Buying a house built by Meritage Home (Plano, McKinney: appliances, how much)

[nxm]

All,
We have looked around in Plano/Frisco area and have found a nice house in frisco that is built by Meritage Homes. The house was built in 2006 and is still in good condition. The house looks nice but I have read some really horrific things about the builder.

I will definitely have the house fully inspected and will decide on the outcome of the inspection report. I think the report covers most of the major items in the house but what if the issues start showing up after we purchasd the house, like in a year or two due to poor construction material or workmanship. the inspector can find only so much. I definitely would not want to put money in the house in fixing it.

I would like to get your feedback on the builder and if anybody has had experience with Meritage Homes.

Thanks.

[MckinneyOwnr]

I know people who live in Meritage Homes and have no complaints. I know of others who swear up and down they will never buy a Meritage home again. The same could probably be said for just about any builder really though. Even luxury/custom home builders have their share of complaints out there, the difference is they usually will do a better job of fixing issues than other builders will.

For myself though, I'd never buy a Meritage home. My best friend used to work there, and I've heard plenty of stories from him about how bad the quality became on their homes. They treated their employees like crap, so I'm sure the treatment consumers receive is even worse if there's ever an issue.

[nxm]

Thanks McKinneyOwnr,
Appreciate your feedback. We are still considering if we should make an offer on this house or keep looking. I dont have a good feeling about the builder.

[escanlan]

Hello nxm,

As McKinneyOwnr pointed out any builder is subject to having good or even problem homes being built. I've been in homes built almost the same time, by the same builder, but in different cities and found greatly differing quality of build. A lot of it depends on the Construction Supervisor overseeing the projects and whether the builder listens to them.

I've heard horror stories on every builder, some true and some not. I would not stay away from a particular builders home, except maybe one and I won't mention them here so I don't get sued. The house you are referring to is still young and possibly one owner? Go over it yourself closely, grill the current owner on previous maintenance or warranty claims, always ask the current owner for maintenance records so you can make sure they were maintaining systems/etc., and always ask for a brand new CLUE report to make sure there is not something else in its past (https://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs26-CLUE.htm). You mentioned the home was in Frisco, so also check the Frisco online permit search function for the home to make sure no major repair type permits were issued https://etrakit.friscotexas.gov/. You should also always closely review the seller's disclosure document for potential problems and even potential omissions.

If you have specific questions about what you saw at the house and can take a digital picture (make sure it doesn't show personal possessions) then post it here for possible interpretations.

Good luck!

[jsafstrom]

Excellent information listed by escanlan. Don't get too hung up on the builder's name or reputation. I've seen many builders that had good/poor construction as well, including custom homes. Use the home inspection report and the seller's disclosure to help you make your decision.

Making repairs to a home comes with the territory of being a homeowner. Just keep in mind that water heaters, a/c units, and appliances have a certain lifespan that can depend on the level of maintenance as well as amount of use.

[Ablebodied]

I bought a new Meritage Home in 2010, and to tell the truth, I love it. Just don't like the whole home buying process.

[nsumner]

I totally agree with Escanlan's advice I've sold many Meritage homes and most experiences have been positive. I don't think there was ever a quality issue. There were some issues with a couple of salespeople and the process, every person handles it differently.

However, the city of Frisco is very strict on builders and have higher standards. That is why you don't see any of the known cheap builders there.

As far as how they treat their employees, I tell you, they have one of the lowest turnover in the building industry. Some of the stories you may have read or heard could be very old or for different divisions or parts of the country.

Just do your due diligence, I personally don't put too much faith on the seller's disclosure, but perform your inspections. You have 2 very good inspectors above Escanlan and Jfastrom that can help you too.

Naima

[nxm]

Thanks a lot everybody on the responses. I appreciate them very much. I guess what I was looking for was some sort of reaffirmation from people who have dealt with meritage homes. Its good to know that they are not all bad and that even the best builders can have rough times and bad reviews as well.

I have asked for the permits for any work that was done on the house and the sellers disclosure and will heavily depend on the inspection report and then decide on the outcome of the reports.

BTW, how much does a thorough home inspection cost?

Thanks.

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by nxm

Thanks a lot everybody on the responses. I appreciate them very much. I guess what I was looking for was some sort of reaffirmation from people who have dealt with meritage homes. Its good to know that they are not all bad and that even the best builders can have rough times and bad reviews as well.

I have asked for the permits for any work that was done on the house and the sellers disclosure and will heavily depend on the inspection report and then decide on the outcome of the reports.

BTW, how much does a thorough home inspection cost?

Thanks.

A thorough home inspection means to exceed the Texas State minimum required inspection standards, and they are very minimum! You can read about them here TREC - Rules Governing Inspectors. The minimalist Home Inspectors are charging in the range of 10 cents per square foot of covered space (conditioned space and any garage space). The thorough Home Inspectors exceed the minimums and obviously charge more. Good Home Inspectors take all of the time necessary to thoroughly inspect the home and as the saying goes "Time is money" as that is what they sell along with their expertise and experience.

The best thing to do is first find at least three Home Inspectors that you feel comfortable with using. Use whatever requirements make you comfortable in the selection process but don't even talk fees on the first calls. Once you have found your three Home Inspectors then if you want to shop price call them back. It is unfortunate we see so many that shop price first and wind up with poor inspections as a result. Watch out for all of the "Free this" and "Free that" advertisements and promises as they are all gimmicks.

[Camelia38]

We are new to the area and just purchased a Frisco home built in 2002. Someone (maybe here??) gave us advice when we were looking of specific years to avoid due to drought. Building during the drought caused numerous issues, plus in Frisco it was also years of the "boom" when several homes were being built very quickly, which could also contribute to the issue. It was about 3 years in the mid-late 2000's, but I can't remember if 2006 was included.

Maybe someone else can fill in the blanks for you, but I recall hearing more not about specific builders, but specific years.