We built with Richmond in northern Florida. We went to closing about 6 weeks ago at about 90% completion. We had 6 closings that were moved before lucky(?) number 7. We moved in with no working appliances and a handful of other issues. Basically we are trying to fix as much as possible by ourselves and incurring the costs. I would not recommend Richmond American to anyone building in Northern Florida. But this is a very hard time to be building and up here many of the builders are about the same.
I am reading all these comments. did anyone hire an inspector to at least inspect on final walk thru? I am confused about how we didn't know appliances are not working if we checked before move in?
Sounds like the buyers are not that bright. Why on earth would you sign and move into a home that is not complete? If that’s not bad enough, it will take longer because now you are in the way. This is where a GOOD real estate agent comes into play
Warranty issues with my 7 month old Richmond home too. I have two cracks in my foundation and a window well sink hole. Cracks in my basement baseboards and window frame. They said they do not cover it and blamed it on the land scaper who did not re-grade at all.
were you at the house watching them during build process? Did you hire a phase inspector? did you hire an inspector for final walk thru? does your county check the process for your build?
I took over 200 pictures during the entire building process. I also hired a 3rd party inspector prior to closing. After meeting with the construction manager and superintendent they provided a the warrarty manager who sent out an emplyee to repair the window well, since it was replaced two weeks prior to closing and was not compacted correctly (is under warranty) and other repairs as well. I'm happy to update you after repairs are complete.
Hire a new home inspector for at least 3 stages of the build. 1. When foundation is laid; 2. Before drywall goes up; and, 3. Once the construction is complete. It will be money well spent!
In theory thats great and all, but RA specifically wrote in their contract that they will not allow third party inspectors that the buyer wants during the stages of building. Very convenient on their part 🙄 they will only allow third party inspectors during the final finished build, and it must be approved by RA, meaning they are registered with both the state AND the specific city. They make it very difficult on purpose.
@@kittyfairy Exactly... Im currently building a Richmond home and was told I could not have an inspector until the final walkthrough... Sucks but hoping nothing bad will happen
@@PodiumTuningRacing same here 🤞 we just tried to search for a 3rd party inspector and Richmond keeps denying our options. They want the inspector to be insured up to $300,000 and most of the inspectors that are a small company dont have this. So I’m limited to corporate inspectors who do not offer the same detailed level of inspection we want. The big companies don’t use thermal cameras to detect leaks or other things in the walls. How coincidental.
@@kittyfairy Yea it's why I'm on edge about this whole thing... Investing the amount of money we are and can't even ensure its built correctly until the end is extremely concerning and stressful. Like you mentioned the language in the contract makes it extremely difficult to find a RA approved inspector. I went by last weekend when no one was working and noticed several issues myself, wiring where I asked none to be, standing shower where there should be a tub on the middle floor, can light literally right next to the pendant lighting fixtures... Ugh. We spent nearly 800k on this home and it doesn't even feel good, not the feeling I expected with two months left before closing. Good luck to you though, hoping it works out for the best.
@@PodiumTuningRacing Thank you I wish you guys the best as well. Definitely stressful the entire situation. If you want, you should consider joining the Facebook group “my Richmond American home buying experience”. There’s a lot of helpful advice and people sharing similar experiences. From what I’ve read, even if you got your inspector approved, they’ll give you the runaround trying to even schedule a time. I hope you were able to get some of those concerns resolved.
@The Dark Suits But 33 years ago they didn't have the ironclad contracts that lock you into closing even if the house is a mess, or incomplete. Everything they do today would be illegal 33 years ago. These scumbags have left a massive trail of broken dreams and wrecked lives. And it's all driven pure greed.
Don't move in to a house while it's being built. The builders will only feel rushed if there are ppl living in the house while finishing it. Rent an apt for a few months. Do the blue tape walk through, and don't sign anything until its done right. Simple.
I live in tucson bought a home from richmond nothing but proublems ,tile major proublem sliding glass doors replaced garage door fixed twice cabinets needs fixing block wall in backyard needed fixen .neighbors have all have proublems ,this company slaps houses gets our money then you have to fight to get what you paid for.this ain't right
So hears the problem I see... why did they sign off on the papers in escrow before the home was finished? My wife and I just bought a brand new home 1 year ago and one of the steps that the builder walked us through was for us to walk through the home and inspect the home to make sure it was EXACTLY as we ordered and expected. Why didn't this couple do a walk through of the home before signing the escrow papers? This would have saved themselves all this trouble. And they could have just walked away from this home if the builder couldn't or wouldn't complete the home to satisfaction. So, from what I see, this couple are partly to blame for the mess they are in. For failing to walk through the home and make a to do list for the builder to complete before signing off on the escrow papers.
