All things New Homes ( subdivisions )

[glaswegian]

Just thought I'll start a thread here about new subdivions and all things about it. For those that have bought into this and those are yet to move in, who was your builder, what area, why did you choose them, and are you happy with it so far?


What advise do you have for people that are about to make the move, ways to improve the house, landscape ideas, back yard ideas, garage makeups, finishing up the basement, furnitures?

I think you get the idea now.....pls share

[Kommander_KornFlakes]

is it true that all new subdivisions come equipped with fiber optics and have ultra-fast hi-speed internet?

[Rehan]

GTA new home buyers might be interested in this:

http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/2005136a.gif
Source: http://www.jdpa.com/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2005136


I have a Mattamy home and I've had some issues with some of the work done in the basement...I'd hate to think how bad some of the lower-rated builders are! :| (I do know there are some new home horror stories, though... )

[Rehan]

is it true that all new subdivisions come equipped with fiber optics and have ultra-fast hi-speed internet?No. I moved into my home in early 2000, and DSL wasn't available until late 2004!

[glaswegian]

Thanks for that Rehan, Mattamy always seems to be the builder everyone raves about, and am not surprise they are right up there. Just like you said, new homes don't come with super high speed internet, it's an upgrade to get cat 5e installed from what have heard.

Like any other builder, mattamy is cheaper outside of the GTA.

[spdztr]

My wife and I just bought an Aspen Ridge home in Thornhill Woods. Closing date is next June. I've heard good things about this builder, so I'm staying optomistic that a) we'll actually get the house when promised and b) that we'll have no major problems.

Anyone else have comments for Aspen Ridge?

[glaswegian]

My wife and I just bought an Aspen Ridge home in Thornhill Woods. Closing date is next June. I've heard good things about this builder, so I'm staying optomistic that a) we'll actually get the house when promised and b) that we'll have no major problems.

Anyone else have comments for Aspen Ridge?

Hmmm....that must have cost a bundle eh? There is a discussion on this, in the link below, but I can't access it from work

http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/macleods_landing_richmond_hill/message/136

Anyone have any experiences with empire communities homes?

[spdztr]

Yeah, I joined the macleods landing group on yahoo just a few days ago, some very good info there, thanks.

ps:that link that you posted was actually my post.

Hmmm....that must have cost a bundle eh? There is a discussion on this, in the link below, but I can't access it from work

http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/macleods_landing_richmond_hill/message/136

Anyone have any experiences with empire communities homes?

[T-Bone]

Building a new home in Calgary with Heartland Homes, possession date in Oct. No major issues to report.

I was on the forums at http://www.newhomesreviews.com/ but the forum seems to be down for a while now. Is there any other canadian new home forums around? If not, RFD should dedicate a section. I'm sure there are many people with lots of questions and people who have gone through the experiences to offer good advice and answers.

[glaswegian]

Building a new home in Calgary with Heartland Homes, possession date in Oct. No major issues to report.

I was on the forums at http://www.newhomesreviews.com/ but the forum seems to be down for a while now. Is there any other canadian new home forums around? If not, RFD should dedicate a section. I'm sure there are many people with lots of questions and people who have gone through the experiences to offer good advice and answers.


Ah....that was the same forum I use to be on, it seems to have been down now, for months. Can anyone pls share any other similar forums with us? That is why I sort of started this one here.

How much does it cost to fence off the backyard, and where is the best place to get a deal, also decks and stone patios?

[spdztr]

It seems that almost every type of search brings you to http://www.newhomesreviews.com/ but it's not just the forums that are down, there's practically no information there either.

As far as fencing a backyard goes, I've heard that it would cost about $1,500 from each of the surrounding neighbours. Again, this is just word of mouth, and I haven't costed that out yet - I have a few years to worry about it.

[Droog99]

How much does it cost to fence off the backyard, and where is the best place to get a deal, also decks and stone patios?

I just finished building my own fence. I built 69' on one side and 64' on the other. I used 5' boards and 1' lattice. The posts on the 69' side are 6"x6" (Neighbour insisted) and the other was normal 4"X4" posts. We used screws instead of nails. I didn't have to do the back because it's conservation area and the developer put up a 4' chainlink. I had someone come in and drill the holes and set the posts.

My total costs were about $1150 taxes included (GTA). Bought all the materials at Home Depot at 15% off. That works out to about $8.65/linear foot YMMV. Still need to buy materials for, and build, gates.

From the quotes my neighbours got, building ourselves worked out to be about half the price of having someone build it for us.

[Kommander_KornFlakes]

I have a Mattamy home and I've had some issues with some of the work done in the basement...I'd hate to think how bad some of the lower-rated builders are!

I was working in a project in Milton last year in this Mattamy construction site, the homes were awesome and cheap, going for about $167,000, I mentioned to this Mattamy employee that their houses were elegant and cheap, he looked at me weirdly and told me "If you only knew how we built these things, you wouldn't even offer $25,000 for one. They are built like sh*t".

[daftfunk]

I was working in a project in Milton last year in this Mattamy construction site, the homes were awesome and cheap, going for about $167,000, I mentioned to this Mattamy employee that their houses were elegant and cheap, he looked at me weirdly and told me "If you only knew how we built these things, you wouldn't even offer $25,000 for one. They are built like sh*t".


Mattamy is garbage. The people that buy them don't know anything about construction, hence the high satisfaction rate. And they try to use siding wherever they can.

[pika_sil]

anyone have any experience with park royal homes in edmonton? i'm buying in parkland in the westend. prices seem reasonable except the saleslady is a cow. >.<

i built with jayman homes recently. not a great experience. anyone need details please msg me.

[Rehan]

I was working in a project in Milton last year in this Mattamy construction site, the homes were awesome and cheap, going for about $167,000, I mentioned to this Mattamy employee that their houses were elegant and cheap, he looked at me weirdly and told me "If you only knew how we built these things, you wouldn't even offer $25,000 for one. They are built like sh*t".That applies to almost all big builders. To get the job done right, you'd have to get a custom builder that will cost you about 30% more than what you pay for the cookie cutter houses.

[rangermcfadden]

Is it common for new subdivisions to come with restrictive covenants or Homeowners' Associations?

[pika_sil]

my new home purchase contract is 15% interest if i can't pay the builder on time. i'm not using my own lawyer. do u guys think this will be a problem if i'm getting a mortgage? are there usually delays with the banks and i may have to pay interest?

i can't decide whether to use my own laywer or not. and the builder didn't give me a copy of the contract after i signed it. said her boss has to approve the contract first. it's been a week now. is this common?

[glaswegian]

my new home purchase contract is 15% interest if i can't pay the builder on time. i'm not using my own lawyer. do u guys think this will be a problem if i'm getting a mortgage? are there usually delays with the banks and i may have to pay interest?

i can't decide whether to use my own laywer or not. and the builder didn't give me a copy of the contract after i signed it. said her boss has to approve the contract first. it's been a week now. is this common?


we got a copy of our contract the same day we sign with the builder, 2 copies actually, one for the bank, one for us. The sales office forwarded a copy to the builder to approve, which they've done now within 4 days.

We used a lawyer they recommended that knows the area and the buildings, he cost $500. we paid 1500 dollars when we signed the contract, the rest due on closing

[imshyru]

brookfield is a great builder. if you need any info let me know..

[T-Bone]

If you are looking at buying a Cedarglen home in Calgary. FYI - Here is an e-mail (edited for length and e-mail addresses) the president send back to customer by mistake by hitting the reply to all button. I don't know the history on this story, but very unprofessional for a president of a company.

New homeowner: This is getting ridiculous, and I'd like for this email to be forwarded to the President of Cedarglen.

This weekend I had water coming in through the roof of the garage and it is getting worse. It's leaking down the wall between the house and garage now when it rains. I called the emergency pager and left a pretty terse message as I'm fed up with the crap service we are getting. Jeff phoned back to leave a message to tell me that they are busy with higher priority water problems and that someone would get back to me on Monday and that I should move my stuff out of the way if I don't want it to get damaged. First off, this is now 3 WEEKS that Cedarglen has known about this leak and STILL nothing has been done about it. Nor did anyone phone me this week! I'm really curious to know how other people's leaks take precedence over mine when you've know about the damn leak for almost a month! It was so nice of Jeff to suggest that I move my stuff too, I would have never thought of that!

This is our 3rd new house and without question the response, attention to build detail and quality of build is by far the worst of any builder we have been with. I assume when I buy a new house there will be deficiencies, that's normal, but a leak in my roof and a basement window that leaked like a sieve is not a deficiency. It's poor workmanship, poor project management, and completely unprofessional and unacceptable. Nevermind the incredibly poor framing. I don't think there is a square corner in this entire house. There are ¼" gaps between the baseboard and wall in some rooms!

It seems every time there is an issue with the house, I get an excuse to the problem and why it's not being fixed on time. Frankly I don't care that there is a shortage of trades etc. I spent $ for this house and I expect things like water leaks to be fixed. Never mind they should not even happen in the first place. As a customer, I don't care what Cedarglen's internal problems are, I want a prompt solution. I paid for a product and it's defective, so it needs to be fixed! You need to figure out how to make that happen.

I was told everyone would be here to fix the roof on Tuesday of this week about 1.5 weeks ago, despite this being 3 weeks too late, but not surprisingly no one showed up. I also have STILL not heard about what is going to be done about all of the other issues in our house relating to paint, electrical wiring problems, refinishing the top cap and a host of other items.

I would like to see firm dates set to the items remaining on my deficiency list as well as a date for when the roof will without delay be fixed. I know your internal policy is 2 weeks for many things, but here we are, almost a month in the house, and many things have not even been resolved.

I look forward to your reply.

From the president of Cedarglen (supposed to be an internal e-mail but got sent to homeowner): Has "new homeowner name withheld" been in the Bottle? Seems like quite a pleasent fellow. Perhaps send him a bottle of vinegar. Fill me in when you have a minute and we can see what number we can put him on the list. Maybe the bottom.

New homeowner: Are you serious! I paid this much for my house and I get a comment like "has he been in the bottle" and "send him some vinegar" from the President of the company! I am absolutely appalled and there is no apology that is going to remedy that. That is completely inexcusable. Before that comment I was just upset with the poor workmanship and slow reaction time, but you can be sure I will be printing this out and showing it to anyone and everyone that will listen. I've CCed a number of my friends and family in the industry and people I know who are currently looking for homes, so they can see the type of service that Cedarglen provides. While I no longer work with "name witheld", I do work in the Architecture industry and I know a lot of people in this industry.

This e-mail made the news: CFCN (http://www.cfcn.ca/generic/generated/hubs/consumer/index.html)

[pinball]

... the builder didn't give me a copy of the contract after i signed it. said her boss has to approve the contract first. it's been a week now. is this common?

You signed an offer. Now the builder needs to accept it before it becomes an agreement. I have heard people waiting up to a week for a response. My experience has been 2-3 days.

[deep]

If you are looking at buying a Cedarglen home...

Holy crap. That's astonishing - I hope there was a proper formal apology and settlement!

[gstylez]

Anyone own a home by Bond Homes?? :D Thanks

[PrettyJade]

I have been in my Great Gulf Home for 1.5 years now. The customer service is great, they are timely and I haven't had an issue with them.

As for improvements (options) that I chose were items that would prove to be difficult to do in the future i.e. 9' ceilings, oak staircase, rough in basement washroom. I also opted for the skylight as putting one in later might compromise the roof and cause leakage.

Some builders offer smart wiring and others it is an option. Always ask about items you do not see on their lists. I asked about closing in the loft and I know have a 5th bedroom/office and it only cost me $500.

[Rehan]

As for improvements (options) that I chose were items that would prove to be difficult to do in the future i.e. 9' ceilings, oak staircase, rough in basement washroom. I also opted for the skylight as putting one in later might compromise the roof and cause leakage.
Rough in washroom in the basement is not necessarily that hard to do afterwards. In my case, the builder actually created MORE work for the rough in by putting the pipes in the wrong place... so that means if I now want to actually finish a bathroom down there, I have to undo their work, move the pipes, and put new concrete down there. Most home owners wouldn't realize this kind of mistake, but it was pointed out to me by another builder.

There was an earlier thread where I listed some of the issues I had:
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112019

[darth wolf]

Building a new home in Calgary with Heartland Homes, possession date in Oct. No major issues to report.

I was on the forums at http://www.newhomesreviews.com/ but the forum seems to be down for a while now. Is there any other canadian new home forums around? If not, RFD should dedicate a section. I'm sure there are many people with lots of questions and people who have gone through the experiences to offer good advice and answers.

i was on that forum for a while, very informative until it went down.

I started up a yahoo group in hopes of finding old members that bot the same builder as mine. It's been about a month since i did it and i'm at a whopping 3 memebers (including me).

btw...dont' buy primont homes...their service is horrible. I'm in e-mail contact with their "VP or sales and marketing" (the owner's wife)...basically lying to me even though i have e-mail proof that she's gone back on her word....also "threatening" to delay my closing. Oh well, I just hope Tarion will do their job.

[glaswegian]

So when is everyone closing next year, and have they started clearing the land yet?

[spdztr]

My closing is at the end of June, and they have not yet started to clear the land. I don't expect them to until December or January (weather permitting).

[Punky Hunky]

My Closing is Oct of next year but the land has already been cleared. I'm hoping that means it will at least be on time.

[IceMan77]

Buying a house seems like a nightmare. I can't wait for all the excitement that awaits when I begin looking...

[glaswegian]

Buying a house seems like a nightmare. I can't wait for all the excitement that awaits when I begin looking...

It is, but stressful at the same time. Lawyer's fees, builders, picking upgrades, and all that.

[Rosico]

what are people's thoughts on Tarion? They helped me with a complaint but basically sided totally with the builder when our condo corp raised deficiencies with the common areas (which would have been quite a bit more $).

[pika_sil]

is it common for the buyer to pay the property taxes when building anew house starting from the purchase agreement date?? shouldn't it be from the possession date???

[steveNu]

Hello all, I was looking for the same type of info, found the yahoo group and a new site the other day, looks like it is just getting started, but might be a good place for common type of questions for new home owners, its a jungle out there and the best place for info I have found is other buyers in the same areas.....

Anyway check it out.....

http://www.finishmyhouse.com

[spdztr]

is it common for the buyer to pay the property taxes when building anew house starting from the purchase agreement date?? shouldn't it be from the possession date???

If I remember correctly, it's from the possession date. The lawyer figures it all out when you get closer to the date.

[spdztr]

Hello all, I was looking for the same type of info, found the yahoo group and a new site the other day, looks like it is just getting started, but might be a good place for common type of questions for new home owners, its a jungle out there and the best place for info I have found is other buyers in the same areas.....

Anyway check it out.....

http://www.finishmyhouse.com


Thanks for the link! I would have thought there would be so much more information on the web about these builders. I guess now is as good of a time as any to get things rolling!

[pika_sil]

If I remember correctly, it's from the possession date. The lawyer figures it all out when you get closer to the date.

it says on my purchase agreement under adjustments, as an exception, "property taxes are the customer's responsibility from date of purchase agreement" it's not very clear is it? does it mean from the date i signed the agreement, or the date of possession specified in the agreement. i just want to make sure it's the builder's responsibility up to possession date? the sales person hasn't answered my call yet....grrrr!!!

[hax3]

it says on my purchase agreement under adjustments, as an exception, "property taxes are the customer's responsibility from date of purchase agreement" it's not very clear is it? does it mean from the date i signed the agreement, or the date of possession specified in the agreement. i just want to make sure it's the builder's responsibility up to possession date? the sales person hasn't answered my call yet....grrrr!!!

Are you still in your conditional period where you can get a lawyer to review? If so ask them to change to wording in the agreement so it is more clear and specifies it's from the possession date.

[pika_sil]

Are you still in your conditional period where you can get a lawyer to review? If so ask them to change to wording in the agreement so it is more clear and specifies it's from the possession date.

i'm not getting my own lawyer. but i still have the conditional to financing clause in place. and they already deposited my deposit cheque! is that right? aren't they supposed to deposit it after all the conditions are removed?

[laptop-tech]

I bought a Mattamy in Oakville last year, took possesion earlier this year and so far no major problems.

There were indeed small ding here and there, all fixed within very reasonable time. I had one "more serious" problem with the basement, that was not properly leveled out. Mattamy contacted the company that did the job and they came and fixed it for me.

So far, I'd buy from them again.

About improvements, liek another post says, I'd buy things that are proven to be difficult. I got my oak stairase and it was the best investment ever.

[laptop-tech]

I'd URGE you to get a lawyer and revire your purchase agreement.

Some builders have contracts that givem them SO MUCH power that you just cant believe.

For instance, imagine a contract signed by you, stating that the builder has the right to cancel the purchase agreement 90 days before the closing date, and sell it to someone else for a higher price if the market has "changed too much" from the time construction begun. Yes, I've seen a lawyer stating he found such conditions on some contracts.


i'm not getting my own lawyer. but i still have the conditional to financing clause in place. and they already deposited my deposit cheque! is that right? aren't they supposed to deposit it after all the conditions are removed?

[pika_sil]

I'd URGE you to get a lawyer and revire your purchase agreement.

Some builders have contracts that givem them SO MUCH power that you just cant believe.

For instance, imagine a contract signed by you, stating that the builder has the right to cancel the purchase agreement 90 days before the closing date, and sell it to someone else for a higher price if the market has "changed too much" from the time construction begun. Yes, I've seen a lawyer stating he found such conditions on some contracts.

well the builder is using the standard alberta new home warranty contract. i asked a lawyer before and he said there's not much he can change on the contract since it's the standard one. and besides, i didn't put down lawyer's review as a condition. can i still make changes if i find anything wrong with the contract?\

[pika_sil]

i just talked to the saleslady and she said i have to pay for the property taxes for the land until it's built! is that normal?? even if it's only about a hundred dollars because the house is not built yet?

[Kommander_KornFlakes]

i just talked to the saleslady and she said i have to pay for the property taxes for the land until it's built! is that normal?? even if it's only about a hundred dollars because the house is not built yet?

They're not going to charge you just $100, they are going to charge you the ENTIRE amount...... the tax is based on square-ft, doesn't matter if there;s a house on it or not.

Also be careful with buying a house, half of them you have to rent the heater because it's not bought but rented >:(

[warpdryv]

dude, you haven't got a clue. the tax is based on assessed value, not square footage. until the house is built & assessed, you'll pay tax at the vacant land rate, which is probably around $100/yr. when they assess your house, they'll charge you back to your possession date.

if your water heater is to be rented (as is usually the case), the builder will have to have put that in the agreement of purchase and sale.

[m8tey]

Looks like this is the time to buy eh, there seems to be a lot of people every model home you go to.

