[Skunkedagain]

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this homebuilder? Also wondering if the prices they quote are negotiable.

 

[gonefishin']

We checked out many builders and finally went with Wayne homes. I think everything is negotiable. Where you will make out is in the small details. For example, getting upgrades or making changes in the floor plan. Don't be afraid to ask. You might be surprised at what they'll do. The fact that new housing starts are down may work in your favor also. It won't hurt to let them know you're shopping right up to the last minute. Good luck!

 

[catking]

If you have any more questions concerning a new house, just PM me. I've been in the housing business for 30 years I'll answer them if I can. Good Luck to you. I haven't heard anything bad about the builder in question, which is a good thing EVERYTHING is up for discussion when talking prices CATKING

 

[jeffmo]

doing some homework before you sign a contract can save you ALOT of headaches on down the road.
tell the contractor that you want a list of the last 10 houses or so that they have built then go check them out and talk to the owners to see if they are satisfied or had any problems with the home.
you can also check with the better business bureau to see if the company has had any complaints filed against them.
have it in the contract that only 2/3 of the total money will be paid up front and the rest when the home is completed to your satisfaction.
any good contractor or company won't mind you checking these things out,if they do it ought to be a red flag to you.
the only other things i would do would be to make sure that you have the land you are going to build on checked out to make sure it's not in a flood prone area and that it it suitable to build on.i saw a story on channel 10 out of columbus this week about a couple that had a new home built on land that the homebuilder(a company)sold them,and in a very short time frame the house began settling so bad (about 8 inches)that the foundation was breaking apart.the company said that they were not responsible for the damage and now the owners are stuck.seems it was built on top of a peat bog that the company said they weren't aware of!!!!!!

 

[Miso_Ohio]

Yeah check out the land first like Jeffmo said. My sister and brother in law had a "The Adams" built on thier own property way out in the boonies. It has been about 2 years so far and no problems yet. I recall a few little instances during the build that my sister was a little stressed over, but all in all I have seen people get more stressed over a cookie cutter Dominion Home build so it couldn't of been too bad.

To save money my sister and brother in law decided to paint the walls and stain the trim themselves. Painting was no big deal we all pitched in, but if you plan on staining your own trimwork, please think twice about it. That is one job that is better left to the professionals to do, lots of sanding to get it right.

During the build process I found out another co-worker had close friend that had the same house built a couple of years previous, and according to him they love it so far. Those are the only two people I have heard of building a home with American Heritage, and both seem to like them just fine, haven't really heard anything negative about them yet. I am not to sure about them being to negotiable, I didn't hear about that aspect of the process, I know you can do some of the work yourself and cut the cost back.

 

[bassman23]

Just go to one of there build sites and ask some of the workers. They will tell you how well the homes are built. I used to laugh at the buyers of Century 21 homes when they came to see there houses they were so poorly constructed. If you do go to a couple of the builds, also look for pink slips taped to a window or wall, those are failed inspections.

bassman23

 

[Skunkedagain]

Thanks for the replies. The land is a lot that I split off my current property and it sits high and has been inspected by the county health department(for septic system). Done alot of reading the last couple days, and it seems American Heritage is a very reputable builder. Always quick to correct problems or issues. Their base prices aren't negotiable but they will deal on added options.

 

[PoleSnatcher]

I'm not sure where you are located but check out Ashley Homes. They do some really nice stuff. They started purchasing their materials from us here first part of the year. PM me with any questions, I do the supplying part of it all. Bad thing is materials are up and going up by the day almost

Also spend a little extra now on trim, doors, cabinents, etc. and you'll be happier down the road

 

[PoleSnatcher]

also one I'd stay away from although I'm not sure about teh workmen ship is Summit. I droped some material at one of their job sites Memorial Day and is was the messyest (sp?) site I have ever seen. I know that may not mean nothing but alot of times cleaness goes with quality. Just something to think of.


And watch if they sub work out, <b>some</b> sub contracters are really shady

 

[lark101_1999]

before u close the deal t and do the doted line ting is a great time to get that one last thing for free if they think thats all it takes to get the job and the cash my new house i held out at the last second for a free 600 doller front door

 

[Richs63Corvair]

If you decide to paint and stain yourself and have any questons let me know. I have been painting interior and exterior for 6 years now so I might be able to help you..... Rich

 

[BigJohn]

Just built a Summit home. We were very pleased. Had a few issues, but they were very quick to respond. Although I may have done things a little differently, the quality they provided for the price was very good. We looked at a lot of builders, and felt that they provided the best "bang for the buck". As far as the site mess, by default they leave site cleanup to the customer, therefore, that may very well have been the homeowners fault as opposed to the builders. We paid them to do the site cleanup, and they did OK, but I'd probably opt to do it myself if we built again. Overall, I have been very happy.

 

[PoleSnatcher]

good to hear they were decent to you bigjohn


for me that is a big turn off when going to a home under construction. most of our builders are very clean and want us to keep it just as clean when we bring materials. I wasn't sure about their quality but seeing bands, house wrap and scraps just tossed where ever was a little bit of a turn off. I know there is alot of debris building a house but atleast keep it in a pile to burn or in a dumpster.


glad the quality and bang for the buck was good