They offer you better interest rates and make you pay a deposit that you will lose if you don't complete the transaction with them. 2 percent earnest money deposit. When you are looking at the model house, it looks great and they mention you will get something very similar and go over with you as to what will be the same to the model house and what won't. To be honest, model houses are beautiful and a buyer is not thinking of the inspection phase at that time
To be fair the railing could be tighter. The garage was most likely a rough finish used to train a green finisher the hair line crack is common in Colorado the dry climate causes the mud to dry to fast and shrink it would most likely be "fixed" with a new coat of paint maybe some caulk I would chalk this complaint to sticker shock 420k-480k for this! Shop around wait if you see something that will be a problem for you let it be someone else's problem a find something else
I think you're missing the point of this couple complaints. The home is brand new and had not been completed before they moved in. What is needed to be done to fix all the issues, is not the point. But from what I see the couple are also to blame because they didn't do a walk through on their home thoroughly and didn't make the builder complete the home before they signed the escrow papers. This couple should have demanded for the home to be 100% completed before signing the escrow papers or they should have walked away from this disaster.
They can't, is nearly impossible to back out unless you die or have a terminal decease is pretty much impossible unless you want to lose your deposit which is usually a lot of money.
We built with Richmond in northern Florida. We went to closing about 6 weeks ago at about 90% completion. We had 6 closings that were moved before lucky(?) number 7. We moved in with no working appliances and a handful of other issues. Basically we are trying to fix as much as possible by ourselves and incurring the costs. I would not recommend Richmond American to anyone building in Northern Florida. But this is a very hard time to be building and up here many of the builders are about the same.
I am reading all these comments. did anyone hire an inspector to at least inspect on final walk thru? I am confused about how we didn't know appliances are not working if we checked before move in?
Sounds like the buyers are not that bright. Why on earth would you sign and move into a home that is not complete? If that’s not bad enough, it will take longer because now you are in the way. This is where a GOOD real estate agent comes into play
Warranty issues with my 7 month old Richmond home too. I have two cracks in my foundation and a window well sink hole. Cracks in my basement baseboards and window frame. They said they do not cover it and blamed it on the land scaper who did not re-grade at all.
were you at the house watching them during build process? Did you hire a phase inspector? did you hire an inspector for final walk thru? does your county check the process for your build?
I took over 200 pictures during the entire building process. I also hired a 3rd party inspector prior to closing. After meeting with the construction manager and superintendent they provided a the warrarty manager who sent out an emplyee to repair the window well, since it was replaced two weeks prior to closing and was not compacted correctly (is under warranty) and other repairs as well. I'm happy to update you after repairs are complete.
Hire a new home inspector for at least 3 stages of the build. 1. When foundation is laid; 2. Before drywall goes up; and, 3. Once the construction is complete. It will be money well spent!
In theory thats great and all, but RA specifically wrote in their contract that they will not allow third party inspectors that the buyer wants during the stages of building. Very convenient on their part 🙄 they will only allow third party inspectors during the final finished build, and it must be approved by RA, meaning they are registered with both the state AND the specific city. They make it very difficult on purpose.
@@kittyfairy Exactly... Im currently building a Richmond home and was told I could not have an inspector until the final walkthrough... Sucks but hoping nothing bad will happen
@@PodiumTuningRacing same here 🤞 we just tried to search for a 3rd party inspector and Richmond keeps denying our options. They want the inspector to be insured up to $300,000 and most of the inspectors that are a small company dont have this. So I’m limited to corporate inspectors who do not offer the same detailed level of inspection we want. The big companies don’t use thermal cameras to detect leaks or other things in the walls. How coincidental.
@@kittyfairy Yea it's why I'm on edge about this whole thing... Investing the amount of money we are and can't even ensure its built correctly until the end is extremely concerning and stressful. Like you mentioned the language in the contract makes it extremely difficult to find a RA approved inspector. I went by last weekend when no one was working and noticed several issues myself, wiring where I asked none to be, standing shower where there should be a tub on the middle floor, can light literally right next to the pendant lighting fixtures... Ugh. We spent nearly 800k on this home and it doesn't even feel good, not the feeling I expected with two months left before closing. Good luck to you though, hoping it works out for the best.
@@PodiumTuningRacing Thank you I wish you guys the best as well. Definitely stressful the entire situation. If you want, you should consider joining the Facebook group “my Richmond American home buying experience”. There’s a lot of helpful advice and people sharing similar experiences. From what I’ve read, even if you got your inspector approved, they’ll give you the runaround trying to even schedule a time. I hope you were able to get some of those concerns resolved.
