Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

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Danny

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by Danny » Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:24 pm

Dave
I don't mean to disagree with you , but I personally know of 3 situtions like this , and to answer for monica, yes this is a factory lot.

dave

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by dave » Fri Jun 18, 2004 7:50 am

Danny:
You are welcome to disagree with me because all I want is the truth.If a company the size of Champion refuses to service their homes in a timely manner, then as an industry, we are in deep trouble.

Independant dealers can use their sales volume to put pressure on the manufacturer to perform.If a factory store doesn't care about their customers once they have delivered the home, then I have to assume that this reflects the manufacturers policy.

All I want from Monica is some details,when was the 1st list submitted,what was on the list,has any service been performed,who has she recently talked to,what have they said.

If this is just a straight forward story of a factory owned Champion sales center refusing to service their homes then I will make somes calls and see if I can help.

If anyone closely followed the rise and fall of Oakwood, then they know that Oakwoods lack of commitment to service their homes and the publishing of consumer complaints via various sites on the internet played a major role in their demise.

MONICA

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by MONICA » Fri Jun 18, 2004 2:10 pm

Dave, Yes it is a Champion home. The 1st list was taken about the 2nd week of November, 2003. It must of not got turned in because the "new" people at Southern Showcase could not even find a list. The list taken about a month ago was pretty much the same as the one Meryl supposedly sent in. Before Meryl left(and all the others) The crown moulding that was inches from meeting was fixed. Someone came to fix the carpet seams and said it could not be fixed. Even saddlepatching would not work. Now everywhere there is a seam, it is VERY hard. We still have some of the "blue" walk-through tape on the ceiling and doors from November. We have talked to both Southern Showcase and someone has called from the factory (all within a week). We still have not seen anyone. Even though they are "on top of things", so they say, I am not holding my breath. Even the other day w/the "rude" guys, they have no idea of what is going on and they were still doing the "blame game". Maybe they are trained that way. He wanted me to go over the entire 4 page list apparently so that he could say it was the wind or weight of the clothes, etc. If a 4 page list is standard, I wish I had not went manufactured. I have built a stick house before and had no problems at all as to the "workmanship" and "quality". Everyone I talked to before purchasing just LOVED their manuf. home. I think I just bought mine at a bad time or something. One of the rude guys asked me last week, "who was the manager then?" I told him and he said, "there you go". If I was purchasing a home and he was the manager, I wouldn't have bought one either!" Now...How am I supposed to know this. That manager was a very nice guy. I think when the set up contractor got hurt in the auger accident, I think his wife just got "whoever" out on the sites to perform the work and now this guys does not want to come back out and refix the problems. These new Southern Showcase people did not actually deal w/us as customers so therefore, paying customers who come in now are their first priority. The new people are having to "solve" the previous employee's mess. Just somebody help me fix my house. I wish you guys could live close enough to come by and see it. You might just be amazed. OH yeah, before I forget...Do modulars have insulation in the interior walls??? I have never, ever, been in ANY house before, including my apartments, that you can hear someone talking(in a low voice)all the way in the other room? Some of the strips are buckling off of the wall (behind the toilet, in the hallway, etc) and I looked behind a strip and there is no insulation. Only about 1/4 inch of styrofoam & drywall. That is the width of both of them together.

janie

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by janie » Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:19 am

Never signed one with the stack of closing papers either, I carefully looked for one and BIL did as well. He doesn't do any work for the fat gov't, he only deals with private individuals and companies, very rich ones, pretty sickening the amounts of $ they have to play with.

Janie

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by Janie » Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:37 am

4 pages is standard? And longer is normal? That's just crazy. I feel very bad for you Monica, I hope Dave can help you out. When I moved in this home I had about 4 things on my list, all quickly resolved. Knocking on wood, as I know things can go wrong with any home.

rmurray

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by rmurray » Sat Jun 19, 2004 5:06 am

..Modular..manufactured..stick built...none of them have insulation in the interior walls..

Actually..although allowed..few modulars have "strips" on the walls...Most modular product is shown with taped and painted Sheetrock instead of the wall papered panels that require strips..

jgn

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by jgn » Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:17 am

If all else fails take pictures of all the problems, pick a nice Saturday, have a big sign made to put on your car that says beware of xx ask me, and park across the street from the dealer.
No home that I have ever owned has had insullation in the interior walls except the garage wall. What you may be dealing with is 2x3 studs and 3/8 drywall instead of 2x4 and 1/2" drywall plus many MH have a gap at the bottom of the doors for air circulation which I never did understand because my my primary home does not have a space under the doors and the circulation is just fine.

dave

Re: Is there a 45-day law to fix defects..

Post by dave » Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:12 am

Monica:

When I say that four pages of service are not unusual , we encourage our customers to be very thorough.Check all windows to see if any are sticking.List room by room cosmetic problems such as staples showing, joints to be caulked,any flaws in wall panels,or anything that just doesn't look right to you.Doors that need adjusting, drawers that need adjusting,etc.

We sell high end homes and our customers are very picky.These are very minor things but when listed item by item,room by room, can be several pages.I did not mean that there would be several pages of structural defects.

Manufactured homes have to be transported, sometimes over rough roads.Spotting and set-up put stress on the home.The structural part of the home is designed to take this stress within certain limits but cosmetic damage will happen.We fix our homes up very nice on our lot so the customer can see what the home will look like after it is set up on his/her lot and serviced.

