Final Walkthrough, Closing, Lost Keys, and Poor Workmanship

I picked up a cashier's check from the bank at lunch today before taking my wife over to the house to meet the builder and the realtor.

We did our final walkthrough today at 1pm. There were a handful of tiny holes not filled or painted. Most important, the floor had a haze that we thought was just a poor cleaning job. They were going to let the floor go as it was but I put my foot down and said it had to bee fresh cleaned before we move in. Then they told us they had to fire the cleaning crew for poor work. That further backed up my request for them to get it cleaned up. Everyone agreed.

We went over to the next town to close and all went well. We were given two surveys to fill out. One for the finance company and one for the builder. We scored everything except for a portion of the builder survey where I had nothing positive to say so I left it with the statement 'Refuse' (to do survey). As we were leaving, we got a call from the sales rep who congratulated us and immediately asked about the survey. I simply told her that we only did part of the survey and left part of it blank because we were happier in some areas than others.

Once we got into town, the sales rep called to tell me that the keys to our new house have already been lost somewhere between the builder and the title company. We were told a locksmith was on the way to rekey the locks and that they could put a lockbox on the house temporarily. I said no, we are coming to the house and will wait to get our 'actual' keys because we just closed on the house.

We went to the house to see hoe the touch ups went while we are closing. They did a few and missed a few. The the bomb was dropped on us. The wood floor doesn't have a haze from a dirty rag or something. It has a haze because the sheen has been removed by a chemical agent that the dumb friggin painter used to clean up after doing a lousy job to begin with.

After the bad news was given to us, the guy from the flooring company showed up to discuss things they could try to do to resolve it. While the builder and flooring guy talked, I crawled around on the floor and found white paint speckles around all of the door ways and overspray dust in corners and many of the baseboards. I told the builder that those guys have to come back and clean everything perfect. Meanwhile, the locksmith came out and rekeyed all of the doors and we were given 4 keys. The builder told us not to use our keys until he is done working because the way the locks are set up. Our keys will void his if we use them. He was going to get an additional spec key from the sales rep but she had already gone for the day. He gave us his and said he would just go get the other one in the morning.

There wasn't more we could do but finally go get something to eat. It was eating me up all evening. I called the sales rep to tell her about the floor. The first thing she told me is that this is where she comes in and that's why we shouldn't give her a bad survey. I scolded her immediately that I never said anything about giving her a bad survey; that I only ever indicated that I graded only in the areas that we were happiest. She said that if they can't get it resolved, that it would become a poor workmanship claim and that the floor would have to be replaced if we aren't happy with the end result.

After dinner we went to finance our refrigerator but we are not happy with the limit readily available to us. So, we just decided that we will pay cash but better wait until they get the floor issue resolved. We did get some insecticide, however.

My wife and son went home and I went to the house to spray for pests, even though it was already dark. The spec key didn't work. That figures, since the locks were rekeyed. So, I have to go over to the house early to let the builder in so he can get the flooring guys to fix our floor.

I'm still waiting for the excitement to kick in. Still not feeling it. If you read this far, than you can see why.

I would have taken photos but I was just too angry.

Walkthrough

This morning we went to the house only expecting to be there for a few minutes since we hadn't seen any progress over the weekend. There seemed to be little need to do a walkthrough. But our not showing up wasn't going to an excuse for the builder to delay again, so we went.

When we got inside we could smell fresh paint. Even though the painters don't work on Sunday, someone got their rear chewed and made them pull it off last night.

So we walked the house for about 2 hours. There are about 15 items that need attention with the bulk of it being related to touch ups as a single item. Some of the other items that I can remember off of the top of my head is shrubs too close to the foundation, misadjusted window in master bedroom near the bathroom, all window tracks dusty and binding, master bath vent and switch, shower light out of socket, caulking cracks and crevices, dapping holes, evening out paint, cleaning doors, clear coat on recently stained cabinets and trim, fence gate latch adjustment, rear door weather strip, utility room trim at dryer exhaust, sticking door knob in my son's room, loose cabinet doors, sticking door at my wife's closet, grout filler in shower, and maybe some other detail I'm not remembering. They will give us a list of items checked when we do our final inspection on Wednesday.

Some of the home mechanical stuff is a bit overwhelming. I went up inside the attic for the first time.

I forgot to ask them about the mailbox but I'm sure they'll remember it.

After driving back to work, the sales rep texted me to inform us that the final walkthrough will be Wednesday at 1 PM followed by the closing meeting at 2 PM.

