Complaint Review: Clayton Homes - Rutledge Tennessee

In February of this year we purchased a home from a new line of manufactured homes that was made by the Clayton plant in Rutledge, TN. Unfortunatly this has been the biggest mistake of our life. After many, many months of searching manufactured/modular home builders we finally decided on a new line of home called the Avondale Marquis. We chose Crossland Homes in Candler, NC as our dealer for the home.

Over the course of two months we went through the various options and upgrades that were available. We selected upgraded oak cabinets for the kitchen and baths along with upgraded carpet and architectual 30 year shingles. This paticular home also came with drywall throughout. Since the home was a new model line and there weren't any models on any of the lots we viewed a Avondale model at Crossland's lot.

We were truly satisfied with the inside of the Avondale model. The kitchen cabinets were also oak and the same style as what we had chose. The model also had drywall througout. When we toured the model we asked the sales person if the raised panel doors would be included in our home. "Yes" they responded, everything you see will be similar to your home.

We also chose a style of drapery that was green and were satisfied with our selection. February came and we ordered our home. We went through each item on the order form to ensure that we hadn't missed anything. The following monday our home was ordered and we were told it would be around 3 weeks before the home would arrive.

Over the course of the month that followed our home was delivered to the lot and we did an initial walk through of the home before it was transported to our land. On our order form we had requested a electric outlet on the front of our home but on the front of the home they had goofed and put two ourlets right next to one another! Over the following weeks, our home was delivered to our land.

Once our home was complete we walked through the finished product. My husband and I were in shock at the number of mistakes that were present in our home that was ready for CO. In the MB there was a bulge from the bottom of the wood trim around the bath tub. The hot and cold knobs were also mixed up so that the cold knob was on the hot water and the hot water knob was on the cold water.

On the wall was a letter P in some sort of pen or marker. A nail protruded from the drywall leaving a bulge. Drywall seams ran up and down two walls in the master bedroom. The trim around the doors had been pained with a high gloss paint and nailed into place what looked like 10 times for each piece. In the living room the ceiling fan had scratched off the ceiling texture.

The linolium was bulging in the foyer area (also an upgrade linolium that was made to look like wood). The worst of the situation was the kitchen and bath cabinets. Apparently a 5 year old had put the cabinets up and in the kitchen one cabinet had a visable gap between it and the cabinet next to it. Each and every door wasn't properly adjusted before the cabinets were installed causing the cabinet doors to scratch against the base of the cabinet.

We also had a atrium door installed in the dining area. The area of the door where the lock is located had evidently been incorrectly positioned so the person who installed it took it out and drilled another hole on the door and put wood putty in the hole! The screen had been inproperly attached to the door on the outside and scratched the base of the glider when it was pulled shut. And by the way, the green curtains that we selected for our home weren't put in the home from the factory.

Instead they had put up a tacky red and beigh color leave print curtain in every room. We had never seen the print before. The list goes on and on. In all, the final price of our 1580 square foot home came to $95,000.00 with upgrades. For the price we paid for the home, I felt sure that we would receive a quality product.

BUYER BEWARE, if you are considering a Clayton home from this plant please reconsider. Before we chose our home, we also looked at Oakwood Homes. The Oakwood brand seems to be better quality but did cost more. In reality all manufactured housing is built to the same low standards. I have never seen a manufactured home that was well built but for the price and what we could afford it was the only option for us at the time besides renting.

This is now May and we are still trying to get many of the issues with our home fixed. Our kitchen cabinets were our biggest complaint and we felt that this issue would be addressed after we threatened to file a complaint with the better business bureau. Today the plant sent another service employee out to our home. Many of our cabinets had scratches in them that had been filled with wood putty.

Last month the plant brought out new cabinet doors. The doors that they replaced them with were a completly different stain, so we ended up with a light oak frame and a cherry stained center on the cabinet. The plant has resisted taking all the doors off and restaining them to match. I'm now having to file complaints with the BBB in order to get these matters addressed (hopefully).

The lot provides little assistance and wouldn't even take the time to come out and look at the cabinets. At this point I'm not sure what else we can do to fix the cabinets. They look very cheap, worse than any you'll find at your local home improvement store on the shelf.

I'm writing this report to warn other potential manufactured home buyers to reconsider their options. There are other options out there besides manufactured housing. R-Anell homes provide quality modular homes (built to local and state building codes) for the money.

In the end it may cost a little more to go with another manufacturer but believe me it will be worth it. You can also rent and save money. Home ownership isn't for everyone but you'll be alot happier if you save your money and invest it in a home and not a piece of trash as we did.

Jh

Sylva, North Carolina

U.S.A.