Maronda Homes Inc

Review: built my home a little over two years ago. Concrete in garage/driveway is blistering, noted on our 6 mo and 1 year inspection. Have consistently called for it to be repaired. Almost 3 years later it is still not repaired. Also, the air conditioner is broken for the second time. I had to pay to get it repaired last summer and now it is broke again. Heating and cooling specialist indicates that when it was installed the coil was installed touching steel which made it rust. Coil needs replaced. The unit is also too small for the size of house. Numerous phone calls made to [redacted] Heating and Cooling who Maronda instructed to call. Their response was to call Maronda as they were not the one's who installed the unit. Maronda responded to the call saying the warranty is up; however, if the unit was not installed correctly to begin with then they should be responsible despite the warranty. The air conditioner is not even 3 years old and NINE other neighbors all have the same issue with the air conditioner with no resolution from Maronda. Trying to speak to a live person at Maronda is impossible and when you finally do get a response, it is that they will pass the information on.Desired Settlement: This is the last step before pursuing legal action. I want my concrete fixed and the air conditioner replaced, coil to be replaced at no charge to me.

Business

Response:

Regarding the [redacted] address, The driveway issue will be taken care of by Maronda. According to our site supervisor who has been in touch with the homeowner from my understanding, the driveway should be completed in the next 5-7 businesses days, Weather permitting of course. We will have our outside A/C contractor set an appointment with the homeowner to review the issues, and validate any necessary repairs. We have had some issues with coils from our manufacture and this may be the problem. We do use an outside HVAC company for this purpose. The homeowner will be contacted as well within 48hrs from a Maronda representative.

Thank You

[redacted]

Maronda Homes

Review: I bought a Maronda Home back in July 2013. I have had ongoing issues that are just continually ignored. I have sent numerous emails and they have been ignored. I cannot begin to sum up the problems in the 2000 characters that I am allowed on here, but one of the major ones is my yard. That has been a run around since I have moved here. I don't feel that I should have to pay to have it done. The grading is wrong. However, the vice president himself tries to argue that everything is fine. I have a lot of supporting evidence. I tried to go to the township and that didn't work because they work together. You have a one year warranty, I understand, to find the issues in your house. My year is approaching quickly. Another major issue is my carpet. It is matting everywhere. It has been since we moved here. I already know they will say it is fine, but it is not. They have their people come in and look at it and give the answer they want. I upgraded this carpet and it won't last 3 years! Another issue that is being ignored. I have steps going off the back of my deck that are just flat out unsafe. The finish is coming off of my cabinets. The paint, that I paid for, is very cheap and not even done correctly, but you get told that you did a walk through and signed off. A walk through that they rush you through and make you feel like you are wrong for pointing anything out. I paid for the product that I received and I expected it to be done right. Like I said, the list goes on and on. There is concrete sidewalk, driveway, bowed walls, cabinets, deck, yard, bathroom toilet not having a sub floor underneath, heating vent kicking off thermostat before reaching ideal temperature in home, carpet, and veneer that keeps falling off my house.Desired Settlement: There are so many different areas that need addressed that calls for different actions. I am tired of hearing "they won't fix that" or "we will get to that". I have been saying these things for months. Now that I have waited so long, I would like my yard regraded, fertilized with mushroom manure, and seeded with Pennsylvania Bluegrass. I deserve a yard after being here going on a year. It isn't a starter lawn like everyone else gets.

Business

Response:

[redacted]

I will try to address your complaints in order according to the attachment you sent in.

1. The yard has been looked at by many members of Maronda Homes, and has been deemed acceptable. The grading is acceptable, and is doing its job. Maronda Homes grades the lots so that water does not enter the home. We cannot guarantee water will not run across or around the yards. Water run off is acceptable around the home, and that is the purpose of the swails that where installed during the grading process. When grading is done in plans of homes, water will sometimes have to be diverted from other lots into thye " common" areas of the homes in order to disperse this water to the proper areas. Maronda Homes does install a starter lawn. As stated in our handbook you recieved at closeing, the starter lawn will most likley require, overseeding, fertilizer, and water. We do not warrant against nature IE: rain storms that may wash out freshly done yards. In this event, we do supply service loads of top soil for regrading. Should you want this service load of soil, a request to our service department will need to be emailed in. We do not fertilize or use mushroom manure on yards.

2. Veneer on house. I understand a couple have been fixed, but you show no others have fallen off. We cannot fix something that has not broken. The effervescence in the stone is a natural occurring event, in that the lime in the stone leeches through tot the front. This may take some time for the stone to weather completely and wear off. In some cases scrubbing the areas will lessen the appearance until it dissipates.

3. Carpet - Due tot he fact that this is a performance related issue, the homeowner can contact the manufacture and submit a claim as well to them. The care and maintenance guide is also located in our handbook, along with the appropriate number for contacts. [redacted] is responsible for repairs and replacement of the product in the event it needs replaced. They do not have a say in how the floor is preforming or maintained, and therefore the manufacture will need to be invoked. I do prologize for the lack of response from them.

