I used to do a lot of custom homes...from the vacant lot to the putty in the trim after the finish nails were "set".
Sub contractors are a fricking nightmare. From the foundation guys to the drywall guys. And the next guy in line has to try and make the previous guys work, work. Trying to do finish trim and cabinets was always a PITA because you were having to make chicken soup outta chicken shit and the homeowner was standing in the door waiting for you to finish. While you're trying to explain why it's taking so much time to make shit look and fit right.
Is straight, square and plumb REALLY that hard? For some it sure seems so.
I too was wondering about water intrusion in the crawlspace...causing a soft spot at the piers. Or possibly just lousy ass compaction of the subgrade when the lot was prepped.
_________________ "The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living".
-- Travis A Kisner
Fri Oct 20, 2017 7:55 pm
OhShoot!
Site Supporter
Location: Bellingham Canada Joined: Thu Jan 3, 2013 Posts: 4999
Real Name: Josheewa
I do foundation repair and raise/level homes for a work. Any cracks in the foundation? Are your windows level? Is the siding level? Crawl under the house and look for sinking pier blocks. Look close for bends and sinking joists and beams. Is the sill plate level? Use a level in the interior on the floor to check for dips. I second the idea of using a laser level on the exterior. We raise houses and watch them crack interior walls all the time. Hard to tell without inspecting the home in person.
foothills wrote:
I too was wondering about water intrusion in the crawlspace...causing a soft spot at the piers. Or possibly just lousy ass compaction of the subgrade when the lot was prepped.
Most homes with problems were due to inadequate site preparation. You may need pin-piles driven and new concrete poured to anchor your home. You may need drainage added....
Your POS builder will continue putting band-aids on your home until your warranty runs out. Act fast and have it inspected while he is still on the hook for repairs.
_________________ It must be frustrating always being the smartest person in the room.-Jagerbomber35
Divided we fall.
Fri Oct 20, 2017 7:57 pm
RocketScott
Site Supporter
Location: Kentucky Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 Posts: 11098
New houses are shit. Ugh. Everyone wants to see how cheap and fast it can get done.
Old houses are shit too. There is no golden era of home building. The $800k houses I regularly work in out in Woodinville are beatifully designed, and built like shit. The 1920-1950's homes I see in downtown Seattle are built like shit. Upstairs supported on point loads in between joists on the lower levels The 60's-80's split levels...shit. Slap together the house and use as few fasteners as possible. The 90's-2000's track homes...? You guessed it, shit. OSB everything and those fucker's couldn't get the surface of water to sit level.
There are always shortcuts. There are always builders pinching pennies. Code has evolved. Building material has evolved. And yet, the same old problems remain with lazy workers and cheap ass contractors. You want to see a well built house? Build it yourself. Except then you won't know what you're doing and it'll be built like shit. I have seen less than 20 houses that impressed me in almost 20 years of residential construction work.
Money post.
foothills wrote:
Is straight, square and plumb REALLY that hard? For some it sure seems so
I promise this and deliver. Builders have ADHD, they have short attention spans and don't put 2 and 2 together. For some 'untold reason' the houses I frame get finished faster than the houses that some hack crew slapped together. Maybe it's because other subs can get in and out since I know what they need. Just a guess.
/rant
_________________ You may be right, I may be crazy, but it just may be a lunatic you're looking for
Fri Oct 20, 2017 9:17 pm
Daveygravey89
Site Supporter
Location: Eatonville Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 Posts: 1266
Real Name: Dave
I do foundation repair and raise/level homes for a work. Any cracks in the foundation? Are your windows level? Is the siding level? Crawl under the house and look for sinking pier blocks. Look close for bends and sinking joists and beams. Is the sill plate level? Use a level in the interior on the floor to check for dips. I second the idea of using a laser level on the exterior. We raise houses and watch them crack interior walls all the time. Hard to tell without inspecting the home in person.
foothills wrote:
I too was wondering about water intrusion in the crawlspace...causing a soft spot at the piers. Or possibly just lousy ass compaction of the subgrade when the lot was prepped.
Most homes with problems were due to inadequate site preparation. You may need pin-piles driven and new concrete poured to anchor your home. You may need drainage added....
Your POS builder will continue putting band-aids on your home until your warranty runs out. Act fast and have it inspected while he is still on the hook for repairs.
My warranty is already ran out ! But being he didn't fix it right in the first place he is still at fault and will fix it or I will go after him . My neighbors house is doing the same thing. Then he says wierd this has never happened before . Bullshit
_________________ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
2 Corinthians 4:16 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:44 am
Daveygravey89
Site Supporter
Location: Eatonville Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 Posts: 1266
Real Name: Dave
Now that the BS attempt at humor is complete, I agree with the general consensus regarding builders. Good ones are rare (as in so many other occupations!) This one sounds like he is going to do as little as possible to build/sell/warranty his work. I am generally opposed to putting Simpson strong ties between a truss and a non-load bearing wall, even though it may seem to fix the separation for a while- maybe even years. If the problem is a sinking floor beneath a non-load bearing wall, the strong tie will only mask the problem until it breaks.
I am not a full time builder, but do as much of the design and construction as I'm able. In my limited experience, piers are not required below a wall that is not load bearing. Any piers inside the foundation walls are there as load bearing supports, so if yours are sinking I'd be for forcing this builder to address the root cause, not putting a bandage over an arterial injury.
