Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/07/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Purchased a home brand new around Sept 201*. Since purchase we have had leaks thru the fire place chimney section of our home. Upon contacting them about the leak, they denied the issue to begin with followed by myself hiring a private inspector, they then agreed the chimney has a leaking issue. They then proceeded to "FIX" the problem with spray foam around the box in the attic. Which was like putting a very small ******** on the problem without ever looking for a root cause. Subsequent years still produced a leak inside the home to our utter dismay. Further contact with the company was met with a "not our issue" demeanor, leaving myself to seek out a solution. Problems consist of water damage on walls and ceilings in upstairs bedroom and main floor.After hiring a roofing company to ***lace the flashing and shingles around the chimney, the problem still persists. I then again hired a chimney company to come do a inspection and found mold, and shabby construction of the chimney to begin with, making a ***air of the section very much impossible. From this point i was told that the entire chimney is substandard and needs to be ***laced. For a home that is ** years old, and having issues like this from the beginning is very unacceptable, and essentially being told to "Kick rocks" by the company *** is also extremely unprofessional.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 29/07/2024

  Hi there,
  
  Hope all is well. I tried to respond to my claim on your website and on my account but it seems like it's not going through. Please see my following response and supporting documentation:
  
  Recently we have had the chimney finally repaired properly by a contractor and roofer. The pictures attached are showing the shoddy craftsmanship of the original build, and the damage and rot caused by that. The pictures given as only 5 can be posted show that they left gapping holes in the framing and subsequent roofing did not cover the home's "Leaking" problem. Also, it can be highly noted in the pictures provided that the builder used drywall to create one of the walls on the exterior of the chimney!! When removing this piece, it needs to be included that, how absolutely water logged that gyprock piece was. The overall orginal build was extremely haphazard and has caused water damage and rot inside the home and structure.
  
  We have contacted the builder several times over the years, and the most recently they responded by telling us that were not covered by warrenty any further and its not their problem.
  
  So, what we want in this instance the minimum is paying us back all the cost they caused us and a proper apology which seems like to be this option on your list:
  
  Refund - of the amount paid for products or services if they were not delivered or were unsatisfactory.
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *****
  
  **********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 26/09/2024

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  In regards to them doing thorough moisture investigation, I call that utter disaster because we had water pouring in through the chimney was never addressed properly (it repeated for years after their "corrective action"). They put spray foam to stop pouring water!! The every aspect of their fix was at most a Band-Aid to defer the problem to a point where they think they don't need to be held accountable for it. As we sent you proof in the pictures, one side of their chimney was a "Dry Wall" material!! Who does that! 

  As for not having any contact from us, just because they didn't log any contact, doesn't mean it didn't happen. 

  We dealt with the problem outside of them after they told us that it's not their issue. What they did was never a fix. Blown in insulation will never stop water leaks. 

  They should have redressed the entire build of the chimney itself and correctly did this in our warranty period which they didn't. Multiple inspectors have said exactly the same! 

  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/10/2024

  Good Morning,
       We appreciate the opportunity to expand and explain our reasoning as a company. The addition of spray foam around the frame in the attic is to help greatly reduce any thermal transfer or possible air exchange between the fireplace venting and the unconditioned attic space. This will help reduce the amount of potential frost and risk of attic rain that can occur in the home as temperatures outside decrease during the winter season. When we experience extended periods of cold weather homeowners need to adjust the humidity levels in the home by manipulating their mechanical system settings. Attic rain can be caused by a variety of factors and typically presents in newer built homes because of improved building materials that result in a tighter seal. Newer homes are also more energy efficient and allow less air to escape through the home. This in turn can cause humid air to be trapped in spaces like the attic if mechanical system are not in place. If humidity is not controlled the amount of frost can increase to levels that may cause damage in the home when exterior temperatures increase and this frost melts. Alberta New Home Warranty states that damage caused by dampness or condensation due to failure by the homeowner to maintain adequate ventilation and humidity is not a builder defect. Our service team and trade partners went a step further than the spray foam and inspected the poly in the attic for any potential breaches and provided a blown-in insulation top up increasing the R-Value in the attic space.
         Further the contractors hired by the homeowner opened up the chimney ***** from the outside potentially compromising all the work put in to ensure this has been built correctly and sealed (ie. removing siding, building paper, flashing, venting,etc.). They could not find quantifiable issues or provide any additional work to correct what the homeowner is reporting as the concern. We cannot cover or guarantee any work or modifications done to the home that are not directly completed through Homes by *** or our trade partners. 
    This home was constructed in 20** and covered under the *-year building envelope provided through Alberta New Home Warranty.The homeowner did not file a claim with Alberta New Home Warranty directly during this time period and warranty has since expired on the home. We as a company take pride in our product and have returned to assist the homeowner but at this time, we do not feel there is further action required.

