Past problems haunt Centex

[Lisa]

For those of you who lost money when the home you were buying was built too soon and you lost your deposit/earnest money: didn't you have a sale-of-home contingency? Meaning if you didn't sell your current home by the time you new home was finished you received the money back.

[Another Centex Homeowner]

We had a desperate 1st year with our Centex home. We are now going through the 2nd year. Fighting hard to get our defects fix.

Here are some useful guideline to help you all out.

Read you Contract, every line, every word, pay particular attention on the standard specification and the addition list and understand every single word stated there, then check against your home.

Check with your city about the approve planning drawings for your subdivision. You may find them online too. Look at the drawings, read every single tiny little words. These are information you need to know what the builder should build and deliver to you.

That's how we found out the major sloppy works that Centex delivering, not to mention about those that are not documented:-

Slanted wall, many of them - simply tie a string with nail and hang on the wall for verticality check.
Handrail not complying to city safety code - be sure the balustrades are not more than 4" apart.
Missing thermostat and electronic control device for dual zone HVAC system.
Storm drainage system not complying to city code that causes our lawn to soak after every rain.
Cheaper street lightings being install that do not comply with city approve drawings, less numbers, wrong location...
Crappy landscape installation, comparing to approved city landscape plan, different lawn, less planting, cheaper trees...

You may be also interest to read about this...
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/274/Rip...

So, if you are a centex homeowner, act fast to have your defects fast before they file another chapter 11.

[B Hill]

Centex built 285 homes beside my existing house. The blasting, grading and heavy equipment used by Centex on the street they opened beside my house cause my foundation to settle 3/8th, nails pops throughout the house, wall cracks and other things to much to list. I called Centex about it and they laughed at me and said they had never heard of such. I have not been able to really use my house in comfort since October 2004, when they started. The workers would start work at 6AM and even worked on weekends. The workers were rude,also. I wrote to Centex and told them of every infraction I had encountered while they were building the dream house for others and damaging mine in the process -- Centex denied that they were responsible. Now I am a risk to be insured because of the amount of my insurance claim. I have had to have my chimney straightened and reinforced, my floors jacked back up and am, today, having the porch and garage area reinforced to counteract the 7/8th foundation drop caused by this builder.

[B Hill]

Sorry -- The correct amount of the dropping of my foundation is 7/8th of an inch not 3/8th. Thank God the foundation did not crack.

[Arlene from Jacksonville]

*****A WORD OF WARNING****
DON'T TRUST CENTEX HOMES, THEY ARE ALL LIARS. THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR AND THEN LIE, LIE, LIE....
THEY DID THIS TO US IN THE CYPRESS TRACE COMMUNITY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA...
THEY REALLY DID A NUMBER ON US AND STOLE OUR MONEY..PLEASE DON'T TRUST CENTEX HOMES, THEY ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED... they lied to us and it was so bad, we moved back to the state we came from. They should pay for what they've done.

[Robin]

I built a home in Western PA from the Pittsburgh based Wayne Homes. Is there a class action law suit for homes built around the 2003 time frame?

A new complaint, when we built our house they said that the walls were OSB. We were at our house every evening when it was built. We came one day and we had walls and siding. From the inside we could see right out and I told my husband I sure hope the OSB goes on the inside of the home and he said it should have gone up before they put siding and we asked the then president and he said there was OSB on our house. Well there is, but only a little here and a little there. The rest is the Blue Board Foam. If they would just fix that, I will fix all of the other problems myself.

