Complaint Review: Winton Homes - Nationwide

In March 2015 we purchased a Winton Home that was for sale and was used as a model.  In Texas it is common to have "builder representatives" broker the sales f these homes.  We did arrive with a realtor, but were told by the Winton builder representative that they would not pay them a commission.  We took possession of the home a month prior to closing as a rental for one month.  This was not our closing.  On the day we moved in the builder rep met us at the property for 5 minutes and told us to make a lists of things we wanted corrected.  We asked about an inspection and his precise words were "Why spend money on an inspection?  You're covered under warranty on everything."  Being new to the El Paso area, and having not purchased a home in 20 years, we relied on this representation by the builder representative.  Upon closing one month later, there was no walk-thru and the fun began. 

The first week after closing the Winton tiler, painter and foreman were present and one of them stole an antique bike that had been in my family for 35 years.  They were seen handling the bike and admiring it.  A police report was filed, with the help of the foreman reluctantly giving the names of these gentlemen to the police.  It was not found out until further into the investigation that the foreman and tiler, who were done with their business at the property, later returned to the property, and the bike was found to be missing an hour later.   Winton refused all responsibility for their workers and switched back and forth on the story that their workers were or were not subcontractors or Winton employees.   Subsequently, when workers were in our home fixing the ceiling that needed to be refloated, the Winton workers moved my grandfather clock, purchased in 1981, fully loaded with the pendulum and weights, in front of Geek Squad witnesses and my husband.  The clock was broken. 

For six months Winton played games, denying that their workers were their workers or subcontractors, and that they didn't even move the clock.  It took six months to get paid for the clock, but that was only because other problems were discovered with the home.  I was personally told by Todd Winton that if I signed off on the repairs, I would be paid for the clock.  Blackmail???   It was discovered by us that the four pillars holding the back of our house up were rusting.  Upon having them opened up, it was discovered that untreated wood had been used, a code violation, and the wood was rotted and molding.   A hasty attempt was made by Winton to cover this up, however we told them that all work was to stop.  They offered us money if we would accept their fix.  We declined.  At that point we called for a home and city inspection, where it was discovered that the backyard had not been graded correctly.  In June 2015 there was a huge storm, where we discovered just how incorrectly.  Water rose to the back doors, water came through the back doors into the house, the pool overflowed, because there is no backflow valve to drain the pool, and we had standing water in the back yard which drained towards and sat at the base of the house and the pillars.  We paid for an engineering report and had estimates done on the repairs, which totaled approximately $80,000 to make our yard useable.  Winton's response:  Scabbed on wood onto the pillars and swales on the sides of our yard.  Take it or leave it and sue us. 

Through this process we have been unable for 15 months to use our pool due to black alage growth.   Winton uses the cheapest pool equipment available on the market.  They finally replaced the filter in November of 2015, but the estimate also called for drainage of the pool and unblocking of the lines due to construction material blocking waterflow. The calcium hardness has been in the 500s since date of purchase, indicating the water needs to be drained.  Now the algae erosion has eaten into the plaster and the pool needs replastering. 

All of which Winton is denying warranty on.  We went for 6 months without hot water in the kitchen.  The garage door has fallen off twice, the second time hitting my vehicle.  During City inspection, an open electrical ground was found, which could have been a serious fire hazard.  Through investigation, we found that the City doesn't do many inspections themself.  They vet third-party contractors for this process, and Winton has their very own third-party inspector they uses for their homes.  Isn't that nice?  They even pay her.  Pay her to overlook violations.  As of last week, the scupper in the guest bedroom began leaking due to rain.  There is a 2' X 5" mark going across the wall where obviousy more water is seeping through.  Winton did respond to this by coming out, using our hose and flooding the scupper, while we watched water drain through the seams of the ceiling line and window.  When they were through exacerbating the damage, they told us, "Sorry, you're suing us so we're not going to repair it," and walked off, never to be heard from again. 

Trying to make a claim on a builder bond is a pretty amusing process.  You see, all the builder has to tell the bonding company is that their "working" with the complainant and they're off the hook.  Another perk the builders of El Paso bought and paid for through lobbying.  This is a corrupt city, the likes of which I've never seen.  Beware home buyers.  There are no protections for you.  The builders have made sure of that.  Unless you  have a reserve of money set aside for a lawsuit, you will be forced to be at the mercy of the mediocre, cost-effective, inadequate fixes that the builders wish to foist upon you.  Your property will decline ten-fold in a sale when you start disclosing the issues with your home, such as having swales due to flooding, scabbed on wood onto molded wood, black agae in your pool and leaking scuppers/roofs.  Educate yourself about your builder.  They are not unique.  I'm aware this builder has many homes with rotted wood.  Most importantly, don't put your life savings down on a Winton Home.  You'll be sorry.