[hax3]

well the builder is using the standard alberta new home warranty contract. i asked a lawyer before and he said there's not much he can change on the contract since it's the standard one. and besides, i didn't put down lawyer's review as a condition. can i still make changes if i find anything wrong with the contract?\

If I were you I would try and get the clause clarified on the agreement so I knew exactly what it meant.. Ask them.. I don't know if they will do it since you don't have the lawyer clause but you never know. You said you were using the builder's lawyer? Ask him about it.

[pika_sil]

so it turns out my builder does make all the customers pay for the property taxes starting when you sign the purchase agreement. my possession date is april so i will be paying for about 7 months worth of property taxes although it won't be too too much since the house isn't built yet. at least that's what i've been told.

i asked the alberta new home warranty program and they've never heard of property taxes before possession. neither has my mortgage broker who asked me about it when she saw my contract!

but what can i do right? it's in the contract and i signed it (although i didn't get a copy at the time.....)

[alkapone]

I have been in my Great Gulf Home for 1.5 years now. The customer service is great, they are timely and I haven't had an issue with them.

As for improvements (options) that I chose were items that would prove to be difficult to do in the future i.e. 9' ceilings, oak staircase, rough in basement washroom. I also opted for the skylight as putting one in later might compromise the roof and cause leakage.

Some builders offer smart wiring and others it is an option. Always ask about items you do not see on their lists. I asked about closing in the loft and I know have a 5th bedroom/office and it only cost me $500.

Good to hear..re Great Gulf.......I am looking in Stouffville.

[riga]

Thank you whoever started this thread.

Anybody heard the name "Marydel Homes"?
They are building the site "Upper Thornhill Estates" at Major MacKenzie
and Bathurst. I can't find any reviews. TARION.COM shows "0000" posessions.
At their sales office they say they only have one house built so far in Newmarket.

Thanks,
Rob

[alkapone]

Not much..cant get into the site...unless?...
Small custom builder?

Marydel Homes
This information
is not updated
by the builder.

Address:
8600 Keele St. Unit 49


CONCORD, ON L4K4H8

Contact Person:
Vito Montesano

Telephone:
(905)761-6882

Fax:
(905)761-5637

Web Site:
www.marydel.com

[glaswegian]

Thank you whoever started this thread.

Anybody heard the name "Marydel Homes"?
They are building the site "Upper Thornhill Estates" at Major MacKenzie
and Bathurst. I can't find any reviews. TARION.COM shows "0000" posessions.
At their sales office they say they only have one house built so far in Newmarket.

Thanks,
Rob


You are welcome !

[glaswegian]

bump

[m8tey]

we are closing on our new house next summer. The question we have, is about about alarms. People have said certain alarm companies will install for free for a year, is this true and has anyone benefited from this offer? Also...which is the best company to go for in terms of central air conditioners, and is there any buy now pay later deals?

We are in the GTA area of ontario

[LendingMax]

As a real estate appraiser, I don’t know how many times I’ve heard and seen the nightmare stories about new home construction. I have one big piece of advice..

“Hire a real estate appraiser to do construction inspections on your home.”

Why? Because inspections will ensure that construction continues to progress in a timely manor and is 100% finished by the time you hand over the last of your money.

Rule of thumb - You never want to be in the position were you have more into the building than the builder does. If interim inspections are done, the appraiser should ensure that at no time you are handing over more money than is needed to get the building to a specific point. Simply put, if the foundation cost is $10,000, you don’t want to give the builder $15,000.

Another great reason for hiring an appraiser for the inspections is because it’s a great way to make sure all the little things get done at the end. We’ve all heard the story of the builder that never came back to finish the job.

When the builder wants his final draw you tell him that you need a final inspection done by the appraiser. Also let him know that the appraiser has said that everything must be 100% complete before all funds will be released. It’s amazing how well this works.

Lord knows how much you’re spending on your new home, do yourself a big favour, sleep better at night, and hire yourself an appraiser to do interim inspections. Depending on your location and the number of inspections you need, you’re probably looking at a bill of $200 to $300.

BTW, this is not a plug for appraisers; if you can find someone else with the proper knowledge use them. Just use someone…

Bruce Schoenne
AACI, P.App, RI
Articles: http://www.lendingmax.ca
Questions? Email me at: bruce@lendingmax.ca

[rf134a]

we are closing on our new house next summer. The question we have, is about about alarms. People have said certain alarm companies will install for free for a year, is this true and has anyone benefited from this offer? Also...which is the best company to go for in terms of central air conditioners, and is there any buy now pay later deals?

We are in the GTA area of ontario

ADT will put in an alarm for free with a 3-year contract. Look in your SUTP (Students' Union Ticket Pak) for coupons for the same but with a free keychain remote to deactivate the alarm. Alarms are becoming like cell phones now... free with contract and different resellers will give you free stuff.

[m8tey]

ADT will put in an alarm for free with a 3-year contract. Look in your SUTP (Students' Union Ticket Pak) for coupons for the same but with a free keychain remote to deactivate the alarm. Alarms are becoming like cell phones now... free with contract and different resellers will give you free stuff.

Thanks for that, but we are not students though :) How much is the monthly fee for these alarms?

[UncleSteve]

what are people's thoughts on Tarion? They helped me with a complaint but basically sided totally with the builder when our condo corp raised deficiencies with the common areas (which would have been quite a bit more $).

Our condo. corp. is going through hell with them right now. The buildings don't have the necessary number of support studs, resulting in the building bearing load at 160%. Non load-bearing pillars are bearing load.

Tarion has ruled that most deficiencies indentified by the engineers are non-warranty, resulting in an estimated cost of $ 500,000 per building ( $ 10,000 per unit).

UGH.

[rf134a]

Thanks for that, but we are not students though :) How much is the monthly fee for these alarms?

ADT charges $29.95/month for the monitoring fee, +$3 for a centrally monitored fire alarm.

You don't have to be a student to buy a SUTP, they are sold to raise money by schools and community groups. Check your mailbox for coupon offers. I've heard funny things about Alarmforce...

[m8tey]

ADT charges $29.95/month for the monitoring fee, +$3 for a centrally monitored fire alarm.

You don't have to be a student to buy a SUTP, they are sold to raise money by schools and community groups. Check your mailbox for coupon offers. I've heard funny things about Alarmforce...


Thanks for that. Anyone knows about good central airconditioner companies, apart from CARRIER? I hear Lennox is good, how much would a 2 tonner go for?

[glaswegian]

So who is closing on their new house soon, and are you excited?

[m8tey]

We are closing summer 2006. Kind of excited in a way, to be finally getting out of paying rent for a not so great service.

[alkapone]

Gulf homes Stouffville....sending out some delay letters...for closings anticipated Oct? 06.

[glaswegian]

Gulf homes Stouffville....sending out some delay letters...for closings anticipated Oct? 06.

What...they just changed your original closing date to Oct? What about the contract you signed, did it specify that that they can do that?

[Shifty]

A few points;

Tarion is owned by a coalition of builders, so don't expect much in the way of help.

Most A/C's are now made by a very small number of manufacturers, who operate under a myriad number of brand names. Ie. Keeprite is Carrier, and also several other brands.

Property taxes are not assessed on sq ft, as stated, but value.

Don't waste your money on alarm monitoring, just go to eBay and buy some ADT window stickers instead! Deterence is as good as alarms, imo.

FYI - I own a 3 year old Fernbrook, and I would have to say I wouldn't likely buy from them again. Poor customer service, shoddy workmanship, everyone on my street bitches about them. I don't know if any of the builders are really good, though, they all slap up houses as quickly and cheaply as possibly.

[alkapone]

What...they just changed your original closing date to Oct? What about the contract you signed, did it specify that that they can do that?

Gulf has various sections of a subdivision going...if all approvals are in they can proceed and hopefully make the deadline. If Approvals..land...sewers etc don't come in on time ..there is often a delay.
One has to bite the bullet. Happens all the time. Frustrating no doubt.

Not sure re contract....but in this case not a real problem.....for others could be a REAL problem.

[glaswegian]

Gulf has various sections of a subdivision going...if all approvals are in they can proceed and hopefully make the deadline. If Approvals..land...sewers etc don't come in on time ..there is often a delay.
One has to bite the bullet. Happens all the time. Frustrating no doubt.

Not sure re contract....but in this case not a real problem.....for others could be a REAL problem.


Can you believe the amount some of these builders are charging for upgrdaes? It's ridiculous really, $250 for a pot light, $500 for some faucets :mad:

[thelefteyeguy]

A few points;

Tarion is owned by a coalition of builders, so don't expect much in the way of help.



wrong, wrong, wrong.

Tarion is a private, non-profit organization. What you are thinking about is that the board of directors are mostly made up of builders. Tarion Warranty Corporation is responsible for administering the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act (as legislated by the govt of Ontario), which outlines the warranty protection that new home and condominium builders must provide, by law, to their customers. Tarion doesn't change / bend the rules to meet the needs of the builder or the home owner.

[thelefteyeguy]

Our condo. corp. is going through hell with them right now. The buildings don't have the necessary number of support studs, resulting in the building bearing load at 160%. Non load-bearing pillars are bearing load.

Tarion has ruled that most deficiencies indentified by the engineers are non-warranty, resulting in an estimated cost of $ 500,000 per building ( $ 10,000 per unit).

UGH.

before you buy any new home or condo, do your research. Go to a community or condo and ask politely what they think of the builder and their workmanship....

the home is the largest investment you potentially make in your life...i am surprised by the number of ppl that dont do more research.

What was the condo builder name if I may ask?

[Shifty]

Lefteyeguy - Tarion is fully financed by the big builders, they in effect set the rules, and those rules favour builders in the vast majority of cases. They come down hard on smaller builders who have less clout, but their rules protect themselves.

There is no government oversight of this organization, they are free to do as they see fit.

[UncleSteve]

What was the condo builder name if I may ask?

Actually, due to on-going legal negotiations between the board and the builder, I don't feel comfortable naming them publicly at this point. They are a smaller, local builder here.

[Shifty]

I'd be curious as well to know, also being a Burlingtonian!

[alkapone]

I'd be curious as well to know, also being a Burlingtonian!

....send him a PM???

[UncleSteve]

....send him a PM???

Already one step ahead of you...done.

[sunnybono]

I just moved into a brand new home built by Starlane Homes (greenpark). Location is Goreway & Castlemore. My experience with this company has been great and I would recommend Starlane to anyone. The company was very flexible to my needs. I was able to extend my home from approx 3400 sq. ft to approx 3800 sq ft. with no hassle as long as I was willing to pay for it, which turned out to be very reasonable too!!!!. With respect to craftsmanship, the house was built according to plan and code. I had some of my friends come and inspect the house during construction and they were impressed. Yes my house came with CAT5 cable (standard). So true that some of the extra's cost an arm and a leg, but for the most part they can be done at a later time. I only paid the builder for extra's that I knew that would be too difficult to change after closing. However, I would recommend Starlane Home to anyone!!!!

ONE MORE THING: DO NOT GET FOOLED BY MATTAMY HOMES. IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET TO BUY A NEW HOME ALWAYS READ THE FEATURE SHEET BEFORE SIGNING. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MATTAMY IS USUALLY CHEAPER THAN THE COMPETITION IS THAT THEY OFFER ONLY BEAR BONES. IN MY SUBDIVISION, MATTAMY TURNED OUT TO BE ATLEAST $15K MORE EXPENSIVE IF YOU WERE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES. SECONDLY, MATTAMY DOES NOT USE UNIONIZED TRADES WHICH CAN COME BACK TO THE OWNER TO HAUNT THEM. UNIONIZED TRADES IS VERY IMPOTANT IN THIS INDUSTRY!!!!!!

[thelefteyeguy]

Lefteyeguy - Tarion is fully financed by the big builders, they in effect set the rules, and those rules favour builders in the vast majority of cases. They come down hard on smaller builders who have less clout, but their rules protect themselves.

There is no government oversight of this organization, they are free to do as they see fit.


wrong wrong wrong.

They are not fully financed by the builders :)
If you look at their financial statements 60-65% of their earned revenue comes from Homeowners. A smallest part comes comes Builder Registration. (Second is the revenue generated from Investments from the fees generated on New Home Registration fees from Homeowners). So your first statement is 100% completely false.

TARION sets the rules based on the Ontario New Home Warranty Act. They can make amendments to the act thru bulletins but they must be changed legally.

"Tarion Warranty Corporation is responsible for administering the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act
Enacted in 1976, the legislation describes the mandatory responsibilities of those who build and sell new homes in Ontario, and outlines the warranty coverage that builders and vendors are required to provide to new home and condominium buyers.

The Regulations describe additional warranties and provide detailed requirements for the registration of builders and vendors, and the enrolment of homes. The Ontario government, through the Ministry of Government Services, has empowered Tarion Warranty Corporation to administer and enforce this legislation.

Recent Changes to the Regulations

Regulation 892 has been amended as of September 1, 2005 to deal with certain Customer Service Standard issues. "

In regards to your bias of "protecting themselves", I can respect that. However Tarion cannot contradict the Ontario New Homes Warranty Plans act not the Construction Performance Guidelines. New Home Builders have the option of going through an appeal to the License Appeal Tribunal through an independant arbitrator.

[thelefteyeguy]

I just moved into a brand new home built by Starlane Homes (greenpark). Location is Goreway & Castlemore. My experience with this company has been great and I would recommend Starlane to anyone. The company was very flexible to my needs. I was able to extend my home from approx 3400 sq. ft to approx 3800 sq ft. with no hassle as long as I was willing to pay for it, which turned out to be very reasonable too!!!!. With respect to craftsmanship, the house was built according to plan and code. I had some of my friends come and inspect the house during construction and they were impressed. Yes my house came with CAT5 cable (standard). So true that some of the extra's cost an arm and a leg, but for the most part they can be done at a later time. I only paid the builder for extra's that I knew that would be too difficult to change after closing. However, I would recommend Starlane Home to anyone!!!!

ONE MORE THING: DO NOT GET FOOLED BY MATTAMY HOMES. IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET TO BUY A NEW HOME ALWAYS READ THE FEATURE SHEET BEFORE SIGNING. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MATTAMY IS USUALLY CHEAPER THAN THE COMPETITION IS THAT THEY OFFER ONLY BEAR BONES. IN MY SUBDIVISION, MATTAMY TURNED OUT TO BE ATLEAST $15K MORE EXPENSIVE IF YOU WERE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES. SECONDLY, MATTAMY DOES NOT USE UNIONIZED TRADES WHICH CAN COME BACK TO THE OWNER TO HAUNT THEM. UNIONIZED TRADES IS VERY IMPOTANT IN THIS INDUSTRY!!!!!!

Buying a house/condo is a huge personal investment. I hear way too many horror stories about ppl only taking into consideration about the price of a new home without considering about the builder's track record.

Thank you for the word of mouth



here is some more reading:





J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Tribute Communities Ranks Highest in Overall Customer Satisfaction among
New-Home Builders in the Greater Toronto Area


New Home Buyers Indicate Room for Improvement in How Some Builders
Handle This Important Purchase


TORONTO: 14 September 2005 — Tribute Communities ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction among 28 production home builders in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Canadian New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction StudySM released today.

This inaugural study measures the satisfaction of home buyers throughout the entire new home purchase and early ownership experience. Owners are asked to evaluate their builder in the following areas: sales staff, design centre, home readiness, customer service, price/value, physical design, home quality and location.

Tribute Communities leads the industry in five of the eight factors that contribute to overall satisfaction, including home readiness and customer service, which are critical to home buyers. Mattamy Homes and Brookfield Homes, follow Tribute in the rankings, respectively.

"Ultimately, creating a satisfied home buyer depends in large part on the builder’s ability to deliver a new home purchase and ownership experience that exceeds the expectations of the customer," said Darren Slind, senior director of the new home builder and performance improvement practices at the Canadian office of J.D. Power and Associates. "The leading GTA builders, such as Tribute, Mattamy and Brookfield, understand this requirement and work hard to align their business processes to the expectations of their customers, which positively impacts satisfaction."

The study finds that with an industry average score of 612 index points on a 1,000-point scale, overall customer satisfaction with Greater Toronto Area builders is low in comparison to other industries J.D. Power and Associates measures. While buyers rate GTA builders relatively high in the areas of location, physical design elements and sales staff, home buyers provide the lowest ratings for home readiness (which includes condition of the home at closing and accuracy of home completion date) and customer service—the two most important drivers of customer satisfaction.

"It is clear that new home buyers are sending a message that there is considerable room for improvement in how some builders handle what is probably the largest purchase consumers ever make," said Slind.

The rewards for builders who deliver a superior new home experience are customers who are more likely to repurchase from the builder again and recommend their builder to others. Highly satisfied home buyers recommend their builder to nearly three times as many people compared to the average new home buyer.

"While the positive recommendation from a family member, friend or colleague may not be enough in itself to convince a home buyer to purchase from a builder, it does ensure that the builder will be considered," said Slind. "In the intensely competitive GTA market, getting on the consideration list of potential buyers is of great concern for all builders," said Slind.

The study also finds that builders who proactively communicate with their buyers enjoy significantly higher levels of customer satisfaction than builders who wait for customers to contact them for information.

"Most buyers are keenly interested in the construction status of their new home and look to their builder to keep them informed," said Slind.

The 2005 Canadian New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study is based on the responses of 4,822 buyers of newly built single-family detached, semi-detached and town homes who closed their home purchase in calendar year 2004 in the Greater Toronto Area. For more comprehensive information on GTA builders, visit the J.D. Power Consumer Center at www.jdpower.com.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education and BusinessWeek. The Corporation has more than 300 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2004 were $5.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

http://img446.imageshack.us/img446/2459/untitled8im2.png


hopefully this study will boost consumer satisfaction rating all around for the Ontario New Home Industry.

[glaswegian]

Thanks for that. Is there one of these polls for areas outside the GTA at all? Like out builder is called empire communities. There use to be a forum on the newhomesandcondos website, but they seem to have got rid of that some how :mad:

[temporalillusion]

So who is closing on their new house soon, and are you excited?

I have a posession date of December 20th.. none too soon too, Calgary is insane. Builders are so short staffed they're saying 10 months to build a house right now. Hundreds of basements sit cold because there's not enough framers.

And the cost to build the same house, same builder, same area right now is 20% more than when I signed my deal.. Great news for me! :D I sold my old house in less than 24 hours.

Builders out here are going crazy.. they keep jacking up the prices, taking away all incentives, doing the minimum customer service, and people still pay whatever they ask.

[sleepyguy]

Our closing date is Oct 2006.

Can't wait! We'll miss our old home though. :(

My only tip on upgrades is get what will be very difficult to do AFTER the house is build. We upgraded to Granite in the kitchen and washrooms because that would be tough and pricing was very competitive. We got some pot lights installed... we reworked the kitchen layout... had hardwood almost throughout. Expensive but worth it imho. CAT5 install was WAY too expensive... $250 per/drop... I wanted like 2 drops/rooms. No way... I'll probalby reterminate some teleco wires (cat5) to a punchblock for my LAN :)

[Blunt]

Our closing date is Oct 2006.

