Builder on the news

s1120 · Dec 5, 2003

Well going to be anouther story on tonight. This is getting REAL big. Boy, it would be a pitty to see someone go to jail. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

cowboydoc · Dec 5, 2003

I can see the big bills Bird and I even understand and will help patients out that way. But most of what I'm talking about is less than $500. Even a $10 bill that people will make you send them to collections for and still not pay it.

Bird · Dec 5, 2003

Yeah, Richard, I suppose nearly every business has to deal with a few deadbeats, and it appears obvious to me that lots of folks don't pay their medical bills because we've spent enough time in the hospital and doctors' offices lately that I pay the bills in person instead of mailing them in, and nearly every time they ask me, "Did you want to pay all of it?" I've always paid "all" of my bills in full, but by asking that question, it's obvious everyone doesn't.

jdmar · Dec 5, 2003

I am (re)thinking doing an addition in the spring. You can bet our attorney will look at the contracts. I am genuinely sorry about your home problem...I hope you pull through without the bankrupcy problem.
Cowboydoc your "lucky!" In the emergency department we only get about 30-33% of billed...tried that with the plumber once...didn't go over well!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BigDave · Dec 6, 2003

( I've never heard of a builder who prohibits visits by the homeowner.)

My builder liked the fact we were there almost everyday. We would find mistakes before he would. The best one was after they framed the upstairs bathroom - they had it reversed. A lot cheaper to pull up the framing now than realize the shower had window and the tub was against a wall after they already had installed the plumbing.

AndyM · Dec 6, 2003

I would have never signed the contract if I couldn't watch my own house being built. Since I work nights, I was there nearly every day, and not only caught several mistakes as they happened (easier to fix now than later), but I had total say in everything right down to the spot where I had them drill my well (BEHIND the house).

My builder said that I was a "very particular" person, which I think was a polite way of saying I was a pain in the, uh, neck.

I personally belive my being there minimized the mistakes and poor quality (there was still plenty of issues!), and if I wasn't there, I probably would have a much poorer finished product than what I ended up with. If we had it to do over again, we would have spent more time looking at builders. We had issues, nothing as bad as Paul's ordeal, but still nothing that I would EVER want to go through again! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

s1120 · Dec 6, 2003

Well anouther story was on the news last night. They are realy starting to slam them pretty hard. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif They were talking about the new company one of the guys started, and the fact that he had the gall to try to get some of the people to give him more money, and he would take over there contract.

Well, me thinks they pissed off the wrong people this time. I don;t think they expected this to get this big. Nor did they expect everone to pull together like we have.

RobS · Dec 6, 2003

My builder liked the fact we were there almost everyday 

Ours too, we caught a lot of things that saved them and the subs time/money. Tried not to be a pain in the rear about it, in fact, often we'd show up with donuts for the subs on-site. Most of them ended up feeling pretty comfortable around us.

Before completely settling in with our builder, she took us to some of her other houses in process and actually introduced us to the various subs working. That was one of the many things that steered us to this builder. We're still working with them on our one year checkup list and see them socially occasionally. Good people /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

AndyM · Dec 7, 2003

( Before completely settling in with our builder, she took us to some of her other houses in process and actually introduced us to the various subs working. That was one of the many things that steered us to this builder. We're still working with them on our one year checkup list and see them socially occasionally. Good people )

Our builder was originally like that too, until we signed the contract. After that, getting to return phone calls, answer emails, etc became much more difficult. Once they got our business, it all changed!

They would give me a break down of everything that was going to happen to the house through the week, and then nothing would happen for two weeks! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

We signed the contract on September 11 last year, and we were told they would start in a month. The dug the hole the first week in December and started framing January 7. Even though we were able to get temporary occupancy on April 24, the last of the work was finally completed on July 3!

BigDave · Dec 7, 2003

It's taken my friends a up to a year to get their houses built in those large sub-division that are popping up everywhere. Our builder broke ground four hours after we signed on a Sunday morning: he already had a permit in place. We moved in 84 days later. He & his partner usually build two or three houses at a time, but he and his subs were out there seven days a week. The only things that weren't completed was hydroseeding the lawn (completed the next week) and the paving of the driveway (two months) since he wanted to wait for the ground to dry out before he did that job. We been here for three years and the house hasn't sprung any leaks or anything like that. Finding a good builder can sometimes be hit or miss which is kind of sad since a home is normally a familie's biggest investment. We just lucked out, since we didn't know this builder other than seeing his finished product.