you considered purchasing a resale home? I think it's hard to recommend a builder. The quality of construction depends on the sub-contractors they use and the superintendents working for them.

[balderdash]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

...Labor is the major cost in homes and all the tract builders have pretty much the same level subs and imported craftsmen.

Loved your 'imported' craftsmen. That's a classic. Thanks for the smile that made my day.

[azloafer]

I don't know who is the best builder, but I can tell you to stay away from Meritage!

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by balderdash

Loved your 'imported' craftsmen. That's a classic. Thanks for the smile that made my day.

Thanks, but I "borrowed" it from another poster. I love the expression, too. It works with several professions. For example, my neighbor has a crew of imported horticulturalists trimming his bushes this morning.