4. Deck - We have been to the home to look at the deck, and are sturdy and level. The bottom step may be higher than the other due to grading. When the steps are installed, they are brought down on an even riser size, and the last step is at what height meets the ground. The stepping stone or other source as your husband has done is the correct action to support the bottom riser.

5. Furnace - I will have to get the report from our third party tester to verify the outcome of this issue. I have sent for this report today, and will notify the homeowner of any repairs needed.

6. Bowed Walls - We do use kiln dried quaility lumber in the construction of out homes. With that being said, not every board is milled perfectly, or shrinks and expands during construction. We do a frame check on the home, and it is acceptable to be up to 3/8 " tolerance for walls over a 6' of wall space. If this is found to be above that we will return to look at it.

7. - Concrete sidewalk, We have reviewed the concrete at the apron to the driveway. It is possible that salt possibly helped cause the scaling of the concrete, but appears to be chipped of as apposed to scaling. We will review again, but looks to be chipped concrete from vehicles or construction equipment. We will have our supervisor review this again this week.

8.Driveway - Depending on the heat and curing of the asphalt, it is possible for the truck to leave slight depressions. If it is leaving these marks where the tires are are at then that would be the cause. If they are elsewhere, maronda does warrant for sink spots over 2" as described in the homeowners guide.

9. -Cabinet Doors - Depending on the finish color ( Assuming its twilight) the finish is a dark color stain, and the manufacture aware of this issue. The dark color is more suitable to wear than other from the stain company. We can supply the homeowner with a touch up kit as well as can be provided by the manufacture. Masco Cabinetry. I will have a kit dropped off to the this week.

10. - Bathroom Vanity, - Maronda Homes does not warrant cabinetry or vanity's after the p resettlement inspection, But we can have our service manager in the area stop to look at it to make sure there is not an underlying cause to it other than the material bowing.

11. - Bathroom toilet - I have reviewed this with out plumber, and he did let me know of the issue and what needed to be done. Im not sure if [redacted] has contacted you, but we will have our service manager call you and will work with ** to get it corrected.

Thank You,

Maronda Homes.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

1. Yard: There is NO WAY that I will accept my yard as being acceptable. There is not water run off in my yard, there is a swamp. A swamp that sits there for days. [redacted]. has told me time and time again it would be fixed and that I was on the list to get it fixed, but it has not happened. If it is designed to do that, I would not be the ONLY yard that is filled with a pond for days after it rains. If you look out my bathroom window, you see a square around my whole property in which the water lays. That is not a "swail" that is done on purpose. I am so tired of hearing the same excuses over and over again. I never had an issue until you filled the neighbors yard in. Now, I have a wetlands in my back yard. Not to mention, it is creeping up next to my deck! Which, may I mention, is by my house. Take ownership for the problem Maronda created! There is no person that is going to tell me a yard is designed to have water LAY in it for DAYS! People are out, now, cutting their grass and I have WATER LAYING! Is my yard designed for that??? I attached a picture of my yard, right now as I write this, as well as my neighbor cutting their grass because they don't have a swamp! Maybe if there were actually top soil instead of clay it would go into the ground! And you want to blame rain wash out??? In only my yard??? How convenient.

2. Veneer: Of course you cannot fix something that is not broken, however, being that it is already falling off, I am curious if you will fix it after my year or will you make that our fault too??

3. Carpet: If I were to contact the manufacturer regarding that carpet, I could have been told that in NOVEMBER when I reported it. Yes, I have the manual, I think that I know how to take care of a carpet. Once again, Maronda trying to blame the homeowner instead of taking responsibility for their crap products.

4. Deck: First, my husband should not have to fix your mistakes. Second, the bottom step is not bolted in!!!! The two bolts to the left side (facing the steps) are not in at all. You can see them. And you are telling me that is safe? And they are FLOATING!

5. Furnace: That was done in January. Shouldn't you have a report by now?

6. Bowed Walls: 3/8" sure is huge.

7. Concrete Sidewalk: We did not use salt on the sidewalk. Another thing that I KNEW you would say. Make it the customers fault again. And construction vehicles?? Like the ones that are from YOUR construction sites turning around in MY driveway??? Look at the ruts in my yard from YOUR trucks! Prove it wasn't YOUR construction vehicle that hurt the cement!

8. Driveway- Slight depression??? It is big

9. Cabinet doors- I would appreciate the kit since (yes it is twilight) you cannot find a color close to that in the stores.

10. Vanity- Thanks

11. Bathroom toilet- Thanks.

My MAJOR concern is my yard. Everything else, to me, is minor. I am so fed up with being told that my yard is normal. It is not. I should not have to invest money into a yard that was not done right to begin with. Like I said, Maronda messed up my yard when they fixed the neighbors!

Regards,

Business

Response:

After further review, and documented pictures that are attached, the conclusion is as follows.

1.- In photos 1A/1B, Water should not be standing longer than 24hours. One spot In the yard, and in the photos was. This area outlined in the pictured, will be filled, regarded, and reseeded. Once this is completed, it is the homeowners responsibility to maintain water and soil erosion if needed due to inclimate weather. This area will be corrected, by Maronda Homes

2.- We do not know if a future problem will be present, or issues that may arise. If there are any other issues, that fall within the one year period they are warranted, and will be corrected.

