Just heard a commercial on the radio tonight.
“You Build It”, and save 30% on the cost of building your new home. Call (420) *–** ( didn’t cath anything but the area code).
It went on to say that for the busy person, they would be put in touch with professional builders that would consult and arrange the contracting of your new home….blah, blah…
Has anyone else heard this scam in thier area, and does the deal come with an “auto-hammer”?
I’ll call the local home builders association in the morning, but for now I am just wondering if anyone else has heard this stuff.
Replies
Dave
I have heard from a customer who was going to act as the general on their new house, that a company was available to "guide" you through the process. They would supposedly lay out the process, directing you from finance to punch list or any amount of thereof. Prints drawn, material list ........Charge commensurate with the amount of guidance. It fills another void in the diy chain.
She didn't use them, but she did pick my brain. Their house turned out nice and only moderately behind schedule. She did a good job. Drank tequila with her (contractor tradition) at a clam bake.
__________________________________________
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Drank tequila with her (contractor tradition) at a clam bake.
Ah, Calvin.... A clam bake? In or near Toledo?
"Down by the banks of the River Maumee"
(Da dah da dahnt, da da dahnt)
"Ah I love dat dirty water
Lucas County you're my home"
(Da dah da dahnt, da da dahnt)!
Sort of bob, she built in P'burg but the clams were in BG. She can power down mezcal. Not too classy, spills salt all over. Nice woman tho, a great family and a decent job at contracting. Her skin is a little thicker now I'm sure.
you and I still got to meet for that libation. Make a point of it. One of us has to swim.__________________________________________
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
There's a company in Seattle who advertises on the radio lately that they can teach anyone to remodel their own kitchen for "a fraction of the price" of having it done professionally. They sell advice, cabinets, installations, probably other stuff like flooring, countertops, appliances...maybe framing and drywall supplies. I think it's called "United Jobbers".
What the heck, some people just need a little advice, some need a lot. Some people still work at their own profession and hire others to work on their homes. I think the romanticism of building, or remodelling your own home is still pretty common. I know that's what I like doing.
Now vehical mecahnics? I'll hire that done at the drop of a hat.
Look at President Homes (formly know as Lanvest Homes).
http://www.presidenthomes.com/
The call it Ownere Involved Building.
They are in the northern plain states and some of the SW states.
I did not mean to imply that I think DIY home building is a bad thing. I have worked for and with many DIY homes builders and remodelers. Most of the time I have enjoyed the work and the friendship that developed has been long lasting. I believe that part of what make this such a great nation is the "can do" spirit that is so much a part of our heritage.
I guess I was just surprised that someone took what we all seem to normally do to a new level. My first thought was "scam", because of the professed savings of 30% on a new custom home. I have built a few contract homes and consulted or coordinated on a few owner built homes. Budget control was always the hardest part of the project on any of them, and yet here is someone advetising that they can save an owner/builder 30%. That seems pretty bold to me. Is that a savings of 30% off of what one of thier consulting builders would build it for?
The commercial did not imply that thier would be any "sweat equity" involved, just a big savings because you would be given all the guidelines and step by step procedures that the professionals use.
I guess it just come down to the old saying that if it sounds to good to be true, it probably isn't. I have seen and heard too many horror stories from clients that were burned by remodelers and builders that make those same kind of promises.
Jim, I feel the same way about automobile repair. I pay and gripe,but know better than to attempt anything but the simplest thing myself.
Dave
Bill,
I looked into Landvest homes before but I don't think they sell in Ohio any more.I was interested because they say they guarantee bank financing with the homeowner being the GC.They want to sell you a big material package though with minimum substitutions.They would never quite identify exactly what was in the package.I just think it would be awfully easy for them to put a bunch of seconds,returns,and crap nobody else would buy into the package and you'd have no recourse.
Barry
Barry
Here is the company that Dave was talking about.
http://www.ubuildit.com/
And I see that they have offices in Ohio (Cincy and Toledo)
Dave
I see that Ubuildit has this on their web site "Savings of up to 30% are possible DEPENDING ON YOUR INVOLVEMENT (caps added)".
I have seen ads in the local (Kansas City) paper where they interview homeowners that have used Presidential. From what I have gathered they are fairly flexibable and not tied into a simple plan or their sites, etc.
I don't know anything about either of these companies. But I am a DIY and would be interested in something of this sort is I where to build a new home.