When can I sue a builder for a slop job on a house being built for me right now???

Question

My house is 48% percentage of completion. I talk about the problems to the builder about the way it is being built. He thinks I'm crazy, but this house will cost me a hundred grand if I STOP BUILDING base on the Schedule of Values.
My wife told me to stop thinking about the lawsuit, because I really don't have any grounds still after it's built.

Answer 1

I have nothing against you, in fact I am just trying to help you. But your question comes off as though you are being unreasonable.



"slop job" does just not cut it and you probably used those terms or worse with the builder. Treat the guy with a little respect and talk with him about your concerns.



What you need to do is pick an item that he is doing sub-par work on. Take a few pictures of it and call around to find out if indeed he is doing it wrong. If he is just not a perfectionist and you are then you are not going to win anything. I have this same problem, and am learning that not only can no one do perfect work but neither can I!



Go out and find other projects that are being done how you think is correct. Then bring both sets along with any opinions of other pros along with you to talk to the ubuilder. Arrange a meeting don't just accost him on a job site.



Tell him that you are concerned and here is why. Lay out your argument. Let him tell you why he is doing it differently. He will likely even point you to other houses he built the same way, go check them out and see if the end product is really a problem.



In the end you will either convince him or you wont to do something a little different. If you don't with being pleasant the go talk to a lawyer if you have to. It will cost you a lot more if you decide to go to court, and I am not talking only about the fees. It is worth avoiding if you can.

Answer 2

You can still install insulation in the roof of your home. It will keep it warmer in winter and cooler in summer. You need to understand also, that if you have ceiling fans in one room, other rooms without ceiling fans. When you turn them on its suffice to say the temperature will be vastly different. The heating you have throughout the house, could be put down to several issues. Is the heating throught every room in the house? If it isn and you have a heating vent inside each room. Its possible one of the tunnels inside the roof has collapsed, preventing the warm air to be curculated. This could be seen by going into the roof cavity and doing a visual check of the air tunnels curculating the warm air. If there is no heating throughout the house. And there is only a heater in specific room or rooms. Then you have to expect the temperature to be vastly different in each room. Furthermore, if you STILL can not work out why rooms are different temperatures. Put a thermometer in each room. Keep all heating OFF, keep all ceiling fans OFF. Measure the temperature in each room. (keeping in mind the direction of the sun , as it also heats up rooms and you might get a bad reading. You want room temperature of each room) Once that is done, you find out the problem room and check for anything wrong with it. Ultimately, all rooms are built the same, meaning with the same materials as the next. So there would be no reason for a vast temperature difference in each room, unless you dont know how to understand your heating system.

Answer 3

Depends on the contract you have signed with the builder. Your wife sounds right, but you need to talk to a lawyer b/c it's all in the contract, and if it isn't spelled out, a lawyer can tell you what the laws in your state are.

Answer 4

I'm not a lawyer.



But you need to talk to one NOW. Go out to the job site, and take pictures constantly. 'Slop job' is a pretty highly subjective term, so you better have something to back it up!

Answer 5

Talk to a lawyer. It may be your wife is right but the lawyer will know.