After work, I went to the storage unit to get my huge keyboard case, the box that out TV came in, and 2 of my wife's suitcases.

After we get the keys in our hands on Wednesday, I will call to schedule the movers FINALLY!

We plan to move the first items into the house on Friday. The date that we move anything into the house is very important to my wife.

This is what I've packed so far.

Painter No Show

We went by the house late this morning and again early this evening and again, no activity. The builder said the house would be finished before Monday. The has become more of a fantasy than an actuality. I confirmed that the no work is planned for Sunday. They don't work Sunday anyway.

This is getting so old. This is the reason it has become impossible for me to get excited about the house.

Progress Minimal

I went to the house first thing this morning since the house was locked yesterday after work. I saw the new shower door and towel rack. There was also two ladies cleaning. The builder was also there and he said the electrician would be there soon. But I had to get to work.

After work I went back over to the house to see the finished paint and stained cabinets but the place was locked up already even at 4 PM. I looked through the windows and guess what? NO PAINT/NO STAIN. The extra cabinet has been moved to the garage. The next disappointment appears to be right on schedule.

Walkthrough Checklist and Corrections

My wife and I stayed up last night and found a good checklist here for doing a thorough walkthrough inspection. In the event that the link above breaks, I am including the list below.

Doors

• Open and close all doors. See that doors are well-fitted and operate as intended.

• Make sure all six sides are painted – front, back, top, bottom and both ends.

• Be certain locks, including deadbolts, operate properly without binding, and that thresholds are adjusted correctly.

• Look for warping.

• Hinges should be clean and free of paint.

• Sometimes doors must be trimmed to fit. Make sure the cut is at the bottom, that it's straight, and that so much hasn't been cut off that the door is now hollow at the bottom.

• Check that locks are well-installed and do not rattle when the door is closed.

• Check that the exterior doors have been sealed with weather-stripping.

Windows

• Open all windows.

• Determine that locks operate properly.

• Tracks should be lubricated to prevent binding.

• Make sure screens are in place and not torn.

• Look for broken panes.

Walls

• Walk the perimeter of each room, checking floor and ceiling moldings to be sure they are uniform.

• Look for gaps that need caulking, protruding nail heads and proper finish.

• Examine all wall and ceiling surfaces under natural light and, if possible, at night under artificial illumination. Poor drywall work tends to show most when the lights are on.

• Look for visible seams, nail heads that have popped out and other irregularities.

• Be sure the walls are square. Otherwise, the tile floor or patterned vinyl floor will be askew. In such a small space, anything that's out of line will become a constant source of irritation.

• Inspect the wall finishes for uneven paint coverage.

Electrical

• Be sure all wall outlets and switches operate correctly.

• Test light fixtures, making certain they are attached securely and contain the correct-wattage bulbs.

• Locate the main electrical panel and review the function of each circuit breaker and fuse.

• Your new home must be equipped with ground fault and arc fault circuit interrupters (GFCI and AFCI). GFCIs protect bathroom and exterior receptacle circuits, while AFCIs protect bedroom receptacle circuits. Ask your builder how to test these devices.

Flooring

• Tile and vinyl flooring should be clean and free of chips and cracks.

• Check for missing grout, and be sure molding is installed and painted or stained.

• Walk all carpeted areas, checking for loose fits at the edges, ripples in the middle and squeaks in the subfloor.

• Walk across all floors. You should hear only a minimum of squeaks and notice a minimum of spring when walking on the floor. Due to the nature of wood, a wood floor system will have a certain amount of unevenness.

• See that floor coverings have a relatively flat surface.

• Examine seams in carpets and vinyl to ensure they are tight.

• Inspect ceramic tiles for surface cracks. Joints between ceramic tiles should be well-filled with grout.

• Inspect flooring for damage.

• Examine carpeting for stains or shade variations.

Kitchen

• Check countertops for scratches and abrasions, a frequent complaint. Counters are a magnet for toolboxes from every trade.

• Also make sure the cabinets and appliances are level and properly anchored to the wall or secured to the countertops.

• Check all doors and drawers. They should open fully and without binding.

• Ask for the instruction manuals for every appliance in the house – the range, refrigerator, dishwasher, furnace, heat pump, water heater, electronic thermostat, everything.

Bathrooms

• Look for scratches and nicks in the sink as well as the shower enclosure and tub. Workmen like to put their toolboxes there as well.

