Screwed up foundation and basement walls...
I, too, am blowing the horn warning anyone whom may be considering hiring Schumacher Homes (aka Paul Schumacher Homes, Inc) to construct a home to GET AWAY as quickly as you can. I signed the purchase agreement May 4, broke ground October 22 and am still waiting to move in. It's now July 30.
If you've signed the contract and not broken ground, take the downpayment loss and find another builder. If you did not signed the contract, run as fast you can to another builder. That contract is not in the interest of the owner. You will definitely get screwed!
Having a better than average knowledge of construction, I occassionally informed the construction manager of potential problems from the begining of construction. I pointed out 2 problems in particular: (1) placement of the dirt from the digging of the basement and (2) cracks in the basement walls.
During the digging of the basement, the dirt was placed at the rear of the house rather than in the front where it was needed. The construction manager, excavator, and I agreed to move it to the front of the problem during backfill.
The construction manager was relieved of his duties April 16 and the excavator was not called back to finish the backfilling and grading. Another escavator was hired who knew nothing of what was agreed to. Rather than move the dirt where it was agreed to be, it was moved to the side of the property. When I informed the new regime, no one listened or even cared about what I had to say. That did what they wanted to do - which was the cheapest, quickest and easier. Now as a result, water is in the basement due primarily to grading, which there is none. Aditonally, if the backfill is to be done as agreed months ago, the builder has told me that I, the owner must pay for it.
January I noticed that the mortar was separating from the cinder blocks in the basement walls. These were horizonatial cracks. As time when on, cracks and separation increased, the blocks actually began to move. The construcion manager told me that it was due to settling. After his dismissal from the company, I informed the replacement construction manager who listened and excavated 2 of the walls. Engneers were hired by both the builder and myself and it was determined that there was no support in the upper portion of walls. These reports were shared with the county engineering department, who failed the foundation and denied issuing a certificate of occupancy. I not only don't have possession, I can't move-in. Which is probably a good thing. This makes the builder still responsible for the house and anything that may happen.
The builder and I again hired engineers. The builders engineer reported that the walls and foundation were sound. My engineer disagreed and provided in detail the faults and imperfections in the wall. When his report was submitted to the builder's engineer, he agreed. Since it is the builders responsiblity to provide the means and method of repair, the builder's engineer has been less than enthusatic in providing the fix.
Meanwhile, I'm paying for two households, mortgage, utilies on the new house and my current mortgage and expenses where I've living. The stall is probably due to the cost to repair the basement walls which most likely exceeds the amount of the last draw, which I have.
The sad part: the builder did not follow the instruction of his engineer for the inital fix of the 2 walls. This was found by my engineer on his inspection. Secondly, the replacement construcion manager resigned from Schumacker Homes. I only mentioned a couple incidences, there are other.
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