Ashford Homes

Hi ***,I met with our Service Manger [redacted] this morning and he will following up with you on the various items listed below as well as a few others that he had on a list that was created when you and he spoke in the past namely:1) Cracks in Foundation wall and floor [redacted] will have our waterproofing company JACO contact you to inject the leaking wall cracks and the basement crack JACO should be injecting the cracks this morning for you2) The laminate and uneven flooring issues are Riterug and [redacted] will coordinate those with you as well In our research Riterug has looked at those, unfortunately they filed the paperwork under a different job number and confusion has ensued [redacted] has already kick started that in motion.3) Caulking as well as a few other issues that were on Rays list will be taking care of by [redacted] personally Please note that caulking is a never-ending maintenance item that homeowners are responsible to perform to properly maintain their home but [redacted] will hit the spots inside your home and will even show you how to do so for future reference [redacted] will make this a priority and will get things taken care of quickly for you[redacted]

Mike Sarbaugh (Supervisor) serviced the home after the [redacted] ' closedAt this time, window and drywall repairs were completed as well as pre-settlement items..Homeowner sent in day list on 8/21/2017I contacted homeowner on 8/23/2017Two work dates were set up for 9/01/& 9/12/2017Both dates were met and all items were satisfied on the day with the exception of (1) a dead shrub which will be replaced in the spring (10/13/2017) I was made aware of the door leaking, he resealed / glazed door on 10/13/2017Door leaked again on 10/17/2017, door was resealed / glazed a second time on 10/20/2017Door leaked again, 10/31/2017, Lumber was notified of door leak, Lumber contacted manufacturer (Millikin) we are awaiting action from manufacturer.Quality of paint Ashford Uses on all new homes is: PPG (Porter Pro Flat) this is PPG mid grade new construction paint.We have approved our included drywall touch up that was finished on 10/03/2017We have approved free paint touch up that has not been finished due to customer scheduleTypically we do not do any painting with drywall touch-upsCustomer is contracting our painter direct to repaint the home with a satin sheen [redacted] (homeowner) and I have exchanged text messages since 09/01/[redacted] (homeowner), [redacted] (homeowner) and I have exchanged emails since 09/01/2017I have helped facilitate the following items that were not any list sent in as a gesture of good business: hot water line check; water pressure test; deck board repaired; free painting; touch up on all cabinets; touch up on hardwood floors; exterior window touch up caulking; water test doors; windows removed and leveled; resulting drywall repairs; resulting paint repairsCommunication has never gone more than business days without a reply.11/02/we were notified the fireplace was not working properly (repair scheduled for 11/28/2017)Please let me know if you need any additional information from me.Frank

