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Old 01-08-2007, 10:21 AM
 
251 posts, read 1,139,428 times
Reputation: 167

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I'd like to hear the top 10 things you look for in a good builder - from anyone with experience in dealing with them. I'm especially interested in hearing what you'd look for structurally if you're evaluating a builder's work - and in hearing what you've learned from bad or positive experiences.

To contribute my two cents I'll share what I've learned through past experience:

1. We worked with a small builder once. We got everything planned in writing through a lawyer. We added a protection clause stating that an inspector of our own choosing would inspect the house prior to closing. If the house had problems, then the builder was obligated to correct them or else we could back out of the contract. I don't know if this can be done as easily with tract builders, but it sure helped us while working with this small builder.

2. Carefully check the grading around the house to make sure rain water won't flow into the house if a big gully washer comes. We once lived in a house where someone later built next to us. They graded their yard so that water flowed towards our house. We got a 3 inch rain in thirty minutes and our basement flooded from water runoff caused by our neighbor's builder.

3. If you ever build a basement spend the money to have B-Dry come in and put in an interior drainage system. It's expensive, but do it anyway. It's a whole lot better than having water come into your house later and then have to deal with an expensive-to-fix mold problem. If a builder tells you his basement waterproofing is adequate, he's lying. B-Dry's system is guaranteed for life. All other systems only last a limited time.

4. Check with local people as much as possible before going with a builder. Sometimes builders have widely known reputations.

5. A well-maintained older home with wonderful landscaping is a real blessing if you can find it. Older people make great neighbors too.
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Old 01-08-2007, 11:04 AM
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,010 posts, read 76,500,303 times
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1. YES! Use an attorney to review the contract.
2. Yes. Make the grading be right.
3. Hmmmm. Not so much... I would greatly prefer an exterior drainage plan and keep water from passing through the wall. It can be done.
4. Yes. But remember, many folks are not qualified to judge the structure of the home.
5. Yes. And it is easier to find a bigger lot also, with no ongoing construction mess.


6. Ask the Builder about their quality program. If the first words are "everything we do is inspected by the city/county inspectors..." listen for more. That is NOT a quality program. You need to know the internal inspection steps, and likely will benefit from having your own person inspect before cover-up by insulation, sheetrock, paint, trim.
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Old 01-08-2007, 11:35 AM
 
251 posts, read 1,139,428 times
Reputation: 167
Mike, good point about locals having no knowledge about structural issues. They won't know much unless they've heard horror stories.

My understanding is that exterior drainage systems can clog up with silt over time. B-Drys interior system is guaranteed and it's closed off from the interior.

(I'm not a B-Dry salesperson, btw. We used them once and experienced the results.)
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Old 01-08-2007, 04:21 PM
 
354 posts, read 1,214,635 times
Reputation: 90
If you worried about water runoff towards the house, just install French drain around the foundation of the house and you won't have to worry about the problem.
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Old 01-09-2007, 03:44 PM
 
Location: Valley of the Sun
201 posts, read 608,544 times
Reputation: 242
Top Ten things to look for is a big one Skip. If I could just follow up briefly on the wet basement question.
If your waterproofing on the inside it's too late. You need to do this on exterior and it can be done correctly for the life of the home.
There are rubberized water dampening products that are sprayed on, after it's set place rigid foam over it for further protection as a vapor retarder, insulation value to prevent condensation in interior walls (interior water vapor condensing on earth cooled interior side of wall) and the foam also protects your water dampening product.
Tape your rigid foam joinings and position and properly grade your french drain over which you have pulled a sock which will prevent any fines from clogging it.
Backfill over this drain with crushed stone, 3/4 in. will do fine.
Grading of course is extremely important, 5% grade will do it, that's a six inch drop over 10ft. Keep any landscape plantings you may irrigate no less than three feet from your building line.
Attorney review of contract. Yes, no reputable builder should have a problem there.
I'm a big proponent of the Dept. of Energy's Energy Star program. It's not a tough thing to meet their criteria. Ask him if he partakes or go on EnergyStar.gov website. New homes are right there on the home page. Good luck.
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Old 01-09-2007, 06:29 PM
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,010 posts, read 76,500,303 times
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"If your waterproofing on the inside it's too late. You need to do this on exterior and it can be done correctly for the life of the home. "

Paulie is The Man. I am a wannabe.
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Old 01-10-2007, 09:47 AM
 
Location: Valley of the Sun
201 posts, read 608,544 times
Reputation: 242
Wannabe? I've read a number of your posts MikeJ, you're there.
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Old 01-11-2007, 09:47 AM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
266 posts, read 1,049,533 times
Reputation: 202
Default I love a good...

