New home construction companies? Pulte, KB, Ryland etc?

[Gypsy]

It's early days yet. Granted. But I'm a research monkey.

But we are looking to move to TX this year. And we have a decent (for Texas) budget for a home. A lot of the areas we are looking in have new homes construction available. And we like the thought of having a home that's newly built, with a home warranty, new appliances, and the ability to chose our own finishes.

I'm not one of those people who needs "character" in a home. So older homes in general are not something that I gravitate towards. I like modern amenities, don't mind tract homes, and care about having an open floor plan. So instead of buying something from the 80's or 90's that is just reaching the point where everything needs to be upgraded, a new home sounds like a good option.

But I am having a lot of trouble researching which home builders are good ones, and which ones to avoid.

Does anyone have experience with this stuff? I could use some guidance.

 

[luv2sparkle]

Hi Gypsy! We bought our first new home about 11 years ago now. The builder is only in CA, I do believe but their name is TriMark. I can tell you what I liked about them. The most important thing, was that they put more safety into their houses than the other builders did. Since we are in CA, earthquake safety was important. Every joint was strapped and our foundation is tension set, so the house rolls as one unit. They also took buyers on a tour of our phase during construction and showed us what made them better. We really learned a lot. They also didn't mind us coming in and watching the house being built. Any time we had questions they never made us feel like we were bothering them.

When we bought our house it was a whole new division in our area. We looked at all the other builders and could sense a difference in the quality of the houses they built. You start to notice little things in the models. Things that are quite done right, shortcuts taken. To me that is a bad sign. If builders put in extras that you wouldn't necessarily see, they will tell you. Like better appliances, better wiring. That is a sign to me that they care about what they are doing. I am certainly no expert, but I would do the same thing again. I would also say, be cautious about buying upgrade you can't see or test. We paid for some wiring upgrades for tech stuff and neither one of us can tell you exactly what it was supposed to do for us. But it was 11 years ago. We just had some satellite upgrades and found that the wires weren't connected to the box in our master closet. Oh well. We did add a lot of can lights just where we needed them and electrical outlets. I am so glad we did. We also let them put in all the builder grade stuff and we ripped it out and put in upgrades that we didn't get through their design center. The one thing I wished we had paid extra for was an upgraded staircase. It was expensive and I thought I could do it later. I didn't realize what a pain that would be.

We also went for the builder grade cabinets. They are awful but we were able to go through homes that were being built and the upgraded ones weren't any better quality wise just more expensive (10-20K more) so it wasn't worth it. I am just now going to replace them with something better. It is so helpful if you can walk through the other phases and see the stuff people are putting in. We added upgrades in the bath- a jetted tub and bigger shower but I need to replace all the cabinets in the baths too. Corian counters came standard though.

We also added insulation hoping for a bit more sound proofing. While it might help a little, it wasn't that much help. But we had 5 kids at home at the time and we needed all the help we could get.

I am a researcher too, in pretty much everything. I would get info on all the upgrades they offer and start checking out how easy it would be to do it after. We saved a huge amount adding granite, floors and carpet ourselves after. We donated all the new carpet we removed.
Good luck and have fun.

 

[luv2sparkle]

One more thing I would do. I would look up anything you could about the area. How close is a land fill? Was there ever one there before?
What was the land used for prior to that home development being built? I have some friends in orange county that bought a house where a dump site had been and a lot of people were getting ill. Also, if the area is not flat, buy on the cut side of the street rather than the fill side. The land is more stable and you will have less settling.

 

[azstonie]

Hi Gypsy: in AZ we have gone through a big housing boom. Pulte, if memory serves, had quite a few lawsuits. I might be wrong. Go into a pulte neighborhood that is say 5 years or so old and ask the people about their homes and this is important---was Pulte's customer service/fix it dept responsive and good.

I have a gas fireplace I can't use. Whenever I turned it on, it emits a smell of burning dust. The builder couldn't figure it out and fix it. Neither could an engineer or the company who made the fireplace.

All builders make mistakes. How they rectify them is a big factor in your stress load.

We went by our house three times a week at least, we added nails if those were being used sparsely, made sure things were being done correctly. We caught quite a few expensive errors before they were final. Take lots and lots of pics.

 

[minousbijoux]

Another way to go, if you can get them to share their experiences with you, is to go to the planning/building departments where you know those builders have built. As a city planner who has worked for various cities, I can tell you that without a doubt, the right city staffers know allllll about the various builders who have built in their towns and would likely be willing to share their knowledge with someone like you who has done their due diligence.

 

[azstonie]

My hubs works for the City, he would get canned for having that discussion with the public. The builder would have his a$$$ on a platter.

When we had been in our house a few months, prospective buyers knocked on our door to ask about the builder.

Note: When we turned over the money for the house to the builder, we paid via a mortgage. The final inspection/walk thru revealed several unfinished items. I didn't want to close on the house but all the utilities were paid and in our name for thst date and the loan, all those calculations and the forms were date sensitive too. The builder assured us he'd finish said items in the next 48 hours. We closed on the house, moved in, and the battle with the buildef got started after 2 weeks of no action.