  Thanks,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/10/2024

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  As far as your reasoning to why you chose to do spray foam I can agree the reasoning is sound. But the glaring problem of your improper and incorrect build isn't changed by the fact that there is a gaping hole in the chimney allowing water to come into the home. Also the fact that DRYWALL was used to build the ***** is Extremely disconcerting. It is not a waterproof or even water resistant product that was chosen to use on the outside of the envelope resulting in a deterioration of the outside envelope and full ingres of water entering the home. The chimney ***** being inspected is a absolute necessity, and the rediculus craftsmanship used to do this was subpar. Use of sprayfoam in this instance would only act as a sponge and soak up pouring water until the foam was full then release it into the home. (which we found) Or over time break down the foam and no longer act as a sponge. Trying to defer this as a problem on the owner and not taking responsibility for your building contractors is a garbage covering you **** response. The reality is you built it poorly and did the cheapest fix you could to defer it down the road hoping the owner wouldn't realize until after the warranty and not fight about it because it's after the warranty. 
  Multiple years were spent trying to track the real problem. Lots of work dealing with the possibility of ventilation and attic rain protection were done. Including adding more vents and a whirly bird all because that was how your company treated this problem, as a ventilation problem. This was never the real problem. The real problem was a very inappropriately built ***** to begin with. Once that was stripped just recently and rebuilt properly, the problem has never returned!
  

  Sincerely,
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:21/06/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  1. During sale negotiations, the reconciliation cost was dropped from standard $******* to $******* and the allowance for side walk brackets was changed from$******* to $******* to make the price workout for us by lowering it by $******* in total. The price wasnt guaranteed to be fixed, which is fair. As per the sales manager the cost for full walkout ** ft wide houses and ** ft wide houses was in line with $****. Given that my house is only ** ft wide and the sales manager has ** years of experience with Homes by ***, I believed and trusted them. They even said that the reconciliation cost would most likely be lower than $**** as the house is smaller. But ** days after the condition removal contract was signed, I was notified that the reconciliation cost and other costs of upgrades that they did not include in initial purchase agreement is an extra $******* on top of $******* that they charged me. Luckily because of zoning requirements my lot did not need retaining wall and rain water leader, so the land developers gave me a credit of $*******, that helped me by bringing down the extra cost to $*******. I believe that this kind of sales practice is unfair and deceiving. I was advised to speak with the general manager about this issue. I emailed ************************* on May ** to schedule a time for a phone call and discuss the issue but I got no response from her. I emailed her again on May ** to follow up and ask her if she was still willing to hear about my issue but I received no response back.I have attached the screenshots of all changes made on the purchase agreements with the dates. One screenshot from sales manager assuring me that reconciliation should be fine only with $*******. I find this email very deceiving in nature.One screenshot of failed attempt to mediate with the general manager.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/07/2024

  At the time of sale, it was communicated that the amounts provided were allowances and not final figures. This practice is intended to ensure that the final costs are accurate and reflect the actual requirements once your home is drawn to grade. We understand that this can be a point of frustration, and we strive to make this process as transparent as possible.
  Regarding the reconciliation cost, it was indeed adjusted from the standard $******* to $******* during sale negotiations, and the allowance for sidewalk brackets was also reduced to help meet your budget. This reduction was based on initial estimates and typical costs for similar properties. However, these estimates can change based on the specific needs and circumstances of your lot and home design. 

  All documents were thoroughly reviewed and signed off on.

  The General Manager previously tried to reach out to you, but we haven't been able to connect due to your night shift schedule. I will make another attempt to get in touch. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/07/2024

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  I was given deceiving information which stated that bigger houses than my house had lower reconciliation fees. For the design of my house I selected the most basic elevation, so it cant be the design that made significant difference. The estimate that was given to me was for ** and ** pocket walk out lots, mine is a ** pocket and it didnt needed retaining wall of any extra lot charges. 
  