Sat Oct 21, 2017 7:03 am
jukk0u
Site Supporter
Location: Lynnwood and at large Joined: Wed May 1, 2013 Posts: 21297
Real Name: Vick Lagina
_________________ “Finding ‘common ground’ with the thinking of evil men is a fool’s errand” ~ Herschel Smith
"The said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." ~ Samuel Adams
“A return to First Principles in a Republic is sometimes caused by simple virtues of a single man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example. Before all else, be armed!” ~ Niccolo Machiavelli
Láodòng zhèng zhūwèi zìyóu
FJB
Sat Oct 21, 2017 9:21 am
Selador
Site Supporter
Location: Index Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 Posts: 12963
Real Name: Jeff
Now that the BS attempt at humor is complete, I agree with the general consensus regarding builders. Good ones are rare (as in so many other occupations!) This one sounds like he is going to do as little as possible to build/sell/warranty his work. I am generally opposed to putting Simpson strong ties between a truss and a non-load bearing wall, even though it may seem to fix the separation for a while- maybe even years. If the problem is a sinking floor beneath a non-load bearing wall, the strong tie will only mask the problem until it breaks.
I am not a full time builder, but do as much of the design and construction as I'm able. In my limited experience, piers are not required below a wall that is not load bearing. Any piers inside the foundation walls are there as load bearing supports, so if yours are sinking I'd be for forcing this builder to address the root cause, not putting a bandage over an arterial injury.
True.
Separating inner walls, would be inner supports sinking, not the foundation. And the ties will do exactly as you say.
Except... If the foundation and supports are fine, but the rafters are rising. I have seen it happen. If that is what is happening, the ties will hold it all together until the rafters have a chance to acclimate and settle to wherever they end up.
The ties will also tend to 'help' the rafters to decide to end up where they should be, instead of in some kind of arc.
_________________ -Jeff
How can I help you, and/or make you smile, today?
You are entitled to your opinion. You are not entitled to tell me what mine must be.
Do justice. Love mercy.
“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ~ Richard P. Feynman
Sat Oct 21, 2017 11:06 am
TechnoWeenie
Site Supporter
Location: Nova Laboratories Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 Posts: 18474
Real Name: Johnny 5
Can I go after him or an I fucked . ?its both mine and my neighbors house. Didn't even put the bird blocks in correctly . Put mesh to the outside....
Regardless of any stated warranty, there's an implied use 'warranty'..
Anything sold has to be sold in good faith to perform the function it was designed to.
An attorney can advise you further, but I do believe shitty work impacting the house to that degree could easily be a breach of contract lawsuit.
_________________ NO DISASSEMBLE!
Thomas Paine wrote:
"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
Sat Oct 21, 2017 11:27 am
jukk0u
Site Supporter
Location: Lynnwood and at large Joined: Wed May 1, 2013 Posts: 21297
Real Name: Vick Lagina
"I'm sorry to hear about your situation. It is distressing to have something like this happen when you buy a new home.
There is no one-year warranty for new homes in Washington. Washington case law does provide for an implied warranty of habitability for new residential construction, but that is somewhat limited and may not cover all of the defects that you describe. Furthermore, the implied warranty of habitability can be modified or even waived altogether in the purchase and sale agreement. You should hire an attorney experience in construction cases to review your purchase and sale documents and recommend a course of action to address the defects in your home."
From a real estate attorney answering a similar question back in 2013
Seems to me though, that home warranties were extended recently. (Dunno for sure. just some hazy recollection of a conversation I MIGHT have had in the past (sorry))
_________________ “Finding ‘common ground’ with the thinking of evil men is a fool’s errand” ~ Herschel Smith
"The said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." ~ Samuel Adams
“A return to First Principles in a Republic is sometimes caused by simple virtues of a single man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example. Before all else, be armed!” ~ Niccolo Machiavelli
Láodòng zhèng zhūwèi zìyóu
FJB
Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:15 pm
Daveygravey89
Site Supporter
Location: Eatonville Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 Posts: 1266
Real Name: Dave
What pisses my off the most is all the money paid to the city/county for permits and inspections. Then when shit like this fails the claim that they have no liability.
Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:45 pm
Pablo
Site Supporter
Location: Everson, WA Joined: Sun Jan 6, 2013 Posts: 28191
Real Name: Ace Winky
This all makes me sick to my stomach . Purchased for close to 300,000 and I got to deal with this ..... nerve racking
Hang tough. The contractor would rather make it right than go to court. Just stand firm that you want to made right, and he can move on. If not, your lawyer will be involved.
_________________ Why does the Penguin in Batman sound like a duck?
Because the eagle sounds like a hawk.
Sat Oct 21, 2017 8:51 pm
Daveygravey89
Site Supporter
Location: Eatonville Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 Posts: 1266
Real Name: Dave
This all makes me sick to my stomach . Purchased for close to 300,000 and I got to deal with this ..... nerve racking
Hang tough. The contractor would rather make it right than go to court. Just stand firm that you want to made right, and he can move on. If not, your lawyer will be involved.
Because I told him 6 months after I bought and he. Insisted on waiting to fix it . Which pushed the fix out of my warranty. So I got him there. He won't be walking away from this issue that's for sure
_________________ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
2 Corinthians 4:16 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum