The definition of a construction defect is: Construction defects usually include any deficiency in the performing or furnishing of the design, planning, supervision, inspection, construction or observation of construction to any new home or building, where there is a failure to construct the building in a reasonably workmanlike manner and/or the structure fails to perform in the manner that is reasonably intended by the buyer.
A construction defect is also a condition in your home that reduces the value of the home.
Construction defects include:
The trial courts have recognized that construction defects are tangible and can typically be grouped into the following four major categories:
The courts have typically used these categories and associated standards to determine culpability for construction defect problems. The metric used to measure is whether the specific condition under review has violated any applicable building codes, is the direct result of construction means, methods, or practices that are below the standard of care in the building industry, resulted from a deviation from the Permitted/approved plans and specifications, or the specific condition is below the reasonable expectation of the home buyer/owner.
Interior indications
Exteriod indications
14 September 2007. Lot 53, in the Timbers section of the Reserve is available again. The prospective buyer declined to purchase the house because of issues that would not be remedied.
11 May 2008. Another house available. The prospective buyer declined to purchase the house because of issues that would not be remedied.
Please note what is inside the circle in the For Sale sign. This, my friends, besides the economy is the reason house values are plummeting in this subdivision. This house is for sale for $195,990. Last summer 2007 a similar model sold for $249,900! That is a decrease in value of $53,710.00 in just one year!
Also, Kansas Real Estate Law states that both the seller and the realtor have an obligation to disclose both obvious and hidden defects with the house and/or the surrounding area.
It further qualifies the realtor's obligation to the buyer by stating
"duty to include facts and information within the Realtor's KNOWLEDGE or READILY AVAILABLE to the Realtor..."
Foundation issues within the Reserve subdivision can be viewed on the following page:
There are a lot of permits displayed in the windows of the houses in the Pulte Steeplechase subdivision in Leawood, Kansas. It appears there are some issues with the siding and stucco on these homes. These pictures were taken the week of July 2, 2007 . I understand there are more houses to be repaired. Stay tuned for more pictures.
This is mold!!!
Check out this flyer. It was developed by Building Justice . See link below. Ask Pulte about home warranty exclusions .
Building Justice One Home at a Time This is a definite must read and a real 'eye-opener'.
Another resident in the Lenexa Kansas Reserve Subdivision.
Check out this site. It is an eye-opener to say the least.
Poorly Built by Pulte Current and prospective owners of poorly built homes by Pulte need a place to go. To organize. To share information. To compare notes. To tell their stories. www.PoorlyBuiltbyPulte.info is that place.
Inspectors order repairs to hundreds of roofs This story is about Sun City Hilton Head homes, high end houses built by Pulte.
P.E., retired This blog is about the Pulte houses in Sun City Hilton Head and the issues with the roof trusses.
Shoddy construction destroying Arizona dream homes (Del Webb - a Pulte subsidary)
Couple site moldy home, fraud in suit vs. developer DiVosta (a Pulte subsidiary)
Some Sun City homes were approved for occupancy despite flaws, records show (Pulte Homes)
Consumers for Quality Houses Complaints from Michigan
Pulte pulling out of two Kansas subdivisions
This is an older story, but the stripes have not changed. Do home warranties offer protection for buyers? (featured - a defective Pulte home)
Workers on Pulte job sites regularly report dangerous working conditions, pressure to work too quickly and to bypass recognized safety precautions, substandard wages, lack of vacation and sick days, and lack of affordable family health care. In 2006, Pulte’s chairman/CEO got a pay boost of nearly 12 percent. That year the total compensation for the company’s top five officers was $46.9 million.
House Arrest (Arizona) Del Webb owned by Pulte (August 24, 2006)
Soiled Hands (Arizona) Del Webb owned by Pulte.
"It's no surprise that builders take shortcuts to make money. What might shock you: Government officials -- from regulators to legislators -- do little to stop them"
Del Webb, owned by Pulte settles class action lawsuit . "To resolve the class action suit, Del Webb repaired more than 600 homes and paid $21.5 million to the more than 6,500 class members, including those whose homes were not repaired."
Cracked Houses "Homes all over Arizona are falling apart. Blame the bad soil -- and the lousy construction."
This is a long article and other houses besides Del Webb are mentioned. Bottom line is: big builders are building defective houses and they do not care! Why? Because they can
hide behind the binding arbitration clause.
Ban the binding arbitration clause.
Corruption and Pulte Homes Blog
Two Lawsuits Filed Against Pulte (August 2007)
Builder Pulte Homes Schedules Massive Mold Cleanup in Apple Valley, California ( June 2007) Scroll down to the middle of the page.