Can't wait! We'll miss our old home though. :(

My only tip on upgrades is get what will be very difficult to do AFTER the house is build. We upgraded to Granite in the kitchen and washrooms because that would be tough and pricing was very competitive. We got some pot lights installed... we reworked the kitchen layout... had hardwood almost throughout. Expensive but worth it imho. CAT5 install was WAY too expensive... $250 per/drop... I wanted like 2 drops/rooms. No way... I'll probalby reterminate some teleco wires (cat5) to a punchblock for my LAN :)

Sleepyguy: What part of TO are u moving to?

[temporalillusion]

Our closing date is Oct 2006.

Can't wait! We'll miss our old home though. :(

My only tip on upgrades is get what will be very difficult to do AFTER the house is build. We upgraded to Granite in the kitchen and washrooms because that would be tough and pricing was very competitive. We got some pot lights installed... we reworked the kitchen layout... had hardwood almost throughout. Expensive but worth it imho. CAT5 install was WAY too expensive... $250 per/drop... I wanted like 2 drops/rooms. No way... I'll probalby reterminate some teleco wires (cat5) to a punchblock for my LAN :)

That's exactly what we did.. anything that would have been a real pain to do down the road we did now. The only thing that we did that I kind of regret was the railings; I think we could have done them ourselves for a lot cheaper.

That's crazy for CAT5 drops!! Our builder included 4 super media drops or some such which all have CAT5e, coax, phone, and some other type of connection.. and I had CAT5e put into all the other rooms and added a few other media connectors. I think the extra drops were only $75 each or something.

I did just find out though that they aren't going to pour the driveway and walkway until spring. That sucks.

[alkapone]

I did just find out though that they aren't going to pour the driveway and walkway until spring. That sucks['''''''''']

Maybe...but prolly for the best....let the land settle....otherwise it could shift.

[temporalillusion]

True, though there are heating and curing systems out there that would let them do it.. I'm just thinking of the royal mess it will be all winter. In Calgary it's a constant cycle of cold-snow-chinook-warm-melt-mud-cold-snow.

[sleepyguy]

Actually we're moving out of TO... moving to Oakville... Lakeshore Woods.

Sleepyguy: What part of TO are u moving to?

[sleepyguy]

Yeah that's what I thought too! I figure I'll upgrade to a 5.8Ghz multi-handset phone system and just use only telco line. I'll just reterminate the rest fo LAN :) I forgot another upgrade we did was hardwood/railing/stairs staining... damn that was expensive!

Hoping to move in with not too many headaches... probably just replace light fixtures... paint a few rooms... build a deck... :)


That's exactly what we did.. anything that would have been a real pain to do down the road we did now. The only thing that we did that I kind of regret was the railings; I think we could have done them ourselves for a lot cheaper.

That's crazy for CAT5 drops!! Our builder included 4 super media drops or some such which all have CAT5e, coax, phone, and some other type of connection.. and I had CAT5e put into all the other rooms and added a few other media connectors. I think the extra drops were only $75 each or something.

I did just find out though that they aren't going to pour the driveway and walkway until spring. That sucks.

[alkapone]

True, though there are heating and curing systems out there that would let them do it.. I'm just thinking of the royal mess it will be all winter. In Calgary it's a constant cycle of cold-snow-chinook-warm-melt-mud-cold-snow.

Interesting..but how does any of this really help settleing of the ground.

Had a neighbour next to me in Markham...his paved driveway (parts) caved in a foot or so.......not sure why.

Winter can be rough on driveways...esp interlocked....because the prep foundation is too skimpy.....NOT DONE PROPERLY.

Does not hurt to ask them what the foundation will be. Its a resonable question.....but ya might not get an answer. Its all about doing the minimum and cost/cuting corners.
The only problem is 'down' the road....er pavement. :cheesygri

[glaswegian]

Does anyone know any good companies that can erect a fence in teh backyard, what is the best fence to go for, and what is the cost roughly?

Also anyone know of any recommended companies for this, by Mike Holmes?

[glaswegian]

Our closing date is Oct 2006.

Can't wait! We'll miss our old home though. :(

My only tip on upgrades is get what will be very difficult to do AFTER the house is build. We upgraded to Granite in the kitchen and washrooms because that would be tough and pricing was very competitive. We got some pot lights installed... we reworked the kitchen layout... had hardwood almost throughout. Expensive but worth it imho. CAT5 install was WAY too expensive... $250 per/drop... I wanted like 2 drops/rooms. No way... I'll probalby reterminate some teleco wires (cat5) to a punchblock for my LAN :)


That is when we are closing as well, OCT 2006, whereabouts is your home being built? I opted for one CAT5 in the study, and like you said, it was $250, so I figured why not get one, and then just do a wireless connection for the other PC in a different room.

[m8tey]

yeah... the price builders charge for for some of the upgrades, is just ludicrous :mad:

[Ben Doone]

Here are a few forums pertaining to new homes.

Mattamy

http://www.kosmo.com/blogs/TimsBlog/2002/10/21.html#a257

New Homes

http://www.buildinghomes.ca

We currently own a Ma****y. Would we buy again..probably not.
Workmanship is crap. Customer service, is not far behind.

[glaswegian]

Here are a few forums pertaining to new homes.

Mattamy

http://www.kosmo.com/blogs/TimsBlog/2002/10/21.html#a257

New Homes

http://www.buildinghomes.ca

We currently own a Ma****y. Would we buy again..probably not.
Workmanship is crap. Customer service, is not far behind.


I find that the link is too mattamy centric and it's centred around the Mississauga and Milton area. Thanks anyway for those links

[glaswegian]

bump

[Ben Doone]

I wonder what happened to
http://www.newhomesreviews.com/phpBB/index.php
Was an excellent forum about new homes.
There was a regular poster on that site "J.B. NIMBLE" who was a
wealth of knowledge.. :cheesygri

[kgeorge78]

Im building my own house in Leamington (Windsor).

Im sub contracting everything myself. I went to www.weinmaster.com and picked a design that my fiance and I liked.

We settled on a two story 3 bedroom 2950 sq foot home.
Once we found what we liked, I hired an arcitech to draw the home. After a permit was given to me, I made 15 copies of blue prints.

It's been 4 monthes now and Im about 70% done.

It's been very enjoyable but very stressful at the same time.
It's easier to build out here as lots and prices are less then TO.

I've enjoyed myself enough that I might consider becoming a builder in the future. If anyone has an questions, just shoot as I consider myself quite knowledgable now!

Does anyone have any links of the houses in TO / pricing / pics on them?

[tina t]

we bought a sundial home in mississauga 3 years ago and overall i think they are crap. save yourself the hassle and try another builder.

[towelie]

I wonder what happened to
http://www.newhomesreviews.com/phpBB/index.php
Was an excellent forum about new homes.
There was a regular poster on that site "J.B. NIMBLE" who was a
wealth of knowledge.. :cheesygri

That was a real good site for info and tips. I bet they got shut down by all the builders. Alot of controversy on that forum.

[alkapone]

That was a real good site for info and tips. I bet they got shut down by all the builders. Alot of controversy on that forum.

Shut down by J.B. QUICK? :cheesygri

[rf134a]

So, basically there's no place on the net for Canucks to rant and rave about their builders, eh?

[mart242]

So, basically there's no place on the net for Canucks to rant and rave about their builders, eh?

Unfortunately not. newhomesreviews was great for that. I sitll miss it.

[alkapone]

Also be careful with buying a house, half of them you have to rent the heater because it's not bought but rented [.........]

When I bought my condo ...I called and bought the HWH. Its is now paid for.......now more money left to buy junk. :cheesygri
Most people prob did not.

I hope to do the same with daughters new house.

[spdztr]

We're going through the same debate, about buying vs renting the water heater for a new house. It's going to cost about $20/mth to rent, or roughly $1500 to buy. The warranty on the unit is 10 years, and at $20/mth, it would take over 6 years to accumulate the cost of the unit. I don't know if we'll be in the house for 6 years to make it worthwhile. Part of me wants to buy it so it's one less thing to worry about each month, while the other part would rather spend the money now on a new TV! :cheesygri


On a different topic, we're looking for new appliances (Kitchen Aid).. we've been to all the usual suspects (Tasco, Caplans, Sears, Appliance Canada), and the guys at Sears will match Appliance Canada prices, which seem to be the lowest. The advantage of this is being able to capitalize on double-sears points for additional "savings" that could be several hundred dollars worth of gift certs. Any other suggestions on where to get the best deal?

[Ben Doone]

Shut down by J.B. QUICK? :cheesygri

LOL!! J.B. was a riot :cheesygri

[m8tey]

We're going through the same debate, about buying vs renting the water heater for a new house. It's going to cost about $20/mth to rent, or roughly $1500 to buy. The warranty on the unit is 10 years, and at $20/mth, it would take over 6 years to accumulate the cost of the unit. I don't know if we'll be in the house for 6 years to make it worthwhile. Part of me wants to buy it so it's one less thing to worry about each month, while the other part would rather spend the money now on a new TV! :cheesygri


On a different topic, we're looking for new appliances (Kitchen Aid).. we've been to all the usual suspects (Tasco, Caplans, Sears, Appliance Canada), and the guys at Sears will match Appliance Canada prices, which seem to be the lowest. The advantage of this is being able to capitalize on double-sears points for additional "savings" that could be several hundred dollars worth of gift certs. Any other suggestions on where to get the best deal?


we went to the above mentioned places, they were all rubbish in my opinion. They were so hush hush when it came to prices and weren't willing to disclose their prices, to be compared to others.

Appliance canada doesn't even have prices listed on their website. We are leaning towards futureshop at the moment, they have nice prices on fridges and stoves, and also washers and dryers.

[spdztr]

we went to the above mentioned places, they were all rubbish in my opinion. They were so hush hush when it came to prices and weren't willing to disclose their prices, to be compared to others.

Appliance canada doesn't even have prices listed on their website. We are leaning towards futureshop at the moment, they have nice prices on fridges and stoves, and also washers and dryers.

Really? We didn't find that at all. Everyone was more than happy to give out prices, and even said "we can probably do a bit better when you're ready". The price we got from App. Can was about $1.5G less than Tasco.

[Ben Doone]

Here's another real estate forum.

http://www.realestatetalks.com/index.php

[m8tey]

Really? We didn't find that at all. Everyone was more than happy to give out prices, and even said "we can probably do a bit better when you're ready". The price we got from App. Can was about $1.5G less than Tasco.

YEP....we are after LG RANGE, and FRIDGE STAINLESS, their prices for these 2 were ridiculous

[bfg_16]

GTA new home buyers might be interested in this:

http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/2005136a.gif
Source: http://www.jdpa.com/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2005136


I have a Mattamy home and I've had some issues with some of the work done in the basement...I'd hate to think how bad some of the lower-rated builders are! :| (I do know there are some new home horror stories, though... )

wow that's a pretty interesting chart.....we moved into a mattamy home as well.....wasn't bad....better than our previous builder!!!

[ORM]

See details at

http://www.oakvillegreen.com

[RiceKing]

I built with Landmark Master Builder (Edmonton division) Jan 2005. My phone and network are Cat5E as the standard house package. Their security/wiring subcontractor installed Cat5 for my network but fixed it when I complained.

A new house can be stressful. Be prepared to take a few vacation days through out the year for: possession, moving, trade days, landscaping, building a deck, deliveries, blinds, etc.

My overall rating of Landmark is so-so. I would build with them again but it really depends more on the floorplans, neighbourhood and lots available.

A friend had an excellent experience and my other friend had a very poor experience with Landmark.

If your planning to build with Landmark, PM me and we can split the $1000 refferal. I've already done this twice with my 2 buddies. :)

Summerhill (a division of Landmark) is worth $500?
http://www.landmarkmasterbuilder.com/
I think it applies Classic Landmark and the other divisions but not sure about Landmark in Calgary.

Rice

[joshmxpx]

I have been in my Great Gulf Home for 1.5 years now. The customer service is great, they are timely and I haven't had an issue with them.

As for improvements (options) that I chose were items that would prove to be difficult to do in the future i.e. 9' ceilings, oak staircase, rough in basement washroom. I also opted for the skylight as putting one in later might compromise the roof and cause leakage.

Some builders offer smart wiring and others it is an option. Always ask about items you do not see on their lists. I asked about closing in the loft and I know have a 5th bedroom/office and it only cost me $500.

That's good to know, as Great Gulf is currently starting on a development in my area, and we are looking to buy next summer.

[glaswegian]

bump

[glaswegian]

How is the home closing dates coming along? Heard mattamy in the stouffvile area is extending the closing dates like crazy

[glaswegian]

bump

[alkapone]

How is the home closing dates coming along? Heard mattamy in the stouffvile area is extending the closing dates like crazy
Must be something in the water :cheesygri

.....along with GGH..

[glaswegian]

:D that is funny

[Robuk]

GTA new home buyers might be interested in this:

http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/2005136a.gif
Source: http://www.jdpa.com/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2005136


I have a Mattamy home and I've had some issues with some of the work done in the basement...I'd hate to think how bad some of the lower-rated builders are! :| (I do know there are some new home horror stories, though... )

This chart is wacked. I wouldn't be suprised if Tribute enabled some fudging of the results. I have had an appauling experience with them. Face value, they love you. Underneath, they're like the rest.

[Gidget]

Rate your builder.

http://canada.rateyourbuilder.info/index.php

[alkapone]

I believe GGH won the builder of the year at a recent award show???

[slothy@cutey]

I bought a Mattamy in Oakville last year, took possesion earlier this year and so far no major problems.

There were indeed small ding here and there, all fixed within very reasonable time. I had one "more serious" problem with the basement, that was not properly leveled out. Mattamy contacted the company that did the job and they came and fixed it for me.

So far, I'd buy from them again.

About improvements, liek another post says, I'd buy things that are proven to be difficult. I got my oak stairase and it was the best investment ever.

Same here. I'm on my 2nd Mattamy home in Oakville. They're not perfect, but they'll work to fix mistakes you find.

Improvements: 9 ft. ceiling on detached homes should be a must. Makes your house look bigger and you can obviously only do it during construction. Oak stairs/upgraded bannister and upgraded baseboards are good investments (something difficult to do afterwards), Windows (if the option is available), and dump whatever money left over into the kitchen if you plan on selling your home withing 5-10 years. Kitchens sells homes - period.

[glaswegian]

Am angry at folks that just buy houses they don't plan to live in, only for them to try selling it afterwards. Those people are bumping house prices up, and making it harder for some people to get on the property ladder :mad:

Baseboards can be done afterwards, it's not a big deal

[slothy@cutey]

That's too bad. Home prices have gone up so much, it's cheaper to buy than rent if you have enough for a down payment. My wife and I scrimped and saved (ie. no vacations, no going out to eat, no major shopping expenses) to get a down payment for a house. Once we bought, prices went up so fast and quick and others were taking advantage of a hot market, so we did too. I never looked back. We were able to once again scrimp and save our way into a bigger house (which we view as the best investment of all). Currently, our model has gone up over 25%... we may even sell this one. That's the free market system. Where else can you make that kind of money tax free. I look at that as a reward for years of hard work and while all my colleagues are going out to bars Friday nights, or on some nice Carribean vacaction, or eating out at a fancy restaurant, we're putting away our money to enable us to make this investment.

Don't be angry - do the same. A house is an investment whether you choose to live in it or whether you choose to sell it. I'm happy to see propery values go up. I struggled hard to "get on the property ladder"... I think I deserve the rewards from that struggle.

Finally, it's the buyer that dictates price. Don't blame the seller. If buyers want to pay that much for my home, they can have it! We bought again from the builder because that was the only source of a cheaper home (ie. preconstruction pricing)

Also... mentioned baseboards as a good upgrade, because Mattamy (and many builders) have a baseboard package that includes upgraded trim around doors and windows (which looks stellar in a new house). Sure you can do baseboards later, but it's a pain-in-the-as* since you would probably want to do your whole house in the same baseboard size. It would take a lot of measuring and cutting to do it right for every room/hallway of your home. And of course you can't upgrade your baseboard on your own without upgrading your window/doorway trim (ie. 6 inch baseboards don't work with 1" trim)

Am angry at folks that just buy houses they don't plan to live in, only for them to try selling it afterwards. Those people are bumping house prices up, and making it harder for some people to get on the property ladder :mad:

Baseboards can be done afterwards, it's not a big deal

[glaswegian]

Hmmmm...we scrimped together too, to buy the place we are waiting to be finished now. We didn't go anywhere nor did we eat out.

The house prices have gone up since we bought last sept, even though the house is not yet finished for the phase. We are glad we got on the ladder too, as rent prices are going up every year, and its wise to buy now

Anyone heard about this new GST return

[slothy@cutey]

Good for you. You did the right thing. It's worth every penny. If you can buy again from the builder (slightly bigger) and sell your existing home for a substantial profit... I would say go for it. Housing market is still on fire in Canada. And over time property is ALWAYS a safe investment. We bought a condo in Toronto, flipped it, bought a house in Oakville, lived there for a year and a half (thinking we would be there for a while), but temptation grew and we bought a house 50% larger for a tad more than we sold our current home for. And we packed up, moved in with the inlaws and are waiting to move into our new home mid-May. (I should mention that all our "profits" from the sale of our primary home kept allowing us to buy a bigger home/better investment.. otherwise no way in hell we'd be able to afford it).

Re: GST... for new homes.. apparently GST is "included" in the price of the home. Basically, from my understanding, builder will benefit by remitting less tax, but it probably won't affect purchase price of a new home, since taxes have no substantial effect on a new home price. I could be wrong though, but that's my understanding of the impact of the GST cut. Resale homes may be a different matter.




Hmmmm...we scrimped together too, to buy the place we are waiting to be finished now. We didn't go anywhere nor did we eat out.

The house prices have gone up since we bought last sept, even though the house is not yet finished for the phase. We are glad we got on the ladder too, as rent prices are going up every year, and its wise to buy now

Anyone heard about this new GST return

[glaswegian]

There is only 3 of us, and the house is going to be 1880 sq ft, on a 37 ft lot. I don;t think we need a bigger house. I was refering to the new govt GST reduction that was promised by the new pm, I heard they have reduced it by 1%?

[thelefteyeguy]

Good for you. You did the right thing. It's worth every penny. If you can buy again from the builder (slightly bigger) and sell your existing home for a substantial profit... I would say go for it. Housing market is still on fire in Canada. And over time property is ALWAYS a safe investment. We bought a condo in Toronto, flipped it, bought a house in Oakville, lived there for a year and a half (thinking we would be there for a while), but temptation grew and we bought a house 50% larger for a tad more than we sold our current home for. And we packed up, moved in with the inlaws and are waiting to move into our new home mid-May. (I should mention that all our "profits" from the sale of our primary home kept allowing us to buy a bigger home/better investment.. otherwise no way in hell we'd be able to afford it).

