House imperfection... would this bother you?

[meresal]

Ok... I mentioned this in my last post on the House Hunters thread, but in an effort not to overload that thread with unecessary pics, I'm just starting a new thread. We are building our house, and have "final" walk-thru today. I need to know if this issue is somthing I should make a stink about, or just let it go...

The builders doubled the size of the framing around the window on the left side. They did this becuase they say there isn't enough room to feasibly put pieces of siding in between.
How does this look to you? Would it bother you?


Personally, I feel like there should be siding in between the edge of the window and the side of the house. Yes it is a small space, but when I asked what they would do if we had brick on the back of the hosue, they told me, they would have put brick in there. I think this workmanship just looks cheap and lazy. Supposedly, the siding guy, said that when he tried to nail the pieces in, they would split due to being so small. IMO, there should be another way to make this correct... not just doubling the size of the framing.

(The picture with the glass block is from the opposite side of the house, showing how they put siding inbetween the edge of the window frame and side of the house.)

 

[meresal]

little closer up...

 

[meresal]

What it should *technically* look like.

(For the record, there is a little more space on this side of the house, but only an inch or so.)

 

[janinegirly]

I have no idea about the building logistics (i.e what is / is not feasible with the small space,etc.), but would agree that this would bother me alot too...looks incomplete. I hope you can find away to feel better about it or have them fix it?

 

[Mara]

i wouldn't have noticed this at all if you hadn't pointed it out.

is it the back of the house, aka the part only viewable from the yard?

what is the recourse, did they offer an option? if not and they aren't willing to do it then what would you do about it?

my parents had their house built a year ago in the craftsman style and they had all sorts of issues with certain things being slightly off. i remember thinking really??? on some of the things they were nitpicking on, but hey they have to live there and they paid a ton for it, so it's up to them how important things are IMO.

oh one last note...the house is pretty naked/bare right now but eventually you'd have plantings against the house right like landscaping or gardens? if that is the case, a rose or vine or similar would easily cover that... which is prob also why it wouldn't bother me...i don't like the way a lot of houses look when there are no plantings but with a garden it looks totally different and more finished.

i'd ask about your options and go from there.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Mere, the "it's too small" excuse is B-S. They can, and should side that section. I agree, it looks lazy and sloppy. Add this to your punch list and demand it be done before the final payment is given.

ETA: While I'd love to say just throw up some tall bushes to hide it, this is one of those things that a future buyer is going to see and wonder about. If they took that short cut, what other short cuts did they take?

 

[oobiecoo]

I would request that it be fixed. It doesn''t look bad the way it is but its not SUPPOSED to be that way. If they give you excuses then ask to speak to someone higher up... I think they should be able to use thinner nails or a different type so it doesn''t split? May be wrong though.

 

[Lilac]

Normally something like that wouldn't bother me because it isn't really so noticeable, but truthfully if you're paying all that money to build and customize a house yourselves I understand why it's pretty irritating that they can't handle it the way you would like them to.

I do think Mara has a good suggestion though - if they can't fix the problem, maybe it's possible to put a bush or plant there so you don't even see the part without siding.

ETA: HH also makes a good point - future buyers could see that and think other shortcuts were used (even if they weren't). I would make the builders fix it - I think it's silly for them to say it's impossible to fix the problem.

 

[Mara]

HH i would never notice that as a future buyer...! but i also think that once a house is built and resold that a lot of things are not the way a future buyer would want but that''s just the deal with an existing house yanno.

if people want it their way exactly, they should build or remodel (and see it STILL doesn''t always turn out right! haha).

 

[Allison D.]

You''re paying good money for a house to be built; it should be built right. I''d insist on having it fixed.

 

[Kaleigh]

It would bother me. But then again I am super picky. Alj is right, you should have them fix this, you are paying a lot to have this built.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I like things to be symmetrical and the point is, it IS fixable!

 

[janinegirly]

As a potential buyer I would definitely notice it. With purchases like homes, I have little wiggle room or tolerance for imperfections.Things that can be changed (decor, paint, landscape) are one thing but things that cannot-- or at least not easily-- (location, curb appeal, structure) are another thing, especially when it''s a brand new home. That would give me the impression that things were rushed.

 

[Efe]

I would make them fix it. As to the future buyer issue, I would notice it and figure that there was some problem (damage) that arose and you fixed it yourself. I would never assume a builder would do it that way.

 

[rhbgirl24]

I have to say that would really bother me. You can plainly tell something is wrong. I have no idea if its a problem to do it correctly or not. But seems to me it could be done, just might take more cutting/fitting for that small of a space. I would stick to your guns and have them complete it correctly.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Mere, I hope you don''t mind, but I had my husband-a contractor-take a look at the pictures and he said it''s B-S. They''re being lazy and not paying enough attention to the details.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Since it bothers you, I would insist that they fix it. Maybe the siding did split because they were using the same standard size nail that they use for a longer length of siding? I feel like I am stating the obvious here, but they just need to use more narrow nails and the siding won't split.

