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Old 03-14-2008, 09:10 PM
 
Location: Wake Forest, NC
1,032 posts, read 3,427,725 times
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I guess that would depend on your price point, type of community, etc.

I prefer the areas west of Wake Forest.. or the Eastern Fringe (where Bowling Green is located). Although I understand there are plans for other neighborhoods in the area (Holding something).

The growth in Heritage has created massive congestion around that area of town. It may be alleviated when Heritage Lakes opens at the bypass (another way out of Heritage) - but that will only dump more cars on the bypass.
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Old 03-14-2008, 10:07 PM
 
Location: blue moon
45 posts, read 150,425 times
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Sounds like "weluvwakeforest" gave some solid advise to follow. I've been through the Bowling Green subdivision a few times and the Dree's homes look pretty good and solid. The location.......??? We went with K hovnanian because they were the only homebuilder in the subdivision and location we really liked. The home that we selected is beautiful, but as the house came together we realized it was going to be a stressful venture and nothing like I've ever experienced before. What a "memorable" experience that we will never forget! but would like to. There are many new and established subdivisons in the Wake Forest area that are being developed and offer quality builders. Have you checked out the homes in Heritage and Marshall Farms? That is a good place to start "looking", so when you do come across a house that has been built crappy, you'll recognize it. Don't use a model home as your guide, this can be misleading. When you do decide, get a reputable home inspector to check it out before you close. Once the builder says they are done, get the inspector to come back out to check for completion of the items. Don't be pressured into closing until your satisfied. This was a wise choice for us. Live and Learn!
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Old 03-25-2008, 06:21 PM
 
Location: Wake Forest NC
1,611 posts, read 4,834,614 times
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I live in a Dress and it is very solid- accoring to our engineer, a NY friend who is a builder, and all our family who have looked at it. Most importantly, we are impressed with the quality. We live here... and we are plesaed. I can't speak to the quality of the Broadstreet homes, other than to say you get what you pay for. Those homes are entry-level, 200K homes. You won't get hardieplank & granite in there. I would buy a smaller Drees before I bought a big Broadstreet home, but that is me.
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Old 06-09-2008, 07:20 AM
 
29 posts, read 97,323 times
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Default Bowling Green Update

Hi Folks, Been a while since I visited this thread. Here is an update on Bowling Green in Wake Forest.

We were looking hard at the Drees Homes until we sat down to price everything out. We were very surprised at how they tried to overprice materials and nickle and dime us to death. Don't get me wrong but these are the facts..

We settled on (2) floor plans, one Drees and one St. Lawrence. Both were within about 100 sq ft of each other when looking at the floorplans. However, after all upgrades were selected, Drees was more than 20k more compared to the cost of the St. Lawrence (SLH) plan. Plus as a bonus, we added 400 more square feet to the SLH with a 3rd floor bonus room and still came out 20k cheaper. Due to the construction methods of the Drees home, a 3rd floor bonus was impossible.. Also, many of the upgrades that Drees wanted to charge us extra are standard in a SL home.

Another issue we ran into was the onsite representatives. The St. Lawrence rep is excellent. She knows just about everything there is to know about the SLH product line and pricing. We were VERY impressed. On the other hand, Drees has gone through no less than (4) onsite representatives in 5 months. The person we spoke with could not answer simple questions about the Drees product line and it was very difficult asking questions and waiting 1-3 days for responses (even by phone).

We started construction on our St. Lawrence home back in March and it's due for completion in July. Being an engineer by trade. I've been onsite 2-3 times a week during the entire build process to verify the work being done. I have chronicaled the build with extensive photos libraries (which are online btw) from day one. If I see a problem, it's brought to the attention of the site construction supervisor immediately and corrected. Working with St. Lawrence has been a very pleasent experience thus far. I am very happy with the construction methods used and my ability to modify things in the home while construction is ongoing.

Things to note:

Take this into consideration. St. Lawrence is selling homes in Bowling Green faster than they can build them. Drees on the other hand, have inventory homes that have remained vacant since Dec 2007 and continue to build inventory homes with no buyers pending. At least 5 homes will soon be sitting vacant.

