Sooo.

As usual.

Maura is RIGHT.

(see Maura, you can print this out and keep it w/you and know that you are right!)

Building this time has turned into one disappointment after another.

It began when our salesman told me we could do our bathroom a certain way.

We get into design, and they tell me "Oh, no, We cant do that anymore."

Fudge. So we suck it up, even though it wasn't what we truly wanted.

The sales person also told us that all the doors were standard colonial doors. Design center says, "NO. You have to PAY for those. Basic doors only unless you upgrade."

Fudge AND (*&(^#$*&^.

So we sucked it up and paid for the doors we wanted.

THEN. This is the clincher for me.

Both MODEL homes on the site had double ovens. Oh, yeah. I felt warm fuzzies spread throughout me at the thought. They were an option I would pay my left big toe (the cute one) for.

Well...we get into the design center and they've discontinued that option. You can only get the oven/microwave stack.

Okay. I'm internally cussing my itty bitty shriviled heart out now.

WE STILL SUCKED IT UP thinking that eventually we'd buy what we wanted (more $$ out of pocket in the end).

Last week we discoverd that they'd changed the layout in the master bath. Both inventory homes we looked at had the old layout. New layout is cramped and has the door in a different place. ARG!

THEY WON'T CHANGE I BACK because it's what they'd submitted to the city.

They said they'd drywall a door frame where we want it, and we could change it later, but they won't change it now.

Which will be more $$ out of our pockets in the end.

The past 3 days, I've had NIGHTMARES about it all (hey, who says I don't internalize EVERY-FREAKING-THING?).

Yesterday I was to tears as we walked through. It looks like their QA/QC is sadly lacking....and I HATE do-overs. I mean, nail the sucker correctly in the first place! If you can't do it right most of the time the first time, how am I supposed to trust that you've done it right during round 2?

And I was pissed.

So we looked at inventory homes of other builders and found one we like BETTER for a far better price.

Kicker, they can get me a double oven. It's not a stacked oven...but it's one with two places to bake inside....which is what I NEED!

So once the sun comes up, I'm callin the builder and telling them kindly to stick it....actually I think I'll just say that this isn't working out like we'd hoped and see if we can't get our ernest money back.

New house says that even if we can't get the money back, they'll suck it up so we won't be out any more dinero.

Can't sleep. 3rd night. 3rd night/can't sleep even WITH the sleepy time pill the doc gave me.

Anyone have to back out of buying a home they were building? I know people do it all the time, but still...

How do we go about this?

(((((kimmy))))) House/money things would also be giving me sleepless nights. It's all so terribly stressful and I'm sorry you're going through this.

We had a small house built in Spain (big swimming pool though!). It all seemed so easy when we sat in the builder's office and we were naive and didn't have a clue how much landscaping would cost. So for us, the house build itself didn't have too many hiccups, but when the house was done and it was time to put in fencing and grass and gates - OMG it was scary. Even more so because whilst all this was going on I discovered my husband was in the throes of an A.

So Kimmy, I'm a million miles away with no words of wisdom because I have no idea how builders operate in your hometown, but I am here sending you big hugs because I understand how stressful this must be for you. Dream homes don't come easy unless you have money to burn. Take care my dear. TT

Oh [[[[[Kimmy]]]]] that JUST sucks .... you need Mike Holmes to give it to the builder that's what!!!

I've become very cynical dealing with builders and tradesmen ... there are good ones but there are some shockers too .... it truly sounds VERY strange that they will not change the design back. I mean what's the big deal after all? Councils here at least are always accepting minor internal changes without a problem...especially from me

It sounds as if they are trying to milk you of $$$$$

I pray it all goes well from here

love

AW

Does anyone else want TT's Spanish pool?

I think I'll move into that and change my last name to Pruney.

I'm sorry for your problems. Believe me, I understand your frustration.

For a little background, I have built the house we live in and built its swimming pool. Re-done the kitchen and put in a second kitchen. Put in a generator. We have done numerous renovations to my husband's place of business and to our old house. I could go on, but the point is, I'm pretty comfortable with situations like you describe.

Many of these things did not go smoothly. I had my swimming pool re-dug, because the morons who came out the first time couldn't read the surveyer's marks and were in a rush. To cover up their mistake, the pool company tried to tell me that I would have to pay for the re-dig, or truck in fill. Heavy equipment is very expensive to operate. I never paid a cent, never brought in a teaspoon of fill. They ate the cost, as they should have.

I also got $3000.00 back from my car company because my car wouldn't start three times last winter. They also replaced the fuel pump. I didn't pay a cent, and I didn't see why I should be paying my car lease for the time period while my car was being unreliable. I got a rental car, too. You are talking to the queen of polite, assertive behavior. It's what I do, I'm like a dog with a bone.

The key is attitude - yours. Never forget whose money is funding the operation - yours. Never be apologetic - women make that mistake, and it's fatal. Always be polite. In your case, I would gather up any and all documentation you have that shows that you were promised an oven and the proper bathroom by the sales staff. Document everything. Put them on the line; it sounds like unethical bait and switch tactics they're engaging in. Accept no verbal guarantees - ever. Go higher up the food chain and make life difficult for someone. Why should you be the only one having a bad day? I'm thinking that perhaps the fact that your husband works in law enforcement might help.

Believe me, they can do the oven and the bathroom. They are lying through their teeth to save *their money*. Who cares about their bottom line? Do you have any lawyer friends? Ask for their assistance in drafting up a letter. That has worked very well for me.