3.- The carpet was selected by the homeowner, and if not preforming to the their standards, the manufacture will need to be contact and a claim submitted. Matting, depending on use, can be normal. I am not saying it is a homeowner fault, just that the carpet is not having a warrantable complaint. Our stance on matting is it is normal in some carpets, and on how the carpet is used and cared for. Again this is not a blaming situation, but purely a stance according to the flooring guidelines in the homeowner handbook.

4.- The bottom step is bolted in. The bolts shown in photograph #4, hold the stair stringer to the vertical post. The steps are perfectly secure. There is about 3/8" vertical movement of post attributed to soil settlement most likely. It has been shimmed w/ metal shims to minimize the vertical movement.

5.-The report has been followed up on, and we will have a contractor contact the homeowner ASAP to schedule any service that may need done.

6.- The wall variance is building standards, and not Maronda Home's. If the wall is within its limitations, no action is required.

7.- This is not a blaming situation. It does not have to be the salt that the homeowner puts down, but any that is on the roads and brought in on tires etc. The point being, the walkway to the left and right of the driveway have no issues, and was poured at the same time. It could be contributed from equipment when installing landscaping. There where small excavators running over this at that time. Pictures of this are in 7a/7b. It could have been anyone's trucks, and we cannot prove wither way.

8.- Photos 8A/8C show the small depressions in the driveway. This may be due to the vehicles parked in the driveway, but are over the policy limit, and therefore Marodna will cut out and patch these areas. There are 3 sections for this. This will be a patch, and it cannot be guaranteed the asphalt will match perfectly. This will be a repair we will do if wanted by the homeowner.

Thank You,

[redacted] Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

I do not feel that your rebuttal will fix the issues that I have. Therefore, I will clarify and also need more clarity from you before I can agree upon anything.

If you fill in and regrade the spot between my neighbor’s yard (facing the back, to the right) and mine, how is that going to fix the issue that my yard is still COLLECTING all of the water from the adjacent properties to the left side of me? I had a [redacted] Township Inspector and The [redacted] out here. Both agree that the grading in my back yard is done improperly. As far as the conservation goes, there was nothing that you were doing that was illegal, but they did give me a report even stating how the grading was WRONG! The Findlay Township Inspector is supposed to get back to me. I would imagine that he should be able to come up with something because I looked up codes online. It is against township regulation [redacted] that storm drainage should not be diverted to adjacent property owners in order to prevent injury to health, safety or other property. I have attached a picture, clearly showing, how the water from 2 of my neighbors drains into my yard. I do not wish to have a swale re dug between my house and the house to the left of me. That is the only nice grass I have, in which I paid for! The only solution that I can see is to dig a small trench and put in a drain. That is the only thing to stop the neighbor’s water from flowing through my yard. I will say this again, you created this problem. These lots were never graded right.

Also, in your home owners’ manual, in which you love to refer to, it also says that soil will be supplied (I know, without labor and in the driveway) one time to fill the areas that sink around the house. I would like that as well, but being that will just be dropped off, it has to be when my husband has time to mess with it. So, when we are ready.

I would like to know the glue used to put the stone on. It is funny because I had [redacted], the one service guy, here and another stone fell off. They must really be on good.

I reported the carpet issue to Maronda in November 2013. That is 4 months after moving here. “Your manual” doesn’t suggest having carpets cleaned until 6 months, so I guess that wasn’t my fault. And I only own one of the best vacuum cleaners, a Dyson, so I don’t think it is that, so whatever. You put the carpet in, I was told to contact [redacted] said to contact you, now I am being told to contact the manufacturer. Once again, I have documentation for all of this. So, now I get the run around.

I do not see any kind of metal shims on the deck steps at all.

Still nothing on furnace report?

I haven’t gotten a kit for my cabinets. I am supposed to have some guy come look at them, waiting for that appointment, as per [redacted].

There have been guys working around here doing concrete. I had them look at my sidewalk and ALL agree that is not salt damage, nor is it from vehicles. They agree that it looks like the top layer is peeling off. Maybe it got too hot or whatever. I have several pictures attached that show #1 the sidewalk is chipping in more areas than where “vehicles” drive. It is, in fact, chipping other places. I can physically point that out if you want me to since you can’t see it. #2. In the pictures you can clearly see that my sidewalk looks completely different than the sidewalks next to mine. Almost like moisture is leaking out. #3. I am not the only one with a sidewalk that looks like that, maybe just the only one that is saying something. I can walk all over the neighborhood and take pictures of sidewalks that are doing that same thing, and they did not have landscapers there. Once my year is up, I would be responsible to fix those sidewalks and I do not want to be liable for something that is already falling apart. They need fixed.

They did not “cut out” the bad spots of the drive way. They put cold patch right in the depressions that were there. Like that would last.