This could be a good thing if you are interested in a Drees home in this community. A new Drees home is being constructed next to us and I have to call it a "Lego Home". Everything pre-manufactured and shipped out on a truck. Litterally with the panels labelled A to A, B to B, C to C. The home went from foundation to dry in less than a week. If there is a gap in the panels, no problem, they slap a few 2x4 boards in there to fill it in and go on to the next panel. Walking through, I was even less impressed with the creeking floors that would give under my average body weight. The ST. Lawrence floor does not creek or give even when you jump up and down on it. Floor construction appears similar between the two companies but obviously Drees does some things differently.

I hope that my update is informative. If you decide to invest in a Drees home? Hopefully your experience will be different than ours. I spoke to a number of Drees homeowners and they all had their stories but overall appeared satisfied with the product.

If you would like to view the online pictures of the build process or have any questions that should not be posted in this forum, send an email to DelmustatorLeMaster@nc.rr.com for access or Q&A
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Old 06-09-2008, 04:21 PM
 
1,489 posts, read 5,677,439 times
Reputation: 553
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delmustator View Post
Hi Folks, Been a while since I visited this thread. Here is an update on Bowling Green in Wake Forest.

We were looking hard at the Drees Homes until we sat down to price everything out. We were very surprised at how they tried to overprice materials and nickle and dime us to death. Don't get me wrong but these are the facts..

We settled on (2) floor plans, one Drees and one St. Lawrence. Both were within about 100 sq ft of each other when looking at the floorplans. However, after all upgrades were selected, Drees was more than 20k more compared to the cost of the St. Lawrence (SLH) plan. Plus as a bonus, we added 400 more square feet to the SLH with a 3rd floor bonus room and still came out 20k cheaper. Due to the construction methods of the Drees home, a 3rd floor bonus was impossible.. Also, many of the upgrades that Drees wanted to charge us extra are standard in a SL home.

Another issue we ran into was the onsite representatives. The St. Lawrence rep is excellent. She knows just about everything there is to know about the SLH product line and pricing. We were VERY impressed. On the other hand, Drees has gone through no less than (4) onsite representatives in 5 months. The person we spoke with could not answer simple questions about the Drees product line and it was very difficult asking questions and waiting 1-3 days for responses (even by phone).

We started construction on our St. Lawrence home back in March and it's due for completion in July. Being an engineer by trade. I've been onsite 2-3 times a week during the entire build process to verify the work being done. I have chronicaled the build with extensive photos libraries (which are online btw) from day one. If I see a problem, it's brought to the attention of the site construction supervisor immediately and corrected. Working with St. Lawrence has been a very pleasent experience thus far. I am very happy with the construction methods used and my ability to modify things in the home while construction is ongoing.

Things to note:

Take this into consideration. St. Lawrence is selling homes in Bowling Green faster than they can build them. Drees on the other hand, have inventory homes that have remained vacant since Dec 2007 and continue to build inventory homes with no buyers pending. At least 5 homes will soon be sitting vacant.

This could be a good thing if you are interested in a Drees home in this community. A new Drees home is being constructed next to us and I have to call it a "Lego Home". Everything pre-manufactured and shipped out on a truck. Litterally with the panels labelled A to A, B to B, C to C. The home went from foundation to dry in less than a week. If there is a gap in the panels, no problem, they slap a few 2x4 boards in there to fill it in and go on to the next panel. Walking through, I was even less impressed with the creeking floors that would give under my average body weight. The ST. Lawrence floor does not creek or give even when you jump up and down on it. Floor construction appears similar between the two companies but obviously Drees does some things differently.

I hope that my update is informative. If you decide to invest in a Drees home? Hopefully your experience will be different than ours. I spoke to a number of Drees homeowners and they all had their stories but overall appeared satisfied with the product.

If you would like to view the online pictures of the build process or have any questions that should not be posted in this forum, send an email to DelmustatorLeMaster@nc.rr.com for access or Q&A

Why would you NOT wan't your home to be panelized? The walls are constructed with the same materials, but if the home is panelized, the walls are actually built in a controlled area on flat surfaces. Panelizing usually costs more, and like you said, the home is framed much faster, keeping the weather at bay. Plus, Drees uses Tyvek, and they're Energy Star.