• Check that the sink and tub stoppers hold water, and that the shower strainer is fastened securely.

• Make certain the toilet is securely fastened to the floor. Don't test the commode by trying to rock the fixture back and forth. That will break a seal that's correctly installed. Just sitting on it is enough to tell if it is tight.

• While sitting there, close the door and take a long, hard look at the walls and other surfaces to make sure they are acceptable. Flaws show up most when semi-gloss paint is used, and that's what bathrooms should be painted with, not flat paint.

• While you're at it, be sure to see if the toilet-paper dispenser is at the right distance and height. If it isn't, you may have to be a contortionist to reach the roll.

• Check for chips in bathtubs, toilets and sinks.

• Ensure that all faucets work properly.

• Check that cabinets are securely fixed to the wall.

• Examine caulking around tub and shower enclosures and at countertop backsplashes.

Heating/Air-conditioning

• Test for cold A/C.

• Check the furnace and hot water heater.

• Ask about the capacity, shut-off mechanisms and the type of filtering systems installed.

• Review the operation of your heating system.

• Locate the furnace filters and ask about their care and maintenance.

• Ensure that heat registers are not located below a thermostat.

• Check the location and number of cold air returns and make sure they are unobstructed.

• Learn the location of any fuel lines (gas, propane or oil) and understand how to operate any shut-off devices on these lines.

Mechanical ventilation

• Locate the switches for ventilation and circulation fans (normally placed near the thermostat).

• Locate supplemental fans and switches in each bathroom and in the kitchen and ensure they are operating. Make sure you understand how to achieve proper ventilation in order to avoid condensation problems which may not be covered under the warranty.

Plumbing

• Locate the shut-off valves for the main water supply and the location of other shut-off valves throughout your home.

Kitchen

• Check for damage to countertops, cupboard doors, sinks and appliances.

• Ensure that cabinet doors are properly aligned.

• Check spaces for standard appliances unless specific measurements were given to your builder. The space allotted for your appliances should be correct.

• Test the range hood fan and light.

• Make sure there are electrical outlets above the counter.

Closets

• Make sure that doors are secure and that they open and close easily

This list was delivered to the house for the builder to let them know how thorough we are going to be.

Lunch photos:

Pantry door swing corrected.

Exhaust pipes coming from roof are crooked.

Arch holes filled.

Missing glass shade replaced.

Missing magazine rack installed.

Weather stripping missing on all doors. Must be waiting for paint.

Power washing the garage and driveway.

After work photos. Well the house was locked. About the only thing I could see was the stupid downspout going right out in the middle of the yard. What an eye sore and hazard.

T post (the first thing put on our lot) removed.

At the end of the day the house is nowhere near ready for a walkthrough. I expressed to the builder that we don't want to waste time walking through a house that isn't finished. So, it has been rescheduled for Monday.

The builder told me that the electrician will be at the house in the morning to wire the missing light in the master bath and painters would be there Friday and Saturday and final city inspection is tomorrow.

Finished Landscape, Filler, Door Stain, Down Spouts and the Schedule

I went to the house this morning to get photos of the finished landscaping.

I was out again at lunch and after work. They filled in holes, caulked cracks, textured, stained the front door, and installed down spouts (rain gutters) at the front of the house. I got a photo of the back yard also.

The walkthrough is scheduled for 10 AM this coming Friday with a tentative Closing September 30th, forcing us to pay another month of rent in our apartment. That sucks. I guess at least we can be super picky on the walkthrough.

Landscaping and Window Screens

The grass arrived today. I didn't see much activity at lunch besides some screens being put on the windows. Oh yeah, and they cleared out the garbage in the garage.

After work photos. The house is locked now so we can't go inside after hours.

Appliances, Hardware and Blinds

I started today off with trying to get the builder to meet me with the house plans. I expressed our concerns. To make a really long story short, we confirmed that there is an oversight in the master bath where the electrician forgot to install a light above the toilet. What I couldn't confirm was the difference in our cabinets compared to the other models that we walked through that match our floor plan. He sent me to the sales rep.

Again, I expressed our concerns. She said the cabinets in the models are upgrades. I asked why we were never offered those upgrades. I got the usual answer, "I don't know."

On the bright side, the GC agreed to let us keep the mis-measured master bath cabinets. We will use them in the garage.

After work, we went to the house. The GC said the grass would be there today. It wasn't. They installed 1/4 round trim, oven/range, microwave, dishwasher, door hardware, closet racks, and blinds.

That doesn't look right.