So, to sum it up

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->I would like a drain in my yard

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->I would like to know the glue used on the stone

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3. <!--[endif]-->Know where the sheet metal is on my deck

<!--[if !supportLists]-->4. <!--[endif]-->Know the outcome on the furnace thing

<!--[if !supportLists]-->5. <!--[endif]-->Get the kit to fix my cabinet and find out when the cabinet rep is coming out.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->6. <!--[endif]-->Have sidewalks replaced or fixed.

Regards,

Business

Response:

1. If you can provide us with the report stating that the grading is wrong, that may be help full. We met with the township inspector personally to review your lot and the neighbors lots as well. To clarify, we are redoing the grading and swail of the neighbors lot, which will in turn reduce the amount of water go onto your lot and the swail between you and your neighbors home. As the township put it, they do not review the grading, or handle the grading of those lots to our understanding. They only take care of the storm water at the street. Water is aloud to pass over in moderation adjoinig lots in order to divert the water to the storm sewers and away from the houses. mAs far as the service load of top soil, that is fine. Please send your request to [redacted], and we can get that in line.

2.

3. I understand the frustration, and to an extent the run around you have gotten. I apologize for this, but it was sent to our flooring contractor, who in turn, has decided that a performance related issue will need the manufacture involved. I cannot say either way why the carpet is not performing up to you standards, but matting of the carpet doe snot fall under the warrany of the manufacture. That is why it will need them to look at and decide if possibly there is an issue with the material.

4. The metal shims would have been placed under the deck to support it and level the steps out.

5. We did receive the furnace report, and have attached it to the email. it does state that the air flow is ok, and rooms had maintained temperature to within 1-1 1/2 deg. which is acceptable. It does state that the thermostat does need replaced which I have created a work ticket for today.

6. I will send for another touch up kit for the cabinets. I will have our office copy you on the email to the rep when we send for them today. I will also ask for a date if they are able to give to me for the finish performance as well.

7. We also agree that it is in the top layer of the concrete, and that can be caused by salt, or traffic. We are not saying we dont see, and have looked at it personally as well. Spalling of the concrete can happen due to a few different things. The top layer is the cream layer and most susceptible to adverse conditions. Quite possibly due to the extreme cold snap we have had over the winter. The following is from many online concrete sites, and lists some possible reasons for spalling of the concrete. It is a natural occurance in the concrete, and can happen at various times. There are many products on the market to help rectify this, and are available at many home stores should the homeowner be inclined to do so.

Spalling: Definition (Concrete Spalling and Repair)

Review: I moved into a new construction home from Maronda on September 29, 2014. My furnace failed in May of 2015 and now this TEMPSTAR furnace Model # N9MSE1002120A Serial # [redacted] will only work with the door off. This leaves the burners exposed.Desired Settlement: Fix the furnace. First it sits the wrong way. This does not let the water drain properly. It fills the inducer fan motor with water which splashes into the hose for the pressure switch. These two components are very close together. Once the water covers the hole for the pressure switch it immediately turns off the furnace and flashes a code 3. The other issue is the vent tubes are not installed properly. They two are installed wrong. They tilt back towards the furnace allowing some water to drain back down into the inducer. Some of the water must also be freezing and building up in the tubes causing a restriction.

Business

Response:

Dear Mrs. [redacted], I was able to pull the information on the homeowner and furnace issue. The malfunction in the unit in May was due to a dead bird(s) in the pipe and inducer motor, and not to a faulty instillation. I have attached a copy of the invoice for your records from our HVAC company. The home was purchased sept. of 2014 and the one year warranty has expired. We have found no other complaints with the furnace in that time frame other than the one complaint which was caused by the bird(s). I am willing to send our HVAC company to the home again if needed, but would result in a billable call to the homeowner. Thank You, Bob G[redacted] Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

Review: Purchased home in March 2014. Part of the contract included having our yard de rocked and grass planted. After waiting a year a company finally came today. They did not de rock our yard all they did was spray the seed in the bare spots that's not weed covered. I have pictures of the rocks that are sprayed over. Numerous emails and phone calls went unanswered previously. To wait a year to have the original work corrected and this is the result is unacceptable.Desired Settlement: I want my yard completed correctly per our agreement when the home was purchased. I should not have rocks the size of an adult foot sticking out every where. The rocks are visible.

Business

Response:

We have completed the repair of Mr. [redacted]s yard, and to the best of our knowledge is satisfactory to the homeowner. Our landscaper may need to spread more seed as a courtesy this week. Thank You,[redacted]Maronda Homes.

Review: Discrimination. I am the only minority in the street and my lawn was seeded horribly in the middle of July. I watered it in the morning and evening for 2 weeks, the weeds were growing all over my yard. I sent an email to Maronda Home Service in regards to the issue and I was told they would look into it. I sent another email and ask if I still need to water my lawn, there was no response. So I kept watering even there were no seeds on the ground, and sent an email to complaint. They send someone to my house and told me I did not water my lawn which is a pure insult of human intelligence. I was told to give them a copy of my water bill at the sales center yesterday, so this afternoon I went to deliver the water bill, there was nobody in. I do not see any reason why Maranda Home Service should provide me with poor service other than I am the only minority in the street, and all my neighbors yards are done beautifully.Desired Settlement: give me a definite answer that is when they will to redo my lawn by the end of September 10, 2014

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]:

Attached you will find 2 files. The first is a document that Mr [redacted] signed as a part of his sales agreement, "Excerpt from Maronda Homeowner's Service Policy Handbook" which explains in detail our agreement regarding a starter lawn and the homeowner's obligations and Maronda's warranty of said starter lawn. The second is a series of photos, the first is two pics of MR. [redacted]s front yard and remaining pics are of other homeowners on his street that were installed by the same landscaper , using the same procedure and during the same planting season.