Last edited by coltank; 06-09-2008 at 04:31 PM..
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Old 06-09-2008, 09:18 PM
 
29 posts, read 97,323 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coltank View Post
Why would you NOT wan't your home to be panelized? The walls are constructed with the same materials, but if the home is panelized, the walls are actually built in a controlled area on flat surfaces. Panelizing usually costs more, and like you said, the home is framed much faster, keeping the weather at bay. Plus, Drees uses Tyvek, and they're Energy Star.
Simple....

If I wanted to change something in the floor plan during the build. I'd probably have more success pulling my own teeth rather than getting something changed on the fly. With SLH, moved the fireplace and changed the panty and powder room 3 times before we settled on what we liked the best.

I see no advantage to panelized construction methods if it's going to cost more and restrict my ability to make changes to the outer walls. I also don't like the use of 2x4s as gap fillers.

Tyvek is no advantage in this case because it comes out pre-applied to the panels and then are just overlapped and stapled. SLH uses the award winning ZIP System Wall and Roof Panels that eliminates the need for house wrap products such as Tyvek. Clearly the ZIP System is a superior product when installed properly and it carries a 30 year warranty.

Both builders homes qualify for Energy Star ratings.

I don't want this thread to get off track.

We could debate the pros and cons of how the homes are built all day but it's pointless. The bottom line is what are you getting for your money. Like I stated before, I was sold on the Drees Davenport until we added everything we wanted in upgrades. Drees even offered a larger incentive than SLH at the time. But with a 20k difference for the same upgrades, we couldn't justify buying the Drees home.

And as stated before, this was just our experience from 6 months ago. The market has changed a bit since then. Now may be a great time to invest in a Drees home if they have the floor plan that you prefer.

There sure are plenty of them to choose from in Bowling Green Estates.....
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Old 06-10-2008, 12:06 PM
 
1,489 posts, read 5,677,439 times
Reputation: 553
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delmustator View Post
Simple....

If I wanted to change something in the floor plan during the build. I'd probably have more success pulling my own teeth rather than getting something changed on the fly. With SLH, moved the fireplace and changed the panty and powder room 3 times before we settled on what we liked the best.

I see no advantage to panelized construction methods if it's going to cost more and restrict my ability to make changes to the outer walls. I also don't like the use of 2x4s as gap fillers.

Tyvek is no advantage in this case because it comes out pre-applied to the panels and then are just overlapped and stapled. SLH uses the award winning ZIP System Wall and Roof Panels that eliminates the need for house wrap products such as Tyvek. Clearly the ZIP System is a superior product when installed properly and it carries a 30 year warranty.

Both builders homes qualify for Energy Star ratings.

I don't want this thread to get off track.

We could debate the pros and cons of how the homes are built all day but it's pointless. The bottom line is what are you getting for your money. Like I stated before, I was sold on the Drees Davenport until we added everything we wanted in upgrades. Drees even offered a larger incentive than SLH at the time. But with a 20k difference for the same upgrades, we couldn't justify buying the Drees home.

And as stated before, this was just our experience from 6 months ago. The market has changed a bit since then. Now may be a great time to invest in a Drees home if they have the floor plan that you prefer.

There sure are plenty of them to choose from in Bowling Green Estates.....

Well, panelized construction methods don't inhibit your ability to make changes, especially since it's typically most of the outer walls which are factory built. Besides the fact that I don't think either builder wants you to be making changes in the field.

As far as the benefits of panelizing, you can do your own research, but; you're going to have less waste, which is good for the environment; measurements and nail patterns are more precise, since they are engineer and computer driven; and the home is dried in faster.

I'm not sure what you mean by 2x4 gap fillers, but I've seen less of this with Drees than other builders. They're actually framing their homes to increase insulation.

The ZIP system is also a racket. It just looks cool. The sheets are placed horizontally, allowing more air infiltration, as well as requiring more "2x4 fillers" in order to have something to nail to, and the Stormex coating is the equivalent to 15# felt. Tyvek works as a much better air and rain barrier, and has a much better wicking quality. It's like comparing nylon to Gortex.