[Robin]

We too had electrical problems. If you plugged something in upstairs the power went out in the entire house. We called Wayne Homes Customer Service and they said it would take a week or 2 to get someone out. So, I told them to send someone as fast as possible and in the meantime I was getting an electrician to my house ASAP and charging them the bill. Well we had an elecrician come and all of the outlets in our house were installed wrong and he said it was extremely dangerous and a fire hazzard. So we immediatly called Wayne Homes and they sent someone out right away and they told us that it was not there problem and we could not prove that the outlets were installed wrong, so we had the electrician come back and he fixed every outlet in our house and charged us for it because Wayne would not fix it. We signed that you can't sue thing in the planning process hoping that their customer care would actually take care of any problem. How do you go around that without a class action lawsuit? Yes it was stupid for us to sign, but they wouldn't build the house without it. And we truly felt that they were genuine and good at what they do. We checked with other builders and other builders were rude and rushed us. Wayne treated us with respect and we really trusted them.

[Robin]

We also after a year had to have our furnace replaced because the furnace they installed in our house was not large enough to heat our house.

[Wayne Customer]

Robin -

I am sorry to hear that you are having problems with your Wayne Home. We built with them in late 2007 and have been extremely pleased with the overall result. We have a 2,500 square foot home and the heating and air conditioning units have been just fine as we went thru the winter with no problems and, so far, the summer has been fine. Average gas bill is $93.00 and average electric bill is $89.00. Not too bad for a 2,500 square foot house!!!

Also, the blue board placed on the house, when braced properly, is just as structurally sound as OSB and provide more insulation value, hence, lower utility bills. The foam sheathing is actually a recommended Best Building Green Practice!

Robin wrote:

We also after a year had to have our furnace replaced because the furnace they installed in our house was not large enough to heat our house.

[Wayne Customer]

HGTV - Best Practices Link -

http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/bp_insulation/art...

One of the most important energy-saving materials in a home is the insulation. Without insulation, many of the other energy-efficient components, like energy efficient heating and cooling equipment and windows, won't perform as intended. Building codes cite the minimal amount of insulation needed by law. In general, more insulation, or insulation with a higher R-value, will help to make the home more efficient and comfortable year round.

The best practice for increasing the R-value in exterior walls is to protect them with insulated foam sheathing.

Some builders use 1/2-inch wood sheathing (R-0.6) or asphalt impregnated sheathing, usually called blackboard (R-1.3) to sheath the walls. By using a 1/2-inch foam insulated sheathing (R-2 to R-3.5) in combination with wall cavity insulation, the total R-value of the exterior wall will be increased, contributing to greater energy efficiency. Sheathing thicker than 1/2 inch will yield even higher R-values.

Another advantage of insulated foam sheathing is that, when properly installed, it provides moisture control. It protects against condensation on the inside wall by keeping the interior of the wall warmer. Insulated foam sheathing has these additional advantages:

The continuous layer of insulation reduces thermal bridging through wood studs, saving energy and improving comfort. Thermal bridging occurs when there is a break in the continuity of the insulation layer, which results in heat loss.

It is easier to cut and install than heavier-weight sheathing products.

It usually costs less than plywood or oriented strand board (OSB).
Most sheathing products come in 8-, 9-, or 10-foot lengths to allow complete coverage of the wall. Ensure that the sheathing completely covers, and is sealed to, the top plate and band joist at the floor. Once it is installed, patch all holes, penetrations, and seams with caulk or housewrap tape.

Note that insulated foam sheathing does not provide structural support, so consider using it in combination with let-in bracing, which provides structural support similar to that offered by plywood or OSB. Some builders use two layers of sheathing—plywood or OSB for structural support and a seam-staggered layer of rigid foam for insulation.

When the total depth of the sheathing material exceeds ½ inch, make certain the window and door jambs are adjusted for the total wall thickness. Some flanged windows are readily adaptable to this approach

Increasing the insulative value of a home will help to reduce energy bills and provide year-round comfort for the homeowners. A cost-effective way to increase the R-value of exterior walls, while also providing moisture control, is to use insulated foam sheathing instead of wood sheathing.

Robin wrote:

We also after a year had to have our furnace replaced because the furnace they installed in our house was not large enough to heat our house.

