Yes, that is correct. Homes By Avi's warranty manager has reassured us that they will not abandon us with the present moisture issues we are having. He reassured us that it would not be good for business or Homes by Avi's reputation. We won't say it is the most amicable relationship - they don't want to be here anymore than we want them to be here - but they are here.
However, that is all another post, another day. What we really wanted to do was to take a minute to thank everyone for their support. Our blog has had over 1800 visitors (as you can see, the counter keeps counting!), and has been seen from several countries, including multiple visits from the US, Russia, France, Germany, Australia, United Kingdom and several visits from other countries. Despite the lack of new posts over the last year, we have continued to have people visit the blog, and we have continued to see activity through twitter.
Thank you for your support, your comments, and your passing the information onto your friends, family and co-workers. There is a lot of information pumped out at a person while they are embarking on the home building experience. There are a lot of 'facts & figures' encouraging a person to build a house vs buying a 'used' house. The validity of these claims are questionable, at best. Questions remain regarding quality of build, quality of service, and much more.
We encourage people to go into their experience with eyes wide open. Realise that the sales centre is there for one purpose, and one purpose only - to make sales.
Everyone you talk with throughout your experience is there because they are paid to be there, that they are there because that is their job. They are not there because they want the best for you, because they want to impress you, or even because they need you to pay them. You, as the purchaser, are not in charge, you are not in control throughout the building experience (or warranty period). You are solely the motivation and inspiration behind the building. Everyone you encounter will work for the builder you have hired. They all have to answer to the builder, not you. Even when it appears as though they care, as though you are the one in charge, even when it is followed with a 'don't tell them I said this...' or a 'don't let them tell you this...', they are still answering to your builder. At the end of the day, they need what everyone needs - a job and job security. That, they receive from a happy employer - not you.
So go into your experience eyes wide open. Read our other posts, find out what our experience has been. Talk to others, strangers, co-workers, friends, family - whoever! Ask about their experiences! Go into your experience and demand the best. If you don't know the best, find someone who does and who will demand it. Get your own inspector in to perform inspections at various stages - don't rely on your builder. Trust your instincts when something is off, and when you think everything is going great - second guess those feelings. Never settle. Remember, your time spent building your house and/or dealing with warranty may feel like forever, it may wear you down, break you down, leave you begging for therapy, but in the end, all you have is your house and a hefty mortgage to go along with it. 3 stressful years of what may end up as a nightmare is nothing compared to the next couple decades paying off your mortgage. Don't give up.
Expect that there will be issues. Nothing will save you from this fact. Nobody is immune to this. The only part that you can control is your reaction to it. BECAUSE IT WILL HAPPEN!
At the end of the day, you work hard for your money. Make them work hard for your money too...from beginning to end.
In 2009, there was well over 3000 single detached housing starts in Edmonton. Our house was one of those, and they never let us forget it. We were one amongst those numbers. The only position in the priority line that we ranked, was the position we put ourselves in. Fight.
