Frustration...
OK, John Laing Homes... The finished homes are great, from what we've seen...but the building process is a nightmare! We're told other builders would be worse, but who knows who to believe? We sure don't know. Every builder would say that to their clients, right? Whatever. That's why it's been a month since I've posted any words to go with these pictures. To us it feels like not much has happened in a month compared to what we see going on around us.
Also, I really wanted to go back and put words to all of those pictures from the last two posts, but I just CAN NOT do it...too frustrating. That was a big reason not to post at all. The framers took WAY TOO LONG, then it took longer than expected to do the other mechanicals...heating, electrical (they put our Air Conditioner in our neighbor's...so that isn't even in yet).
There are so many problems. It stinks not being the foreman on your own home. Having to fill out Customer Concern forms (it feels like every week) to tell them of issues that are problems that would slow down the next step, or cause a "bad" repair that would make us unhappy...like the way the drain for the wet-bar rough-in in the basement ended up going in. A huge communication problem on their part. The sliding windows are all installed backwards to plan, except a facing slider in the bedroom, which by default HAS to be OK and the windows in the Family Room which are SUPPOSED to be symmetric, but not a single home is built per plan in the entire neighborhood. Lights were wrongly installed, one by type the other by location. Lastly the studs in a few walls were cut to be replaced and they weren't and they've now hung drywall up on cut studs...wonder if/how that'll all be fixed?
For the windows we got an "oh, too bad" type response. The lights have been fixed, and since the drywall is not taped/plastered/textured, they SHOULD be able to repair the holes cleanly...one can only hope... Lastly the wall studs? They SAY they were replaced, but I truly have my doubts, but am not ready to go pull down the drywall MYSELF to prove my point...but don't think it hasn't crossed my mind. And the customer service is shoddy. I already mentioned the bad communication which caused the wet bar rough-in issue. Now the superintendent doesn't reply within 2 business days, AS IS CONTRACTED on the customer concern forms. I've had to CALL THEM 3 days later to see what the &@%# is going on for the last two concerns. I had to call and try to set up the NHO2 (New Home Owner #2) meeting a few times, as the scheduling person wasn't doing their job, so that meeting happened probably 3 or 4 days later than it SHOULD have happed
OK, so that's that...We already KNOW we aren't going to get in by June 5th, the original date on the contract. The contract gives about a year leeway, so they can do whatever they want. We've been told numerous times that this home (along with all 6 that were sold on Dec 5th) WILL BE A JUNE delivery. "I'll eat my hat," as the saying goes, if that were to happen. I'd hate to be a pessimist and say it'll be August 5th....To me it looked like maybe early/mid July...but who knows, really?
We'll supposedly have a better feel for the dates after texture. They say 45-60 days after texture...which could be next Friday, but I doubt that. Looks like the drywall may take longer the the alloted two weeks, also...and I find it hard to believe they'd come in on the shorter 45 day end of the estimate the way it's been going.
Wow, what a rant...You can tell I've been frustrated. OK, on with the latest pics. I complain, sure, but the house IS making some progress. They stocked the drywall and the rock fascia last thursday and got started, so that would be the beginning of the two weeks for drywall. Here are some pictures from that first few days, pics taken Sunday the 7th.
During this week they finished hanging the sheetrock and got on the bullnose.
Hey, it's starting to look like a real house!
We have a nice bench, should be open underneath when done to hide some shoes, right when we walk in from the garage.
And, a nice thing about John Laing homes is that they partially finish the garage. The drywall is hung, taped (a single coat) and sanded, basically ready for me to texture and paint.
This is how the house is today, Saturday May 13th. In addition to the drywall they put in the driveway and hung the stone fascia.
Here's a better look at the front door! Where you can note, what I THINK is the wrong stone from what we ordered. It looks OK, though...so, I'll bring it up as a question, but it seems like another problem. Wonder what if anything they'll do about it? Either way, the stone looks fine, but it wasn't what we ordered.