[Robin]

Sounds to me that you work for Wayne Homes "Wayne Customer". We were told by other contractors that the blue board walls are only acceptable if you don't put vinyl siding over top of it. They said the vinyl needs something to grasp to when you nail it in place or it will shift and we have found that it is shifting and buckling. Also, I would not have a problem with the blue board if they had been honest with us up front. I had one contractor and the DOW Blue Board company itself say it would be ok if they put OSB on the corners of the home, at windows and anywhere there wasn't a large enough space for a support bracket. Well, before they drywalled we have video from the inside of the home and you can see where there is OSB and the support brackets and there is no OSB on the corners of the home, there is 2 windows with OSB the rest have blue board butted up to them. When we talked to wayne about it, they said our house would be fine. I spoke to DOW itself and they said our house blue board was improperly installed, called Wayne and they said DOW doesn't know the house and how would they know if it were improperly installed? I don't know maybe because THEY ARE THE MANUFACTURER. When we first moved into our 2200 square foot home our electric bills were 5-700 dollars a month in the winter. We didn't have air conditioning when we moved in, but we did have forced air heating so all we needed was a unit. We had 3 different heating/cooling contractors come in and they all said our furnace was too small. So, when we got our air conditioning we installed a larger furnace and now our electric bills run about 95-100 in the summer and 150-250 in the winter. We have electric forced air because I don't like gas heat so it runs a little bit higher than yours "Wayne Customer", but it is def. cheaper than it was with the original furnace.

[Wayne Customer]

Robin - Please rest assured that we do not work for Wayne Homes. I am a financial advisor in the area and, honestly, 3 of my clients had built with Wayne between 2005 and 2007 which is what caught our attention and they were all very pleased with the end result.

Wayne did have a few issues in the early 2000's as they were new to the Pittsburgh market (had been in Ohio for 35 years) and were so overwhelmed with orders and finding reliable subcontractors that home construction became delayed and various other issues. This was told to me a few of the subs that worked on our house. They said, however, since about 2005, things have been rolling smoothly and the product value and quality for the price is unbeatable.

We do have OSB at all corners and many other areas of the house as well as t-bracing for the walls. This is absolutely fine from a structural perspective and provides excellent insulation properties.

Please keep in mind that the blue board is braced and nailed to the studs, then covered with housewrap and ultimately siding attached. Vinyl siding is nailed directly through the housewrap and foam board and into the framing studs. This is an acceptable practice.

I am unsure as to why your house did not have OSB at the corners - ours did as mentioned above.

I wish you luck in your house - hopefully all turns out ok.

Robin wrote:

Sounds to me that you work for Wayne Homes "Wayne Customer". We were told by other contractors that the blue board walls are only acceptable if you don't put vinyl siding over top of it. They said the vinyl needs something to grasp to when you nail it in place or it will shift and we have found that it is shifting and buckling. Also, I would not have a problem with the blue board if they had been honest with us up front. I had one contractor and the DOW Blue Board company itself say it would be ok if they put OSB on the corners of the home, at windows and anywhere there wasn't a large enough space for a support bracket. Well, before they drywalled we have video from the inside of the home and you can see where there is OSB and the support brackets and there is no OSB on the corners of the home, there is 2 windows with OSB the rest have blue board butted up to them. When we talked to wayne about it, they said our house would be fine. I spoke to DOW itself and they said our house blue board was improperly installed, called Wayne and they said DOW doesn't know the house and how would they know if it were improperly installed? I don't know maybe because THEY ARE THE MANUFACTURER. When we first moved into our 2200 square foot home our electric bills were 5-700 dollars a month in the winter. We didn't have air conditioning when we moved in, but we did have forced air heating so all we needed was a unit. We had 3 different heating/cooling contractors come in and they all said our furnace was too small. So, when we got our air conditioning we installed a larger furnace and now our electric bills run about 95-100 in the summer and 150-250 in the winter. We have electric forced air because I don't like gas heat so it runs a little bit higher than yours "Wayne Customer", but it is def. cheaper than it was with the original furnace.