The first issue to be addressed is Mr. [redacted] allegation of discrimination. First , discrimination is against the law and Maronda simply does not discriminate on any level. While Mr. [redacted] may be the only minority on his street, there are many other customers in not only [redacted] but in all of our communities that are from a multitude of different nationalities. There have been numerous minority families that have cared for their yard as described in their warranty books and have no lawn issues but there have been some that have not and we have held them to the same responses and standards as we have Mr. [redacted].

Secondly, while Mr. [redacted] may have watered morning and evening for two weeks, there are other factors that are involved per our "Excerpt...Handbook" that is attached. It is not just about watering twice a day. and he does not describe how long he watered it or whether it was with a hand held or yard sprinkler. The soil must be saturated over the entire yard, especially during the summer months and given the fact we have checked Mr. [redacted]s yard early on on at least 3 occaisions and found it to be bone dry., we doubt seriously if enough water was applied. The other factors that involve promoting a healthy lawn as described in the attachment are 1. fertilizing the lawn, which has not been done 2. overseeding , which has not been done 3. weeding, which obviously has not been done. All three of things not being done have contributed to the current condition of Mr. [redacted]'s yard. In addition, another contributing factor is that we have had several extremely hard rains throughout the summer in this area and there is the distinct possibility that some or a large portion of the grass seed may have washed away before it germinated. Once again, that is not warranted per our agreement because rain and the resulting washout of seed is something we cannot control.

We believe Mr. [redacted]s complaint is without merit and his yard issue is a result of his lack of maintenance and not following the procedures that he agreed to in the purchase of his home. We have found that some home owners that are not able or willing to devote the necessary time and effort, which incidently takes two growing seasons to establish a healthy yard,have purchase yard sprinklers with timers and/or hire lawn maintenance contractors to maintain their yards. Maintenance of landscaping is quite simply not the responsibility of the Home Builder.

Best regards,

V.P. Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

Review: In April 2013 we moved into a Maronda Home. Shortly thereafter we began having siding issues with the siding buckling and falling off. Maronda would fix the piece and the siding would continue to fall off in the same area as well as other areas. We were told by the Maronda service contractors, as well as an independent contractor the siding was installed incorrectly. It was nailed too tight, and in many cases not nailed into the studs but rather styrofoam backing. I have continuously asked Maronda to reinstall all siding, as this is the only way to properly correct the issue. In the fall of 2014 Maronda did a whole house inspection and said the problem was resolved. They refused to reinstall all the siding. In the spring of 2015 we again had siding falling off our home, the same issue. Since April I have been emailing the service department again asking for all the siding to be reinstalled and corrected. Since April I have been told that the Service Manager will contact me, but I hear nothing. I cannot get a response back from the Service Manager.Desired Settlement: Have Maronda correct the siding that was admittedly installed incorrectly. To do this, siding for the entire house will need to be reinstalled.

Business

Response:

Dear. Mrs [redacted], I will have our service manager return to the home with the original installer and review the siding. We will have them check over the house thoroughly and address any problems that are found. We will not remove the siding, but have the contractor lift each section to determine nailing pattern and nail location. I will have our service manager schedule this with the homeowner. HE will call and coordinate this with the homeowner next week. Thank You, Bob [redacted] Maronda Homes

Review: home was closed on in November. yard was not able to get done from the weather. An escrow was set up to protect me if the work was not finished by July 1 2015 as it stated in final contract. After numerous emails and phone calls I was not responded back too with an answer. 3 other yards were finished before mine. One excuse was the vp was not there and no one could make the decision that was roughly 2 weeks ago. 2 other issues were not resolved yet either. One was an exposed power wire running to my lamp pole that was sent on 7/10/15. the other issue was settling dirt under air conditioner that email complaint to them was sent on 5/16/15 still not contacted about that issue either.

