2 replies to this topic

[fever]

Hello,

 

I am thinking of buying a new CalAtlantic home in either Folsom or Eldorado Hills.  Do you have good/bad experiences with CalAtlantic home?

 

Thank you.

[The Average Joe]

Not familiar with them, but I see a lot of issues at BBB regarding warranty issues. That said, I also saw an article about Lennar buying them out in October. Lennar owns just about every builder you can imagine.  The bottom line is this; all tract homes are built by a small number of subcontractors that deal in volume.  Each sub-contractor may have 20 crews working for him.  The workmanship varies TREMENDOUSLY from crew to crew.  If this is a new home, you must be AGGRESSIVE is getting what you want BEFORE you accept the house on final. Once that final is done, it is much harder getting anything repaired.  If it is an existing home, you can check consumer affairs and the BBB to see what kind of current complaints there are.  Sometimes, shoddy work by one sub can cause a tremendous amount of pain for buyers (which often results in a class action suit, which is why insurance for subs working these projects is so hard to get).

 

If it were me, and I found the perfect location with a house I loved (and I knew nothing about construction), I would hire an independent inspector before I got too far along in the process.  Granted, much of what they inspect is "readily apparent" (so they can't tell you if the plumbing in the wall is installed properly for example). I would br there with him to go over things as he inspects. Alsol, trust your eyes. Look for cracks in the stucco or drywall that may indicate excessive settling. Cracks around windows or door that could be potential leaks, swampy areas of yard indicating poor drainage, etc.

[SCA]

CalAtlantic homes are being built next to Empire Ranch golf course. I was at the planning commission meeting when they were approved and saw the presentation. They all include outdoor living spaces which is very appealing to me.