After reading the responses it seems the main concern is a discrepancy in dates, NOT work completedQuite a few times the 60-day list was referenced but there was no rebuttal the work completed, only comments of us signing it ourselvesThe list is not signed, but it does have DONE next to the items that are finishedThe other concern seems to be that the drywall is not up to standards or that the paint was lacking in qualityPlease see the attached HBA Industry StandardsAll homeowners are given a copy of the HBAIS at the preconstruction meeting, pre-settlement walkthrough, and a third time at closing I would first like to point out that the HBA Industry Standards clearly states on page 29, Section subsection A (Background), “Since drywall and plaster are finished materials, repairs will be slightly visible due to a color or texture mismatch after they have been made.” Page 29, Section 10, Subsection A1, “Problem – Visual defects, such as cracks, corner bead cracks, seam lines or ridging are generally caused by lumber stabilization.” These are all items that have taken place in the home as you can see by the pictures“Acceptable Tolerance – Any of the above defects, which can be readily determined by visual inspection without resorting to intense artificial or natural light placement, shall be repaired by the builder, except where painting will cover the defect, as in the case of the hairline crack.” We have done all repairs as need be, the discrepancy seems to be that the homeowner doesn’t want us to touch up the paint because the repairs are more than just nail popsBut, per the industry standards nail pops are not the only type of repairs that we need to doWe have fulfilled our obligations, and have gone above and beyond by approving an early drywall touch up and agreeing to still do an 11-month touch up as wellNO PAINT TOUCH UP WILL BE DONE AT MONTHYes, we did convey to the homeowner that any touchups will have flash points, that is common knowledge when painting or touching up paintYou will NEVER match a paint touch up 100%This is something we discuss with all homeowners when we do our walkthrough, just as every builder discusses with their clientsThe quality and grade of paint is the same standard as most other builders in the areaThe complaint of the paint being left, and rotten, is one that I have not heard beforeWe at Ashford have also spoken with our painting contractor and he has no recollection of that conversationThis item has become a he said she said, but the bottom line is we have fulfilled all drywall specs thus far and we have gone above and beyond by offering to paint the stairwell walls and also the two walls in the theatre room due to visible seamsAgain, please reference what was stated above, these are things we are not required to doWe have continued to go above and beyondPage 29, section 10, subsection A1, “BUILDER RESPONSIBILITY – Builder is NOT responsible for repainting where repairs are made on a painted surface.” It does not say nail pop repairs, it states all repairsI would like to go one step further by stating that we are not responsible for fixing nail popsPage 30, section 10, subsection A4, “Problem- Hairline cracks and nail popsAcceptable Tolerance- Hairline cracks and nail pops are a part of the stabilization processBuilder Responsibility- NONE.” we have again tried to go above and beyond for our customer as they were extremely upset about the nail pops and drywall repairs neededTypically, we wait until the 11-month to touch up but we tried to remedy the relationship by approving an early touch upWe at Ashford understand that drywall is affected by drying and settling, some homes dry faster and settle more than othersWe have done everything that was asked by the homeowner except to pay for a whole home repaintGiven the above standards that all builders follow, and that we have followed, we will not pay for the entire homeWe will however stand behind paying for the LABOR to repaint the stairwell and two walls in the basementAgain, we at Ashford acknowledge that the fireplace needs serviced, and that it is scheduledWe also acknowledge that the rear patio door is in progress with the mill repIn closing all items with the exception of the two listed above have been completed in a satisfactory way that falls well inside of the Greater Cincinnati Area HBA Industry Standards

Revdex.com:
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.] Please see my typed response as well as the letter and pictures showing the extensive repairs that we have lived with for the last month
Regards,
*** ***

Ashford Homes completed the *** home in November A Pre-Settlement punch list was created at that time.Since then most of the items were completed, however there are a couple of outstanding items to complete.1) Porch Railings; Modify Rail layout to meet customers
satisfaction This work was scheduled to begin the week of 6/29/ Work will continue as planned.2) Painting of Front Porch; The porch was painted before occupancy, however some water spots have developed that are believed to be attributable to the gutter leak issue outlined below Ashford Homes has agreed to re-paint the porch and this work will begin within the next weeks 3) Crack in Concrete porch This item does not require any action by the builder per industry standards (see attached Industry Standards items) However Ashford Homes will attempt to fill the crack to help with the cosmetic look of the crackNote: Shading and color differences can be expected because its stamped and colored concrete. 4) Gutter Leak issue: This item arose after the original list was created, however under Ashford Home warrantee we will correct the defect Further action is required to correct this problem We will be working this week and next week to resolve the issue.5) Yard drainage silt issue: This was an issue noted by the customer in the spring after rains had washed out the drainage swale on their property This work has been discussed onsite and will be taken care of once the area dries up This may be July or even August before things are dry enough to work in this area Ashford Homes commits to have this area cleaned up and re-seeded & strawed as soon as possible To the best of our knowledge this is a complete list of work that remains to be completed and we will do our best to finish these as soon as possible. Ashford Homes

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me Please note - this resolution has not yet occurred There is a potential for this to be re-opened
Regards,
*** ***