Business

Response:

Dear. Mrs. [redacted] , I spoke with the supervisor and the yard has been installed. I believe this took place last week. We are scheduling a contractor to return to the home for the electrical wire and soil. I hope to have this done by next Friday. Thank You,Bob G[redacted]

Review: My husband and I built a home through Maronda in the [redacted] development in October 2013. Prior to closing, there was a large stream of water that ran down the side of our yard, completely washing out the yard on to the community sidewalk. This was mentioned at the walk through punch list and we were told it would be taken care of prior to closing. Maronda's solution was not to fix the water problem, rather to blanket the area with a piece of mesh. The water continued to run under the mesh and down our yard, washing away any grass that had been planted (the yard that was promised to us as part of our contract was never completely planted and what was there washed away). Over the winter it created a very dangerous situation where inches thick of ice formed on our sidewalk from the runoff. We were outside nearly every day attempting to remove this ice. I had contacted Maronda Customer Service in May 2014 to let them know that the issue was not yet resolved. Again, a piece of mesh was placed over the area, but the water continued to run below. No grass has ever been able to grow in this location because of the size of the water run off (now about 4" deep and 6" wide). I also contacted Maronda in August 2014, and again about 2 weeks ago and have never been contacted about repairs. We are unable to grow and maintain any grass and water continues to pour on to our community side walk, creating damage to the sidewalk and dangerous ice conditions in the winter.Desired Settlement: We would like a water mitigation system, such as a french drain system, to be installed to correctly and permanently repair the issue which was to be repaired as part of our contractual agreement (Final walk through Punch List), and the yard which was severely damaged by water to be repaired and reseeded.

Business

Response:

Maronda Homes will have our landscape company return to the home to fill in with soil where needed and reseed the area in question. We will also review with the homeowner, the water run off issue and what if anything can be changed. We will have our production supervisor call the homeowner no later than 5/14/15 to set a time for review with them. Maronda homes does not install french drains, and as such water run is done by swails and grading. This will also be reviewed at that appointment. Thank You,[redacted]Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

It is now 05/20/15 and I have not been contacted regarding this issue by Maronda Homes, even though their response stated they would contact us no later than 05/14/15. In addition, we do not believe the claim that Maronda Homes does not install water drainage systems as we are aware they resolved a similar problem with a neighbor on our street by installing a drainage system, as well as installing one for the new home being built on our street right now with a similar issue. The water issue at our home is more severe than being treated with a swail or grading, but the builder has not made any attempt to visit our property to see and repair the damage.

Regards,

Business

Response:

Our supervisor did reach out to the homeowner and meet with her, and the issue with the yard and grading is done or in process as of this email. Thank You, [redacted] Maronda Homes

Review: February 22, 2014

To whom it may concern:

My husband Paul and I bought the home at [redacted] in September of 2012. At the time the house was 3 years old.

On the evening of January 26th 2014, as I was retrieving a glass from one of the kitchen cupboards, the top half of the cupboard gave way and detached from the wall.

I was fortunate enough to notice the cupboard coming loose and was able to hold it in position as I called for my husband and children to come and help me. Fortunately only one of the glasses from inside the cupboard fell to the ground shattering.

My husband quickly came over to hold the cupboard while my son and daughter and I unloaded all of the glasses from the cupboard. We then put a trash container on the counter and it was just tall enough to hold the cupboard fairly well in place and prevent it from falling further.

I am 5’ tall at age 49. I feel very fortunate that I was able to act quickly enough to prevent myself from getting seriously injured in this situation. I shudder to think of what may have happened if I hadn't been as quick, or, God forbid, one of my children was getting a glass and the cupboard fell on them.

Monday morning, January 27th, I attempted to get a hold of Maronda homes by going to their website. I wanted to make them aware of the situation. In my opinion, a cupboard should not fall off the wall in 20 or 30 years in any home, let alone one that is only five years old. I “chatted” with Trent, who assured me that someone would get back to me soon, as this was a very important problem.

Tuesday the 28th, I called a number that I found online and left a voice message. I also left an on-line service request. With each request, I left my cell phone number.

Wednesday the 29th, I called the number, left another service request, called a new number that my real estate agent gave me, “chatted” with [redacted] (who, by the way also assured me that someone would get back to me very soon, as this was a very important problem.) With each request, I left my cell phone number.

Thursday the 30th, I did about the same thing I did on Wednesday. However, Thursday at 11:13 a.m. I received the following email.

Ms. [redacted],

Maronda gives a one year warranty for the original homeowner who purchased his house back in 2008. Since you are not listed as the original homeowner, I am presuming you are the second homeowner. Maronda will not be doing anything regarding this issue.

I apologize for you being told this would be addressed as they obviously did not realize you were the second homeowner and Maronda would not be doing anything.

Regards, [redacted] Customer Service CoordinatorMaronda HomesPhone: ###-###-#### Ext. 147Fax: ###-###-####Email: [redacted]

Let me tell you that it is very disappointing that you decided that you would not do anything in this case without even talking to us.

We moved to the area from out of town when we bought this house. We do not know workmen that can help us correct such a problem, and you didn't even give us the courtesy of a return call.

We did find someone to help us since you let us know you weren't interested in providing even the most basic assistance. We took pictures of the entire process and were stunned to find what we now have well documented.

Your workmen failed to follow basic building standards and quality work procedures when they put up the cabinet.

Only one screw on the top of the cabinet was secured to a stud in the wall. A second one nearby, was at an angle, missing the stud. All other screws were not even close to where the studs were in the wall.

Next, the screws that were used ranged from 1 1/4” to 2”. I looked online and saw that the standard minimum length for these types of cabinets is 2 1/2”.

