From: doug@seas.smu.edu (Doug Davis)
Newsgroups: dfw.general
Subject: Re: Homebuilders: good/bad?
Date: 6 Nov 92 20:52:09 GMT
Organization: SMU School Of Engineering and Applied Science


We'll I guess I'ed better throw my 2C in since thats about all
we're gonna have after we build our house ;-)   


Anyway we are looking to build with Highland homes in the 
Mesquite area.  So far they have been giving the right
answers to our questions.  But we have been going thru
some nickel and dime B.S. with them. Mostly due to my
requirement of level 5 wiring to all the rooms....

Oh yeah, I'm not an architect by anyones imagination, but
I've done a lot of construction work and have
been pretty amazed at what passes for standard
workmanship in this area.  Heres a quick list
off the top of my head on what to look for:


o  spacing on the eves in the roof.  The eves should be
   18"-24" max. There are several builders building
   houses with eves spaced 30" (!!) in the area. 
o  Large roof areas should have additional bracing
   material at the mid point.  Really large areas
   should have bracing at the .25's.
o  Several offer R13 Insulation in the outside walls, 
   folks insulation is CHEAP! R24 should be standard
   in almost everthing seeing the outside. Geeze,  We're
   putting R13 in the inside to kill sound between
   rooms.  R13 cost is about $0.03 a square foot. 
o  I was amazed at the sub-standard cabinetry available
   almost 50% of the builders BATHROOM cabinetry was
   glued pressed board with vinyl coverings.
   This stuff is fine for low end living room furnature
   but in a BATHROOM?? This the the place were
   it would be subjected to moisture, temperature
   changes etc..  Geeze.
o  Sill plates, or lack there of.  This is one of
   those things you learn after a while.  Sill plates
   are those tiny pieces of wood that go between
   the cement and your houses frame.   Those little
   plates need to be pressure treated, with a .4 arsenic.
   content.    These plates (which a lot of builders
   didn't even put in)  take up the stress of settling
   (among other things) and without them your frame will
   sag after time.  It may anyway, but these will
   slow it down substantually.
o  While i'm on the subject of lumber, make sure almost
   all the bottom story frame's 2x4's are pressure treated
   to .22 - .24 arsenic.   This will keep out the critters
   and water.   .4 will kill anything (including you and me)
   so you really don't want it where you could accidently
   be exposed to it.   The "standard" termite protected
   2x4 is supposed to be around .24.
o  Exterior paint should be 2-4 coats of oil based latex
   *NOT* enamel.
o  Facia boards should be primered *TWICE* ON BOTH SIDES.
o  Shingles should be "light or medium composite" Most will
   have a warrenty measured in decades.  Make sure to get
   some that have a mfg 20 year warrenty.  
o  High traffic interior areas (door facings, etc) should
   be 4 coats of latex or 3 coats of enamel
o  Caulk should be 30 Year, DuPont makes good stuff, and so
   do several others.
o  Stained surfaces should be sanded then sealed then stained
   then sealed again not the other way around. 
   (Most cabnetry comes premade and is probably pretty good. )
o  Junction seal caulk (outside doors and windows) should be
   20 year polyseal (or equiv)  This stuff expands on
   contact with the air and fills in cracks.
o  New houses should come with window screens (again cheap)
o  Deadbolts should be on each entry
o  If you don't get a sprinkler system have them stick 2"
   pipe sleves under all the walks and driveway.  This 
   will save you a fortune if you later decided to add one.
o  Electrical wiring: everything with the exception of
   high load appliances (dryer, a/c compressor, oven)
   needs to have 12 Gage copper wire to it.  The dryer
   should have 8 and rest could be 8 or 10 depending
   on the size.
o  The rule of thumb concerning air conditioners is
   one ton per 500 square feet of space.  It's possible
   to get too big an a/c, but its much more likely to
   get shorted by too small a unit. (Your power company will
   love you though)
o  Bathrooms, kitchens, outside and garage breakers
   and/or outlets should be Ground Fault Interruptable
   (GFI). Your builder may want extra $$ for 'em (my personal
   feeling is they should be standard) but if you have to pay
   extra for them you probably should.  They might save yours
   or your kid's life.
o  Ceiling fans, another thing that should be standard, try 
   to get Hunter if at all possible.   Otherwise only let them
   install brands that Home Depot (or whatever) stocks parts for.
o  Likewise pumbing fixtures should be one that parts are 
   easily obtainable. Price Pfister, Delta, or Valley are 
   good brands. 
o  A "pre-plumbed" water softener hookup is also a good
   idea.   It's MUCH cheaper now than later.


Lastly make sure to find out about change orders, some
builders have ridiculous pricing for a change while the
house is being built.  (this is also when you usually
find some more changes you want)  



doug
--
SEAS Computer Operations                                   doug@seas.smu.edu
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Newsgroups: dfw.general