Don't just give up. Get what you were promised, even if they have to re-do it.



Thing is, the new builder could be making you promises also. Will they put the above in writing? It seems like a case of "too good to be true" to me. Remember, these people are all about making a sale, and making a profit. No matter who you build with, you will have to be there every step of the way to ensure that the work is done well.

Good luck.

Thing is, PK, the new house is done.

Finished.

End product is out of this world, no comparison.

I even TRIED to do a comparison on paper and new house beat being built house with one window tied behind it's back.

And you are totally right, PK...it IS our money....and it'd be our money to fix what the original builder pooped out on us on.

You just helped my guilt A LOT!

I really love the new (3rd or 4th) sales person. Trouble is, she inherited all the broken trust and promises from the people before her. Not her fault, of course, but still.

is this KB or fieldstone homes?

It's the first.

How'd you know (grin).

Uh-oh! Does that mean you are more guilty or less? Less, I hope!


That's a problem. Wonder why the rotating cast of salespeople?

I remember the saleswoman we dealt with when we built our house. She was super sweet to my husband, basically flirting with him. When I came by with my mother, she had no time for us, she was too busy.

Back to you....if the new house and builder is exactly what you want, by all means ditch the old house on the basis that they did not live up to the terms of the (verbal) contract. I would back that up with as much documentation as you can.

There's not much point in living in a home where every time you turn on your oven, you're the one getting all heated up. (pardon the poor pun)!

Dat's okay.

I LOVE puns.

You're very punny PK.

From one of my and my husband's all time favorite films: "He would pun would pick a pocket!"

Ah, I wish they would make a sequel to Master and Commander.

I will be crossing my fingers for you that it all works out for the best!

I would go see a lawyer an try and get out of the KB new build. It sounds like a bait and switch. Since you like that completed home that the other builder has you'd probably be happier with that one too in the long run. Do not accept shoddy workmanship.

I agree that the builder can make the changes you wanted. You can make changes to a permit. If you stay with the new build get all change orders in writing and nothing verbal alone.

It would have been wise to have an attorney go over your original contract before signing. All the details should have been specified. Did you assume you were getting the double oven without it being in your contract or on your plans? When you are having a home built the devil is in the details. You have to be on them every step of the way. But, I guess you are finding that out the hard way.

We walked away from a build, when the house was still simply a foundation. It was a pain, but worth it. We lost our earnest money, but losing 1k was nothing compared to the 250k we were risking by following through. It was a new development, about 60 out of a proposed 400 new homes completed. They didn't start on my home until a month before we were scheduled to close...let my lot sit for six months. Then I found that the developer was in foreclosure. The entire second phase of the neighborhood was then owned by a pipeline company. The sales office was in foreclosure, now owned by a bank. The VP of the building company was real nasty with me on the phone. It took two weeks and a lot of face-time to get out of the contract, but man, it was worth it.

That was a year ago, and the house still isn't completed. The neighborhood is desolate, looks like a wasteland, with construction materials around, half-finished houses...wow. I really feel for the residents there. They own a home that's worth practically nothing when compared to surrounding neighborhoods.

Take the loss, if the loss is less expensive than fighting for your money. You'll be so happy.

I almost backed out of my KB home because they kept changing things and making false promises. Kimmy, I was at the homesite every day at lunch time looking at things, checking to make sure my concerns were taken care of.

We quibbled and delayed unil we felt the house was acceptable. The difference between you and me is that when i got the house 2 years ago, the earnest money was 300 down, 300 after going to the KB studio, so 600 total. I put my foot down, and told KB homes that I can keep stalling and if need to, goto a month to month lease on my apartment. We got what we wanted.

I have no advice but I had a friend who built a home. She was a single woman who was in charge of dormitory repairs at a university. When she got ready to build the home, she picked out a plan and picked out EVERYTHING that was to go into the house. Doors, windows, faucets, flooring, paint, insulation, EVERYTHING! Then, she had this all written into the contract.

The contractor who won the job put in the windows. She went out to the house and saw the wrong windows (another brand) had been installed. She called the contractor and said the windows had to be replaced. They said they were just as good and less expensive than what she had requested therefore they would save her money. She told them that they weren't what was in the contract. They went back and forth.

The windows specified were installed.

This contractor was one that often did business with the university. It was in their financial interest to give the woman that for which she had contracted.

If your contract says you get it, you should get it.

Sorry you're learning this the hard way, Kimmy, same as I did. Never, ever, Ever, EVER, EVER build. Find something finished close enough to what you like and buy it, but as far as I'm concerned there is nothing on God's green earth that could possibly be worth the headaches of shepherding a job like that from foreplay to climax, so to speak.

Well, at least you don't have THIS to contend with...

Your Alphabetical Home Is Built on a Bomb Site

Here is the letter I sent to their corporate offices and to our sales rep:

"we would like to see if we can get our earnest money back"

I don't think you should have worded that as if you may not be able to get the earnest money back....it sounds too apologetic. But, oh well. Unless it is only a thousand or two I think a demand letter from an attorney would be advisable. The hint of a threat of turning them in for having a child working on the site may help you. Did you read the contract to see how much was actually spelled out that matched what is really going or...see if there is anything in there that gives you a clearer out. I hope you can get out of this with your money back but I think you should walk away either way...unless they can hold you to the contract.

When we were trying to buy our first house we got out of it due to a technicality...we were glad we did. We found a better house in an older, established neighborhood and have been there ever since. Our home has evolved and grown ever since. The other, newer neighborhood turned out to be not nice at all 28 yrs later.