Now I can understand you only offering a one year warranty, but it makes me question your professional integrity when you won't even take the time to determine if there may have been an issue with your workmanship. I would believe that a reputable builder would be very interested when finding out that a situation such as ours has occurred in one of the “quality” homes you built and would want to know why.

We are both, you and I, very fortunate that I was not injured or killed as a result of the obvious poor workmanship of your crews. Just because it took five years for the screws to work themselves out of the drywall does not make the workmanship ok.

We are aware that this has happened to others in this neighborhood, so this is not an isolated incident.

I would very much appreciate you giving us a call and sending someone to our house to properly inspect the workmanship of the remaining cabinets.

I will tell you that I am, to this point, very dissatisfied with my experience with Maronda Homes.

I am looking forward to you working to correct that experience for me.

[redacted]Desired Settlement: Repairs

Business

Response:

While we are sorry this incident occurred, unfortunately, Maronda or any other Builder provides no warranty like this on a 5 year home. Our warranty extends to the original buyer only and we have had no indications from our original buyer that there was any issues with their kitchen cabinets during the three years they owned the home. Under normal use and loads, cabinets should not fall of the wall. We cannot determine how much weight or how the cabinet was used but given the fact that there has been no prior issues in 5 years we can only assume that it was overloaded beyond acceptable loads or it was pulled on improperly at some point. Even if the cabinet were improperly installed and normal use occurred, this issue would have surfaced long before 5 years.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Regards,

Review: We contracted with Maronda Homes in 11/13 to build a home on lot 123 in the [redacted] Neighborhood. The home was finished in July 2014. The [redacted] Resilient Sheet Flooring installed throughout the home is loosing its bonding in every area of the house it is installed. The failed bonding is causing significant bubbling and wrinkling throughout. In the master bath, the entire sheet is loose and water is infiltrating under the floor. I have submitted multiple service requests beginning on 8-13-14. We closed on the purchase of this new home on 7-30-14. The failure began within days of moving in. A service person came once early on to inject adhesive into some of the bubbles. The failure has continued and spread to all areas installed. I have had several responses from [redacted] from Maronda Homes acknowledging the issue, the latest occurring on 12-18-14. I still await any positive plan or time frame on resolution. The condition worsens by the day and is completely unacceptable.Desired Settlement: All resilient flooring in my home must be replaced in accordance to the [redacted] Warranty that accompanied my closing paperwork. Any repair effort is unacceptable. As the flooring was installed underneath all the kitchen and bath cabinetry and plumbing fixtures before they were installed, all must be removed and properly re installed after the flooring replacement at the complete expense of Maronda Homes including all labor. As an alternative we would entertain a cash settlement offer.

Business

Response:

The homeowner and I have been in communication via email a number of times, the last of which was Jan. 28. I have let the customer know that we well will correct the problem a number of times. Our flooring contractor is backlogged with a multitude of services of the same as Mr. [redacted] We are working with the flooring company to get these issues correct as soon as possible. We are correcting these issues in the order they came in, and once we get to the customer, they will assess the flooring and make the correction deemed necessary according with the manufacture guide lines. Thank You,[redacted]Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear belowin response to Mr [redacted], we have been in communication three times now with no timeframe of how or when this will be resolved. In fact, last week at my 6 month warranty inspection, [redacted], a Maronda employee in charge of service and warranty issues told me that my issue wasn't even registered in Maronda's system or he would know. I find that hard to believe as he personally responded to my initial service complaint on August 18, 2014. It is clear that I am being sold a bill of goods. ** Floors, the flooring contractor has plenty of time on their schedule to complete new construction floor installs, but no time for warranty issues. 5 houses have been fully completed across the street from my house since the August 18 complaint. I have begun legal proceedings. My wife and I read all the complaints but still were sold on the sincerity of the Salesman and his promise. I regret ever building with Maronda and would advise anyone to do their homework and be very careful who they trust with a project of this scale involving such risk and cost.

Regards,[redacted]

Business

Response:

I have contacted the flooring contractor to get an ETA for repair/replacement. We do apologize for the delay, but again, our flooring contractors are working on the backlog and getting the repairs taken care of in order and as fast as possible. While we do understand that the time frame is lengthy, and unacceptable to the homeowner, the issue will be dealt with ASAP. We do apologize for the time frame in which the repairs are taking. As for the service manager, he would not have gotten the ticket for this. I have checked our system, and we do show the complaint entered on 8-13. Should the homeowner feel that legal counsel is necessary, we would, once received, forward to ours unfortunately. We hope to get to the homeowners issues soon. I will forward the information from our flooring contractor to the homeowner.Thank You,[redacted]Maronda Homes

Review: I recently closed on my brand new construction home (June 20th, 2014) and was told to contact the service department with any issues we experienced and someone would get right back to us. On July 14th I submitted an email as well as called the service department to deal with 3 issues we were having. To this day I still do not have resolution and have only received one call, over two weeks ago, telling me they would get back to me shortly.Having made a large purchase which comes with a 1 year warranty through the builder I would expect someone at least contact me back within a reasonable amount of time to solve my issues.Desired Settlement: To be contacted by the service department in order to resolve my outstanding issues.

