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Old 04-25-2020, 12:03 PM
 
6,351 posts, read 4,120,575 times
Reputation: 12993

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chopperz4Life View Post
Alright Gents.


Rickcin…
Thanks for that!
Funny thing is, the inspector over the phone before he went & looked at everything said something to me that mirrored what you said...
that the builder needed to test adjacent to the foundation walls in the garage.

Then says after inspection...it is all fine after getting his own eyes on it!

WTF....?!?!?!


I don't know about you guys but
The builder, the town inspector or a seasoned soils engineer could look at the slab and all agree it looks fine, however without a soil density test there is no other way to determine if it was properly back filled.

And the builder does not have to remove a section of slab to test. The testing will involve some relatively small holes through the slab and the test results will end all of the meaningless conversations.
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Old 04-25-2020, 01:30 PM
 
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
29 posts, read 18,436 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rickcin View Post
The builder, the town inspector or a seasoned soils engineer could look at the slab and all agree it looks fine, however without a soil density test there is no other way to determine if it was properly back filled.

And the builder does not have to remove a section of slab to test. The testing will involve some relatively small holes through the slab and the test results will end all of the meaningless conversations.


Good point!!!

Thanks
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Old 04-26-2020, 06:39 AM
 
336 posts, read 444,429 times
Reputation: 502
I'm not an expert at house building. I have had 4 built and watched through out the day for a few hours each day. I learned a lot of things. The building process is not a tidy situation and on most days looks like 8 goats trying to hump a greased football. The city/county inspectors are rarely there and you shouldn't rely totally on them as a catch all. They have phased inspection checks called for, they check and sign off or fail, and move on to the next house. Having a new house built isn't for everyone. There are rough patches, disagreements, and misunderstandings during every build. Probably the biggest advice I can give in this situation is this.... You certainly are upset about the items you have shown us. I feel that you probably will always be looking over your shoulder after moving in the house and be worrying. Your heart may sink with the first surface crack that shows up on the garage floor, a small water spot on the basement floor because someone missed a dab of caulking on an ingress pipe, or the ground sinks a couple of inches along your outside wall and a 5 gallon bucket of dirt needs to be brought in to level out. I don't know what your contract reads or how much you have invested. But maybe for a piece of mind, you may consider moving on to something already built or some other situation that works for you?
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Old 04-26-2020, 11:18 AM
 
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
29 posts, read 18,436 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by JJAF View Post
I'm not an expert at house building. I have had 4 built and watched through out the day for a few hours each day. I learned a lot of things. The building process is not a tidy situation and on most days looks like 8 goats trying to hump a greased football. The city/county inspectors are rarely there and you shouldn't rely totally on them as a catch all. They have phased inspection checks called for, they check and sign off or fail, and move on to the next house. Having a new house built isn't for everyone. There are rough patches, disagreements, and misunderstandings during every build. Probably the biggest advice I can give in this situation is this.... You certainly are upset about the items you have shown us. I feel that you probably will always be looking over your shoulder after moving in the house and be worrying. Your heart may sink with the first surface crack that shows up on the garage floor, a small water spot on the basement floor because someone missed a dab of caulking on an ingress pipe, or the ground sinks a couple of inches along your outside wall and a 5 gallon bucket of dirt needs to be brought in to level out. I don't know what your contract reads or how much you have invested. But maybe for a piece of mind, you may consider moving on to something already built or some other situation that works for you?

I was thinking more along the lines of monkeys & a football. Haha

I figure when you're paying a very significant amount of money (~$300K) for an investment that should be reasonably & expectedly built to last for years to come... then I definitely want some reassurance that quality work was performed correctly.

That's why I am here asking the questions to people that have been doing this most of their lives.
I too am no expert & that's why I posted what I did. I for one don't know better but when some things just don't look right... I can only ask the questions & see what others have experienced & suggest.

As for the contractor, they haven't been the most upfront, open & confidence building entity I have ever worked with. This obviously is my first build & I have learned some things just through this process.
What I will & won't do again, that's for sure.

There have been things that rubbed me wrong... but I am now ~8 months into a build that may be completed within the next month or so. I would very much like to move in & have any possibly issues resolved.
I think it's safe to say no one wants future issues, if you can avoid them.
I realize things happen outside of that control.
It would suck to walk away...but like was suggested you can only live with what you can.

If I do walk, then the price just went up another 10-12% & there's another 8+ months of time gone by with another builder.
OR I can pay a premium for an already established home without a third car garage for ~ the same price or higher in this market.
You wouldn't believe it... or maybe you would.

I realize things will never be perfect, but you at least hope your contractor will due their diligence & hire competent subs to perform the work under their oversight.
It's their name on the line.

You're right, I worry about the workmanship just from what others have posted on this build.
I appreciate what has been shared with me thus far.
I don't know better but I can try & at least learn from it.

Luckily, it sounds like a pretty easy fix at this point in time.

I don't see this everyday. Wish I had the time to go & watch for hours a day, that would be awesome. You're obviously more fortunate than some. That' great. I don't.
Only thing that allowed me to see what I have is the crisis we are all going through. If I didn't have the time being off of I work, I probably wouldn't have seen any of this till closing.
Luckily, I have friends that tell me to try & be a presence & watch what I can... AND ask questions to the guys out there performing the work.
Some portions of the build I missed. Wish I was there to see it... but oh well. I wasn't.

