Homes Of Merit Aka Champion Homes - central Mobile Homes the new modular house from HELLLLLLLLL ripoff Bartow, Labelle Florida
Buyers beware! I lost my job after 15 years and became real sick with fibromyalgia.had to sell my conventional home and down Size. So I thought I would buy a modular home to save money.
My first mistake was in choosen a company called homes of merit. They are the builder. My second mistake was choosen a dealer called central mobile homes . Tthey do all the site prep, order the home septic system, well etc.
All of homes of merits advertising is you can be in this home in two months or less the best built home you will love it. All the normal bull sh**. I ordered the home on Jan 2004 and after a year on Jan 2005 I could move in.
I spent a whole year on rent and storage came to about $ 15,000 homes of merit says it's the dealers fault. And the dealer says it homes of merits fault. I could have had a regular house built in this amount of time.
Homes of merit was nice enough to send a crew of drunks out to put my home together. The drunks fell through my ceiling in three different places. I am talking about there whole body fell through. I, at least know my bar works well. Because they left all their beer bottles on the bar
The roof turned out to be a nightmare warped looked terrable sags roof crew had to come out five different times. Floors had sags in them, toilets leaked doors dont close well, walls are crooked.
Real real real poor workmanship. You know the kind when they just slap it together. I don't think any of these workers ever seen a level or a ruler. When material won't fit and it's cut to short they just fill the BIG gap with chaulking.
Exterior doors are mounted crooked, window holes are cut crooked. When the home first arrived it had nine cracks in the ceiling and seven cracks in the walls.
My opinion this homes of merit company sells junk. They did not install moisture barrier wrap around my all wooden house so now Im in court for that. I have lots of other stories. But too tired to write more. Ssome of these things have been fixed. But there is still lots to do.
Please be very carefull when you buy this junk
Central mobile homes labelle, FL was a bit** to work with on this project. Always late with every thing concrete, septic tank, well, stem wall, electric. Central mobile homes says it normal to take a year to put a modular home up. What a scam or should I say scum bag
Norman
lehigh acres, Florida
U.S.A.
9 Updates & Rebuttals
Norman
Lehigh Acres,Florida,
U.S.A.
homes of hell i mean homes of merit
#10Author of original report
Tue, November 07, 2006
Had carpets cleaned on my modular home the other day. Carpet cleaner had to stop half way through. All the carpet started pulling up. Carpet cleaner said the carpet was never stretched and attached to the tack strip along the walls edge
So now all the furniture has to be removed all carpet has to be kicked in and stretched to the tack strip.
Had master bath flooded the other day. Garden tub sprung a leak at the hose fittings.
Lanolium turnig yellow all over. Dont know why.
Factory still wont fix soft floors. When you walk by are wall unit it allmost falls over.
Still havent been payed money owed to me. For out of pocket 300.00 to have electrical fixed
Just remember if you want junk. Buy a homes of merit/Champion homes they are one and the same.
cheap, cheap, cheap
As more stuff falls apart I will report it
so long for now.
Norm
Norman
lehigh acres,Florida,
U.S.A.
homes of merit poor electrical wiring FIRE hazard
#10Author of original report
Tue, April 04, 2006
Lost electric to alot of outlets and switches.Had to have electrician come out to repair.Found very poor wiring in the home .Loose wires wire nuts falling off wires arching sparks.Bill was 237.00 homes of merit wont remburse.Unless i sign a release form releaseing them from all liablity with the electrical system in the home.I told them i cant do that.So i dont get my $237.00 And was told to have the whole house checked for dangerous wiring.That will cost alot more.I cant afford that.I guess if the house catches on fire i will tell the insurance i tried to get the factory to fix the problem.And i told the head guy at the department of community affairs i need to get this fixed.This electrical problem started way before the warranty ran out.Dont know why i have to release homes of merit from the whole electrical system.If it catches on fire or hurts someone the insurance company and the state dca can take it up with homes of merit.I cant keep up with the repairs as fast as its falling apart.I think i will be broke fixing this home all the time.
My lanolium is turning yellow dont know why.Iguess i will have to relace it.Must be some kind of glue reaction or just poor quility floor covering.This is how cheap homes of merit is.They are so cheap that bedroom doors dont have locks on them.now that is cheap cheap cheap.All of there plumbing fixtures and lighting fixtures are the cheapest you can buy garbage garbage garbage
A company should be out today to see if my floors can be repaired to keep them from sinking lots of real soft spots kind of like walking in a fun house.My sons dresser draws allmost fall over when you walk in his bedroom.