[Jim]

Alene can you be so kind as to assist in providing information and contact for class action lawsuit and is it limited to the single family homes / does it include the town houses.
[e-mail]

[Arlene]

Hi Jim,
I would assume that the lawsuit would include everyone that was deceived in the Cypress Trace Community by Centex. If they lied to you and told you "we just found out about the proposed road" or failed to disclose the information... they deceptively withheld that info. They withheld info till the day before our closing, when at that point it was impossible for us to back out of it, they repeated the exact lie "we just found out", weeks after our closing to others in the community. They were aware of the potential road since 2004 according to county officials. I just want to make everyone aware of what Centex practices.
Here is the attorneys info:
Robert Graham
3165 McCrory Place
Suite 101
Orlando, Florida
[e-mail]

[Centex is crap]

All these builders are disreputable. They use the cheapest materials and the least discerning construction crews. Remember those stupid Centex ads that sprang up in Indy? "Cool in California," "Proud in Texas" I could tell just by looking at them that there product was crap. The marketing efforts reflected that. I remember a commercial where some guy who was supposed to be in Indian, rand the doorbell of a Centex home, and a guy with a cowboy hat answered it, and in the background, a giel was balancing on a surfboard that was on top of a table. WTF? I lived in Southern Dunes in a Trinity home in Indy (another defunct POS builder), and all around me were M/I, CP Morgan and other high-volume, low-quality tract homes. Even though I paid more than $230,000 for my home, those homes brought it's value down to the point where I had to sell it for what I paid for it. Absolutely no profit from appreciation, and I had to pay the realtor on top of that. Anyone looking for a home should go with a custom builder. They may be more expensive, but you have a lot more control over the process and the product. I bet Centex goes under in less than two years.

[Sown Oats]

Brought to you by shoddy quality materials, and a labor force that crossed the Rio Grande with leaf blowers, and were automatically elevated to carpenter status by these "buiders".

[Kerry Rothschild]

Arlene wrote:

<quoted text>
Hi Karen,
we are planning to file a class action lawsuit in Jacksonville, Florida.
Please let me know, so we can talk.

......Please email me at [e-mail] if you find a lawfirm who will start a class action against Centex;My costs out-of-pocket are "well over" 150k so-far(& I have work that is still not finished yet);I believe that my case will be very interesting to an attorney...PS(If I am able to start a class action,I will email you likewise)

[KRo]

LJB wrote:

<quoted text>
Well said, but...
What about buyer beware. These people bought homes of their free will.
What about the fact that these national home builders / money lenders
are selling homes to people who cannot or dont buy a better home?
Why is it the governments fault that free people make stupid decisions?
They could have worked harder and saved longer and bought an investment instead taking the lousy deal Centex made them. The government cannot protect idiots without asking those who work and save to pay for those who make stupid decisions.

....Why don't you keep your opinions to yourself...Noone wants to listen to you rant;I think you are an idiot!!!

[Concerned Buyer]

Yes we bought these homes with the intention that what they said was true. The Build Better for Less. We researched Wayne Homes before building and found no pending lawsuits. Other more expensive builders had all types of pending law suits and we were like, hey - lets use Wayne. They lied to our faces completely about the products they would use (including no OSB exterior sheathing). Then right before getting the keys they wanted us to sign "final" paperwork, one paper being the you can't take us to court all will be done through a mediator page. When we questioned it, they said court procedings get so messy and we were backed by the 30 year warranty, this was a way that all will be taken care of without the mess of lawyers and court procedings. Well we just wanted to move into our house, so we signed and moved in and then we learned the hard way from there.

[Carmel Patriot]

It's the FAST BUCK MENTALITY of Centex Inc.,
and yes, all too often it's the GULLIBILITY
MENTALITY of the Buyer----'CAVEAT EMPTOR'--
the BUYER BEWARE!!

To the "CONCERNED BUYER".
You have deepest sympathy on being ripped-off
by CENTEX.

CENTEX INC. is "bait and switch" from the
get-go!

PLEASE update us, and KEEP ON WRITING!!

God Bless!!