Hi [redacted],I met with our Service Manger [redacted] this morning and he will following up with you on the various items listed below as well as a few others that he had on a list that was created when you and he spoke in the past namely:1)  Cracks in Foundation wall and floor.  [redacted] will have our...

waterproofing company JACO contact you to inject the leaking wall cracks and the basement crack.  JACO should be injecting the cracks this morning for you. 2)  The laminate and uneven flooring issues are Riterug and [redacted] will coordinate those with you as well.  In our research Riterug has looked at those, unfortunately they filed the paperwork under a different job number and confusion has ensued.  [redacted] has already kick started that in motion.3) Caulking as well as a few other issues that were on Rays list will be taking care of by [redacted] personally.  Please note that caulking is a never-ending maintenance item that homeowners are responsible to perform to properly maintain their home but [redacted] will hit the spots inside your home and will even show you how to do so for future reference.  [redacted] will make this a priority and will get things taken care of quickly for you.[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the...

business in reference to complaint ID [redacted]. As long as Ashford makes the repairs as indicated in the complaint, we will accept their response. As of this date, 9/13/2016, the egress window has been repaired. We are waiting for information from Ashford regarding the repainting of the living room ceiling as well as the repair of the siding. Since the initial complaint was submitted, our water heater has stopped working as it should. Ashford is aware of this. Per Ashford's request, a plumber contacted us and referred us to a water heater specialist. The repair is scheduled for 9/15/2016. We were informed the warranty for the parts is still active. The labor, however, is not covered. We believe we are not responsible to pay for the labor. The representative from Ashford insinuated the repairs we have requested are "beyond industry standard". With the exception of the water heater, these repairs have been outstanding for 3 months to a year. We have only been in this brand new house for 18 months. We also believe the contractors Ashford hires and appliances, including the water heater, they provided are well below "industry standard".  What contractor puts a scratch in the plaster on the ceiling and not repair it? We have had the company that provided the flooring out here three times to repair faulty seams in the vinyl. One of Ashford's own employees told us how ridiculously difficult it is to get the siding contractor to make any repairs. Let alone, show up when he is supposed to. So, no, these requests are not beyond industry standard. I reserve my right to submit further information if Ashford fails to live up to their agreement. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Ms [redacted], Thanks for sending your email. I will forward to our service department to review and make arrangements with you next week to correct the items that are outside the Industry Standard guidelines. Thanks,[redacted]

Mike Sarbaugh (Supervisor) serviced the home after the [redacted]' closed. At this time, window and drywall repairs were completed as well as pre-settlement items..Homeowner sent in 60 day list on 8/21/2017I contacted homeowner on 8/23/2017Two work dates were set up for 9/01/2017 & 9/12/2017Both...

dates were met and all items were satisfied on the 60 day with the exception of (1) a dead shrub which will be replaced in the spring.  (10/13/2017) I was made aware of the door leaking, he resealed / glazed door on 10/13/2017Door leaked again on 10/17/2017, door was resealed / glazed a second time on 10/20/2017Door leaked again, 10/31/2017, 84 Lumber was notified of door leak, 84 Lumber contacted manufacturer (Millikin) we are awaiting action from manufacturer.Quality of paint Ashford Uses on all new homes is: PPG 6059 (Porter Pro Flat) this is PPG mid grade new construction paint.We have approved our included drywall touch up that was finished on 10/03/2017We have approved free paint touch up that has not been finished due to customer schedule. Typically we do not do any painting with drywall touch-ups. Customer is contracting our painter direct to repaint the home with a satin sheen. [redacted] (homeowner) and I have exchanged 41 text messages since 09/01/2017[redacted] (homeowner), [redacted] (homeowner) and I have exchanged 22 emails since 09/01/2017I have helped facilitate the following items that were not any list sent in as a gesture of good business: hot water line check; water pressure test; deck board repaired; free painting; touch up on all cabinets; touch up on hardwood floors; exterior window touch up caulking; water test doors; windows removed and leveled; resulting drywall repairs; resulting paint repairs. Communication has never gone more than 2 business days without a reply.11/02/2017 we were notified the fireplace was not working properly (repair scheduled for 11/28/2017)Please let me know if you need any additional information from me.Frank