Re: GST... for new homes.. apparently GST is "included" in the price of the home. Basically, from my understanding, builder will benefit by remitting less tax, but it probably won't affect purchase price of a new home, since taxes have no substantial effect on a new home price. I could be wrong though, but that's my understanding of the impact of the GST cut. Resale homes may be a different matter.

gst is included in your purchase price...so your purchase price should be lower.

When you close, your break down of your closing cost will have the amount of GST that you paid on your closing. It is up to the builder to reduce the price but they can always raise the price and raise the "home price"

I know Monarch has reduced their prices since Feb to reflect the GST rate of 6%.

[slothy@cutey]

gst is included in your purchase price...so your purchase price should be lower.

When you close, your break down of your closing cost will have the amount of GST that you paid on your closing. It is up to the builder to reduce the price but they can always raise the price and raise the "home price"

I know Monarch has reduced their prices since Feb to reflect the GST rate of 6%.


Yes that was what I was referring to. The 1% will more than likely be in the builder's pocket as the prices of new homes increases with each new phase anyway. The builder will claim, it didn't increase "as much" because of the GST cut implying that somehow if the cut didn't happen one would be paying 1% "more" for the new house.

[glaswegian]

*bump* :)

[ego]

Builder: Touchstone Homes
Location: Upper Mavis Village (Brampton)
Type: 2000 sq. ft Linked detach (linked at garage).

Pros:
completed on time
workmanship pretty good
Great after sales service

Cons:
Minor issues (draft through the front doors, tiles chipped in some places, etc.) - these were quickly resolved.
Upgrades were expensive
Base light fixtures are crap

If I had to buy another house, I would buy from them again.

I used to come by and sneak in while it was being built. It helped to relieve my stress that the way the builder was doing things was the same things Mike Holmes was doing in his show.

[glaswegian]

At least they didn't call themselves "touchwood" :lol: Personally, for a 2000sq ft house, I will prefer it to be detached.

[alkapone]

At least they didn't call themselves "touchwood" :lol: Personally, for a 2000sq ft house, I will prefer it to be detached.


Don't most people?....getting harder all the time...unless you are loaded. :)

[glaswegian]

Don't most people?....getting harder all the time...unless you are loaded. :)


True....but I don't see the point of link houses these days. We don't want to be close to the neighbours

[m8tey]

There is a new similar new homes forum for the GTA


http://www.buildinghomes.ca/community/forums/index.php

[ego]

Don't most people?....getting harder all the time...unless you are loaded. :)

truth.

No regrets so far.

[alkapone]

Real Estate has been for most people one of the best investments ever. I have done well. Now helping my kids...(actually..other places to freeload :razz: :cheesygri )

[Ben Doone]

There is a new similar new homes forum for the GTA


http://www.buildinghomes.ca/community/forums/index.php

Let the flaming begin :cheesygri

[alkapone]

Let the flaming begin :cheesygri


I see you are not part of the Repost Police but a Shiite Disturber :cheesygri

[quentin0]

for those asking about the GST.....i am in the same boat....

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/agency/budget/2006/gstrateqa-e.html#P486_58853

looks at though we will get a rebate though, and not the builder.

[glaswegian]

Lucky for those that can get it.

[BuildingHomes]

There are several active community forums at www.BuildingHomes.ca.

There is a lot of information about Ontario home building, and I am soliciting input from those in other provinces about their home building experiences.

Please stop by and check out the forums.

Oh, and something I do every summer is take pictures of houses under construction. There's over 20000 pictures of 700+ houses for review.

Thanks.

[alkapone]

Good Job...re above.

[glaswegian]

I second that ;)

[beerbaron105]

for the past 3 summers and a bit ive been a unionized general labourer for 4 unnamed housing companies

they are all the same, while those JD ratings might show better satisfaction with certain companies, the bottom line is they all use assembly line style production to get homes in the hands of buyers and money in the hands of the company as fast and as cheaply as possible - shortcuts everywhere - as long as it barely passes code or sometimes missed all together, doesnt matter as long they have their money. Homes are definitely not built like they used to

[glaswegian]

What is the best kind of motion detector to get, wireless or wired ones? Also is this a do-it-yourself thing

[granto]

I bought a Tribute home in 2003 and I have a few complaints just like any other new home owner. Even after my one year inspection there were still a few items that were not corrected. I eventually fixed them myself.

The ONE thing I can say about Tribute is that they closed on the exact day they promised which was around 10 months after I bought it. I bridge financed for a month just in case there were any delays but that wasn't necessary.

I've heard tons of stories of builders being months late.

[sleepyguy]

how much did bridge finance cost you? we thought of going that option but decided that we could sell our house early (and we did)... i really wanted to fix up the house a bit more to get more value though... but oh well.

I bought a Tribute home in 2003 and I have a few complaints just like any other new home owner. Even after my one year inspection there were still a few items that were not corrected. I eventually fixed them myself.

The ONE thing I can say about Tribute is that they closed on the exact day they promised which was around 10 months after I bought it. I bridge financed for a month just in case there were any delays but that wasn't necessary.

I've heard tons of stories of builders being months late.

[glaswegian]

The tribute homes have seen in the Oshawa area seem to be a little under par

[m8tey]

Tribute homes are below par

[glaswegian]

Does anyone here run security cameras in their house, wired to your tv or computer? Am looking into this, preferably with infra red, for the front and back of the house, with an option to view it from anywhere on the web

[BuildingHomes]

There are many many options for this.

You can purchase cameras from TigerDirect.ca to mount on a covered exterior of your house.

You can get IP based cameras.. which essentially are just little tiny computers with a video camera and an ethernet port. The disadvantage to this is the cheap ones are really expensive, and the quality ones are really really expensive.

You can buy regular security cameras with a composite output and feed them into a capture card on a PC to record the video to disk.

There are also many different capture cards available to handle single or multiple cameras. Much of this depends on the PC you will be capturing to.

I will be doing this up in my house shortly as I am tired of finding my neighbours dogs 'presents' on my back lawn whenever I go to cut the grass and would like to have some video taped evidence to show them.

Just for clarification.. When it says InfraRed.. you don't get Predator/Blue Thunder type imaging.. The Infrared light is thrown out at night to provide luminance that can only be picked up when the camera is in black/white mode. Think more like military Nightvision.

[glaswegian]

OK.....anyone else did this on their home?

[slothy@cutey]

Hypothetical Question:

If you sell your primary home, then close and move into a new home, the sale of your house is capital gains tax exempt.

But what if you buy a new home first, then sell your current home (with the same intention of moving from one primary home to another). What's the best way to do this to remain tax exempt? I heard that the tax law comes into effect whenever you own 2 homes at the same time? How are you supposed to close on another house without overlapping the selling of you current home? Just wondering if anyone knows how to do this correctly...

[glaswegian]

sell your home before moving into a new one, otherwise you end up paying 2 mortgages

[glaswegian]

bump

[glaswegian]

Glad we didn't buy in Caledonia, poor bugger that did eh :mad:

[glaswegian]

*bump*

[glaswegian]

Just had our PDI this morning, it went pretty smoothly, apart from a few scratches here and there, toilet sits not screwed on properly, a toilet moved, a few nail pops, and exterior lights not tightened properly, and one not working.

The lady at the from the builder, was very thorough, and even caught things we didn't see. We met with our lawyer afterwards, and handed him the house stuff from the PDI, signed papers for the deeds and others, and he told us what the closing costs was going to be, a lot less than we thought :lol:

Oh...the 1% tax rebate from the Govt, is not actually that when you work it out, but you do get something back, once you close and send off the papers with the deed and all that to the Govt, they will then send you a cheque :D

For those looking 4ward to doing it soon, just make sure you are organized, have an electrical item with you, to check the plug outlets.

[sleepyguy]

Yeah, we were farily organized. Just sent in our 30day form (sent on25th day as recommended on the tarion website). Quite a few errors here and there but good thing nothing structural... and no floods or massive water leakage. Worst error is one fo the shower isn't properly sealed so the drywall is a bit soggy... we haven't used it since and haven't noticed further damage.

all in all, a pretty good experience with Aspen Ridge in Oakville. -sg

[glaswegian]

Nice....always good to hear positives ;)

[glaswegian]

Anyone put up crown moulding by themselves, if so, what tips do you have for a newbie? Also what tools are needed to complete this task? We are looking to do a 7" classic moulding

Tia

[charliebrown]

Saw the graph for 2005, JD Power released their survey for 2006 and Mattamy is on top again

http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/charts/2006157a.gif

http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.asp?ID=2006157&search=1

[glaswegian]

Mattamy continues to be up there, but there are a lot angry customers

[coroner]

Anyone has some experience with Lebovic? In Richmond Hill, Bond Lake Village?
Thanks.

[Div]

Green Park seems to have taken a bit of a dive.

[Jay1234]

Anyone has some experience with Lebovic? In Richmond Hill, Bond Lake Village?
Thanks.

The developer in our subdivision was lebovic homes (our builder was Mattamy). Lebovic homes caused us over a 1 year delay in our house since they kept delaying the development (our builder purchaesd serviced lots).

Also, in Richmond hill, Lebovic got a bad batch of concrete for the foundations and it wasn't until the home owners went to the press that they actually did anything about it, and that caused about a year delay while they jacked up the finished house and replaced the foundations.

I would highly recommend to steer clear of Lebovic homes, they are nothing but problem and owned by a grumpy old man.

Jay

[coroner]

The developer in our subdivision was lebovic homes (our builder was Mattamy). Lebovic homes caused us over a 1 year delay in our house since they kept delaying the development (our builder purchaesd serviced lots).

Also, in Richmond hill, Lebovic got a bad batch of concrete for the foundations and it wasn't until the home owners went to the press that they actually did anything about it, and that caused about a year delay while they jacked up the finished house and replaced the foundations.

I would highly recommend to steer clear of Lebovic homes, they are nothing but problem and owned by a grumpy old man.

Jay

Thanks Jay.
My closing date has come and they didn't even started the construction. I was delayed more than 6 months so I can get my deposit back. But I really like the location... What about the workmanship? Are they any good? Or i will get a crappy house?
Thanks.

[Hybrid88]

Why isn't Remington on the JD Power list? Is Remington the re branded Canada Homes? or is that H & R?

[22much]

Coronor - I sent you a PM.

[warpdryv]

Hypothetical Question:

If you sell your primary home, then close and move into a new home, the sale of your house is capital gains tax exempt.

But what if you buy a new home first, then sell your current home (with the same intention of moving from one primary home to another). What's the best way to do this to remain tax exempt? I heard that the tax law comes into effect whenever you own 2 homes at the same time? How are you supposed to close on another house without overlapping the selling of you current home? Just wondering if anyone knows how to do this correctly...

you actually get a free year of exemption... if you sell your house this year and buy a new one, you get to designate both as your principal residence.

if you buy a new house in 2004 and don't sell your old one until 2006, then you're gonna have a taxable gain.

[patrob]

Getting back to Mattamy homes, many people in the "construction world" say it's like the Ikea of Homes...cheaper quality stuff goes in there...that's why they can affor to sell them at lower cost than others, but if you want to upgrade something, then watch out :-0

I know few people that have had Mattamy homes, and they had issues with the quality products used in their homes. Just as an example, most homes get sliding windows in the back/side of houses (unless you have a corner house) and only the crank windows in the front since they look nices...wonder why...because they are cheaper...& Mattamy loves cheaper!

When we bought our 1st house in 98 from Aspen Ridge, back then we had normal windows all around...but Mattamy to this day uses the cheap sliding windows :( I really dislike those windows :-( (No offence to those who have those windows...just my opinion :lol: )

Also there are many smaller builders that don't get on these 'J.D. Power lists' since they don't build that many homes, but are still very good.

I would recommend a new home to anyone that likes to maybe move some walls, is very picky about tiles, cabinets, etc....but you have to live with the mess untill they finish building & finally put the grass :)

[Jay1234]

Getting back to Mattamy homes, many people in the "construction world" say it's like the Ikea of Homes...cheaper quality stuff goes in there...that's why they can affor to sell them at lower cost than others, but if you want to upgrade something, then watch out :-0

I know few people that have had Mattamy homes, and they had issues with the quality products used in their homes. Just as an example, most homes get sliding windows in the back/side of houses (unless you have a corner house) and only the crank windows in the front since they look nices...wonder why...because they are cheaper...& Mattamy loves cheaper!

When we bought our 1st house in 98 from Aspen Ridge, back then we had normal windows all around...but Mattamy to this day uses the cheap sliding windows :( I really dislike those windows :-( (No offence to those who have those windows...just my opinion :lol: )

Also there are many smaller builders that don't get on these 'J.D. Power lists' since they don't build that many homes, but are still very good.

I would recommend a new home to anyone that likes to maybe move some walls, is very picky about tiles, cabinets, etc....but you have to live with the mess untill they finish building & finally put the grass :)

In our subdivision built by mattamy, all of the windows were casement windows, for everybody. And lucky for us, we even had grass in our front and back lawns!!!

[mrcantrell]

Bought a Mattamy in Scarborough, had good service in general from them, no major complaints. But as many have stated, everything is barebones in terms of quality of materials used. In our 1400 sq ft town we had the sliding windows everywhere except for 1 window (which I never understood). We sold that after living in it for about 14 months (Scarborough wasn't a good location for us).

Bought a flipped Aspen Ridge in Thornhill Woods, MUCH better materials all around. Service isn't as good, but if you keep on them you usually get what you need. During the PDI the guy refused to put a huge crack in the foundation on the form, eventually he agreed to put it, knock on wood (or concrete) it's been 8.5 mos and that crack hasn't leaked. We're very happy with the house, the layout is great and the "included upgrades" have proven wonderful. It's like living in an Lexus after moving out of a Cavalier (course the price shows that too). We already have some stuff for the 1 year, but really nothing I'd consider major.

And as an aside, Thornhill Woods is a really great area, 3 schools, good transit service and close to lots of things.

[patrob]

In our subdivision built by mattamy, all of the windows were casement windows, for everybody. And lucky for us, we even had grass in our front and back lawns!!!

Where is the subdivision ? Just curious because in my area ALL Mattamy homes have sliders... :|

[Jay1234]

Where is the subdivision ? Just curious because in my area ALL Mattamy homes have sliders... :|

This subdivision is in Stouffville.

[patrob]

This subdivision is in Stouffville.

Then you got really lucky...enjoy them :)

[phildc]

Anyone put up crown moulding by themselves, if so, what tips do you have for a newbie? Also what tools are needed to complete this task? We are looking to do a 7" classic moulding

Tia


Some tips
-I highly recommend renting or buying a nailer (one that requires a compressor)
-A good quality compound mitre saw (12" for the moulding you're selected)
-There's also a device to hold your crown moulding in place while cutting, it's called a Crown moulding compound mitre jig
-Good quality measuring tool to measure the inside/outside corners
-Install a backing strip
-Try not to have any cuts other than inside/outside corners

[glaswegian]

thx for that mate

[dmpP]

Anyone has some experience with Lebovic? In Richmond Hill, Bond Lake Village?
Thanks.

I'm in the process of closing a deal on a house at Lebovic campus area (JCC North)... by Primont Homes.

What is the typical amount that should be capped for levies?

[coroner]

Leboivc delayed me again (for the fifth time) till the end of October 07 (my original closing date was Jan 07) @ Bond Lake. Unbelievable!
I'm getting my money back and screw them!!!!

[Spray]

Are there any sites to browse different subdivisions? Looking for a townhouse 200-250k approx 50min from the GTA. Have yet to find a site that kind of databases it all

[bisk]

Are there any sites to browse different subdivisions? Looking for a townhouse 200-250k approx 50min from the GTA. Have yet to find a site that kind of databases it all

www.recordnewhomes.ca

[glaswegian]

Bump :D

[Sanvean]

Binbrook Ontario - Hamilton area

Builder - Losani


Why did we buy from them? We *thought* we did our research and got a great builder. We got scammed. As I stated in another thread... Don't buy Losani. The Best? Pfft, we thought so, and now we are realizing a huge legal battle lies ahead. We've only been here a week and it's been a fiasco. Oh yes, prior to move in customer service was a dream. Then they get you in the door and it's all downhill from there.

Flood from upstairs bathroom into kitchen/living room when I took a bath. Apparently they forgot to caulk the drain to the tub. Woopsie. Drywall damages still not repaired, day after plumber didn't show up to repair, call after call after call to get him in, after which he admitted to me he was "high on back pain killers and muscle relaxers and felt so drunk he totally forgot." Still have not returned my calls to repair major drywall damage.

No Roxul soundproofing for us or anyone else in the townhouse - against our contract. Just junky pink stuff. We can hear the contractors working on the unit next door like they are inside our house. TV in other unit can be heard clearly.

Roof in rear of house so rippled it looks like an an ocean of waves. I highly doubt it will make a good heavy summer rain. Shingles missing around roof vents and pipes.

Fascia and window casings in rear of house pulling away from exterior wall with huge gaps.

Plumbing leaks into basement.

Shower insert has large crack by showerhead.

Large - no wait huge - foundation footer wall in basement crack. It's not a crack, it's a canyon.

Wood bits sticking out of foundation footer wall in basement.

Hot water tank and furnace not as per plan, we forced them to move it prior to move in, but they moved it to an even worse spot, at this point we can't even put in our bathroom in the basement because they are in the way.

No oak nosings on our stairs as per contract, they refuse to put it in after many phone calls. A myirad of other issues, so long that it won't all fit on the Tarion home warranty page, and in fact takes up 3 pages worth. From chipped tiles to scratched up cabinetry to huge gaps in grout of tile.

Do not walk away from Losani, RUN.

[glaswegian]

Sorry to hear about your problems, I guess you could have gone for Empire Builder ( our own builder ), as they have locations in Binbrook as well. Make sure you get them to repair everything under the Tarion home warranty protection

[mystical2003]

Sorry to hear about your problems, I guess you could have gone for Empire Builder ( our own builder ), as they have locations in Binbrook as well. Make sure you get them to repair everything under the Tarion home warranty protection

Empire gets just as bad reviews from some. It is hit and miss with every builder out there. They will all have some bad homes with the volumes they go through. I know multiple people that built with Losani and Empire in that community. More from Losani, some small complaints from the ones with losani which were addressed quickly and also complaints from the ones with empire, some addressed quickly, some not at all.

Does that mean Losani is better, I don't think so. They both had different homes styles and different lots, different building styles. My decision to go with Losani was based on their features and the lot I wanted. I have yet to move in though, 6 weeks to go still so I can only personally comment on the service pre-delivery which has been great...