Homeowners Deal With Faulty Plumbing In Pulte Homes
Click here to read the class action lawsuit regarding water intrusion in homes. Stucco problems in Sun City, SC. Class action suit against Pulte/Del Webb
Stucco problems in the Reserve, the Villas, Lenexa, KS
The Sow's Ear - Heaving, cracks and the builder [Pulte Homes]
RIJ The Inspector's Journal Online
interesting questions about stucco, and Pulte
Lawsuit against homebuilder expands (Pulte) This is from May 11, 2005, but it appears the same problems occur time and time again.
"Pulte has a history of putting the township between a rock and a hard place" with such requests. Laslo mentioned that the houses that fell on top of the wetland border and that are most afflicted by the required fence were sold at a premium since they back up to protected open space. She also said that since a lot of those homes have been sold already, that Pulte has probably not informed their new buyers that before they can move in a fence must be erected, once again causing the township to enforce a law that new residents won't appreciate, when Pulte should have informed them from the beginning."
Small group of protesters rallies against Pulte An interesting article dated December 13, 2007 on how Pulte treats its workers.
Pulte takes back control of Sun City board While Pulte officials said the majority takeover will help protect their investment in Sun City, residents say the move is a “smokescreen” for problems that aren’t being disclosed....One resident, a retired builder, said Pulte needs to convince residents that taking majority control of the board — without a vote — is a good idea. “It needs to pass the fairness test and the smell test,” he said, concluding Pulte didn’t pass either one. this story is no longer available on the web
Sun City crowd skeptical after Pulte takes majority control This is the Sun City board meeting and what happened after. The newspaper went out of it's way especially since the reporter was almost thrown out of the meeting by Pulte' security guards. A person that attended the meeting told me about the reporter.
Sun City residents need full incorporation debate More information on Sun City. Since Pulte took back their board positions in the HOA, issues raised previously are being ignored. Since the articles go to archive sooner than I would like, I have also included a copy of the article for future reading.
Troubled Waters: Are Sun City's Lagoons Polluted?
Homeowners Survey Reports Construction Defects In Pulte And Del Webb Built Homes
Poorly built by Pulte Homes This is a site where you can post your comments about your house, Scroll down toward the bottom of the page.
Huge Development Carolina Ridge in Jeopardy Over County's Doubled Sewer Fees
Class Action suit against Pulte/Del Webb. Pulte Home Corp. and Del Webb Homes illegally require homebuyers to use their affiliated mortgage companies, Pulte Mortgage and Dell Webb Mortgage Corp., to buy a home, a class-action complaint claims in Placer County Court, Calif.
Pulte Homes warned to fix sewer problems This is an over 55 community.
Pulte Homes New mexico problems Another homeowner with defect issues with his house.
1,000 homeowners sue developer Del Webb
Pulte Home Builder ripoff construction defects drainage grading foundation problems house splitting Scottsdale Arizona There are other ripoff reports on this builder. Just make a search. I was also told that I didn't have to disclose any repairs made on the house. In Kansas, this too, is against the law.
Pulte ripoff unwilling to do warranty work Bloomfield Hills Michigan
NEW Another Del Webb (owned by Pulte) subdivision filing a class action suit for defective housing. Is a pattern being established? NV, AZ, SC, and now CA. Cloverdale homeowners sue
West Side Buyers Sue Pulte (2nd article)
Supreme Court ruling goes against large homebuilders 729 Del Webb homeowners can sue builder note: Four of the Nation's Largest Home Builders Settle Storm Water Violations Pulte, one of the four builders was fined $877,000 to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Water Act, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced. Pulte Homes has also agreed to complete a supplemental environmental project at a minimum cost of $608,000. The project will reduce the amount of sediment going into a northern California watershed and improve the habitat for aquatic life. (June 2008)
This document was written by the EPA and is a follow-up to the article above. It outlines the violations the EPA discovered when conducting inspections at Pulte Homes construction sites located throughout the country. Pulte Homes, Inc. Clean Water Information Sheet
Excerpts verbatim :
The types and severity of alleged violations vary for each site but generally include:
Pulte Homes has agreed to a settlement with the United States and the States of Maryland, Tennessee, Colorado, and Nevada, and the Commonwealth of Virginia to resolve these alleged violations.
Mortgage fees get broader disclosure Last year, HUD reached settlements with six large builders -- Pulte Homes KB Home, Beazer Homes USA, Ryland Group, Meritage Homes and Technical Olympic USA -- for participating in captive reinsurance schemes
Small victory for Sun City Summerlin residents: Builder fined for no-shows Score One for the little guys!!
Homeowners saw carrot, get delay
Citizens Revolt Against Pulte This is a blog where people who own Pulte homes and have experienced shoddy construction can post.
John and Cindy Daughtery another homeowner in the Reserve subdivision were highlighted in the following article. Their house was also assessed a property value of ZERO for the year 2008. How to Prevent New Home Defects
Some of the articles are no longer available on the web because they are archived, HOWEVER it does not make any of the issues go away.