After reading the responses it seems the main concern is a discrepancy in dates, NOT work completed. Quite a few times the 60-day list was referenced but there was no rebuttal the work completed, only comments of us signing it ourselves. The list is not signed, but it does have DONE next to the items that are finished. The other concern seems to be that the drywall is not up to standards or that the paint was lacking in quality. Please see the attached HBA Industry Standards. All homeowners are given a copy of the HBAIS at the preconstruction meeting, pre-settlement walkthrough, and a third time at closing.  I would first like to point out that the HBA Industry Standards clearly states on page 29, Section 10 subsection A (Background), “Since drywall and plaster are finished materials, repairs will be slightly visible due to a color or texture mismatch after they have been made.” Page 29, Section 10, Subsection A1, “Problem – Visual defects, such as cracks, corner bead cracks, seam lines or ridging are generally caused by lumber stabilization.” These are all items that have taken place in the home as you can see by the pictures. “Acceptable Tolerance – Any of the above defects, which can be readily determined by visual inspection without resorting to intense artificial or natural light placement, shall be repaired by the builder, except where normal painting will cover the defect, as in the case of the hairline crack.” We have done all repairs as need be, the discrepancy seems to be that the homeowner doesn’t want us to touch up the paint because the repairs are more than just nail pops. But, per the industry standards nail pops are not the only type of repairs that we need to do. We have fulfilled our obligations, and have gone above and beyond by approving an early drywall touch up and agreeing to still do an 11-month touch up as well. NO PAINT TOUCH UP WILL BE DONE AT 11 MONTH. Yes, we did convey to the homeowner that any touchups will have flash points, that is common knowledge when painting or touching up paint. You will NEVER match a paint touch up 100%. This is something we discuss with all homeowners when we do our walkthrough, just as every builder discusses with their clients. The quality and grade of paint is the same standard as most other builders in the area. The complaint of the paint being left, and rotten, is one that I have not heard before. We at Ashford have also spoken with our painting contractor and he has no recollection of that conversation. This item has become a he said she said, but the bottom line is we have fulfilled all drywall specs thus far and we have gone above and beyond by offering to paint the stairwell walls and also the two walls in the theatre room due to visible seams. Again, please reference what was stated above, these are things we are not required to do. We have continued to go above and beyond. Page 29, section 10, subsection A1, “BUILDER RESPONSIBILITY – Builder is NOT responsible for repainting where repairs are made on a painted surface.” It does not say nail pop repairs, it states all repairs. I would like to go one step further by stating that we are not responsible for fixing nail pops. Page 30, section 10, subsection A4, “Problem- Hairline cracks and nail pops. Acceptable Tolerance- Hairline cracks and nail pops are a normal part of the stabilization process. Builder Responsibility- NONE.” we have again tried to go above and beyond for our customer as they were extremely upset about the nail pops and drywall repairs needed. Typically, we wait until the 11-month to touch up but we tried to remedy the relationship by approving an early touch up. We at Ashford understand that drywall is affected by drying and settling, some homes dry faster and settle more than others. We have done everything that was asked by the homeowner except to pay for a whole home repaint. Given the above standards that all builders follow, and that we have followed, we will not pay for the entire home. We will however stand behind paying for the LABOR to repaint the stairwell and two walls in the basement. Again, we at Ashford acknowledge that the fireplace needs serviced, and that it is scheduled. We also acknowledge that the rear patio door is in progress with the mill rep. In closing all items with the exception of the two listed above have been completed in a satisfactory way that falls well inside of the Greater Cincinnati Area HBA Industry Standards.