ComplaintsforAlron Homes

• Initial Complaint

  10/29/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Built a home with Alron Homes that has been “completed” for two weeks. An agreed upon price was arranged, but ***** felt he paid more for lumber and that an $8,500 credit from our septic was owed to him. Despite him refusing to show proof that he over paid on lumber and it was out of our agreed upon price, he took the $8,500 credit. After trying to reach him regarding a final walk thru on the house he would not contact back. The house has multiple areas that need addressed (ruined cabinets, mismatched plumbing fixtures, a hole in the ceiling, paint that is not finished, damp basement).

  

  Business response

  11/16/2021

  Alron Homes signed a contract  on a new build home in the spring of 2021 with **** and ****** ****. We built a good quality custom home that we are proud of and completed it ahead of the scheduled move in date. There is  a clause in the contract regarding supply price increases of more than 5%. I would be more than happy to provide a copy of the contract.  Lumber prices increased by about 150% from the time we signed the contract and the time that it was delivered to the home. This came to an increase of more than $20,000. *** ***** were made aware of the lumber increase in May before it was delivered to the site.
  The septic came in at $8,500 under the the $20,000 allowance. 
  We gave *** ***** a move in date of Oct 1, 2021 when we signed the contract. After construction had started *** ***** informed us that they want a credit on all of the concrete work since Fred is in the concrete business. We told them that we would rather do all of the concrete work since it is included in the contract already. Fred said it doesn’t matter he wants the credit and he’ll have family and friends do the work. We agreed to this under the condition that some of the warranties on the home are voided. 2 or 3 different companies did the concrete work. The rear patio was still not completed when they moved into the home.
  Construction was winding down the last week of September. I sent *** ***** the final invoice with a few questions. The septic credit was $8,500 and the lumber price increase was above 20,000 which I did not have the exact dollar amount of the overage. However, I could have gotten it if necessary. There was a balance due of $2,384 besides the lumber overage and the septic credit.   I asked *** ***** if they would agree to calling the over $20,000 lumber overage and the $8,500 credit a wash with no price change on these 2 items. Our thinking was we are being way more than fair. Ashley agreed to calling the $20,000 lumber overage and the septic credit a wash with no price change if we credit them for  the steps going to the patio that we couldn’t build since the patio wasn’t poured yet. I would be more than happy to forward the email dated 9/28/21 from Ashley agreeing to this. I replied with fair enough and asked if they would agree to a $1,000 credit for the steps. They wanted a bigger credit than $1,000 since they were getting prices from other contractors to do the work and the quotes were higher than $1,000. I told Ashley that I do not agree with her but go ahead and pay whatever she wants to pay of the remaining balance  $2,384 and if it’s nothing I can live with that too. They didn’t give me an answer. We have not received payment as of today so I am assuming that they are not going to pay any of the remaining balance.
  *** ***** did a final walk through of the home around 9/28/21. We took care of all the items that were on the punch list. Since  some of the plumbing fixtures were on backorder we had to install mismatches temporarily. We did talk the Ashley about this so she knew what was going on. The correct fixtures have come in since then and the plumbers have switched them out.  We had construction and punch list items completed one  September 30th . We were still waiting for the final draw from the bank that was delaying move in at this point. The superviser went to the house on October 4rd to check up on it. The doors were locked and the our lockbox was not on the garage man door anymore. I called Fred and asked if could have the garage door keyless entry code. He refused to give the code to me since apparently they moved in over the weekend without permission. The bank released the final draw on October 5. There was no communication between us from September 30th and October 11th other than my phone call to Fred on October 4 asking for the code. On October 9 Geauga County received 5 inches of rain in just a few hours. This is basically  flooding. Fred called me on October 9 and complained about water in the basement.
   As you can see in the pictures water in the basement is only coming on the one wall which is inside the patio. Once the patio is poured and there’s slope away from the foundation this will correct itself. Fred also complained about damp blocks on the October 9th phone call.  Most new homes require a dehumidifier for the 1st year. A dehumidifier will take care of the moisture issue. Moisture in the basement is out of our control. That is the owners responsibility. The 1st time that I knew about the damaged cabinet, hole in the ceiling and paint not being finished was in this complaint.    
  Tell us why here...

  

  Business response

  11/18/2021

  Attached is the lumber invoice from ********* ********* This is what we actually paid. We were not invoiced for the lumber that was returned. I also attached a copy of *** ********

  Customer response

  11/18/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  Regards,
  ****** ****
  
  
  
  
  My husband was here the day the garage door company was installing the garage door openers. The garage door company asked my husband personally what we wanted our garage code to be and would be happy to prove this with the company if you wish. It is clear the project manager took the box off the door that day without permission and prematurely.  This was not done on our own. Being that we have proof that we have asked for a walk through and of the complaints we wanted fixed without response from Alron homes and final payment was already received, as ***** said in his response, we had no choice but to move in and settle this to which was originally tried through communication with the company and no external reinforcements as shown in the previous text messages.  Sad that Alron calls this home a quality home he is proud of. A wet basement on the whole bottom course of block, items promised in the contract and not delivered, lies, dents in custom cabinets, holes in the ceiling, and unfinished paint jobs does not sound like a quality home to me. It is clear that this company is not a custom home builder and took on more than he was able to handle with a job as large as ours. It does not appear this will be solved through the BBB and will have to be done in another manner. 
   

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