[bisk]

Sorry to hear about your problems, I guess you could have gone for Empire Builder ( our own builder ), as they have locations in Binbrook as well. Make sure you get them to repair everything under the Tarion home warranty protection

You have an Empire home in Binbrook? We bought there as well...we're actually moving in in 8 weeks. I can't wait! We actually bought at the end of April 2005...yes, 2005. How do you like it so far? I've had a couple issues during construction, but I've got all my emails as proof that I've pointed out the issues, so we'll see if they'll correct them. I'm trying to go up everyday or every other day to monitor.

[glaswegian]

You have an Empire home in Binbrook? We bought there as well...we're actually moving in in 8 weeks. I can't wait! We actually bought at the end of April 2005...yes, 2005. How do you like it so far? I've had a couple issues during construction, but I've got all my emails as proof that I've pointed out the issues, so we'll see if they'll correct them. I'm trying to go up everyday or every other day to monitor.

Mine is in Brantford, moved in last October, and they were on time. There were some issues that got addressed in the 30 days warranty form, and there have been others since then, that will go on the 1yr form.

We are still awaiting front lawn and the back yard isn't done either. Driveway is paved though, and they are doing 2nd coat this week.

[slinger99]

Opinions please. Looking at new home subdivisions and found floor plans that I like in Macleod's Landing (Yonge and Jefferson) and also at Victoria Square (Woodbine and Elgin Mills). For Macleod's Landing, the pro is the Oak Ridges Moraine park land; con is no hwy to go south nearby. For Victoria Manor, pro is that hwy 404 is conveniently close by; con is house is about $100,000 more than Macleod's Landing for comparable lot size and square footage. Travel time to work from both places would be about the same. I like knowing hwy 404 is nearby (convenient for going to relatives couple times a month) although I would not be using it to get to work. Is the Victoria Square location worth $100,000 more? What are the demographics of each location? What are other pros or cons for each subdivision?

[patrob]

Opinions please. Looking at new home subdivisions and found floor plans that I like in Macleod's Landing (Yonge and Jefferson) and also at Victoria Square (Woodbine and Elgin Mills). For Macleod's Landing, the pro is the Oak Ridges Moraine park land; con is no hwy to go south nearby. For Victoria Manor, pro is that hwy 404 is conveniently close by; con is house is about $100,000 more than Macleod's Landing for comparable lot size and square footage. Travel time to work from both places would be about the same. I like knowing hwy 404 is nearby although I would not be using it to get to work. Is the Victoria Square location worth $100,000 more? What are the demographics of each location? What are other pros or cons for each subdivision?

Personally not familiar with that area but since you say you would not need to use Hwy. 404 & travel time would be the same from both places.....why then would you want to pay $100,000 more for same lot size & sq. footage :confused: unless you are getting a ravine view with walk-out basement or something. I personally would save the $100,000 or use it to upgrade things in your house...maybe do some nice landscaping, interlock driveway, etc... I think you would enjoy those items more than having the hwy. nearby & the noise that comes with it! :)

But that's only my opinion...;)

[slinger99]

Patrob (or anyone else),

I was wondering why homes are so much lower priced over at MacLeod's Landing. Macleod's Landing is only a major street or two farther north of Toronto than Victoria Square. Is there a garbage dump or some other negative aspect near Macleod's Landing that I don't know about?

[patrob]

...Is there a garbage dump or some other negative aspect near Macleod's Landing that I don't know about?

Sorry, but really have no idea why... :|

[rtto5588]

I was looking at Macloeds landing as well at (Aspen Ridge). I decided not to buy due to sales man being a jerk. What we noticed in terms of why everything was cheaper is

1) it is quite far from major intersections i.e. Elgin Mills and Young. Sure it's only maybe a 5 minute drive, but if you were to rely on getting to places by public transportation (i.e. downtown for work) could be a nightmare if you have to walk to the main arteries. Unless you're RIGHT at stouffville and Young or Bathurst and king, nothing really in between.

2) Lot sizes are smaller. You're looking at a 89' log vs 110'. Not a huge issue, but could effect resale, and generally nicer to have more land to work with.

At jefferson and younge i belive it's aspen ridges (possibly tribute). Beware the sales person will not nudge on ANYTHING and don't even bother as he gets mighty angry when you even suggest negotiating.

I'm looking a bit further south in maple (dufferin/Major Mack area), are the builders around there any good? Good location? We're looking at Primont. Is Primont a good builder?

[led2]

Just my take on the public transportation for Yonge/Sotuffville Sdrd: The Richmond Hill council has already approved a VIVA bus stop at the Yonge/Stouffville intersection. This VIVA line is the blue line which goes to Finch station.

The price difference might probably be just the 15 mins drive difference from downtown between the 2 locations.

I was looking at Macloeds landing as well at (Aspen Ridge). I decided not to buy due to sales man being a jerk. What we noticed in terms of why everything was cheaper is

1) it is quite far from major intersections i.e. Elgin Mills and Young. Sure it's only maybe a 5 minute drive, but if you were to rely on getting to places by public transportation (i.e. downtown for work) could be a nightmare if you have to walk to the main arteries. Unless you're RIGHT at stouffville and Young or Bathurst and king, nothing really in between.

2) Lot sizes are smaller. You're looking at a 89' log vs 110'. Not a huge issue, but could effect resale, and generally nicer to have more land to work with.

At jefferson and younge i belive it's aspen ridges (possibly tribute). Beware the sales person will not nudge on ANYTHING and don't even bother as he gets mighty angry when you even suggest negotiating.

I'm looking a bit further south in maple (dufferin/Major Mack area), are the builders around there any good? Good location? We're looking at Primont. Is Primont a good builder?

[glaswegian]

Am sure it will be worth it to drive a bit than pay ridiculous amount extra to be close to your work or whatever

[rtto5588]

Am sure it will be worth it to drive a bit than pay ridiculous amount extra to be close to your work or whatever

I generally agree with this statement. However, paying say 20k more and be on a transportation line is much better than getting another car so that you can drive to the transportation. If you're right on jefferson and Younge, no biggie. Walk to the stouffville-younge viva is like 5 minutes. However, if you're right in the middle between bathurst and younge it's a bit longer. But, I guess if you don't work downtown it wouldn't make a difference.

[edwinlaw]

Anyone heard about the drastic increase in development charges this summer in the York and Peel regions?

I read about it from a Toronto Star article a few weeks ago. My friend called both Markham and York Region. They confirmed the increase this year will be about at $6,700 ~ $7500.

Basically in a typical offer, the builder has the right to transfer this adjustment to the buyer. But usually, they agree to cap it.

Here is the strange bit. My friend has bought a new house from a builder recently. They are unlikely to get the permit before the increase this summer. However, the builder agreed to cap the adjustment in development charges to under $1000 for her. I assumed they know about the drastic increase.

My theory is that either the increase is already factored into the prices, or their lawyer is dumb.

Another weird thing I find is that no one seems to care about it. Anyone cares about this in this thread?

[saugaboy]

Hi everyone, i didnt read everything just a few of the stories. Anyhow i work in the industry and i can tell you that most of the builders use the same sub trades to build the homes.

All we do is manage the construction. basicaly all the drywallers, mansonry, roofers ect are doing work on all the builders. The realtionship of the builder to the trade will effect the quality and on time construction of the project.

If bills are being paid on time then there shouldnt be too many construction delays. Also when you pay ontime you wont have trades quitting on you and having to pay for someone else to finish the job.

Anyhow i just want to say that as a purchaser your best time to get all your repairs is when you do your home inspection (PDI) Even if it mean bringing a friend who understands construction or even a home inspector. It can save you hours of head aches and $1000's of dollars.

Once you finish that inspection the house can close and the builder can release the holdback moneys to the trades for doing the work. (basically saying the buyer is happy here is the rest of your money) now you think they are going to want to come back to do the job after they get that money???
again it depends on th erealtionship to the builder. if there is more work(1500 new houses to be built) then maybe he will come back and fix your roof, if there are no new projects he might if he has time, but then again he has already been paid.

I hope this helps some of you who purchased a new home. I am buying one soon too and im making sure i have my engineer look through the house when i do my PDI.

take care

[glaswegian]

better to use an inspector for the 1yr warranty, rather than the PDI. If there is any problem during pdi, you can get it fixed before you close, and whatever happens after can go on the 30 days warranty form.

[glaswegian]

This picture was taken just now from our bedroom window, it looks onto the back of the house, where sod was being poured, even though it's Victoria day today. I hope this means we are getting grass soon in front of the house and at the back?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/muree/IMG_0379.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/muree/IMG_0380.jpg

[glaswegian]

grass has since gone in

[traderwiz]

I had problems with my home builder in guelph when I moved in. It seemed like once they got our money they didn't want to be responsible for any warranty issues anymore. I found this new site called homebuilderadvice that allows people to post their experiences they've had with their home builder and then rate their builder. It's fairly new but man do we need a database like this for people doing research on home builders all over. There is NOTHING out there to figure out who's good and who's not.

[BuildingHomes]

It's fairly new but man do we need a database like this for people doing research on home builders all over. There is NOTHING out there to figure out who's good and who's not.

Unfortunately website like you have mentioned only seem to attract the negative, and never the positive.

People feel obligated to *****, but never to compliment.

There are a few resources out there that will act as an informal moderator between builder and home owner. Tarion and the BBB are examples of this. Home Owners can also complain to their local Builders Association too.

[traderwiz]

I can definitely see why you would say that as most people who are looking for an outlet to express their opinions, especially regarding home builders have negative things to say. However, this also provides people the opportunity to write positive reviews of home builders who have lived up to people's expectations. I just thought it was a great idea considering there is really nothing out there as a resource for people to get feedback or provide feedback for others to read regarding such a huge purchase.

[BuildingHomes]

I just thought it was a great idea considering there is really nothing out there as a resource for people to get feedback or provide feedback for others to read regarding such a huge purchase.

This has been brought up a number of times before.

As one who runs a website dedicated to new home construction, I see it all the time.

There was another website that actually wanted reviews, but all they got was one-sided negativity and a bunch of legal problems.

People will not post something positive when their expectations have been met. They will however post something when they feel something is slightly below par. So it makes it very difficult to get both the positive and negative comments in the same place.

And based on what I have seen, no builder is exempt from meeting expectations 100% of the time.

[traderwiz]

Well I think you are wrong when you say that people will not post something postive when their expectations have been made. A perfect example of a very successful review website although not focused on homes is tripadvisor. Thousands of people post both positive and negative reviews of trips they have taken each day. Although I do realize that a trip is a little different than the purchase of a house.

What is your website would like to check it out.

[BuildingHomes]

I think it was mentioned above, but www.buildinghomes.ca

[glaswegian]

There used to be a website that did reviews and had people writing up on their experiences with builders. The website was linked to the "newhomes magazines"

From what I heard, builders managed to bring the site down

[BuildingHomes]

From what I heard, builders managed to bring the site down

Wasn't part of a magazine, but the site ended up with a lot of people just bitching and complaining and became utterly useless. That's why on my site I steer people towards the proper avenues for resolving problems. They should contact their lawyer, Tarion and the builder themselves.

Posting your problems in a public forum does nothing except generate a mob mentality and problems for the site owner.

[traderwiz]

I think you are right to a point but don't you think there is a need for some type of avenue for people to exchange their experiences regarding the building of their home? There are sites all over the net that you can get reviews on pretty much anything. Why are reviews of home builder so taboo? What makes writing a bad review about a television any different than a home builder?

[BuildingHomes]

Why are reviews of home builder so taboo? What makes writing a bad review about a television any different than a home builder?

Not saying they are taboo, I'm saying you need a balance. Everything so far has just been the HOs side of the story.. you never see the stuff on the builders side of things.. This is where Tarion and the BBB can come in to play and act as a moderation between parties. Both list _legitimate_ infractions and if they were resolved or not.

[Gidget]

Wasn't part of a magazine, but the site ended up with a lot of people just bitching and complaining and became utterly useless. That's why on my site I steer people towards the proper avenues for resolving problems. They should contact their lawyer, Tarion and the builder themselves.

Posting your problems in a public forum does nothing except generate a mob mentality and problems for the site owner.

The problem with that website was it was not moderated. The site administrator wasn't around much. It got hacked a couple of times too if I recall.

[traderwiz]

I agree with Gidget - for a site like a review website to work it has to have a strict set of rules that people have to abide by and there has to be mods constantly on top of things.

The one thing that I can see becoming a problem is when a home builder begins to get a negative reputation that may in fact affect his bottom line, out pops the cash and in pops the lawyers. Money = power and builders have a lot of it!

[JAC]

This is where Tarion and the BBB can come in to play and act as a moderation between parties. Both list _legitimate_ infractions and if they were resolved or not.

Please. Tarion is simply free insurance for the builder, paid for by the homeowner. Started by builders, run by builders. Ontario home owners have no true advocacy group.

What really works when a builder is not being responsive to your concerns? Go to a professional printer, and have a 3'x6' laminated sign made up detailing the faults in your new home. Create a frame, and mount the sign on your front lawn, facing the road.

Guaranteed the site foreman will be knocking on your door.

[BuildingHomes]

Please. Tarion is simply free insurance for the builder, paid for by the homeowner. Started by builders, run by builders. Ontario home owners have no true advocacy group.


It's not free. Builders have to pay to enroll the houses in the warranty program.

http://www.tarion.com/HOME/Warranty+Protection/Warranty+Fees/default.htm

If they fail to enroll by the start of construction, they are fined by Tarion.

Tarion also offers deposit protection for the home buyer. Meaning, Tarion will 'insure' up to $40000 on freehold homes if the builder suddenly disappears.

http://www.tarion.com/HOME/New+Home+Buyers/Understanding+Deposit+Protection/

Tarion set the minimum standards for customer service.

Believe me, most builders do NOT want a strike against them on their Tarion lists. It adds up, and when it hits a certain number they run the potential of being removed from the program. If they are not part of the program, they legally cannot build a new house in Ontario.

http://www.tarion.com/NR/rdonlyres/CDA7F433-374D-48C8-BFB9-FC5CC94DA66D/0/Bulletin_43.pdf


What really works when a builder is not being responsive to your concerns? Go to a professional printer, and have a 3'x6' laminated sign made up detailing the faults in your new home. Create a frame, and mount the sign on your front lawn, facing the road.


Maybe.. But in my experience I have found that most people contact the builders service department directly about getting things fixed and completely bypassing Tarion. People need to know and understand that leaving Tarion out of the loop means there is no official record of the problem.


Tarion may not be perfect, but I would rather have them in place instead of just relying upon the builder themselves. And the few hundred dollars it costs to enroll I think alone would be worth the deposit protection. If you gave someone $40000 to in turn give you something a year down the road, isn't spending an extra $300-$800 worth it to guarantee that you'll still be able to get your money back if they take off with the money? You are not a secured creditor when you put a deposit down on a house... which means you would be paid last after everyone else they owe money to.

[Cave Spot]

Tarion set the minimum standards for customer service.



How can Tarion be representing consumer interests if the majority of their board members are builders. Given the many horror stories with Tarion and the lack of consumer representation on the board, customer service and protecting consumer interests are low on their priority list. It is also outrageous that home owners cannot opt out of this program that does very little to protect their interests.

[BuildingHomes]

Great questions. Why don't you got ask Tarion?

I can only spout off what is publicly posted on their website as well as my own experiences, which as been on both sides of a new house purchase.



I guess we can advertise our websites in our signatures now..

-
www.BuildingHomes.ca
Canadas online community for new home owners!

[glaswegian]

I can see the board members of Tarion being builders, I guess it's just like any other similar organisation or society really, that picks it's directors from people in the business?

Anyway...got my 1yr coming up soon and I'll be using an inspector to get things done, and then submitting the findings to Tarion and we shall see what happens.

[JAC]

It's not free. Builders have to pay to enroll the houses in the warranty program.
Which in turn is passed on to the buyer.

If they fail to enroll by the start of construction, they are fined by Tarion.
Which they're hardly likely to do, since it costs them nothing.

Tarion also offers deposit protection for the home buyer. Meaning, Tarion will 'insure' up to $40000 on freehold homes if the builder suddenly disappears.
Assuming the sketchy builder enrolled the house, of course. And reallistically, how often does this happen.

Tarion set the minimum standards for customer service.
And very minimum they are, indeed. I read their manual of what constitutes a deficiency while doing my 1 year inspection. Needless to say, I was less than impressed.

Believe me, most builders do NOT want a strike against them on their Tarion lists. It adds up, and when it hits a certain number they run the potential of being removed from the program. If they are not part of the program, they legally cannot build a new house in Ontario.
And Tarion also know where their bread is buttered, and who pulls the strings.

Maybe.. But in my experience I have found that most people contact the builders service department directly about getting things fixed and completely bypassing Tarion. People need to know and understand that leaving Tarion out of the loop means there is no official record of the problem.
Perhaps. But a large sign alerting potential buyers to problems with the builder has been quite effective, in my experience.

Tarion may not be perfect, but I would rather have them in place instead of just relying upon the builder themselves. And the few hundred dollars it costs to enroll I think alone would be worth the deposit protection. If you gave someone $40000 to in turn give you something a year down the road, isn't spending an extra $300-$800 worth it to guarantee that you'll still be able to get your money back if they take off with the money? You are not a secured creditor when you put a deposit down on a house... which means you would be paid last after everyone else they owe money to.
Again, how often does that happen. A little research will tell you if a builder is an acceptable risk.

[BuildingHomes]

Excellent.

Please direct all of your complaints along with appropriate resolutions to your MPP.

Have a nice day!

[glaswegian]

As long as any problem is fixed and on time, I couldn't care less who is the board of tarion

[spdztr]

Hey guys,

I'm coming up to my 1 year inspection this month, and was wondering what are some common problems people have had at the 1 year mark?
Other than walls cracking/nails popping, there really hasn't been anything that I've been able to notice. I don't really want to hire a home inspector, as I don't think it would be worth it. I've spoken to neighbours who share my opinion, and also haven't had anything major.

Does creaking floors and stairs constitute a deficiency? Has anyone put this down before and had something done about it?

[north5995]

Hey guys,

I'm coming up to my 1 year inspection this month, and was wondering what are some common problems people have had at the 1 year mark?
Other than walls cracking/nails popping, there really hasn't been anything that I've been able to notice. I don't really want to hire a home inspector, as I don't think it would be worth it. I've spoken to neighbours who share my opinion, and also haven't had anything major.

Does creaking floors and stairs constitute a deficiency? Has anyone put this down before and had something done about it?

Is that under rug or hardwood? You may have loose subfloor.

[spdztr]

Is that under rug or hardwood? You may have loose subfloor.

It's all hardwood.
So are you saying that if I put it down they may be able to address it?

[butter]

It's all hardwood.
So are you saying that if I put it down they may be able to address it?

