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Not that I am really going to add much, but I just wanted to agree with what everyone else said. If you don't have it fixed (properly) every time you look at it you will get irritated.
Note that if they were this careless about the patio, what else is there you'll soon find or don't even know about?
A good friend had a builder who .. I can't imagine how...on their house put the front windows too close together. He only found out when he went for his regular look because the shutters nearly touched. They did all that and no one ever noticed or mentioned it to a higher up, no call to him, and they left it for him to see that way. He found out other things like a missing side window that was on all the other houses (don't know how this one was the one that got messed up) so that he had to change where his laundry room appliances and counters went because of where they then knocked out a section to put the window. Then there was something wrong with some utility item in the basement. I remember I was with him when the builder's rep went down to supposedly work on it. We smelled cigarette smoke which my friend did not want in his home. I sneaked down a few steps and there was the guy sitting there and smoking. We listened for sound. None. Eventually the guy came up and said it was fixed when it wasn't. Had to really get on the builder finally. (There was another house in that sub division where they made the house a little too short so one end result was outside (which is all I got to see) the garage could only fit one car and then there was a half space...bike or whatever. That's because there were steps up to the kitchen taking up some of the space. Funny how a little thing can make a big difference.
Have you hung around the site to talk with other purchasers looking at their new homes or people who already live in the houses?
Totally agree! It is NOT your issue until you close...make sure they KNOW you have NO intention of closing until it is fixed to your satisfaction...and then do NOT go to closing based on their "promise" to fix it afterwards.
We once had an "issue" that arose after the contract was signed on one of our homes...and the sellers agent stated "oh, we will get that all worked out at closing". I informed her NO, I have NO intention of GOING TO CLOSING until it is worked....so let me know if our date/time to close is still good based on having this "issue" resolved....Poof! Just like that it was "over". The sellers agent actually had to "eat" her mistake, but it was not my problem. I made sure SHE understood we would not be there to close based on a "promise".
Walk away from what is likely a multi hundred thousand dollar house in the location you want for an $800 patio upgrade screw-up... from a sub that likely did nothing involved in the construction of the house itself. lol - people are so cavalier when it's someone else's house... and there's no way I can see a simple, small concrete patio will bother you forever... I mean - wow.
Concrete is poured with seams because concrete ALWAYS cracks. The seams give it a place to crack aesthetically. 10x32 is way too big to not have a seam anywhere, so you may not like the look of where the seam is today, but it's a budget patio that is ultimately a very small investment.
Talk to the builder - explain the situation. Don't go in guns blazing about pulling out, etc. The builder typically wants you happy and they'll work with you on a solution... of course I do assume you did your due diligence in choosing to sign a contract with this builder. Because as much as the tough guys in this thread have you with the power, it's likely you signed the typical builder contract and walking away will lose you your deposit... on an $800 patio upgrade that is rather easily fixed in the big picture.
Thanks for all the ideas and input. The builder is talking over solution suggestions and will get back to us early next week. I really hate the way it looks, my DH does not. What we agree on is the concerns about the potential issues down the road. The original 8x32 area is poured over a plastic barrier in 3 sections with a footing along the edge leading to the yard. The additional 2x32 area is only 4-6inches thick with no plastic barrier and no footing. The seam joint from the original area and the new area is what looks so bad. Cracks are to be expected but the unknown potential of the thinner section cracking all the way through and lifting is the main concern.
I like the idea of scoring it in a 2x2 pattern and staining it but that doesn't resolve the potential issues mentioned before. We do have a contract with our builder and yes it is a track home. We rent in the same neighborhood that it is being built so we have watched every step very closely. This is probably why we noticed the error before they did. The builder is highly praised in the area and everyone of the neighbors we've spoke to has been very happy with them. We are not going to walk away over this, they will fix it somehow, at the very minimum we should get a credit for the mistake BEFORE we close. In the big picture it is only a patio but I don't want it to leave a bad taste on our dream home forever either.
Walk away from what is likely a multi hundred thousand dollar house in the location you want for an $800 patio upgrade screw-up... from a sub that likely did nothing involved in the construction of the house itself. lol - people are so cavalier when it's someone else's house... and there's no way I can see a simple, small concrete patio will bother you forever... I mean - wow.
Concrete is poured with seams because concrete ALWAYS cracks. The seams give it a place to crack aesthetically. 10x32 is way too big to not have a seam anywhere, so you may not like the look of where the seam is today, but it's a budget patio that is ultimately a very small investment.
Talk to the builder - explain the situation. Don't go in guns blazing about pulling out, etc. The builder typically wants you happy and they'll work with you on a solution... of course I do assume you did your due diligence in choosing to sign a contract with this builder. Because as much as the tough guys in this thread have you with the power, it's likely you signed the typical builder contract and walking away will lose you your deposit... on an $800 patio upgrade that is rather easily fixed in the big picture.
Thanks for all the ideas and input. The builder is talking over solution suggestions and will get back to us early next week. I really hate the way it looks, my DH does not. What we agree on is the concerns about the potential issues down the road. The original 8x32 area is poured over a plastic barrier in 3 sections with a footing along the edge leading to the yard. The additional 2x32 area is only 4-6inches thick with no plastic barrier and no footing. The seam joint from the original area and the new area is what looks so bad. Cracks are to be expected but the unknown potential of the thinner section cracking all the way through and lifting is the main concern.
I like the idea of scoring it in a 2x2 pattern and staining it but that doesn't resolve the potential issues mentioned before. We do have a contract with our builder and yes it is a track home. We rent in the same neighborhood that it is being built so we have watched every step very closely. This is probably why we noticed the error before they did. The builder is highly praised in the area and everyone of the neighbors we've spoke to has been very happy with them. We are not going to walk away over this, they will fix it somehow, at the very minimum we should get a credit for the mistake BEFORE we close. In the big picture it is only a patio but I don't want it to leave a bad taste on our dream home forever either.
I agree with you. It is funny...and even we can be surprised at ourselves...what can really hamper enjoyment of a home, particularly if it is always in your face. A 32' patio is lovely, even magnificent. In relation to the width, though, 8' makes it looks too close against the house. Long and narrow rather than grand and expansive. Hey, if he's such a reputable builder he'll want to fix it and run off whoever put that 2' stretch in so badly. You might want to see if he'll go 4' extra while you're at it.
I agree with you. It is funny...and even we can be surprised at ourselves...what can really hamper enjoyment of a home, particularly if it is always in your face. A 32' patio is lovely, even magnificent. In relation to the width, though, 8' makes it looks too close against the house. Long and narrow rather than grand and expansive. Hey, if he's such a reputable builder he'll want to fix it and run off whoever put that 2' stretch in so badly. You might want to see if he'll go 4' extra while you're at it.
Absolutely....no problems just solutions.
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