It hasnt been real windy for awhile so the lanolium in the kitchen hasnt puffed up off the floor a few inches.You really have to see that.It looks like a big dome on the floor.Maybe i could charge a small fee to see this rare floor trick.I could use the money to fix my home when it falls apart all the time
Well gotta go as things fall apart i will let you guys know.
Norman
lehigh acres,Florida,
U.S.A.
It,s falling apart, And it is new.And NO help from factory
#10Author of original report
Tue, January 17, 2006
Just a fast entry for now.Its final the factory said they would not repair cracks in the ceiling.there responce are homes are only warranted fpr 90 days for cracks in ceilings and dry wall.
They still won't fix the saging floors.As far as going to the county.NO can do county wants nothing to do with with this modular home.The county only takes care of inspecting the foundation electric,septic ect.
All modular homes in florida fall under the fla. dept. of community affairs or DCA.No help there . they just tell you to go to the dealer the factoy the inspectors ect.I asked them dca to come and inspect my home.And they said we cant do that.Because we only have two people who work in are office in Tallahassee.Fl. that i could not beleave
I talked with the florid department of transportation. they take care of all problems with mobile homes.Not modular homes.But they did say if i had a mobile homethey would send someone out stat to inspect my home.And make the manufacture repair it.
So from what i can tell is if i had bought a $50,000 mobile home i could get all kinds of help from the state.But since i bought a modular home for $100,000 not including land septic well ect. I cant get any help because the Forida dept. of community affairs only has two employees in that department
Well its getting late i think iam just S.O.L. for now boo h*o h*o . norm, and the house that just turned one year old talk to you all later.And remember BEWARE of homes of merit
Jennifer
Antioch,California,
U.S.A.
them to your state contractor licensing board
#10Consumer Suggestion
Thu, December 22, 2005
If I were you I would report them to your state contractor licensing board. They will be forced to resolve the issue or risk losing their contractors license. I am very sorry this happened to you. They should most certainly fix the problem. In fact, with a modular home, even a repair job would not necessarily do the trick. Really what they should do is replace the entire unit. Good luck to you, please keep us posted as to how this works out.
Lori
Kalkaska,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Look up my ripoff report
#10Consumer Comment
Thu, December 22, 2005
.....on Fortune Homes/Champion Homes. I think that you'll find it interesting. I had the same roof problems, which were repaired this summer. When the crew got in and checked, they found numerous broken/warped trusses. In some places there were differences of 3" in height from one truss to the next. This may cause the 'roller coaster' effect that you are seeing.
I also had many issues with my home, most of which were addressed by the crew that was sent up here in Oct. (They will be back up, as we've now isolated the leak that we couldn't find while they were here. Since the home was empty while they were working on it, so no one was using the bath in that room, and it only leaks when it drains.)
Find out who your builder was, and who the contact is therein. Then ask to be moved up to the General Manager of that plant for resolution. You're still in your warranty period, so make sure that you document everything that needs to be resolved. Be calm and professional when talking to your contacts at the factory (they are only doing their job, and are not the source of your anger). I'll be watching for updates on your situation.
In the meantime, Happy Holidays, and the best of luck to you in the New Year.
Lori
Kalkaska,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Look up my ripoff report
#10Consumer Comment
Thu, December 22, 2005
.....on Fortune Homes/Champion Homes. I think that you'll find it interesting. I had the same roof problems, which were repaired this summer. When the crew got in and checked, they found numerous broken/warped trusses. In some places there were differences of 3" in height from one truss to the next. This may cause the 'roller coaster' effect that you are seeing.
I also had many issues with my home, most of which were addressed by the crew that was sent up here in Oct. (They will be back up, as we've now isolated the leak that we couldn't find while they were here. Since the home was empty while they were working on it, so no one was using the bath in that room, and it only leaks when it drains.)
Find out who your builder was, and who the contact is therein. Then ask to be moved up to the General Manager of that plant for resolution. You're still in your warranty period, so make sure that you document everything that needs to be resolved. Be calm and professional when talking to your contacts at the factory (they are only doing their job, and are not the source of your anger). I'll be watching for updates on your situation.
