Compromising Quality in Our Home Industry - By: David Abernathy

There are hundreds of qualified, builders out there who take pride in their work, delivering a quality product. But, just as in every competitive industry, there are rotten apples in every barrel. Those who cut corners, cover up mistakes, and basically are concerned more about the bottom line then customer satisfaction, or in some cases safety.

In fact, according to a recent study by JD Power & Associates, deficiencies rose 13% per 100 homes built between 2001 and 2005. The more new homes that were churned out, the more problems that surfaced, and quality workmanship was placed on a back burner in order of priority.

Owner complaints included poor building techniques that resulted in mold, and cost cutting by employing inexperienced college students as supervisors. Here are some of the top building issues that occurred in 2009 - some of which have resulted in millions of dollars in lawsuits.

Chinese Drywall:

For thousands of homeowners in Florida, Virginia and Louisiana, it first it began with an unpleasant smell in the house, unexplained appliance and electrical failures, blackening of pipes and bathroom mirrors, and the worst cases reported respiratory health problems and bloody noses.

Coincidentally, in 2006 and 2007 after enduring severe hurricane damage, the southern states were experiencing a housing boom. Once again, as a way of cutting costs, builders imported cheaper drywall from China, which was later to be found to contain hydrogen sulfide gas. This toxic chemical pollutes air quality and corrodes metal, including plumbing pipes and wiring. Currently, the drywall in thousands of affected homes is being replaced, probably with the more expensive American drywall they should have used in the first place.

Fix and Flip:

Flipping houses is a popular investment scenario where a house is purchased for a reasonable price, money is invested to make it more attractive, and then it is sold at a profit. The trouble is, many of these homes are below standard and require much more work than the owner is prepared to invest. As a result, a few cosmetic changes are made, spending as little as possible, and hiding the more expensive problems lying beneath the surface.

For example, a house that is decades old and requires new wiring, may get some new light fixtures to mask the real problem. The trouble is, many buyers fall for this ploy and end up regretting it down the road.

Upgraded Features on a Downgraded House:

In an effort to keep up with the competition, builders began including upgraded amenities as standard features. Home buying could be compared to visiting your local car dealership. Customers may have been getting the state-of-the-art wiring for internet and security, the sweeping staircase, the high ceilings, but what was being compromised in the basic structure to include these costly features? Buyers were more concerned with keeping up with their neighbors than keeping up with the costs of maintaining some of those not-so-energy-efficient perks, or in ensuring the quality of the home they were buying.

When looking at a home, don't let the smoke and mirrors of the splashy amenities hide the true quality of the house you are purchasing. Do your due diligence and hire a reputable building inspector to help point out some of the issues you can't see.

The sad part of this, is that all these issues could have been avoided. Everyone of these deficiencies occurred as a result of builders compromising quality to save money, and owners standing by, ready to accept that lack of quality.

About the Author

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