Did you pay for the builder to put down the hardwood or did you do it afterwards using a third party? If you did it afterwards, you are responsible for removing the hardwood so the builder can get to the subfloor to repair AFAIK.

[spdztr]

Did you pay for the builder to put down the hardwood or did you do it afterwards using a third party? If you did it afterwards, you are responsible for removing the hardwood so the builder can get to the subfloor to repair AFAIK.

The hardwood was installed by the builder. By "put it down" in my earlier post, I meant putting it down on the 1 year Tarion list.

[glaswegian]

It's always cheaper to install your own hardwood after

[spdztr]

It's always cheaper to install your own hardwood after

Thanks for the input but doesn't really help with my question.

[glaswegian]

Thanks for the input but doesn't really help with my question.


You are welcome

[Gidget]

Hey guys,

I'm coming up to my 1 year inspection this month, and was wondering what are some common problems people have had at the 1 year mark?
Other than walls cracking/nails popping, there really hasn't been anything that I've been able to notice. I don't really want to hire a home inspector, as I don't think it would be worth it. I've spoken to neighbours who share my opinion, and also haven't had anything major.

Does creaking floors and stairs constitute a deficiency? Has anyone put this down before and had something done about it?

It says under the Tarion New Home Buyers check list regarding floors that you should hear only a minimum of sqeaks and notice a minimum of spring when walking on the floor.


I would definetly put it down on the 1 year PDI.

[spdztr]

It says under the Tarion New Home Buyers check list regarding floors that you should hear only a minimum of sqeaks and notice a minimum of spring when walking on the floor.


I would definetly put it down on the 1 year PDI.

Thanks, I had a brief look at the Tarion list but must have missed it. I'll put it down, but have doubts that they would actually do anything about it. I can't even imagine what they would do without causing significant damage.

[slothy@cutey]

It's always cheaper to install your own hardwood after

Not necessarily. It depends on which builder. When we were getting hardwood quotes (apples for apples), we actually found the builder more competitive - much to our shock. Even after "haggling" deals with local hardware installer shops. I don't think they expect to be cheaper, but it's the economies of scale aspect that probably controls their pricing and allows for a good deal with still a big mark-up from the builder. Of course, not all builders are alike. We've had the reverse experience as well.

As with everything, buyer beware - do your research. And above all, don't take everything as "absolutes" at face value.

[glaswegian]

I just think if you do your own, you get more choices than the buildes line of products

[slothy@cutey]

I just think if you do your own, you get more choices than the buildes line of products

Yes, that's certainly true. But I remember being quite surprised that some builders had a lot more choice that I expected. I've worked with 4 different in my lifetime and they varied greatly.

Another advantage on more competitive upgrades is that at least they're done on closing (ie. no hassle having trades in your house), and they're guaranteed/warranteed by the builder if there are problems/issues.

Of course that's ONLY an advantage if you have a conscientious/reputable builder making your home. :)

My biggest advice is: 1) Do your research on pricing, 2) Try and save your upgrade budget on strucutural items and/or items that can't be done or can't be done "well/easily" after construction. 3) Spend money on the things people see and experience (ie. upgrading to a bigger electrical panel or a thicker sub-floor may not be as noticeable as you'd think.

Just 2 cents for what they're worth!

[2cwake]

I'm looking a bit further south in maple (dufferin/Major Mack area), are the builders around there any good? Good location? We're looking at Primont. Is Primont a good builder?

I just purchased a home from Primont at the Eagle Hills location. I would highly suggest that you DO NOT purchase from Primont. Even my lawyer said they have been the most difficult builder they have ever dealt with. If you want specifics, send me a pm.

[2cwake]

Hey guys,

I'm coming up to my 1 year inspection this month, and was wondering what are some common problems people have had at the 1 year mark?
Other than walls cracking/nails popping, there really hasn't been anything that I've been able to notice. I don't really want to hire a home inspector, as I don't think it would be worth it. I've spoken to neighbours who share my opinion, and also haven't had anything major.

Does creaking floors and stairs constitute a deficiency? Has anyone put this down before and had something done about it?

When our flooring was being installed, the guy said that hardwood floors installed in a new home may start to creak once the house starts to settle around 1 year. I would put it on Tarion list and see what they have to say about it.

[glaswegian]

That is why it's a good idea to wait till after the 1yr

[Diamondog]

Thanks, I had a brief look at the Tarion list but must have missed it. I'll put it down, but have doubts that they would actually do anything about it. I can't even imagine what they would do without causing significant damage.

A 1 year inspection is very important. You have demonstrated your lack of knowledge regarding floors. Hiring an inspector at the 1 year mark is a very good idea. Most people do not know what to look for and getting advice on a forum is all good and well but this is your house your talking about, usually the most expensive thing someone will ever buy. Hiring an inspector may not find anything (hopefully) but if they do you'll be glad to have potentially saved who knows how much money, IMO.

[patrob]

So what ever happened to that Touchstone Homes thread about all that crappy workmanship:?:

Looks like the thread was totally deleted:mad: ...I wonder if the builder threatened to sue if not taken down, which does not make them look good in my eyes:evil:

Very interesting...any updates Trixstar:confused:

[patrob]

This thread is now #5 (vs. #6 few days ago) on Google, even though it has been mysteriously removed:rolleyes: .......it will probably stay there for some time, making Touchstone Homes look bad either way:twisted: :D

[trixstar]

This thread is now #5 (vs. #6 few days ago) on Google, even though it has been mysteriously removed:rolleyes: .......it will probably stay there for some time, making Touchstone Homes look bad either way:twisted: :D

:lol: the builder didn't threaten to sue. They were in fact really angry about it.. everything has been fixed properly though the tub was not replaced. Instead, a professional came in to do the touchups.So far, so good;)

[patrob]

:lol: the builder didn't threaten to sue. They were in fact really angry about it.. everything has been fixed properly though the tub was not replaced. Instead, a professional came in to do the touchups.So far, so good;)

That's good to hear:)

So how did they hear about the thread, somebody tip them off:lol: ?? Maybe this will be a good lesson for them, knowing that people can post real problems & 'new' potential customers could be discouraged from buying their houses......internet can be quite powerful:twisted:

[BuildingHomes]

internet can be quite powerful:twisted:

In some ways good, and in many ways bad.

[glaswegian]

I'll like to think the good outweighs the bad, but you wonder sometimes

[CrazyFace]

:lol: the builder didn't threaten to sue. They were in fact really angry about it.. everything has been fixed properly though the tub was not replaced. Instead, a professional came in to do the touchups.So far, so good;)

They were upset because you posted photos of their work? I'm really curious as to what they said to you.

[patrob]

They were upset because you posted photos of their work? I'm really curious as to what they said to you.

I know what you mean:rolleyes: ... I wonder how they found out in the first place:|

[The PDI Guy]

I can see the board members of Tarion being builders, I guess it's just like any other similar organisation or society really, that picks it's directors from people in the business?

Anyway...got my 1yr coming up soon and I'll be using an inspector to get things done, and then submitting the findings to Tarion and we shall see what happens.

Tarion is set up just like any other "governing body". The Law Society is made up of lawyers etc... The warranty is more extensive now than it ever has been but it is complicated and most new home buyers need professional advice regarding their warranties and inspections. I have been in the industry for over twenty years building new homes, as a handyman for two of the largest builders in the GTA doing inspections on their behalf, and as an after sales service rep. Now I am doing "warranty" inspections as on the homeowners behalf because I found that most homeowners were not getting the full advantage of their warranty because the most builders don't educate them. I have had homeowners tell me that they were advised to leave items off their PDI that should have been listed and just submit them on a 30 Day. I have seen issues, as a service rep, that I knew were warrantable but been told by my supervisor that "unless the homeowner puts it on the list we aren't mentioning it". As a new buyer you really have to educate yourself and if you're not confident get the advice you need.

[The PDI Guy]

better to use an inspector for the 1yr warranty, rather than the PDI. If there is any problem during pdi, you can get it fixed before you close, and whatever happens after can go on the 30 days warranty form.

In my opinion, based on years in the industry, you PDI is probably your most important inspection. Ther are many things that if missed on your PDI will not be warrantable as it can be difficult to prove that they were the "builder's fault". Your 30 day should be used as a way to report outstanding issues from your PDI after closing and any issues that have come up in the first 30 days. Your Year End would be the other major inspection as this is the last chance for many items in your home. All lists should go to the Tarion as well as the builder

[glaswegian]

My advise to people is still to use a registered inspector to get things done properly, otherwise you might as well do it yourself with some help from your buddies



In my opinion, based on years in the industry, you PDI is probably your most important inspection. Ther are many things that if missed on your PDI will not be warrantable as it can be difficult to prove that they were the "builder's fault". Your 30 day should be used as a way to report outstanding issues from your PDI after closing and any issues that have come up in the first 30 days. Your Year End would be the other major inspection as this is the last chance for many items in your home. All lists should go to the Tarion as well as the builder

[glaswegian]

getting close to inspection time now

[nazawale]

I am planning to buy a house. Should I buy condo or house/Town house? And what areas like Markham, Scarborough or Durham. Plz share your opinions and experiences with me. Thank You in advance.

[glaswegian]

There are many things that will come into play here, and only you will know for sure which area is going to be conducive for you in terms of work, commuting and leisure.

[glaswegian]

the condo or town home poster.....what did you decide on?

[IoannI]

Buying a home in a new subdivision and after being built is a good way to make some quick cash. The house builds up equity while it's beeing built and then is worth more then what you paid and you haven't evevn lifted a finger.

Anyways I've been to a fair amount of showhomes and I have to say there are some strange floor plans that don't work out. Honestly they are so out of place that the house doesn't flow. I went to this one I believe it was a Rosehaven showhome, it was in Oakville and I'll tell you it was so strange. You walked into this huge room which was the dining room (right from entrance) and then the rest of the house was in the back behind the power room.

Green Park makes some pretty nice homes.

[glaswegian]

You won't happen to be a sales person for them would you? :D

[IoannI]

You won't happen to be a sales person for them would you? :D

Telecommunications Contractor

[glaswegian]

Right......who could have tunk it :D

[moto620]

I just purchased a home from Primont at the Eagle Hills location. I would highly suggest that you DO NOT purchase from Primont. Even my lawyer said they have been the most difficult builder they have ever dealt with. If you want specifics, send me a pm.

hmm thats interesting, I was actually very close to purchasing an Apache model for there second phase in Maple.

[Sanvean]

edited

[bisk]

Do you represent people for the Tarion Conciliation Inspections? If so, what is your fee? And if so, please email me at sanvean77 at hotmail.com

Having issues with Empire Communities? ;)

[Sanvean]

Having issues with Empire Communities? ;)

No, another builder.

[megavolver]

Yeah, but nothing beats Lebovic! LOL. They are THE WORST! It makes me sick only when I'm thinking about it.
There are so many forum threads with people angry with Lebovic... Just stay away if you see this name. You'll thank me later, believe me.

Not to mention that they were in the last place in the 2006 J.D. Power survey, with a BIG difference between them and the second last.

[glaswegian]

We just went past the 1yr mark in our new home, and am looking to start getting ideas for finishing the basement. As usual, there are cracks on the floor in the basement, how does one go about sealing this?

Which product(s) out there, is the best for a DIY'er to use for this?

[Mattones]

iv been framing for mattamy on and off since last summer in Milton. I wouldnt take one of their houses if it was given to me. I was recently told a home owner was complaing about a smell in the master bathroom. They tore it all up and found a family of dead raccoons behind a 2x6 wall. Goes to show the their people don't give a ****.

PS: I would only live in a new subdivision if i was the last house there. Sites are crazy and I feel bad for the first few people moving into a new subdivision. haha

[elty]

Anyone heard about the drastic increase in development charges this summer in the York and Peel regions?

I read about it from a Toronto Star article a few weeks ago. My friend called both Markham and York Region. They confirmed the increase this year will be about at $6,700 ~ $7500.

Basically in a typical offer, the builder has the right to transfer this adjustment to the buyer. But usually, they agree to cap it.

Here is the strange bit. My friend has bought a new house from a builder recently. They are unlikely to get the permit before the increase this summer. However, the builder agreed to cap the adjustment in development charges to under $1000 for her. I assumed they know about the drastic increase.

My theory is that either the increase is already factored into the prices, or their lawyer is dumb.

Another weird thing I find is that no one seems to care about it. Anyone cares about this in this thread?

Out of curiosity how much is the levies / permit? Usually when does the builder obtain the relevant permit?

[nimiq1]

iv been framing for mattamy on and off since last summer in Milton. I wouldnt take one of their houses if it was given to me. I was recently told a home owner was complaing about a smell in the master bathroom. They tore it all up and found a family of dead raccoons behind a 2x6 wall. Goes to show the their people don't give a ****.

PS: I would only live in a new subdivision if i was the last house there. Sites are crazy and I feel bad for the first few people moving into a new subdivision. haha


That is just gross :mad:

[suburbannewbie]

We just purhcased a new home from Sundial (to be completed in 09). Does anyone have any comments / advice about this builder?

[Frankie3s]

We just purhcased a new home from Sundial (to be completed in 09). Does anyone have any comments / advice about this builder?

Why do people ask for an opinion AFTER they have purchased? Believe me, this is your guarantee in being disappointed so why do this to yourself?

But if you must know, according to JD Power Sundial is one of the worst in customer satisfaction. However, ymmv!
http://corp.jdpower.com/jdpcc/global/canada/content/ratings/homebuilders/gta.jsp

[slothy@cutey]

We just purhcased a new home from Sundial (to be completed in 09). Does anyone have any comments / advice about this builder?

I've heard bad things about this builder. Their customer service is supposedly pretty brutal.. But in the end it all depends on the problems (or lack thereof) with your individual home. If you have few issues/problems, then you'll probably tolerate the builder... however, if you ended up with a lemon house, you may have some trouble/frustration...

Sorry, would've liked to have been more positive... good luck! You should post back here on your experience(s).

[suburbannewbie]

I've heard bad things about this builder. Their customer service is supposedly pretty brutal.. But in the end it all depends on the problems (or lack thereof) with your individual home. If you have few issues/problems, then you'll probably tolerate the builder... however, if you ended up with a lemon house, you may have some trouble/frustration...

Sorry, would've liked to have been more positive... good luck! You should post back here on your experience(s).

Thanks for the comment. I checked the JD Power website and they give Sundial a low rating but they also give Mattamy the highest so I am not sure how accurate the rating is considering the horrible things I have heard about Mattamy. I guess there is a lot of luck involved with new homes.

I am a bit nervous about this house but am hoping for the best! I will post back periodically. We just purchased the home and have not had to deal with the builder directly at this point. Fingers crossed!!!

What about negotiating with a builder regarding upgrades? We were thinking of asking for upgraded carpeting upstairs at no charge in lieu of flooring downstairs (we will install our own hardwood) . Has anyone had any success in negotiating with a builder?

[slothy@cutey]

... but they also give Mattamy the highest so I am not sure how accurate the rating is considering the horrible things I have heard about Mattamy.

Well, I've purchased 2 brand new Mattamy homes 3 years apart. The first house was a horrible experience, but not as bad as those poor Milton homeowners. The 2nd house was a completely different experience. It was also at this point that Mattamy topped the JD power survey. Mattamy is the only builder that trains their staff on customer service (huge emphasis) and they are obsessed with trying to make the home purchase a positive experience. I never thought I'd have nice things to say about ANY builder, but I gotta be fair to Mattamy. They came thru with "Please", "Thank you, sir", and did a lot of extra things just to "keep [us] happy". Also, Peter Gilgan (owner and mega-rich president) won Entrepreneur of the year for his work with Mattamy.

Regarding negotiating with builders... it's worth a shot, but in my experience, unless it's an inventory home on a lot that isn't selling, you're SOL....

[hi-tech]

Been in a 3800 sqr. ft. Mattamy home in Mississauga for about a year and a half now and I couldn't be happier. Minor problems here and there with piping but Mattamy always sends out great contracters to come and fix the problem asap. Plus just having the Mattamy name on this home has managed to drive up prices in this area 2 fold.

[suburbannewbie]

That's good to know because Mattamy will be the main developer in Oakville north of Hwy 5 and we were considering buying there when they start building.

I guess every builder has positive and negative aspects. If we are lucky we will not have any major issues.

Thanks for the input.

[patrob]

What about negotiating with a builder regarding upgrades? We were thinking of asking for upgraded carpeting upstairs at no charge in lieu of flooring downstairs (we will install our own hardwood) . Has anyone had any success in negotiating with a builder?

So you basically want your builder to leave just the bare plywood downstairs since you want to do your own hardwood... I wish you luck & it is possible for a builder to do that, but many don't like doing it. Some builders are very strict with such things & others are more understanding. Can't comment on this particular builder...

It's harder to negotiate with them since you already signed, if this would have been part of the condition when you were buying, they might have agreed. But now you are at their mercy but asking never hurts.

Good luck :)

P.S. Check this site, you might get more info on Sundial.
http://www.buildinghomes.ca/community/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29

[slothy@cutey]

Agree 100% with post above. Negotiating clout is highest when you're signing the deal... not afterwards. But don't feel too bad... a lot of builders won't throw anything in no matter what anyways...

Also, a lot of builders won't leave homes "incomplete" because it violates their responsibility to meet the terms of New Home Warranty and possibly Building Code requirements. It's not likely they'll leave you the subfloor without carpeting.. it also could create additional liability issues for them too... I guess the smaller the builder (ie. a mom-and-pop builder), the better the odds are that you can get what you want off the book.

But, it can't hurt to ask, beg, plead, etc.. whatever it takes! :)

[patrob]

Also, a lot of builders won't leave homes "incomplete" because it violates their responsibility to meet the terms of New Home Warranty and possibly Building Code requirements. It's not likely they'll leave you the subfloor without carpeting.. it also could create additional liability issues for them too... I guess the smaller the builder (ie. a mom-and-pop builder), the better the odds are that you can get what you want off the book.

But, it can't hurt to ask, beg, plead, etc.. whatever it takes! :)

True...but there are situations when they will.

We actually closed our house without carpets anywhere, since they just run out of time & we just had to close after already a few delays & did not care. So after the weekend they came & installed the carpets...took good couple of hours but it was done nicely.

[slothy@cutey]

True...but there are situations when they will.

We actually closed our house without carpets anywhere, since they just run out of time & we just had to close after already a few delays & did not care. So after the weekend they came & installed the carpets...took good couple of hours but it was done nicely.

Interesting... that's certainly the exception to standard practise. Glad it worked out for you though!

:)

[patrob]

Interesting... that's certainly the exception to standard practise. Glad it worked out for you though!

:)

Yes, we got very lucky, even managed to do our own tiles & kitchen cabinets...lol... For sure we wouldn't be so lucky with Mattamy:D

[gill2k]

Anyone here from Winnipeg with experience going with a newly built home? The wife-to-be and I are looking to either go with Kensington Homes or Qualico next year.