inspector. You may have an inspector check the house DURING the construction process. Have them over as often as you like, but they can recommend a schedule for you. Some of them are builders themselves and know what should be happening. Also, feel free to go by the site every single day. Be sure you know the rules for safety and don't get in the way, but let them know you are watching. Make it productive by educating yourself on what should be done and the materials that should be used.
I know one builder who meets with the client every week and another that gives clients a hard hat with their name on it. As Mike said, there should be a quility program and a welcome mat out for you.
I agree heartily with the other comments. Nothing wrong with interior protection, but far, far better to go with exterior protection. Grading is critical and is the single biggest problem I see with both older homes and new construction. It's a shame,really, because our tough ol' red clay is very useful for water control if graded properly. All the water proofing suggestions are good, There is also a solid rubber membrane that can be
applied with a sort of tarry glue. Many of the top level custom builders use it or an equivalent. It is important to know that if exposed to sunlight it will break down, as will other barriers, so watch the placement of foundation plantings. After grading, a very important measure on new and old houses is gutters. Yes, they are a pain and some people do not like the way they look, but they can be used to channel away the vast quantities of water that pour off a roof and get dumped right at your foundation. Of course, they need to be properly applied and designed and the downpouts must exit far enough away from the foundation to keep water out. This can be as much as 6 feet, depending on the grade. You can always disguise them with shrubs. Be sure to keep them clean, though. Services do this for a pretty low fee.
One simple thing many people don't think about is to extend the drain for the air conditioner condensate a few feet. I save the condensate in a tub and use it to water plants. It is essentially distilled water. Some days I get over 10 gallons!
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Old 01-11-2007, 11:20 AM
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,010 posts, read 76,500,303 times
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Excellent post, House Lady!

Re Gutters. They can be your friend, but....
There is no official design parameter or any real code enforcement. MY recommendations:
1. Internal hangers every 30" MAXIMUM spacing.
2. Hangers screwed to fascia board, not nailed, and NO to ferrule nails with sleeves!
3. Unless it is a very, very small area of roof to drain, ALL downspouts should be 3" x 4", NOT 2" x 3" You MUST look at the area of roof to be drained, not the length of gutter. The downspouts need to be capable of conveying all the water so it doesn't slop over the front and back of the gutter and rot the fascia or go against the foundation.
4. When you get the larger downspouts, confirm that they are using the larger outlet fittings in the gutter. I have seen 3"x4" downspouts mounted on 2" round outlet fittings. Ergo, the fitting keeps the gutter from draining and clogs very easily with leaves.
5. Always seamless aluminum gutters, unless you are soldering copper.
6. Never collect water in a gutter and then use the downspout to dump it back onto a shingle roof. That is incompetence in guttering in action. It destroys the asphalt shingles in that area.
And...Why gather and control water and then let it go again? And you can bet the ranch that the installer didn't figure hom much water he is expecting a downspout to handle.




Quote:
Originally Posted by House Lady View Post
inspector. You may have an inspector check the house DURING the construction process. Have them over as often as you like, but they can recommend a schedule for you. Some of them are builders themselves and know what should be happening. Also, feel free to go by the site every single day. Be sure you know the rules for safety and don't get in the way, but let them know you are watching. Make it productive by educating yourself on what should be done and the materials that should be used.
I know one builder who meets with the client every week and another that gives clients a hard hat with their name on it. As Mike said, there should be a quility program and a welcome mat out for you.
I agree heartily with the other comments. Nothing wrong with interior protection, but far, far better to go with exterior protection. Grading is critical and is the single biggest problem I see with both older homes and new construction. It's a shame,really, because our tough ol' red clay is very useful for water control if graded properly. All the water proofing suggestions are good, There is also a solid rubber membrane that can be
applied with a sort of tarry glue. Many of the top level custom builders use it or an equivalent. It is important to know that if exposed to sunlight it will break down, as will other barriers, so watch the placement of foundation plantings. After grading, a very important measure on new and old houses is gutters. Yes, they are a pain and some people do not like the way they look, but they can be used to channel away the vast quantities of water that pour off a roof and get dumped right at your foundation. Of course, they need to be properly applied and designed and the downpouts must exit far enough away from the foundation to keep water out. This can be as much as 6 feet, depending on the grade. You can always disguise them with shrubs. Be sure to keep them clean, though. Services do this for a pretty low fee.
One simple thing many people don't think about is to extend the drain for the air conditioner condensate a few feet. I save the condensate in a tub and use it to water plants. It is essentially distilled water. Some days I get over 10 gallons!
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