Set up is very important.Normally carpet seaming is subbed out to the set up crew and if the customer is not satisfied with the seam and if the seam was not properly performed,then the dealer should make the carpet seamer go back and try to satisfy the customer.

Sounds like you've been in recent touch with the new manager.Give him a couple of weeks to give you a timetable for fixing your home.As Murray said, he has a boss who has a boss who has a boss. But before you go over his head give him a chance.Don,t be obnoxiuos,just be firm and let them know that you are not being unreasonable in expecting your home to be serviced,that you are not going to go away, and that you really appreciate their help and would love to be proud enough of your home to reccomend the home to your friends and aquaintances.

MONICA

Will my house EVER get fixed????

Post by MONICA » Sat Jun 19, 2004 9:54 am

JANIE,
As a woman, I think you understand more than the men, the heartache, pain and disappointment I am feeling more than any others writing me. Women want a nice, PRETTY house. They want to decorate and fancy up, have stuff matching and be proud to show off their new home. Men on the other hand worry more about landscaping and basements, etc. They are not worried about If this matches, or that matches. I have not even decorated a little bit. None. Why would I want to waste my time, not knowing if possibly they may have to come in and tear that wall down. I have always stenciled my walls. My other house, apartment, etc. The paint & stencils have been sitting on the table for months, as the beautiful silk flowers I bought to match the "papered sheetrock" walls that the strips are popping off of. I remember in the "sales pitch" I was told how very well insulated this house would be. "R" this and "R" that. Okay, I am a woman, I don't know one "R" from another.(obviously right??!!). But I was impressed at how "very will insulated it was supposed to be. I was standing at the bathroom one day this past winter and my legs were freezing from a blowing draft. Hunted and hunted and finally opened the bathroom cabinet to find the wind "blowing" in from around the big holes where the sink pipes go down through the floor. I do have the "papered" sheetrock walls. It was a little expense that we could save on right at the time. The only other thing we opted to take cheaper was the "pitch of the roof". Andy and I decided that in the future we could sheetrock the walls and paint whatever color we wanted. The "strips" I have now are just popping off and you cannot push them back in. Like the nail is "stripped". There may not be insulation in the interior walls, but someone please tell me why you can hear every single little word and bump? I run a small fan at night just as a "noise" to keep from hearing my kids talk in their room, or hear their tv , or hear a squeak when they turn over in their bed. Lord forbid they even play their radio at a decent level, especially while they are going to sleep. If they play it, we hear every song! AGAIN, I have never lived in a dwelling like this. It is very aggravating. Now you guys also need to understand that I am not a "picky" person. I can live as happy in a cardboard box as a million dollar home. As long as it is sturdy and is not falling apart. I also have a hard time with making a huge housepayment for a shoddy home, knowing I have signed and will have to pay for the next 30 years. That bites!!! For the other's who have posted..Its funny how you use for example some things that might be listed on a walk-through sheet, because everything you listed for an example, we have that problem too. We have staples in the linoleum, in the bathroom,at least an INCH from where the strip is nailed down. (separting the linoleum from the carpet). The caulking was not done anywhere. Andy and I fixed that too. I accidently spilled water on the kitchen cabinet and found it puddled under the kitchen cabinet sink. Thats how I discovered NOTHING had been caulked. No bathtubs, no sinks, etc. The door adjustments, well none of them stay open. They just close on their own like the house is not level. We have to put something in front of the door to make them stay open. Our master closet door is INCHES from shutting. I'm talking wood hitting wood. Won't even come close to closing. They did send someone when we first complained about seams raveling up, he did try but said it just could not be fixed to look decent. Now there is like a very HARD strip of glue at every butting seam. I remember years ago, I saw a big sign on the highway and one at the exit where I get off of and it said something about "don't buy a manuf. home from (whoever it was). They do not stand behind their customers!" I would do this in a heartbeat if I went on my "feelings". I will give Southern Showcase & Manufacturer a couple of weeks to see if they will follow through on what they say. But you have to understand, I am coming up on a year warranty that will be running out this fall. I am going to be the one left "holding the big money bag of problems" . All of these problems cannot be fixed in a week, and if they could fix it in a week, we would HAVE to move out. It would be like "rebuilding" the entire house. I think I have waited long enough for them to "refigure" again and again just who REALLY is responsible for the defects!! You guys have been awesome. I wish I could meet everyone of you in person. Hey, maybe if I ever do get the house fixed, I can invite all of you to come over and we will have a CELEBRATION PARTY!!!??

Janie

Re: Will my house EVER get fixed????

Post by Janie » Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:18 pm

Monica, I know I would too, be sick at heart to be going through what you're going through. You're stuck with a 30 year note on something that is falling apart, you can't get anybody to stand behind their product. You don't want to put any $ into the home because who knows what's down the road. You should be excited and happy about your new home but instead it's a big mess and headache. I know you said you haven't been here on this forum long, I have when I almost bought a MH about a year ago. I read here alot and learned. And I was treated terribly by the MH sellers and didn't trust them so I backed out of the whole deal and built a stick built home. No regrets, it's like you could be me if I had bought the MH, you're living exactly the kind of nightmare I feared. Good Luck to you and please let us know the outcome if any.

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