[glaswegian]

Do your own tiles?


Yes, we got very lucky, even managed to do our own tiles & kitchen cabinets...lol... For sure we wouldn't be so lucky with Mattamy:D

[patrob]

Do your own tiles?

Yes...the whole house we did our own tiles...most of it we installed before our closing :) .....we still have not finished our master shower after 1 year :lol: hoping to do that soon:D

[glaswegian]

Wow....your builder must wish for all their customers to be like you guys ;) Get paid full, but do half jobs


Yes...the whole house we did our own tiles...most of it we installed before our closing :) .....we still have not finished our master shower after 1 year :lol: hoping to do that soon:D

[glaswegian]

*bump for new home owners*

[patrob]

Wow....your builder must wish for all their customers to be like you guys ;) Get paid full, but do half jobs

Actually we got some credit back for doing our own tiles, so it was a win, win situation:) ....but I am sure many homeowners would like to do stuff like this themselves & not be paying through the roof for some upgrades:D

[glaswegian]

Perhaps.....but not many have the time, nor the skills.


Actually we got some credit back for doing our own tiles, so it was a win, win situation:) ....but I am sure many homeowners would like to do stuff like this themselves & not be paying through the roof for some upgrades:D

[glaswegian]

bump

[Homeo]

wow... I read all 11 pages of this forum so far... and let me say...
THANK YOU to all the contributors...

I've seen lots of property in the Richmond hill/aurora/newmarket area including:

mattamy homes - the windchimes in aurora
Primont Homes - townhouses @ leslie/Elgin Mills - Heritage Hollow
Apen Ridge Homes @ Bayview Club ( bayview/wellington)
Kylemore Homes @ Bayview Club
Madison Homes @ Bathurst/Major Mackenzie
bunch of others @ Dufferin/elgin mills/bathurst area

I'm looking for my first house, but I want to rent out initially and move in later on.

I've narrowed down my requirements to the following

less than $400,000
Initially rentable - but that might change
move in date about 1 year away or even more ( no rush )
prefferably detached.

it seems most of the above properties in richmond hill are out of my price range.. so looking to move to aurora/newmarket but not familiar with those areas.

anyone with advice on where to look in newmarket, richmond hill, aurora area or nearby with positive/negative experience i'd love to hear it..

I'll keep you all posted. GL to all of you

[Jay1234]

I'm looking for my first house, but I want to rent out initially and move in later on.

I've narrowed down my requirements to the following

less than $400,000
Initially rentable - but that might change
move in date about 1 year away or even more ( no rush )
prefferably detached.

it seems most of the above properties in richmond hill are out of my price range.. so looking to move to aurora/newmarket but not familiar with those areas.

anyone with advice on where to look in newmarket, richmond hill, aurora area or nearby with positive/negative experience i'd love to hear it..

I'll keep you all posted. GL to all of you

You could always try Stouffville. There are many new subdivisions being built and you won't have a problem to fit it in your $400K budget for a fully detached house.

Jay

[Homeo]

Any recommendations for Stoufville locations?
Mattamy appears to be sold out.

I preffer to stay more centrally if possible. Also undecided on exact housing type.

Is anyone here considering renting their property at all? I wanna know what your thoughts are on this. I don't want to be stuck with something that's impossible to rent out if i decide to go that route. Not sure what the rental market is like for detached homes but i would guess it's less demand than town houses

[Jay1234]

Any recommendations for Stoufville locations?
Mattamy appears to be sold out.

I preffer to stay more centrally if possible. Also undecided on exact housing type.

Is anyone here considering renting their property at all? I wanna know what your thoughts are on this. I don't want to be stuck with something that's impossible to rent out if i decide to go that route. Not sure what the rental market is like for detached homes but i would guess it's less demand than town houses

There are several builders in Stouffville. Mattamy, Fieldgate, Greenpark, Starlane and Treasure hill all have developments. The new phase for Mattamy is opening up shortly.

[oakvillehomes]

I must admit that I wish I had read this thread before buying my last home. It certainly brings forward food for thought. I bought a home from Mattamy and upon closing, it did not have electrical power and the furnace was illegally (code) wired next door. One would never have suspected a JD Power winner to sell a home so unethically. Since then, I have visited forums such as this and am glad that there is help/information that will make buying my next home that much easier. I would recommend hiring a building inspector for all new builds based on a 2005 study by the Canadian Home Builder's Association (CHBA) which found 10% of Canadian builders are problematic. Others estimate 20 to 25%. For those that know construction, they can avoid these but most people are not into construction and therefore must depend on ethical builders and good building inspectors (I should add that the Town of Oakville passed the furnace) to protect their interests. And builders sometimes even discourage your viewing your construction and protecting your investment.

I would not only recommend this forum but also “Canadians for Properly Built Homes”

http://www.canadiansforproperlybuilthomes.com/index.html as a source of information.

Thanks to Glaswegian for starting the thread.

[slothy@cutey]

I must admit that I wish I had read this thread before buying my last home. It certainly brings forward food for thought. I bought a home from Mattamy and upon closing, it did not have electrical power and the furnace was illegally (code) wired next door. One would never have suspected a JD Power winner to sell a home so unethically. Since then, I have visited forums such as this and am glad that there is help/information that will make buying my next home that much easier. I would recommend hiring a building inspector for all new builds based on a 2005 study by the Canadian Home Builder's Association (CHBA) which found 10% of Canadian builders are problematic. Others estimate 20 to 25%. For those that know construction, they can avoid these but most people are not into construction and therefore must depend on ethical builders and good building inspectors (I should add that the Town of Oakville passed the furnace) to protect their interests. And builders sometimes even discourage your viewing your construction and protecting your investment.


I would not only recommend this forum but also “Canadians for Properly Built Homes”

http://www.canadiansforproperlybuilthomes.com/index.html as a source of information.

Thanks to Glaswegian for starting the thread.

Yeah, I've had 2 Mattamy's and a Monarch home, and yup the Town of Oakville prostitutes itself to the builders... pretty sad.

I recommend a building inspector prior to the 1 year Tarion list. That way other deformities will become apparent and you can get a more "thorough" list...

[glaswegian]

True about using a building inspector, and make sure they are certified

[patrob]

I must admit that I wish I had read this thread before buying my last home. It certainly brings forward food for thought. I bought a home from Mattamy and upon closing, it did not have electrical power and the furnace was illegally (code) wired next door. One would never have suspected a JD Power winner to sell a home so unethically. Since then, I have visited forums such as this and am glad that there is help/information that will make buying my next home that much easier. I would recommend hiring a building inspector for all new builds based on a 2005 study by the Canadian Home Builder's Association (CHBA) which found 10% of Canadian builders are problematic. Others estimate 20 to 25%. For those that know construction, they can avoid these but most people are not into construction and therefore must depend on ethical builders and good building inspectors (I should add that the Town of Oakville passed the furnace) to protect their interests. And builders sometimes even discourage your viewing your construction and protecting your investment.


Try also this website when buying a new home.
http://www.buildinghomes.ca/community/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29

Personally, I was never a fan of Mattamy :rolleyes:

Good luck :)

[oakvillehomes]

Yes, your right.. The Building Homes link has a wealth of knowledge as well.. well recommended..

[glaswegian]

Shameless....Gregster, how much are you paying this fella? :D


Try also this website when buying a new home.
http://www.buildinghomes.ca/community/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29

Personally, I was never a fan of Mattamy :rolleyes:

Good luck :)

[patrob]

Shameless....Gregster, how much are you paying this fella? :D

I wish he was paying me :lol: plus when it comes to Mattamy, my feelings are priceless:twisted:

[glaswegian]

I can post links to sites that says otherwise ;)


I wish he was paying me :lol: plus when it comes to Mattamy, my feelings are priceless:twisted:

[patrob]

I can post links to sites that says otherwise ;)

:confused: Ok, now you lost me :|

[theavonlady]

Well, the boyfriend and I just signed the papers for a 34" Detached Mattamy Home. It's possession date is Feb. 4th 2009 so I am going to cross my fingers that it's hopefully on time!

Has alot of people who have bought new homes have their closing date pushed back by the builder (I think I read that 2 people had it on here) We put it in that we don't want to move in early if it's ready, as it gives us up to 3 more months to save and avoid moving during Xmas!!

[glaswegian]

Well, the boyfriend and I just signed the papers for a 34" Detached Mattamy Home. It's possession date is Feb. 4th 2009 so I am going to cross my fingers that it's hopefully on time!

Has alot of people who have bought new homes have their closing date pushed back by the builder (I think I read that 2 people had it on here) We put it in that we don't want to move in early if it's ready, as it gives us up to 3 more months to save and avoid moving during Xmas!!

There are numerous sites for mattamy builds and you can expect them to be late.

[Bean]

Have been in our H&R Summerhill South Townhouse now for going on three years (feb 25/05 move in date)

Closing stayed right to the date CS was fine UNTIL after the one year warranty. Now almost three years later, we all of a sudden are hearing our neighbours flushing their toilets, running water, dragging chairs etc etc. Never heard this within the first year to a year and a half. Our carpet is HORRIBLE. Flat everywhere and lots and lots of noise, Stairs vibrate when we go down to where we are afraid they will collapse. Air leaks coming from windows etc and complaining to H & R goes on deaf ears. We cannot do anything about the carpet they say and so on and so on.

Is there NOTHING that the builder can do for us?? I am beginning to hate it here

[glaswegian]

One of the perils of townhouse living

[pcbc168]

We recently bought a detached home in Mississauga from Regalcrest Homes. (Winston Churchill & Tenth Line). We won't close this house not until July 31 this year. Everything seems ok as far as constructions going on.

Any comment on Regalcrest Home? I tried to locate this builder on the JD Power & Ass. customer satisfaction but this builder is not on it. It would be appreciated if you can share your experience.

[Bean]

Have been in our H&R Summerhill South Townhouse now for going on three years (feb 25/05 move in date)

Closing stayed right to the date CS was fine UNTIL after the one year warranty. Now almost three years later, we all of a sudden are hearing our neighbours flushing their toilets, running water, dragging chairs etc etc. Never heard this within the first year to a year and a half. Our carpet is HORRIBLE. Flat everywhere and lots and lots of noise, Stairs vibrate when we go down to where we are afraid they will collapse. Air leaks coming from windows etc and complaining to H & R goes on deaf ears. We cannot do anything about the carpet they say and so on and so on.

Is there NOTHING that the builder can do for us?? I am beginning to hate it here

Its not any better than the crappy Condo we used to live in. A Menkes "Gem", we were there from 1989 until Feb of 2005. Here we go again, more stress :O(

[Bean]

H & R stands for HORRIBLE and REDUNDANT

I have been after them for a while now and will continue to make a nuisance of myself until satisfaction is reached. In other words, When %%$# freezes over

There motto is Expect More. I think it should say Expect More Heartache and stress

[butter]

H & R stands for HORRIBLE and REDUNDANT

I have been after them for a while now and will continue to make a nuisance of myself until satisfaction is reached. In other words, When %%$# freezes over

There motto is Expect More. I think it should say Expect More Heartache and stress

Oh noes! We're waiting for our HR house to be built. What kind of horror stories do you have?

[Bean]

Hi

All went well until the 1st year thingy. Whatever it is called, had to hound them to come and they finally did. DID NOT do everything that was on the list it was just one excuse after the other. But now, three years later, there is evidence of very little or no soundproofing as we hear our neighbours flushing the toilet etc, dragging the chairs (numerous requests to the neihgbours to please stop have gone on deaf ears, in other words, RUDE) etc etc. Carpet is making tons of noise, needs to relaid or something like that. Try to contact them for CS is like pulling teeth now. Now I see why so many houses were for sale on our street. Sigh ..... Where is your house being built?

[glaswegian]

Hi

All went well until the 1st year thingy. Whatever it is called, had to hound them to come and they finally did. DID NOT do everything that was on the list it was just one excuse after the other. But now, three years later, there is evidence of very little or no soundproofing as we hear our neighbours flushing the toilet etc, dragging the chairs (numerous requests to the neihgbours to please stop have gone on deaf ears, in other words, RUDE) etc etc. Carpet is making tons of noise, needs to relaid or something like that. Try to contact them for CS is like pulling teeth now. Now I see why so many houses were for sale on our street. Sigh ..... Where is your house being built?


PDI. Get in touch with Tarion and see what they can do for ya, as they will have a copy of the faults you found at the time of submission to the builder.

[Bean]

Tarion does not give a BLAH BLAH. I have tried and its all a waste of time :O(

[glaswegian]

Tarion does not give a BLAH BLAH. I have tried and its all a waste of time :O(

Interesting.....did you submit a fault list to them? If you didn't, then they won't do anything. I had a mate that forgot to do this also, and they didn't want to know because it was his fault

[Bean]

The sad thing is YES I did, and H & R came over again and gave me the runaround. Here is a classic point of pure stupdiity on their part

We have a Washer/Dryer on the first floor and within the first year we noticed our daughter having flare ups with her allergies and mild asthma, we took her to a specialist who ran the gamut of tests and one day I went to the basement and noticed Dryer lint in the corner near the back of the house, so I asked a friend who is a tech to come and look and he said the Dryer was never vented to the Outside so he did it for us. He then had us submit the invoice to H & R and they paid some of it but not all of it. There argument was that he did not do a good job. He only had 25 plus years experience as a Appliance Installer/Technician. What can I say. Plus we are still waiting for our Tree deposit of $500.00 from them from three years ago.

[glaswegian]

Sounds like you are having a bad time with this builder eh. Just sell up if possible and move on

[Bean]

Would love too but with hubby not working, its not that easy

[clueless]

Has anyone bought in the Elgin Mills and 404 area? (CountryWide or Monarch homes?) looking to buy a first home, and want to know people's experiences with these builders or at these sites.

[phildc]

What can I say. Plus we are still waiting for our Tree deposit of $500.00 from them from three years ago.

Do you mean grading deposit?

I know there is generally a tree planting fee/charge but I've never heard of a tree deposit.

If it is indeed the grading deposit, did the city approve the grading for your subdivision? If not, I heard that it generally takes about 10 years for the city to approve the grading, that's after all the houses are built in the area.

And by that time most homeowners would have forgotten about it.

Luckily we didn't have such a deposit, but I know for sure there was a tree planting fee in the same range.

[Bean]

Yes. The Grading deposit. I wont forget, I want my money ;)

[pixee223]

Hi, i just wanted to know if anyone has had experience with Starlane homes?? Im thinking of buying a starlane home in stouffville and I wanted to know how they are overall, especially the quality.

Also, I also want to know if theres anything i should know about stouffville. The biggest thing that bothers me is the train (CN Rail) since it seems like it crosses right in the middle of the town. And it seems like almost all the builders are building around the railway.

Please advise. thanks
:confused:

[pekkle_202]

Safe your hard earned money for a builder who won't just take your money and leave you hanging!!!

They DO NOT follow up on your deficiencies list whether it's your PDI, 30 DAY etc.

DO NOT have good trades / construction workers

Their workers treat the site as a garbage DUMP!!

Poor customer service both site supervisor and customer representative.
If they don't like to hear what you have to say, they'll just say "Don't buy a new house next time!"

They won't complete your outstanding items UNLESS you call TARION for a reconcilliation inspeciton.

They do the BARE MINIMUM to meet requirements, if that

Getting them to do things is like pulling teeth

Their trades ppl are unreliable, miss appointments etc.

Their service ppl have POOR SKILLS, they had to re-do work several times before the job was fixed.

Many delayed closings without notice!!!

WORD OF WARNING - DO NOT BUY FROM PRIMONT HOMES!!!!

[Koolpun]

I just moved into a brand new home built by Starlane Homes (greenpark). Location is Goreway & Castlemore. My experience with this company has been great and I would recommend Starlane to anyone. The company was very flexible to my needs. I was able to extend my home from approx 3400 sq. ft to approx 3800 sq ft. with no hassle as long as I was willing to pay for it, which turned out to be very reasonable too!!!!. With respect to craftsmanship, the house was built according to plan and code. I had some of my friends come and inspect the house during construction and they were impressed. Yes my house came with CAT5 cable (standard). So true that some of the extra's cost an arm and a leg, but for the most part they can be done at a later time. I only paid the builder for extra's that I knew that would be too difficult to change after closing. However, I would recommend Starlane Home to anyone!!!!

HEY WE JUST CLOSED IN THE SAME SUBDIVISION. I COMPLETELY AGREE., STARLANE IS COOL TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. sUNNY BONO WE ARE NEIGHBOURS NOW . was wondering what you did for A/c and humidifier etc.

[Bean]

Yes. The Grading deposit. I wont forget, I want my money ;)

I actually got the grading deposit last week. Just about the only good thing I got out of HORRIBLE AND REDUNDANT

[gill2k]

We got the foundation up for our home (pretty much the basement sans the concrete floor). I'll take pics tomorrow and post 'em It's been sitting there for two weeks now but today we saw more piles of wood on the side ready to be unpacked. I think they're gonna start framing our house soon. :D

Oh BTW, ours is by Kensington Homes here in Winnipeg @ the Canterbury Park area. Cheapest priced lots in Winnipeg that we could find. Soooo excited... hopefully it'll keep on schedule to our possession date of Oct. 27th.

[Mazdasport]

I am plaining to buy a house from Fieldgate's a 35' lot close to the Go Train Tracks, does anyone have a house from Fieldgate's or in the area of just North of Markham Rd and Bur Oak Ave. Can you tell me if the Go train is noisy and do you get any vibrations from the train?

Also anyone have any comments about Fieldgate home?

Thanks much.

[OldFortYork]

I am plaining to buy a house from Fieldgate's a 35' lot close to the Go Train Tracks, does anyone have a house from Fieldgate's or in the area of just North of Markham Rd and Bur Oak Ave. Can you tell me if the Go train is noisy and do you get any vibrations from the train?

Also anyone have any comments about Fieldgate home?

Thanks much.

How close is the home? If it backs onto the train tracks, you will feel the noise and vibration.

I'd buy something at least 300m away.

[qster]

That JD Power graph someone posted in the first page is all BS.
I used to work for the warranty program and I know who is a good builder, who is a CHEAP builder and which builders just take your money and run.

If you are a new home buyer... my suggestion to you is check your potential builders website and check their previous projects and visit the actual site and you will get a very good up front understanding of how good a builder they are and ask the current residence if you see them.

Mattamy is not the best home builder, but they are good at customer service and fixing the crap they didn't get right the first, second or third time. Still baffles me how they win the award every other year.

As for you condo buyers! you'll be in for a RUDE awakening.
There will be a lot of crappy freehold builders who have moved onto building condo projects (as thats where the $$$ is now) and don't have a clue on how to build it the right way. If you get caught and buy on from a newbie, you're in a for a looooong journey.

