Beazer Homes And JEA Stick It To Bartram Park residents (Jacksonville: sale, HOA)

[GeorgeJ.]

There were a couple articles in the Florida Times Union earlier this year and late last year about how JEA was going to shut off water to multiple subdivisions in Bartram Park (built by Beazer & Pulte) if each unit didn't install backflow preventers.

JEA was planning on making each subdivision buy reclaimed water from them. Stonefield At Bartram Park used well water for irrigation. JEA insists that they buy reclaimed water from them so that the JEA cash register can ring - Cha-ching.

Pulte stepped up and agreed to pay for the backflow preventers on their homes in Bartram Park. But Beazer insisted for over a year & a half that they were not responsible legally and that they were going to do nothing.

In Stonefield At Bartram Park (Beazer community), residents received letters from both JEA and the HOA that their water would be shut-off if they didn't have a backflow preventer installed. First deadline was in January, and then later extended to March. More letters from JEA & the HOA. The HOA gave the phone numbers of two plumbing companies that could do the work. Beazer was still saying no, we're not responsible - this is your problem.

So we had backflow preventers installed on our two units in Stonefield in March (before the JEA deadline) at a cost of $435 each.

Beazer finally caved sometime in May and owners got a letter from the HOA in July that Beazer would pay for the backflow preventers. If you hadn't done it already, they'd have their plumbing company (that does the plumbing for their new constrcution in Jacksonville) do the installation. If you had the work done at your expense (after getting all the doom & gloom letters from JEA & the HOA), Beazer would reimburse you $150. Where did the $150 figure come from? That's the sweetheart deal that Beazer struck with their plumbing company. And that's below their cost for doing the work. It involves pulling a permit for each backflow preventer, parts and labor. The plumbing company told me that the $435 we paid was a good deal, because they'd charge me more than that if I came to them individually to do the job.

Beazer's attitude on reimbursing anyone the actual cost of the backflow device is basically "*********". I've called Beazer Jacksonville, Beazer Orlando, Beazer Tampa & Beazer Corporate in Atlanta and the attitude from all is *********, take it or leave it, we're not legally responsible for anything.

So if you're considering a purchase with Beazer, think about the type of company they really are, and how you will be treated after the sale...

Beazer is willing to receive bad publicity rather than reimburse me the full $870 I am due (shortage of $570).

Keep in mind, David Byrnes (head of Beazer Florida), if $570 causes you to lose just one sale in Florida, you've lost big time. Have a Beazer Day..

Other subdivisions with the Beazer backflow problem are Emerald Preserve, Sumerlin and Verano.

[JaxFlaGal]

I still don't understand how Beazer could say they had no responsibility in that matter. In that scenario, the backflow preventer is state law, after all, not just JEA's requirement. How they got any approval in the design or build stages for city drinking water hookup without them amazes me.

Then again, Beazer's less likely to give a darn about Jacksonville / North FL - they told the Jacksonville Business Journal in August 2010 that they're leaving the Jax / North FL market when their current development buildouts are complete. Personally, I'd advise against thinking about a Beazer home for that reason alone - good luck getting quality warranty work from an absentee builder.

[jcs2000]

File a small claims action against Beazer. You have an actionable cause and after served notice of a lawsuit will be strongly motivated to settle.

[hope2011]

I appreciate the information.