And this is where we're at. I'll keep posting, but I won't promise any quick posts or anything, once a week, maybe... I'll try my best!
Also, I really wanted to go back and put words to all of those pictures from the last two posts, but I just CAN NOT do it...too frustrating. That was a big reason not to post at all. The framers took WAY TOO LONG, then it took longer than expected to do the other mechanicals...heating, electrical (they put our Air Conditioner in our neighbor's...so that isn't even in yet).
There are so many problems. It stinks not being the foreman on your own home. Having to fill out Customer Concern forms (it feels like every week) to tell them of issues that are problems that would slow down the next step, or cause a "bad" repair that would make us unhappy...like the way the drain for the wet-bar rough-in in the basement ended up going in. A huge communication problem on their part. The sliding windows are all installed backwards to plan, except a facing slider in the bedroom, which by default HAS to be OK and the windows in the Family Room which are SUPPOSED to be symmetric, but not a single home is built per plan in the entire neighborhood. Lights were wrongly installed, one by type the other by location. Lastly the studs in a few walls were cut to be replaced and they weren't and they've now hung drywall up on cut studs...wonder if/how that'll all be fixed?
For the windows we got an "oh, too bad" type response. The lights have been fixed, and since the drywall is not taped/plastered/textured, they SHOULD be able to repair the holes cleanly...one can only hope... Lastly the wall studs? They SAY they were replaced, but I truly have my doubts, but am not ready to go pull down the drywall MYSELF to prove my point...but don't think it hasn't crossed my mind. And the customer service is shoddy. I already mentioned the bad communication which caused the wet bar rough-in issue. Now the superintendent doesn't reply within 2 business days, AS IS CONTRACTED on the customer concern forms. I've had to CALL THEM 3 days later to see what the &@%# is going on for the last two concerns. I had to call and try to set up the NHO2 (New Home Owner #2) meeting a few times, as the scheduling person wasn't doing their job, so that meeting happened probably 3 or 4 days later than it SHOULD have happed
OK, so that's that...We already KNOW we aren't going to get in by June 5th, the original date on the contract. The contract gives about a year leeway, so they can do whatever they want. We've been told numerous times that this home (along with all 6 that were sold on Dec 5th) WILL BE A JUNE delivery. "I'll eat my hat," as the saying goes, if that were to happen. I'd hate to be a pessimist and say it'll be August 5th....To me it looked like maybe early/mid July...but who knows, really?
We'll supposedly have a better feel for the dates after texture. They say 45-60 days after texture...which could be next Friday, but I doubt that. Looks like the drywall may take longer the the alloted two weeks, also...and I find it hard to believe they'd come in on the shorter 45 day end of the estimate the way it's been going.
Wow, what a rant...You can tell I've been frustrated. OK, on with the latest pics. I complain, sure, but the house IS making some progress. They stocked the drywall and the rock fascia last thursday and got started, so that would be the beginning of the two weeks for drywall. Here are some pictures from that first few days, pics taken Sunday the 7th.
During this week they finished hanging the sheetrock and got on the bullnose.
Hey, it's starting to look like a real house!
We have a nice bench, should be open underneath when done to hide some shoes, right when we walk in from the garage.
And, a nice thing about John Laing homes is that they partially finish the garage. The drywall is hung, taped (a single coat) and sanded, basically ready for me to texture and paint.
This is how the house is today, Saturday May 13th. In addition to the drywall they put in the driveway and hung the stone fascia.
Here's a better look at the front door! Where you can note, what I THINK is the wrong stone from what we ordered. It looks OK, though...so, I'll bring it up as a question, but it seems like another problem. Wonder what if anything they'll do about it? Either way, the stone looks fine, but it wasn't what we ordered.
And this is where we're at. I'll keep posting, but I won't promise any quick posts or anything, once a week, maybe... I'll try my best!
posted by Erick and Jess at
8:27 PM
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