As I stated previously, I am building as it is cheaper than to buy an already established home right now.
You might be right... this definitely might not be my cup of tea.

I am worried... but as long as they go in & make things right from what folks have suggested, then I'm good with it.
I don't know enough to NOT being taken advantage of... OR really to know what the right questions are that I should be asking at times.

Thank God for forums like this.
A TON of knowledge on here.
If someone else can learn from what was shared here... that's awesome.
I thank everyone that has responded & given me guidance!

If after all of this, I walk away from further issues with only using a 5 gallon bucket of dirt to take care of the few inches of ground settling... SIGN ME UP!!! Haha

Last edited by Chopperz4Life; 04-26-2020 at 11:32 AM..
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Old 04-26-2020, 01:07 PM
 
2,335 posts, read 2,541,220 times
Reputation: 5663
Even though you're close to being done, I'd still strongly suggest hiring a qualified inspector, who works only for you, to check things over. It obviously would have been money well spent to have had this from the beginning, but there is still some value to bringing in an expert who speaks the contractor's language and knows what to look for. This person can also help prepare a final punchlist so you have a record of what needs to be taken care of before move in. The contractor is NOT on your side.
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Old 04-26-2020, 02:20 PM
 
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
29 posts, read 18,436 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonahWicky View Post
Even though you're close to being done, I'd still strongly suggest hiring a qualified inspector, who works only for you, to check things over. It obviously would have been money well spent to have had this from the beginning, but there is still some value to bringing in an expert who speaks the contractor's language and knows what to look for. This person can also help prepare a final punchlist so you have a record of what needs to be taken care of before move in. The contractor is NOT on your side.

Thanks JW!!
Appreciate that.
I will definitely get a professional involved from this point forth!
...& yes should've gotten em from the beginning.


Got that right on this part too:

Quote:
Originally Posted by JonahWicky View Post
The contractor is NOT on your side.
Haha
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Old 04-27-2020, 07:14 AM
 
12,704 posts, read 8,929,449 times
Reputation: 34702
What's the difference between contractor and con artist?

The city/county building inspector isn't on your side either. They almost always side with the big builders in their area, against the homeowner and against the small, independents. When we lived in Colorado Springs, homeowners and small independents were nit picked to death while the big builders got away with incredibly shoddy workmanship.

One thing I find interesting, is when you get the chance to work with a true professional, it's a night and day difference about everything. From how much they communicate with you to how well the work site is run and maintained. If a day on the worksite looks like monkeys with a football, then you're getting monkey work.

Most home buyers don't see the house until final walkthrough. Coat of paint and throw down some sod and it look perfect. In your case, you know what's going to be under that paint and sod. You're the buyer. Does it meet your standards?
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Old 04-27-2020, 12:15 PM
 
Location: Idaho Falls, ID
29 posts, read 18,436 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by tnff View Post
What's the difference between contractor and con artist?

The city/county building inspector isn't on your side either. They almost always side with the big builders in their area, against the homeowner and against the small, independents. When we lived in Colorado Springs, homeowners and small independents were nit picked to death while the big builders got away with incredibly shoddy workmanship.

One thing I find interesting, is when you get the chance to work with a true professional, it's a night and day difference about everything. From how much they communicate with you to how well the work site is run and maintained. If a day on the worksite looks like monkeys with a football, then you're getting monkey work.

Most home buyers don't see the house until final walkthrough. Coat of paint and throw down some sod and it look perfect. In your case, you know what's going to be under that paint and sod. You're the buyer. Does it meet your standards?

Hey TNFF...

Haha

It's funny you mention that about what you have seen with the building inspectors siding with the "shoddy" big builders in the area.
I just had that conversation yesterday about how things were said about the builder by the inspector that made me question things... his opinion & loyalties.
You just NEVER know?!
These guys do a ton of work here locally so...

AND yes, exactly right!
I'm at least fortunate to see most of what's under the paint & sod... so I better be good with it.

I have a few meticulous buddies that I know take their time & are all about getting it done right.. or as close to perfect as they can.
Would've have given anything for them to be here completing most of the work!
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Old 04-27-2020, 01:32 PM
 
Location: Johns Creek, GA
17,444 posts, read 65,798,103 times
Reputation: 23573
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonahWicky View Post
This person can also help prepare a final punchlist so you have a record of what needs to be taken care of before move in.


In 30+yrs I've never seen a private inspector do a "punchlist"! There was one inspector here in the ATL that had a "fine print phrase" on his contract- "I'm not your decorator; I don't do punchlists."


Private inspectors do systems and condition- at the time of inspection- anything other than that is out of their scope of work, legally or otherwise.
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Old 04-27-2020, 06:51 PM
 
2,335 posts, read 2,541,220 times
Reputation: 5663
Quote:
Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr View Post
In 30+yrs I've never seen a private inspector do a "punchlist"! There was one inspector here in the ATL that had a "fine print phrase" on his contract- "I'm not your decorator; I don't do punchlists."


Private inspectors do systems and condition- at the time of inspection- anything other than that is out of their scope of work, legally or otherwise.
If you hire the right person, they can do whatever you ask them to do, provided you're willing to pay for their service.
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