So, on Memorial Day weekend, the last and most expensive lots in the subdivision were released for sale by our builder. I made signs asking the builder to finish what we paid for, and to return our calls, about 10 signs in all. The signs were put on all 4 sides of our house AND hung over our fence facing the $$$$$$$$ enormous cul de sac lots.


The builder called the next mirning. I'd met several prospective neighbors for the cul de sac lots. The buildr came to meet with us at our house. We agreed on what would be fixed/when and I also asked for and received upgraded landscaping and a security system. We all signed the agreement/dates. He asked me to take down the signs and I said I'd meet the terms of the agreement we'd just signed: work completed to our satisfaction by X date and then the signs come down.

Everything was finished by 5 PM the next day.

 

[Gypsy]

Oy. I have to say, I'm filled with anxiety now at the thought of dealing with that stuff.

It might be better just to buy an older home and rennovate things slowly.

 

[kroshka]

Hi Gypsy,

I say if you want new construction, go for new construction. However, depending on the area in TX you want to live, I would say there probably is some inventory of overall newer homes to choose from too (i.e. 5 years or less that would have open floor plans, updated materials, etc). Just be sure to get a home inspection done, and even if you purchase a new inventory home or have one built, you might still want to hire a home inspector. I have a friend who is having a new home built and she hired a home inspector that would go and write up a report at several stages of the build - like when the foundation was done, etc.

Some builders to check out in Houston, TX (not sure if you were still considering the Houston area) - Trendmaker Homes and Village Builders. One more thing about TX, many areas have hard water, and new construction never includes a water softener, so consider the cost of getting one if the home you pick doesn't already have one installed. And, for any interested neighborhoods, check if it is in a flood plain area. There are lots of planned communities, so consider amenities and HOA fees, and be sure to check property tax rates for interested areas as well.

Also wanted to add, that even if a home you pick is not in a flood plain area, you may still want to consider flood insurance, since TX is flat and when areas get too much rain or a hurricane comes through (depending on location), just peace of mind to have and it's not terribly expensive if not in a flood plain.

Kroshka

 

[Calliecake]

Gypsy,

I would stay clear of Pulte homes. They aren't known for being good quality homes in our area. I also worked with someone who purchased a Pulte home about 15 years ago. They ended up selling it after 3 years because they were so unhappy with the quality of their house.

We have built two homes. Now matter how great your builder is I would still go and check on the progress 3 times per week. Some builders frown upon it. The builder who built the house we live in now was an absolute dream to work with. Do your homework and talk to people the builder has built homes for. People are always more than happy to tell you if a builder is good or awful to work with. Ask a few people what their experience was like and how the builder resolved issues that came up after they moved in their homes. We had a small leak in the roof 6 years after we moved in. My builder fixed the leak and had someone come in and repair the the drywall that was damaged. He had a painter come back a few days later to repaint my ceiling. He never charged us a thing and this was after living in the house for 6 years. We never had another problem with the roof. If we ever build another house in this area he is the only one I want building it.

Pulte and Ryland are known for large housing developments in our area. It will be very easy to check with homeowners about there experiences.

 

[Karl_K]

Ask about the framing of the floors and between floors.
I-Joists/TJI: are frankly a fire hazard
I-joists/TJI with fire jackets: are a little better
traditional lumber: more prone to twisting and squeak and pops but much more fire resistant.
2x4 truss systems: more stable than traditional and more fire resistant then i-joists even with fire jackets.
steel: usually not used in homes other than maybe a few support beams over long spans are the most fire resistant.

Personally I am uncomfortable with i-joists because of the fire and fume hazard.
They do not have to get hot enough to burn the beam through to fail they only have to get hot enough to melt the glue holding them together. The glue also gives off toxic fumes as it burns.
Do your own research and decide.
Millions of people live in I-Joists homes and don't even know it.

edit: also ask about the wall framing they are using tji there too.

 

[Gypsy]

I swear, I don't know how anyone buys a home. So overwhelming. I have analysis paralysis already.

I am on getting the best home inspector I can, no matter what we chose to do.

I am reading all your posts. And I appreciate them. Please keep them coming. I will share with DH too.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I felt just like you 36 yrs ago, and bought a new house. I, too wanted new cabinets, new bathrooms, and have it be all new. I had some of the same problems the above posters talked about, but no major systems were bad. I bought a more expensive lot, over looking a man made lake. However when I moved in there was a hill blocking my view of the lake. Of course some of my neighbors had the same problem and one owner took up the cause with the builder. He said he couldn't change it because he had to lay pipe in that area and it needed to be covered over by xx amount of dirt. He finally refunded a portion of the premium I paid for the lot, and to the other homeowners that were affected as well. Its a true matter of time thats required to settle all these issues. I worked and if my neighbor hadn't taken on the builder, she was a stay at home mom, I don't know what I would have done.