I wont trust this company no more.
Class action lawsuit...
Almost bought an American Richmond Home, read reviews, and then pulled out of our contract
Trippin
Same. Almost bought south salt lake Richmond homes. Signed contract, then read reviews and decided to cancel. I’m so glad we cancelled.
Most reviews for home builders are bad. In general people are more motivated to leave a bad review, than to leave a good one if they are happy.
saw a house today in fl, they asking to wire, and now i see this. Pull out for sure thank you
@The Dark Suits But 33 years ago they didn't have the ironclad contracts that lock you into closing even if the house is a mess, or incomplete. Everything they do today would be illegal 33 years ago. These scumbags have left a massive trail of broken dreams and wrecked lives. And it's all driven pure greed.
Don't move in to a house while it's being built. The builders will only feel rushed if there are ppl living in the house while finishing it. Rent an apt for a few months. Do the blue tape walk through, and don't sign anything until its done right. Simple.
Why are people closing on houses unless the work is done??
Locking in interest rates
I live in tucson bought a home from richmond nothing but proublems ,tile major proublem sliding glass doors replaced garage door fixed twice cabinets needs fixing block wall in backyard needed fixen .neighbors have all have proublems ,this company slaps houses gets our money then you have to fight to get what you paid for.this ain't right
Hey Kurt I live in Phoenix looking to buy Richmond America, is it a BIG NO OR A BIG GO??
@@RH-xd3nx buy a used Richmond American home. They haven’t changed most of their floor plans in a decade so it should be easy to identify one.
What attorney are you all using?
So hears the problem I see... why did they sign off on the papers in escrow before the home was finished?
My wife and I just bought a brand new home 1 year ago and one of the steps that the builder walked us through was for us to walk through the home and inspect the home to make sure it was EXACTLY as we ordered and expected.
Why didn't this couple do a walk through of the home before signing the escrow papers? This would have saved themselves all this trouble.
And they could have just walked away from this home if the builder couldn't or wouldn't complete the home to satisfaction.
So, from what I see, this couple are partly to blame for the mess they are in. For failing to walk through the home and make a to do list for the builder to complete before signing off on the escrow papers.
they are able to slide and use covid as an excuse.
Yeah they definitely should have hired their own inspector and did a walkthrough before signing anything
They offer you better interest rates and make you pay a deposit that you will lose if you don't complete the transaction with them. 2 percent earnest money deposit. When you are looking at the model house, it looks great and they mention you will get something very similar and go over with you as to what will be the same to the model house and what won't. To be honest, model houses are beautiful and a buyer is not thinking of the inspection phase at that time
I think we need to come together class action law suite
Richmond home said they take complain seriously, obviously not because it made to the news
Do yourself a favor and don use this company! You will be very sorry.
I wouldn't move in untill everything is done right. At least the major things
Same happened to me with Richmond homes!!
To be fair the railing could be tighter. The garage was most likely a rough finish used to train a green finisher the hair line crack is common in Colorado the dry climate causes the mud to dry to fast and shrink it would most likely be "fixed" with a new coat of paint maybe some caulk I would chalk this complaint to sticker shock 420k-480k for this! Shop around wait if you see something that will be a problem for you let it be someone else's problem a find something else
I think you're missing the point of this couple complaints. The home is brand new and had not been completed before they moved in. What is needed to be done to fix all the issues, is not the point. But from what I see the couple are also to blame because they didn't do a walk through on their home thoroughly and didn't make the builder complete the home before they signed the escrow papers. This couple should have demanded for the home to be 100% completed before signing the escrow papers or they should have walked away from this disaster.
as an atlanta investor i approve this video
My kid taking a bath upstairs and water fall down through the light in the kitchen, also AC upstairs should be a big NO
Building the public junk! Our government should make cost cheaper. An better built homes. Should have to pay a mortgage or be allowed to move in.
They could have backed out of contract. The local contractors they hire sometimes dies sloppy work.
They can't, is nearly impossible to back out unless you die or have a terminal decease is pretty much impossible unless you want to lose your deposit which is usually a lot of money.
Lemme guess... They didn't hire a realtor.
Why are they wearing masks in their home ?!?
Don't blame the victims of propaganda, blame the source of propaganda
@@jeremyfrancispiano2 It's because of the exposed insulation you moron.
They were on video. There was a cameraman and a reporter in their home. Simple.
Automated 3d construction 🏗️ is needed more now than ever.