In the meantime, Happy Holidays, and the best of luck to you in the New Year.
Lori
Kalkaska,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Look up my ripoff report
#10Consumer Comment
Thu, December 22, 2005
.....on Fortune Homes/Champion Homes. I think that you'll find it interesting. I had the same roof problems, which were repaired this summer. When the crew got in and checked, they found numerous broken/warped trusses. In some places there were differences of 3" in height from one truss to the next. This may cause the 'roller coaster' effect that you are seeing.
I also had many issues with my home, most of which were addressed by the crew that was sent up here in Oct. (They will be back up, as we've now isolated the leak that we couldn't find while they were here. Since the home was empty while they were working on it, so no one was using the bath in that room, and it only leaks when it drains.)
Find out who your builder was, and who the contact is therein. Then ask to be moved up to the General Manager of that plant for resolution. You're still in your warranty period, so make sure that you document everything that needs to be resolved. Be calm and professional when talking to your contacts at the factory (they are only doing their job, and are not the source of your anger). I'll be watching for updates on your situation.
In the meantime, Happy Holidays, and the best of luck to you in the New Year.
Lori
Kalkaska,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Look up my ripoff report
#10Consumer Comment
Thu, December 22, 2005
.....on Fortune Homes/Champion Homes. I think that you'll find it interesting. I had the same roof problems, which were repaired this summer. When the crew got in and checked, they found numerous broken/warped trusses. In some places there were differences of 3" in height from one truss to the next. This may cause the 'roller coaster' effect that you are seeing.
I also had many issues with my home, most of which were addressed by the crew that was sent up here in Oct. (They will be back up, as we've now isolated the leak that we couldn't find while they were here. Since the home was empty while they were working on it, so no one was using the bath in that room, and it only leaks when it drains.)
Find out who your builder was, and who the contact is therein. Then ask to be moved up to the General Manager of that plant for resolution. You're still in your warranty period, so make sure that you document everything that needs to be resolved. Be calm and professional when talking to your contacts at the factory (they are only doing their job, and are not the source of your anger). I'll be watching for updates on your situation.
In the meantime, Happy Holidays, and the best of luck to you in the New Year.
Norman
lehigh acres,Florida,
U.S.A.
HOMES OF MERIT modular home from HEEEEELLLLL
#10Author of original report
Thu, December 22, 2005
update 12/21/05 Still having lots of problems with modular home.Found new crack in ceiling about 9ft. long. next to load bearing wall. Looks like wall is sinking and roof and ceiling are following.There are lots of soft spots through out hole house.Factory says this is normal.Since last report hole windows have had to be replaced.Still have real real soft saging floors in about five different places.Homes of merit says its normal to have your refridgerator whoble around from side to side when you walk into the kitchen.When i walk into the bedrooms the dressers and mirrors whoble and shake.But homes of merit also says this could be fixed if i wanted to pay extra.I have been in all kinds of stick built homes and never seen floors like these.I have been in $40,000 mobie homes that were 20yrs old that had better floors than this $100,000 modular.I have been in stick built homes that were built in 1930s that were more solid than these floors.Homes of merit had to pull my whole sink and cabinets out due to mold growing in them.Ever time you went into the bathroom it would feel like a steam bath for no reason mold would keep growing back behind the cabinets lots of mold.Keep in mind i have not been in this home a year yet.When i called the factory today 12/21/05 about the 9ft. crack in my ceiling the service rep said there is only a 90 day warranty on cracks in walls and ceilings.When i bought the house i was told 1 yr. on everything and 10 yrs. strutcher.WELL CHECK THIS OUT......Homes of merit does not even hold the ten year warranty on your home.Its farmed out to a third party service.I cant even get a hold of this warranty company to see if my home is listed with theme.I have called and called and called and message on answering machine but no return call.My luck they went out of business.When you buy the home.Homes of merit brags and post there 10yr warranty on all of there brochures.But what they dont tell you is that the 10yr warranty is with some other company.NOT HOMES OF MERIT.Im not even sure if this warranty co. is still in business.I would like to say to all consumers when you go to the factory to view the models like i did.All the homes are set up perfect out side in side perfect.But i dont think thats the way your home will look when all is done.I could be wrong.There is only one way to find out.Well its time to go for now. as things happen i will keep you posted norm