What would you do?

[Khris]

Okay, I put 10% down on the house this past Sat. All is good and flowing till yesterday I get a call from the cavco dealer I'm working with. I've got a few issues. I know how I'm handling it right now but curious what you all think...

1st.
I was originally quoted that the dealer would absorb some engineering fees for some changes I wanted done. That was about 2 months ago. Then when I became serious the charges fell back into my lap for $300. No big deal, he took some other costs off and worked it so I was happy. Yesterday after the "engineers" at the factory saw the desired changes that charge bumped up to $750. I called BS on that being an engineer myself. They claimed 6 hours of labor. I called BS, 3 hours at the most in the real world by a profesional plus these changes are allowing them to save money on material for two complete walls and labor to install the carpet in that area is less now. (basically I removed an entire bathroom). I negotiated with them and got them down to $450. It went from free, to $300, to $750, and I've gotten them to settle at $450. Not really pleased but I'm not going to linger on it.

2nd.
Here's the killer!!! My local dealer didn't have all the floor plans available so I hopped online and found one that I really like. The floorplan shows a REALLY nice bathroom with a garden tub as "stock" and the "alt optional master bath" is just a shower. Kind of backwards of what I'd expect but whatever. It's on the floorplan drawing like that, it's on the engineering drawing that I had mailed to me DIRECT from the factory, and it's on the engineering drawing that was faxed to my dealer yesterday with changes I wanted shown for me to sign off on. I've got three different drawings all from the factory within the last two months showing this!!!! Yesterday I'm informed that those are out dated drawings and that the bathroom shown (which I want) is an additional $695. Remember this is AFTER I've given a 10% down payment on the house. I'm finding this all out now while signing off on the plans. To me this is BS and mis-advertising. It's not my fault that the factory themselves didn't send out the correct drawing or even just hand write a note telling about the outdated bathroom. I wrote that 10% check with the intent of buying the house with the bathroom shown for the price negotiated. Is it just me or should they stand behind all the info I was given and thought I was buying? The local dealer said the factory won't budge on the cost of the bathroom but the dealer has stepped up and said they would cover 50% of the added cost for the bathroom. Money isn't really the issue to me, it's the principal. I'm going to call him today at lunch and tell him to figure out how to get 100% of that bathroom off the price and the sell will continue. I looked thru floor plans online last night and there is NOTHING else that satisfies me from Cavco that my local dealer can get. I'm going to tell him get rid of that charge or I'm moving on, give me my check back and cancel the order. I found a Palm Harbor that I like as well and I'll go talk with them.

Am I doing the right thing or is this being pulled over the top on my expectations? I'm worried what else is in store for my future if they're not willing to provide what I was "sold". Basically I feel I've got to draw a line somewhere and this is it... Will they loose a $88,000 house sell over a $695 bathroom??? I'm doing this today at lunch!!!! LOL, I'll let you know how it turns out if interested...

Khris

[Gary]

Hold your ground Chris. The whole point of signing contracts is legally binding all parties to agreed upon terms, conditions, changes, price, everything. They now want to breach it and charge you extra for their mistake. Its a tactic basically. But once you agree it leaves the door wide open. I would be suspicious. It was their problem and they should absorb the cost not you. Too many problems just on this one detail. Im with you on backing out. Dont buy something you dont want. What I dont quite understand is why the extra charges when a floor plan already existed? No extra work was needed. Alot of consumers are duped into thinking these are just isolated cases. Bet you'd be surprised.

[Khris]

Well on the story above the first topic there was some changes. Those "engineering" fees were to remove one bedroom and make a HUGE living room basically. It originally is drawn as a 5 bed, 3 bath plan. I'm also moving one bathroom door to make it a private bathroom for the roommate's room. Basically, they're omitting two walls and moving one door. I can see a nominal engineering fee but these aren't loading bearing walls and it's not rocket science!!!

The bathroom is what's pissing me off the most though. It's not even a money issue, it's the fact that EVERY drawing showed the style bathroom I wanted as standard and now they're telling me it's not and that the drawings that THEY provided are outdated and not current. I could maybe see this if it was drawings from the dealer but these floorplans were sent to me DIRECT from the factory. I'm making the call and putting my foot down on this stuff here in about 10 minutes!!! YeeHaww, let the fun begin!!!

Khris

[Gary]

Yee haww!

[rmurray]

The engineering fees were totally in line...Remember there are far more involved than just an engineer in the plant..there is a 3rd party engineering firm that also has to review and certify that sll changes meet the HUD code.

The bath stuff sounds like a classic price bump...You are right what will happen later....Give it up now.....

[unknown]

The fees do sound in line, and please check the drawings most floorplan drawings have in small ink (subject to change with out notice). This is the time a of year when the new models are coming out (2006) and factiories change things and are sometimes very slow about letting a dealer know. If the bathroom was not a standard feature in the home you purchased, while you were making changes, why did not someone tell you. This will be a home you are in for a while, when things start happening before the completed sale you really need to question if this is where you want to by your home and how will they handle the after the sale service(?)