As for most of the trademen out there today.. the majority of them suck and don't know how to build or put materials together. They are simply there just for the money and couldn't build it right the first time, even if I held a guy to their head.

The PDI and 30-Day forms are a joke... they builder has 120 days to fix outstanding items and will take their sweet as$ time.
You litterly have to chase/hunt down the builder just to get it fix. I've read some of the horror stories on some builders.

[qster]

We recently bought a detached home in Mississauga from Regalcrest Homes. (Winston Churchill & Tenth Line). We won't close this house not until July 31 this year. Everything seems ok as far as constructions going on.

Any comment on Regalcrest Home? I tried to locate this builder on the JD Power & Ass. customer satisfaction but this builder is not on it. It would be appreciated if you can share your experience.

Regalcrest builds mid tier homes. Some of the materials are low to mid grade.
They try to get you to upgrade so that they can make more $$$ of buyers.

The JD Power survey
http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2007161

[Mazdasport]

How close is the home? If it backs onto the train tracks, you will feel the noise and vibration.

I'd buy something at least 300m away.

Thanks OldFortYork,

I am not sure how many meters it is from the train tracks, but there will be a sound wall built by York Region and the house is across the street from the barrier.

[mavvee]

Thanks OldFortYork,

I am not sure how many meters it is from the train tracks, but there will be a sound wall built by York Region and the house is across the street from the barrier.

Hey Mazdasport, my suggestion would be to go there and wait for a train. I live near the tracks and when we go for a walk in the evenings we can feel the rumble of the freight trains about a block away... the squeeling of the train (metal on metal) is really loud. Just make sure you can stand it before committing!

[joejack]

Hey Mazdasport, my suggestion would be to go there and wait for a train. I live near the tracks and when we go for a walk in the evenings we can feel the rumble of the freight trains about a block away... the squeeling of the train (metal on metal) is really loud. Just make sure you can stand it before committing!

My biggest concern is not that Mazasport might be able to stand the noise of the train but when he is ready to sell and move up in few years his buyer may not. That could be a real problem for him.

I think this is why they say: Location, Location, Location.

[joejack]

Hi, i just wanted to know if anyone has had experience with Starlane homes?? Im thinking of buying a starlane home in stouffville and I wanted to know how they are overall, especially the quality.

Also, I also want to know if theres anything i should know about stouffville. The biggest thing that bothers me is the train (CN Rail) since it seems like it crosses right in the middle of the town. And it seems like almost all the builders are building around the railway.

Please advise. thanks
:confused:

I currently live in Starlane home in Markham. I am not happy with their craftsmanship. The trades did a terrible job in my opinion. I am not even handy, but I think I can do better job at simple things like caulking, running wires, installing fixtures, etc. However, I was really happy with their after sales services. They were there to fix any thing and everything I reported on time without any problems.

I also just sold my current place and bought a new house from Starlane again. You wonder why? Well, I like their floor plan. I also visited their new site and saw that theirs trades in this area are much better then 5 years ago in Markham. Since I already know that their service is good I was not worried about the after sales part. I would certainly recommend Starlane, but with anything else, you have keep an eye out for yourself and make sure you are protected and make sure they do what they say.

Hope this helps.

[SupsD]

I have received early and insider information on a new development that is soon to be released. I have all the floorplans along with lots # and plans and elevations allowed for those lot #s and prices.

I've been told and have seen people line up early outside the sales office. How early do people show up to line up? As well, how does the buying process work on that day? Do they give out numbers to serve people or is it rush in and if you want to buy, hunt down an agent?

I don't mind going early to line up as the first person if I get served first but if its free-for-all I may still not get the lot I want.

Thanks for all the input.

[Downtown]

I have received early and insider information on a new development that is soon to be released. I have all the floorplans along with lots # and plans and elevations allowed for those lot #s and prices.

I've been told and have seen people line up early outside the sales office. How early do people show up to line up? As well, how does the buying process work on that day? Do they give out numbers to serve people or is it rush in and if you want to buy, hunt down an agent?

I don't mind going early to line up as the first person if I get served first but if its free-for-all I may still not get the lot I want.

Thanks for all the input.

It depends on how popular the location/plans are. There was a Daniels community of townhouses in Mississauga selling from the mid-230s that had previews on Wednesday and sales started Saturday at 8 am. People lined up on Wednesday after they saw the units they liked.
Daniels did roll call 3-4 times a day and if you weren't in line (or someone for you) you lost your space. There must have been at least 75 people in line Thursday night.

That was last summer - market may be a little mroe muted right now, but it depends on the development. Good luck!

[SupsD]

EDIT: Found answer -- removing this so I don't get my "spy" in trouble.

But I can't believe it has come to the point that I have to camp out overnight to buy a house .... What has the world come to?

[laptop-tech]

We recently bought a detached home in Mississauga from Regalcrest Homes. (Winston Churchill & Tenth Line). We won't close this house not until July 31 this year. Everything seems ok as far as constructions going on.

Any comment on Regalcrest Home? I tried to locate this builder on the JD Power & Ass. customer satisfaction but this builder is not on it. It would be appreciated if you can share your experience.


I'm currently on a Regal Crest home, just south of your future location (9th line and Eglinton) and will NEVER again touch a Regal Crest home. The PDI was a joke, where the guy was trying to explain to me about some problems and errors and he had NO IDEA of what he was talking. A couple of times, I corrected him in regards to building code !? Unreal !

After I moved in, we made a list of problems to be corrected in the 1 year revision. Out of the 3 pages I sent by fax, their representative tried to convince me that some of them would end up worse if they tried to fix (!!!???) and was not worth fixing... he advised me to "learn to live with that". On the remaining problems, 2/3 of them were never fixed and NO follow up whatsoever. Calls to the customer service centre were not returned after leaving several messages. Or the report went "missing", so they needed to clarify my complaints by asking me AGAIN and AGAIN to tell them what was wrong.

About 2 weeks before closing I came to inspect the house and found 2 painters inside my house. Both were drunk, one passed out. The walls in my powder room looked like painted by a 3 year old kid. Had to be redone later on.

I'm sorry for telling you this now. I DO hope you get a better team working on your house.

[sungfra]

I am curious to know if you are allowed to bring a professional home inspector with you to do the PDI with the builder's rep.

[Downtown]

I am curious to know if you are allowed to bring a professional home inspector with you to do the PDI with the builder's rep.

My builder said that only those whose names will be on title were permitted to attend for the PDI - so that was me and my wife. I couldn't bring my father (who has done a few of these). I'm pretty knowledgeable though, so I wasn't that concerned.

[Mazdasport]

Hey all thanks for all your helpful advice and suggestions. I may have to re-think this purchase not sure yet. I will keep you posted. Any other comments and suggestions are welcomed. I will log back on on Monday. Have a great weekend.

[dealguy2]

EDIT: Found answer -- removing this so I don't get my "spy" in trouble.

But I can't believe it has come to the point that I have to camp out overnight to buy a house .... What has the world come to?

Canada has magic pixie dust and it's housing market is different from the world wide RE market which is now crashing hard. Relax and enjoy 40 years of debt.

[qster]

My builder said that only those whose names will be on title were permitted to attend for the PDI - so that was me and my wife. I couldn't bring my father (who has done a few of these). I'm pretty knowledgeable though, so I wasn't that concerned.

LOL... your builder lied to you! Its on the HIPA package and plainly states anyone can go to the PDI on your behalf, you just have to notify the builder. Who's your shady builder?

I am curious to know if you are allowed to bring a professional home inspector with you to do the PDI with the builder's rep.

You can bring anyone or anyone can go to the PDI for you on your behalf.
Bringing a professional inspector won't help you much as the PDI (waste of time) is more just a walk through to point out all the flaws in the home prior to closing.

Seriously... the PDI needs to be change to at least a week or two before. But this will never change as its the builders who run the show over at the Warranty program. Its mostly builders on the board and they set the standards and codes.

All the news and awards you hear of online and in the news are all mostly a load of BS. Most builders use trades people (and 95% suck and shouldn't be in the home building trade to start with) and they are stuck cleaning up the mess. This is all be solved if most builders weren't cheap enough to hire a Quality Control person to inspect the work done by the trade people before signing off.

Mike Holmes should get into the home building market. He'd make a KILLING on sales as a builder purely on reputation alone.

[The PDI Guy]

I am curious to know if you are allowed to bring a professional home inspector with you to do the PDI with the builder's rep.

You absolutley are allowed. It is adressed in Builder Bulletin 42 revised which can be veiwed on the Tarion web site, page 5 I believe. YOu can even send an inspector as a designate, or anyone you choose, if you can't attend your PDI. You just have to submit the appropriate forms.

[T*H*J]

LOL... your builder lied to you! Its on the HIPA package and plainly states anyone can go to the PDI on your behalf, you just have to notify the builder. Who's your shady builder?



You can bring anyone or anyone can go to the PDI for you on your behalf.
Bringing a professional inspector won't help you much as the PDI (waste of time) is more just a walk through to point out all the flaws in the home prior to closing.

Seriously... the PDI needs to be change to at least a week or two before. But this will never change as its the builders who run the show over at the Warranty program. Its mostly builders on the board and they set the standards and codes.

All the news and awards you hear of online and in the news are all mostly a load of BS. Most builders use trades people (and 95% suck and shouldn't be in the home building trade to start with) and they are stuck cleaning up the mess. This is all be solved if most builders weren't cheap enough to hire a Quality Control person to inspect the work done by the trade people before signing off.

Mike Holmes should get into the home building market. He'd make a KILLING on sales as a builder purely on reputation alone.

I totally agree with you, which is why we chose to buy a 42 yr old house. Not saying that it doesn't have age-related issues but it is a solid house built when people still cared about quality & had pride of workmanship. Sadly, trades today are paid by piecework & most houses aren't built to last past 20 yrs (as told to my husband by someone who would know in the Town of Oakville). It ticks me off.

Sorry but I just had to add. Maybe I wouldn't be so resentful if much of the new subdivisions destroying our agricultural land were actually built by people who cared & were not so greedy. :(

[T*H*J]

[QUOTE=slothy@cutey;6273183]Yeah, I've had 2 Mattamy's and a Monarch home, and yup the Town of Oakville prostitutes itself to the builders... pretty sad.

QUOTE]

That is very sad but also very true. I grew up & lived in Oakville my whole life up until 2 yrs ago. Must comment that IMHO most of this had to do with the town's former mayor - I believe her son was a developer. I am hoping that the new mayor Burton will change that although much of the damage has already been done. Burton seems to be very good for Oakville as he listens to the residents & what they want - Mulvale, if you saw her & experienced her council meetings, she ran the town almost like a dictator. My husband, Dad & I could not believe the difference when we experienced a council meeting with Burton. With him there is hope in retaining some of the town's original charm, whatever there is left of it. According to the Oakville Beaver, he is in the process of changing the town's planning dept.

[v_tofu]

We got the foundation up for our home (pretty much the basement sans the concrete floor). I'll take pics tomorrow and post 'em It's been sitting there for two weeks now but today we saw more piles of wood on the side ready to be unpacked. I think they're gonna start framing our house soon. :D

Oh BTW, ours is by Kensington Homes here in Winnipeg @ the Canterbury Park area. Cheapest priced lots in Winnipeg that we could find. Soooo excited... hopefully it'll keep on schedule to our possession date of Oct. 27th.

Hey Gill glad to hear bout the update. Wow that was quick!! We drove by our lot yesterday and still no activity >:(

btw, i can't remember if i asked, but what were lot prices goign for in caterbury? Have a friend taht might be interested in moving there.

[gill2k]

Hey Gill glad to hear bout the update. Wow that was quick!! We drove by our lot yesterday and still no activity >:(

btw, i can't remember if i asked, but what were lot prices goign for in caterbury? Have a friend taht might be interested in moving there.

Actually, the framing's almost done. I think the roof will be up by this week. :D

Canterbury lots are really cheap compared to the rest of the city. Depending on the builder, they can range from $45 to $65K. When we first went with Broadview, they were selling us a lot for just about ~$45K. When we finally decide to go with Kensington, their cheapest was $55K (which we took) and the highest was a pie-shape lot for about $65K.

[cire]

Anyone know of this development? Any information would definitely help as we are considering this.

Thanks in advance.

[cptsquirt]

Does anyone have any experience with this development. My wife and I have bought one of the townhouses in the 'Garden Collection' and close at the end of November.

I'd be interested to hear any coments from any other homeowners in the development.

I'm not completely impressed with the layout and closeness of these townhouse units, but we did really like the look of the actual construction inside and out. Also the benefits of an 'energy star' home seamed appealing.

And just a question to anyone that pays a monthly maintainance fee. We will have a $40/month fee for grass and snow removal.. What do you think is the liklihood that this fee will not increase?

[slothy@cutey]

And just a question to anyone that pays a monthly maintainance fee. We will have a $40/month fee for grass and snow removal.. What do you think is the liklihood that this fee will not increase?

0%

Maintenance fees will always go up as costs go up. That's like asking if property taxes will stop going up. If you look at resale homes, those with "shared" costs are almost always priced lower than freehold - no maintenance fees - because of the additional cost uncertainty. Doesn't mean these are undesireable properties, just expect that $40 will double and triple with the next several years...

[mystical2003]

Does anyone have any experience with this development. My wife and I have bought one of the townhouses in the 'Garden Collection' and close at the end of November.

I'd be interested to hear any coments from any other homeowners in the development.

I'm not completely impressed with the layout and closeness of these townhouse units, but we did really like the look of the actual construction inside and out. Also the benefits of an 'energy star' home seamed appealing.

And just a question to anyone that pays a monthly maintainance fee. We will have a $40/month fee for grass and snow removal.. What do you think is the liklihood that this fee will not increase?

I never ended up building in Summit Park but did look at it. Desantis is a very good builder. He builds a quality house for sure. The area is nice and the value will continue to rise especially with the new power center being built on the corner of stone church and mt albion as well as completion of the red hill.

When you say you are not impressed with the Layout do you mean the layout of your model or the layout of the townhouse blocks?


Maintenance fees will definitely go up though. Like the above poster said it will easily double or triple.

[cptsquirt]

When you say you are not impressed with the Layout do you mean the layout of your model or the layout of the townhouse blocks?


I was referring to the townhouse blocks. They seem to be built very close together, obviously the builder trying to maximize the number of units he can squeeze into a small space.

Also, these particular blocks of townhomes are not on true city streets, so the driveways are only single length, and the yards are quite tiny.

Why did i buy one then? We really do like the look and build of our townhome, and I guess having the new park right next door is almost as good as a big back yard. Also, after having a terrible experience buying an older home, we really wanted to try something brand new.

[imshyru]

Anyone bought from there before? Brooklin West site? Happy with their home?

[whodaphucru]

Anyone bought from there before? Brooklin West site? Happy with their home?

We bought from Tribute in Oshawa (Parkridge), we have been very happy with quality and customer service even long after the 1 year period was up. I would buy from them again. Only thing was that upgrades were expensive so you may want to limit your upgrades to only things that can't be done later.

[imshyru]

I know the Decor centre hsa too many options (tribute). Just wondering what options or upgrades did you take from the builder?

[whodaphucru]

I know the Decor centre hsa too many options (tribute). Just wondering what options or upgrades did you take from the builder?

It was our first home so there where a few things I wouldn't do again from the builder but the big ones were:

- 9' ceilings
- maple staircase
- hardwood throughout first floor (at the time the price was comparable to a contractor installing but I think it is quite a bit higher now)
- some rough in plugs and plumbing for the future
- some first floor pot lights however for the cost I would do them myself in the future
- jet tub that we have used only a handful of times
- some small upgrades to cabinets and underpad

Things I would do next time, I would think about the kitchen a bit more and probably change things up a bit depending on the standard layout however depending what you want done it might be cheaper buying the cabinets after you move in.

I likely would only have the builder do things that can't be done after the house is built (i.e. 9' ceilings) or things that are a real pain in the neck (i.e. some rough in wiring or plumbing, soffit plug for xmas lights, garage door opener plugs). If they give you the option for a taller basement or big basement windows that would be a good investment. Spray foam insulation above the garage would be good if they offer it as an upgrade too.

The design centre is pretty good but take time thinkking out things like locations of lights, locations of media jacks (depending on the type of tv you have). Some thing to consider for down the road is the location of the furnace and water heater for finishing the basement. Good luck!

[Bean]

DO NOT buy a house from H & R Developments.

TERRIBLE quality, Horrendous Customer Service. Etc etc:mad:

[imshyru]

It was our first home so there where a few things I wouldn't do again from the builder but the big ones were:

- 9' ceilings
- maple staircase
- hardwood throughout first floor (at the time the price was comparable to a contractor installing but I think it is quite a bit higher now)
- some rough in plugs and plumbing for the future
- some first floor pot lights however for the cost I would do them myself in the future
- jet tub that we have used only a handful of times
- some small upgrades to cabinets and underpad

Things I would do next time, I would think about the kitchen a bit more and probably change things up a bit depending on the standard layout however depending what you want done it might be cheaper buying the cabinets after you move in.

I likely would only have the builder do things that can't be done after the house is built (i.e. 9' ceilings) or things that are a real pain in the neck (i.e. some rough in wiring or plumbing, soffit plug for xmas lights, garage door opener plugs). If they give you the option for a taller basement or big basement windows that would be a good investment. Spray foam insulation above the garage would be good if they offer it as an upgrade too.

The design centre is pretty good but take time thinkking out things like locations of lights, locations of media jacks (depending on the type of tv you have). Some thing to consider for down the road is the location of the furnace and water heater for finishing the basement. Good luck!

Thanks for all the info!
They are offering 9 feet ceilings on the 2nd floor for $7900. I think it makes a difference. But to upgrade to the taller doors to match the celing's is $375 per door. We have 19 doors on our 2nd floor!

[amroache]

Hey guys, I've pretty much read the entire thread, and have learned so much. My family is considering purchasing a townhouse from Ballymore homes at their Homestead Park site in Scarborough. Does anybody here have any experience or know of anybody with any experience with Ballymore homes as they are not listed in the JD power study. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

[amroache]

bump

[Col127]

DO NOT buy a house from H & R Developments.

TERRIBLE quality, Horrendous Customer Service. Etc etc:mad:

+1 - i initially purchased a home from then in aug 2006 - it was supposed to be completed by oct 2007. house got delayed twice, with no explanation at all what the cause was. extremely frustrating. the customer service was atrocious. my fiance and i were supposed to get married may 2008, which is why we bought it in the first place. we eventually got our deposit back, without any interest back (they hold our money for 1.5 years....!).

we watched that house get built after we purchased another property - i think it was completed around sept/oct 2008 - an entire year late. no reason why.

absolutely terrible. i would NEVER buy from H&R ever again.