Construction costs are expensive, so having a good relationship with your home builder is essential. When you sink hard-earned money into a new home, you should get excellence in return. Unfortunately, sometimes the work is substandard, incomplete, or behind schedule, and you may feel cheated. Here’s what to do when your home builder disappoints you.
Ways that a home builder may fall short of expectations
Here are some ways a home builder can fail to deliver:
- Using substandard materials
- Doing substandard work
- Not finishing the job on time
- Not meeting building code requirements or failing to get proper permits
- Working significantly behind schedule
- Designing various aspects differently from the agreed-upon plans
How to catch and deal with problems early
The first thing to do is to stay engaged in the building process as the job progresses. Visit your home’s job site at the end of each day while the construction superintendent is around to monitor progress. This can help you catch developing problems early, when they can more easily be corrected without much tearing out and rebuilding.
If the job is not up to expectations, review your purchase contract for the home. You may also have signed upgrade addendums for higher-quality flooring, counters, cabinets, light fixtures, and door hardware. Review the language of those carefully. Make sure the language is on your side between what was agreed upon and what you received.
Ask the construction superintendent to meet you at the job, then share your concerns with him. Address matters in a calm, businesslike manner. Show him why you believe you have not received what was agreed upon and allow him to explain. Talk about solutions, not accusations, and avoid implying that the contractor is ripping you off. Give him the benefit of the doubt as much as possible, then let him step up and fix the job.
If the superintendent disputes whether the quality of work is substandard, contact the builder’s sales representative and ask that the work be examined. Explain how the work does not match the language in the sales contract and addendums.
Be aware that some issues could result from developments that the builder did not foresee. Weather or supply chain issues may cause delays past expected deadlines. Materials may have to be substituted to stay on schedule. As much as possible, give grace to these possibilities.
If you cannot work out the differences
If you, the superintendent, and the sales rep cannot resolve your differences, contact the builder’s headquarters and ask someone from the corporate offices to get involved.
If you still cannot find a resolution, reach out to third parties:
- If the issue concerns the quality of work, ask a home inspector to examine it. Pay him for his time and opinion. Take a copy of the inspection report to the superintendent and the builder’s corporate office. Notify the local code enforcement office of the situation.
- If the work is done by licensed subcontractors, you can contact the state licensing agency for the particular specialty, such as plumbing or electrical.
- If these methods don’t help, you can contact an attorney if the dollar amount exceeds the state-determined threshold for small claims court.
The final walk-through with the home builder
When purchasing new construction, you should hire an inspector to examine the completed home before closing to resolve any significant issues. The buyer usually does a final walk-through with the superintendent and the sales rep to inspect the home right before closing. Bring along a roll of blue painter’s tape; tear off little pieces to attach to anything that looks incomplete or incorrect. (If you stayed on top of the job as it was in progress, your blue tape should only be for minor fix-it jobs, what the industry calls “punch-out” jobs.) Bring a notebook and jot down notes. This is your last chance to resolve any issues before closing the deal.
Related – Choosing the Right Homebuilder for New Construction