If I buy again, which is unlikely, I would opt for a house under 10 yrs old. Your systems should all be still good. roof 20 yrs, heating and air 15-20 yrs. water softener should still be good, electric and plumbing ought to still be good. Gutters still good. The taxes will be lower than a new home, and landscaping will be more developed. Everything is almost new. Better yet if its 5 yrs old, but the cost for an older home may be less. I would never buy a 20-59 yr old home.

I do agree with MB in going to the city planning dept or building code department. They are there to provide citizens with information and just might tell you if there are many or unusual problems with the builder. The city does not work for the builders. It oversees that the builders are complying with the city or village regulations.

Either way you go, there are possible problems, new or old. You must look around. The realtor should know if you are in a flood
plain..

Annette

 

[kroshka]

With regards to realtors, they are definitely not all equal. Make sure you find one that you like and feel really listens to what you want. Somehow I've had bad luck overall with most of the ones I have dealt with. Depending on if you are only going for new construction or a used home, you could conceivably find a realtor that will take less commission or rebate you some of it back - i.e. instead of realtor taking their 3%, they would give you 1-1.5% back.

Make a list of all the definite features you want and pros and cons of new vs used. And if used, I do think it's not a bad idea to get one up to 5 years old.

Kroshka

 

[azstonie]

Okay, Gypsy, so Texas?

You want a certified and insured home inspector. You're looking for, among the other usual suspects. MOLD. Have him check for radon and for offgasing formaldehydes, etc. Air quality, basically. Your average home inspector will not have the equipment for this, you'll have to look around.

Every home we have sold I paid for a 1-year warranty for the buyers. I didn't want to hear about things after the sale and this was the easiest way to prevent that. The homeowners had the option of extending the warranty to a total of 3 years if they chose to.

In homes built in the last couple of years your concern is Chinese dry wall. Builders in Arizona have done really well removing Chinese dry wall from homes and replacing it.

Side note for Houston: If you're going to Houston, the most amazing veterinary clinic is there, Gulf Coast Veterinary. They saved our darling female Westie, replaced her hips when no other surgeons were doing hip replacements on small dogs. While we were there with Maggie, we saw dogs and cats and birds and lizards whose lives were all saved by the vets there.

 

[kroshka]

Azstonie - agree about Gulf Coast Veterinary

Kroshka

 

[sweet_blossom]

Hi Gypsy, we found the city data forum and threads helpful. You can Google city data (whatever city you are interested in). Another resource is gardenweb home building forums. You may already be looking at those forums but thought it worth a mention.

Also, if possible/available, maybe try and drive out to builders within your current state/nearby state to check out their models. We found this helpful when researching the same builder from another state. Pulling out the cabinet drawers--dovetail, staple, etc--little things like that give a sense of the quality/budget. Looking at models also helps with narrowing down finishes, where to put your money into what for the best bang for budgeting purposes, etc--this helps as there may be an additional cost for any changes during the process.

There was a lot of helpful information from other posters above. Agree that getting a home inspector even for a new build is good. And agree that buying new or old will require work.

All the best in this next exciting chapter of finding the perfect home in Texas for you and your husband!

 

[Gypsy]

WOW, lots of great information here.

So happy I posted. Please keep all the advice coming. You all are such fabulous experienced and smart ladies and gentlemen, that I am just blessed to have you all advising me.

We are looking right now in Austin or right outside Dallas in Richardson, as that is where the companies I am interviewing with have locations. Houston is still on the list, but I am not currently interviewing there.

DH has a strong preference for Austin. It is more expensive. But there is a good reason for that.

So we'll see.

 

[Karl_K]

This guy is in the area your looking:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFCTrfb1JUJjs3Im8OZDtBw
I watched a lot of his videos and he seems impressive.

 

[Tekate]

I live in Texas, our first home here was a David Weekly home, it was a nice home, not many problems when building.

I think it depends on where you plan to live in Texas as there are different builders for different types of homes and communities. Texas is very hot in the summer and fall, it's lovely in the fall and winter. I'd first find the style you want, I have noticed that many builders are back to building one story homes, when I first moved to Texas in 97 the 2 story transitional was really 'in'.. now it's one story homes.. as far as if a builder is good or not, I'd find a subdivision I liked, and then check the builders.. lotsa of growth here.

ETA: I lived in Austin for 18 years moved north for 5 years, back and built a new house north of Austin, near Leander TX.

It's early days yet. Granted. But I'm a research monkey.

But we are looking to move to TX this year. And we have a decent (for Texas) budget for a home. A lot of the

areas we are looking in have new homes construction available. And we like the thought of having a home that's newly built, with a home warranty, new appliances, and the ability to chose our own finishes.

I'm not one of those people who needs "character" in a home. So older homes in general are not something that I gravitate towards. I like modern amenities, don't mind tract homes, and care about having an open floor plan. So instead of buying something from the 80's or 90's that is just reaching the point where everything needs to be upgraded, a new home sounds like a good option.

But I am having a lot of trouble researching which home builders are good ones, and which ones to avoid.

Does anyone have experience with this stuff? I could use some guidance.