We contracted with Discovery Homes to build a home for us in Palm Coast Florida in December 2004. We were told that the house had to built immediately, all the monies going to a title company for the builder to draw on at each phase of completion.
We traveled down to their design center in January 2005, to choose our colors, our tiles, and all the "extras" that they would charge us for in addition to the base price of the house.
Contruction did not begin until September, 2005. We had requested and paid for a radiant barrier to be installed on the roof. This was not done, the roof went on without it, and the excuse the builder offered was "they had not read the plans". We fought and wanted them to reinstall the roof, they gave us our money back and put in an inferior product. This was only the beginning of not following the plans. They installed a wall we specifically requested not be built, they charged us for outlets and cable connections that were already included, and each time they just shrugged off the errors.
In November 2005, we traveled to Florida to inspect the electrical work, when we noticed that the builder had failed to install the tinted windows we had requested and paid for already. It was brought to their attention, and we were assured the mistake would be corrected.
In April, 2006, we visited again, where all the walls were put up and painted and noticed once more that the window issue was not recitified, and once again brought it to their attention. Kristin Johnson once more assured us that it would be taken care of.
In June I received a call that the tiles we had chosen for the backsplash (and incidentally installed already on the floors) was discontinued, and they had not ordered enough to complete the job. The builders solution was for us to close on the house and then they would install something else of our choice from their distributor.
This was not acceptable to us. After much haggling with them, we were told to choose something from here (New York), and they would try to get it. We did, they argued they didn't want to pay for it. They were going to charge us additional money because they "forgot" we had already paid extra for the tiles in the contract. That is still not resolved.
Now we find out that the windows were never replaced, and now that manufacturer is out of business. They have not resolved this issue either.
They are insistent that we close on the house, and Then they will fix all the problems. I don't think so.
They have shown only callousness and indifference to all the problems.
It will be two years at then end of this month that we signed on with them to build our retirement home. It has been nothing but a nightmare.
Judith
Holtsville, New York
U.S.A.