Meritage Homes (Dallas, Fort Worth: appointed, sale, home builder)

[Rakin]

Calmdude -

I know it cause I've been in the construction business 18 years [MOD CUT] I know good & bad construction, 60% of my business is in new construction. I deal with it daily.

The bottom of JD Powers is pretty right on with Grand Homes being in the cellar the last 6-8 years. There are several that show up in the top that should not be there. That's where JDP is off.

I've seen several builders sit with their buyers at the closing table & pressure them to give good scores. Just to mention 1 is Pulte Homes, IMO no way should they be in the top 5.

[calmdude]

Originally Posted by CurrentlyinSanAntonio

90% of all statistics are made up.....10% of the time

.. the number I had heard was 62.83%.

[royapetersen]

We bought a Meritage Home in Lakes of La Cima in Prosper last March and moved into our home in August of 2007. We came from Colorado and had built a Lennar home in Colorado Springs in 2006. The quality of our Meritage home is fantastic! We have not had one single warranty issue except a broken sprinkler head (which was possibly our fault anyway). We emailed Meritage. They responded within 24 hours and the work was completed within 72 hours. A follow-up call from the warranty people was made to see if the work was done to our satisfaction. We love everything about our home from the floor plan to the quality and if we had to do it over again we wouldn't change a thing.

[yjc281]

Meritage Homes recently lost its accreditation by BBB.
Dallas, TX: Check Out a Business or Charity
While being accredited by BBB does not always guarantee quality, I would consider it as a baseline indicator of their customer service.

[harishv]

Someone made an interesting point n perhaps it was on another post, I am not sure. Some builders dont have the greatest of reputations period. But the price point is realy the key. I dont think its a coincidence that low end buyers have more complaints about quality of homes n customer service or warranty service as opposed to homes that cost half a million.
Several people have noted about how they have had no troubles whatsoever, yet i came from AZ where the meritage home owners in my neighborhood had all kinds of trouble getting items fixed.
Bottom line is - to find the reputation of the bulder u r interested in "only in your pricepoint". No point knowing how god Meritage was in one neighborhood if the price point is uwards of 400,000 if u r looking for a $100,000 home and vice versa as well.

[RE Diva]

Our clients have nothing but positive things to say about Highland Homes. They will do everything to make the experience and home right for you. I think you would really like the quality and energy efficiency of Green Builder Plantation Homes. Do some frame walks and look at the quality they build. I think you'll be impressed. In what areas are you looking? Do you know yet? David Weekley is another awesome builder and builds a great, solid product and has a super reputation. They are very energy efficient as well and go beyond what many builders are doing these days to decrease your energy bills all while bringing you a beautiful home at a great price. In your price point if you decide to go with Drees, make sure you are getting Drees Custom Homes and not Expressions by Drees. Look at the contract. It'll say which one in the contract, not necessarily on the signage or anywhere else.

Hope it helps.

[ALQNsMommy]

Our Meritage house was listed at slightly over $400,000. Perhaps some developments have more trouble than others. However, at this point we've spoken with someone very high-at Meritage and have asked them to buy our house back. Of course, they said no ... given our particular situation our attorney figures we should be able to buy pass the TRCC. Buyer beware ... I would still recommend steering clear of the Big M!

[Rakin]

It would be interesting to hear the problem with your home if you don't mind sharing. Did you have an independent inspector look at the home before you closed ?

[artsmart]

I am an interior designer and I used to work for one of these "new homes" builders--a BIG one--but I'd rather not say who. I have not heard terrible things about Meritage--but I will tell you that based on my experience and the general consensus of architects, designers and others in the industry--you get a better built house and more for the money if you buy a pre-existing house.

For example: if you buy a well renovated 1940's, 50's or 60's house--it will be built better and more solidly, usually with a pier and beam foundation (which is much better), and the quality of materials will be significantly higher.

If you get one that has been renovated well (and a structural engineer's report--which I always recommend getting--will show the quality of updates) you will have any foundation tweeks adjusted, mechanical upgrades like electrical, plumbing & HVA/C brought current, usually closets and baths will have been expanded to modern expectations---and all things held constant--the house itself will be so much higher quality and the neighborhoods more beautiful with large, mature trees and lots of developed plantings.

I have lived in both types of homes: new construction and re-modeled older homes and I promise you I would never live in a Builder-built new home again! I find them to be lowest common denominator--even the good ones!

One caveat--for houses over $750,000--new build stuff is worth the money--it is usually good.

[ALQNsMommy]

No - no independant inspector - only after we closed when we realized how many problems we had. We built a custom home out of state about three years ago - thought new construction was relatively safe. Apparently not in Texas! Our three-stall tandem garage wasn't built to spec. - long story, short - we can only fit one car inside. Meritage totally suckered us into the property. The door to the house was originally on the left hand side - we were told that someone had "accidently" put the steps going into the house there and then realized that you couldn't park a car there. It was apparently the first time they'd built our plan (now have found out that ours is the *only* one of this supposed plan which also happens to have a drop-down garage). They moved the door and steps to the far back of the tandem (beind the second stall). However, the foundation portion in the first stall still juts out too far - many inches too short according to their arch. plan - which we had to beg to take a peek at. All this in addition to the numerous crooked walls, rippled ceilings and walls, uneven tile flooring (throughout most of the house), pathetic attempt at painting and caulking, and overall shoddy workmanship. Don't know how they can sleep at night knowing they sold a house like ours. And, well, now we are where we are - the TRCC and a lawsuit.
P.S. Thank you to yjc281 for the info on the BBB - that was the corporate branch who recently lost theirs. I checked and found out the local SA branch lost their accredidation in Nov. 2007. I appreciate your info! : )
PPS. Artsmart - I believe every word you say ... unfortunately.... Thanks for your honest opinion. It may help a lot of people out there who end up reading this post.