  If these charges are estimate only then I believe it is the builders responsibility to get accurate numbers before they make customer sign the final agreement.

  The documents that were thoroughly reviewed and signed off were the estimate documents, I was made aware of the extra costs weeks after the final signing. 

   

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 24/07/2024

  From the start of the sale, ****** had multiple discussions with the Area Manager and the Sales Manager about the allowances in place. It was clearly explained that the actual cost of the allowances wouldn't be known until we received the plot plan and drawings from design. All examples provided were from different homes to demonstrate that costs can vary, and he requested to lower the allowance. It was reiterated that regardless of the allowance amount, the actual cost would determine the final price. This was reviewed with ****** in detail again during the plan check. As you can see, whenever a credit was due, we provided it and transparently explained where costs were uncertain. Therefore, no credit is due as everything was thoroughly explained throughout the build.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 24/07/2024

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  discussions doesnt mean that the area manager was being transparent, I the email from her you can clearly tell that the comparison to other house was not to tell me that the price varies, it was certainly to tell me that it will be in line with the bigger houses. In person I was told that it might even be lower.

  As a customer you are most likely going to trust what a ** year experienced manager is telling you, so I dont know if I will call it transparency when the manager is telling you that yeah the cost will be in a certain ballpark. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:23/03/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On the 18th of March, 2023, I placed an offer on a property at *** ****** ** *** *******. The sales agent stated in front of 3 people, that in the case of multiple offers, the first to offer would be approached to have the chance to up the offer if there was a higher bid that came in after that. I was the first to offer. What actually happened: a second bid came on on March 19. Head office did not stand behind the stated policy and when the second offer came in, they flipped to having it become a blind bidding process. I am disappointed with AVI. I had thought they had a credible history in Edmonton, and didn't think I would get broad-sided like this. My realtor fought to have AVI stand behind their promise, but to no avail. I suspect that AVI will have a justification for what they did, but at the end of the day, this practice was just unethical. I was going to continue looking at AVI products, but once bitten, twice shy.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 27/03/2023

  We are saddened and impacted to hear of the disappointment expressed.  Multiple offer scenarios are always a bit delicate, and we do not relish in receiving them.  We do not wish to create an environment of “winning” or “losing” though in these situations, difficult feelings to avoid.
  
  We did receive your offer in office on March 19th, along with a volume of written offers from the weekend. These offers were then processed by our Sales Administrator and presented for managerial review.  Upon review we noted we had two offers in hand for *** ****** *****, and further noted both offers were represented by Realtors.  Traditionally, when managing multiple offers without realtor representation on both sides, we review and counter the offer written first.  If our counter is accepted, both parties commit to the terms of the agreement.  If our counter is not accepted, we move to the next offer in line.  In the unique scenario where both multiple offers are represented by realtors, we, under advisement from the Alberta Real Estate Association, manage multiple offers within the process set forth by the Alberta Real Estate Association.  In this case, we are to pause and inform all parties they are in a multiple offer scenario, and afford the opportunity for offers to be revised.  
  
  In no way would we consciously approach any process deemed unethical.  We are committed to managing an industry leading client experience, and we will grow as result of the time you’ve invested in sharing with us. 
  
  We are grateful you pursued a home purchase with us, and we remain eager to assist you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 28/03/2023

  
  Complaint: 19641545
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  the issue of receiving two different messages from AVI about how the process was handled wasn’t addressed. Why aren’t your sales agents aware of the policies (the one stayed in your response)  around multiple offers?
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 29/03/2023

  You make a fair point, and we don’t wish to take away from identifying an opportunity for improvement on our end.   Frankly, we are discussing a very unique situation, and the process shared with you is indeed most typical.  That said, we took steps to inform all parties, connected both realtor representatives with one and other for a discussion, and proceeded under the umbrella of best practice as is prescribed to us.  We are hopeful and trusting that your realtor would have played a role in describing this process once identified, and had coached you in how to best secure a home in such a scenario.  We pledge to continue to pursue growth and improvement in all areas of our business, and are sincerely grateful for your contribution to that end.  Your time is valued, and your perspective is not lost on us.  Thank you

  Customer Answer

  Date: 30/03/2023

  ****** ******** *******
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 19641545, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********