(ETA: Ditto to Oobiecoo on this point.) At the very least, I would want them to leave some some extra product so that we could fix it ourselves.

Good luck!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 3/29/2010 12:28:27 PM
Author: Allison D.
You''re paying good money for a house to be built; it should be built right. I''d insist on having it fixed.

This. Somebody probably wasn''t paying attention when they did that part, and now they are just trying to cover their butts.

 

[Clairitek]

When I bought my first house, I never would have noticed something like that. Now after buying a home and then renovating a part of it myself I have become a lot more observant and would definitely notice something like this. I would insist it gets fixed, especially since you are paying for a perfectly built home. Is the siding vinyl or wood? Either way, I don''t see how the siding guy couldn''t at least drill in some pilot holes and secure the siding pieces to the studs that are on the corner of the house and around the window and then put the capping/corner piece over that. Given, I have never installed siding or capped a window, but thats seems like a possible solution.

 

[packrat]

Not to sound over dramatic or anything, but I think I''d have heart failure if I came home and saw that. My eyes would just forever be drawn to that spot, no matter where it is on the house. We''ve had our house worked on by others, and obviously JD and dad..but if something might not work out perfect, they ASK "this is what it might look like, will this bother you? Not, meh, it just won''t work suck it up.

It would be different if it were just painted siding and it was going to be replaced down the road-it would be an irritation but it wouldn''t be there forever. Vinyl siding isn''t something you can just change out when you''re sick of it.

I agree w/previous statements-you''re having the house built, and it should be up to certain standards.

 

[NYCsparkle]

i would have it fixed if i were you. yes it is small, but it is what you paid for. don''t let the builders convince you to accept shoddy work just because they are lazy. if it bothers you now you can be sure it will be something you wish you had fixed later on.

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 3/29/2010 12:28:27 PM
Author: Allison D.
You''re paying good money for a house to be built; it should be built right. I''d insist on having it fixed.

I agree. That is a very noticeable mistake, to me. make them fix it.

 

[Burk]

I agree with the others who say get it fixed. It would bother me and you''re paying good money to build this house the way YOU want it. Good luck!

 

[meresal]

Thanks everyone. I know it sounds stupid, but contractors have this amazing way of making you feel like an idiot for wanting things done correctly. Like you are in the wrong for wanting the work to look correct.

HH- Thank you for having your DH look at it. I like knowing that another contractor agrees that it can be fixed. It is definitely just lazy work.

Mara- I see what you mean about shrubs and trees, I guess it's just that I *know* the issue is there. We do plan on putting greenery in, but I wasn't planning on having it go up the side of the house, at least not high enough to cover that whole corner. They pretty much told me, that their were no options... and that is when I asked about what would have been done, had we used brick on the back of the house, and was told that brick would have been used. I straight up told him, that I felt like we were being taken for granted since we didn't purchase brick. Like we are getting the short end of the stick. "If there would have been brick, then there should be siding".

As for the potential re-sale, that hadn't even crossed my mind, but if it would lead you to think other things were done just as shoddily, then I am definitely going to press the issue. It took me a while to notice it, but now that I know it's there, it's all I see when I am in the back yard looking at the house.

Smaller nails would seem like the obvious option. I even asked him if 2 nails were necessary since the pieces are so small and they are going to be in between two pieces of framing... and he stipulated that 2 nails were definitely necessary.

 

[Laila619]

Looks incomplete...I would not be happy. I hope they can fix it.

 

[Puppmom]

It would bother me but *everything* bothers me.

I play a lot of Photo Hunt and your pic reminds me of the "what''s different here?"

When you buy new construction there should be NOTHING wrong IMO.

 

[Mara]

lol pupp...i play that photo thing in mags and i can NEVER SPOT anything. i think i am just visually lazy or something hahaa.

mere...i didn''t notice originally that the other window DOES have it as it should be done on the SAME side of the house. then the nonsymmetry would bother me for sure. if it was just one window on that side then nope.

and if they said two nails definitely then it''s POSSIBLE right?? and if the other side only has one inch diff then it should be feasible.

i hear you re: it would bother you cuz you know its there. good luck...pull crazy pregnant hormonal woman and scare them into fixing it!

 

[jcrow]

since it seems like you are in the position of having them fix it, i''d speak up and have them fix it. it''s not noticeable until you posted the zoomed in pic. but, yes, i think it''s a bit bizarre looking. and since you''re building, now''s the time for it to be done right!

 

[Lulie]

I would have them fixed otherwise if you ever try to sell that home you wil have to fix it.

 

[Octavia]

It would definitely bother me. My father used to be a builder and he NEVER would have turned a house over to a client looking like that. It may not be a "big" issue, but it looks sloppy, it''s not acceptable, and you should make them do it right.