I've looked at Drees for a while since I'm considering having them build a home on some property I own, and I've found them to be much more flexible and a superior value to St. Lawrnece, as well as a lot of other builders out there. Maybe we spoke to different sales people, or walked through different homes, but if St. Lawrence was priced lower, I would have just put in a low offer with Drees and told them why.

Also, having Energy Star products, and being Energy Star certified is very different.
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Old 06-10-2008, 03:26 PM
 
29 posts, read 97,323 times
Reputation: 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by coltank View Post
Well, panelized construction methods don't inhibit your ability to make changes, especially since it's typically most of the outer walls which are factory built. Besides the fact that I don't think either builder wants you to be making changes in the field.

As far as the benefits of panelizing, you can do your own research, but; you're going to have less waste, which is good for the environment; measurements and nail patterns are more precise, since they are engineer and computer driven; and the home is dried in faster.

I'm not sure what you mean by 2x4 gap fillers, but I've seen less of this with Drees than other builders. They're actually framing their homes to increase insulation.

The ZIP system is also a racket. It just looks cool. The sheets are placed horizontally, allowing more air infiltration, as well as requiring more "2x4 fillers" in order to have something to nail to, and the Stormex coating is the equivalent to 15# felt. Tyvek works as a much better air and rain barrier, and has a much better wicking quality. It's like comparing nylon to Gortex.

I've looked at Drees for a while since I'm considering having them build a home on some property I own, and I've found them to be much more flexible and a superior value to St. Lawrnece, as well as a lot of other builders out there. Maybe we spoke to different sales people, or walked through different homes, but if St. Lawrence was priced lower, I would have just put in a low offer with Drees and told them why.

Also, having Energy Star products, and being Energy Star certified is very different.
Well there you go... Our opinions of the products differ as well as our experience dealing with the builders. If your comfortable with Drees, then build it and report you own experiences.
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Old 07-01-2008, 08:10 PM
 
Location: Wake Forest NC
1,611 posts, read 4,834,614 times
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Having been here 2 years I have seen a lot, and my conclusion is, the builder himself is very important. When we got here, St Lawrence was not selling much, took forever to build, and owners had tons of complaints. Now they have a new site agent & builder & are doing great.
There has been one builder for Drees since the beginning, Jimmy. I have noticed a difference in quality between the houses that were built to order, and the spec houses from both companies. When you, as owner, are around a lot or are getting updates on the progress a lot I think both builders do a better job.
Another factor is the home inspection. Those of us who had them have had minor issues. Those who did not have had bigger problems. One example is the lady int eh St. Lawrence house who took a bath her 1st night in the house, & water started cascading out of the dining room chandelier! A drain pipe had never been attached! (Yes the builder fixed the damage) Inspectors fill every tub... that would neve rhad happened afte rclosing if she'd had an inspector.
Part of why Drees is not selling, (in addition to going through so many site agents) is that they lowered the price of their Rolesville community by $100K! That's a big difference! Those houses are 3,500+ square feet, on wooded acres, surrounded by gorgeous lakes! Now, granted, we have a pool and are in Wake Forest, but, to see their $400K house over there? More than one neighbor has said, oooh, I wish I had waited to buy. (Of course, if we had done so, we would have gotten less $ for our old houses that we sold!) I suspect that when the Lakes of Rolesville is sold out (there are only 35 lots or so there) Drees will be able to sell here again.
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Old 07-04-2008, 02:57 PM
 
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We were very interested in Drees and made multiple trips to Durham to look at the models and other floor plans. I REALLY liked the Davenport, especially the office. But as with anything, there were things we wanted and things we didn't want.

I think you are totally correct with respect to being on-site on a regular basis and making sure no short cuts are taken. We are in Bowling Green at least 2x a week to inspect the work. I'm no home inspector but I have seen the laundry lists they can produce enough times to know what to look for.

I truely hope that the new site rep for Drees does well. It would be a welcome change. I think BG is a great community and with the new local stores and shopping areas coming soon. It will only get better. And with the current price of fuel. Driving 10-20 minutes to go anywhere is getting more and more expensive.

I hope to open a community webpage once we get moved in so that all the neighbors have access to community news, events, and can share information.
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