"Any experience with Ryan Homes or new home builders?" Topic

Anyone out there have any experience with Ryan Homes or any other new home builders? Looking for your experiences re. construction quality, durability and responsiveness of builder. Thanks.

Nothing specific, but double-check EVERYTHING. Get EVERYTHING in writing from a builder. This is not to say that they will purposely try to cheat you, but they are generally big businesses and have relatively short institutional memories.

Well, mine does an excellent job.

When looking for references, talk to folks who have had their home for a year or two, and ask about how defects were addressed. It is hard to get something as complex as a house 100% (although it should be easier now, when no-one has to hire the second-rate tradesmen for lack of alternative) and with our builder each problem (3 over 3 years) has seen someone on the doorstep that day to sort it out.

Watch the time of year for construction. Winter may mean hard ground situation leading to structure settling later after ground thaws. Also, concrete and asphalt may be problematic this time of year in the Northeast. You may get a foundation and house but no driveway, patio, sidewalk, etc. until Spring.

The previous comments are all good. In Canada, specifically Ontario, we have a New Home warranty plan that all builders subscribe to. From their website:

As the regulator of Ontario's new home building industry, TARION registers new home builders and vendors, enrolls new homes for warranty coverage, investigates illegal building practices, resolves warranty disputes between builders, vendors and homeowners, and promotes high standards of construction among Ontario's new home builders. TARION also works with the building industry to help educate new home buyers about their warranty rights, and about how to protect and maintain their warranty

Check to see if there is a similar service in your area and sign up. There should also be some sort of builder's association that reputable builders sign up to or there is also the Better Business Bureau.

Also make sure you sign up for Title Insurance in case any problems arise over land ownership registration etc. In these days where there has been a lot of defaults and bad mortgages it is possible to have a title claim pop up later that was not readily apparent at the time of your closing

We have a home improvement board? wow.

Just remember that builders while bonded are generally only bonded for a small amount 5K to 15K.

Contact a local attorney and have him draw up a contract for you with multiple payment waypoints. Always hold back 15% to be paid 3-6 months after you move in -- to be released if you are totally satisfied with the results.

DO NOT use the contract given to you by the contractor. All that does is obligate you and offers you scant protections.

You can buy insurance for construction projects in some states. You may want to consider one of these because if the structure burns or if stuff is stolen before you take possession, who bears the risk?

mjc