Business

Response:

Our service manager will contact the homeowner by end of business day today. He can review any outstanding issues with the homeowner.

Thank You

Review: My husband and I purchased our first new construction home from Maronda and closed in late January. The exterior of our home was not completed at the time (paved driveway, lawn). We refused to close without a front walkway which was poured the day of our walk-through and covered in tarps so we could not see the finished product. We closed on our home and soon noticed that our walkway was discolored and had worker's boot prints embedded in the concrete. Throughout the winter our front steps also sank and separated from the house. Our neighbor had been told by Maronda (we were not informed) that we would be getting a new walkway as it was also crooked.

In April we finally were informed our back alley and driveways would be paved. Our finished product did not match the other units referenced during our sales negotiation. The driveway is not functional and an additional 4 feet is required from having to back out into what is supposed to be a grassy area. Our driveway drops off and is narrow. Three people have twisted their ankles getting out of vehicles due to the narrow structure and sudden drop off. Our unit is an end unit and our driveway stops 3 feet short (width) of our retaining wall, which was paved in the units next to us.

I have sent numerous emails and made phone calls to no avail until today. Maronda's solution to our sunken front walk was to put caulking between the walk and the house. This is extremely poor and unacceptable. We still have received no communication from a supervisor as the few emails I received stated would occur.Desired Settlement: Replace front steps and walkway with new pavement. Pave an additional 4 feet (minimum) behind driveways so owners can move vehicles safely and without damaging tires or landscaping. Pave our driveway to the retaining wall to make uniform with other units in the community.

Business

Response:

Dear Mrs. [redacted], I have had a chance to review the lots in question, and spoke with our production supervisor for any original issues. After review of the sidewalk I was able to see a discoloration in the surface of the concrete. I was not able to see a boot print or depression, but was raining and was not sure if it was a color mark only. We will have our service manager contact the homeowner and if wanted we will apply a sealer to the concrete to even the color out. What can happen, and appears in this case, is that the lime and water mixed on top of the concrete and caused a color variance of the top coat. This should wear evenly over time, but we are willing to make the above correction if wanted. We will also look at the front steps for the homeowner, and if warranted we can make a correction. As for the driveway, it is the correct size and length according to the prints. Each unit is done differently, and is required to be to the end of the unit, not to the end of the retaining wall. The drive way is the correct length. No further action is needed for the driveway or right of way on these units. Thank You, Bob G[redacted] Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

We do not accept the response by Maronda. In reference to our walkway, we would like action to be taken by replacement. According to the Maronda Homeowner's Guide, in the Maintenance Manual section under "Walks, Porches, and Steps", it states: "It is the policy of Maronda Homes not to replace or repair concrete with cracks 1/8 inch or smaller (in width or depth)." Our steps sank 3/4" to 1" in both width and depth. Someone came to our home without our knowledge and filled in the gap with CAULKING. This is an unacceptable attempt to repair the situation. In addition, our neighbors (who closed on their homes after us) stated that the sales office and production supervisor told them we would be receiving a new walkway. We have 3 witnesses who heard this statement. Our walkway is not just for our home, but to keep the unity of all townhouse units the same. We would like something in writing stating what is going to be done. We had our 6 month inspection and the service person who conducted it said that the walkway was unacceptable. In regards to our driveway, again the service person who came out for our 6 month inspection said the driveway was unacceptable and does not match the neighbors in the next townhouse units. Maronda's prints may be "correct" but in real life (not on paper) it is still not functional in terms of turning/maneuvering in and out of individual driveways. As we were outside with the service person two other neighbors came out to voice their concerns about the safety of the driveway in the winter and its ability to not be functional on a daily basis. The service person advised all of us to continue complaining until the issue is resolved. He stated that extra asphalt can be added to create the width needed to prevent anyone from having to drive through the lawn. Our driveway is already deteriorating on the left side due to repeated driving off the driveway and into the yard. I pulled a few chunks of driveway out this past weekend. Service person agreed that when winter comes it would create a safety issue--we have one narrow lane in which to exit the plan and are concerned about where snow will end up when plowed. There is also a steep dropoff and if we do not have proper asphalt, someone could accidentally drive over this and injure themselves.

Regards,

Business

Response:

Dear Mrs. [redacted], I have had a chance to review the sidewalk again. I was able to see the issue the homeowner was talking about while it was not raining. I will agree to have the concrete replaced, and our production supervisor will set this up with the homeowner in next 2 weeks. The drive way unfortunately is correct to the prints and to the plot plan agreed with the homeowner. The driveway and right of way, or common entrance, is correct in dimensions. Each unit of townhouses are laid out differently and built per plan. Thank You,Bob G[redacted]Maronda Homes

Review: My backyard was not graded properly. As a result, there is a large section of ponding water in my backyard on the left side (rear facing). The ponding covers an area of approximately 10 by 20 feet. I am not mistaking the ponding for water in a swale or common area between the houses; it is definitely in my yard.

The ponding occurs after any rainfall and remains stagnant for several days. The water is very close to my foundation and goes under my wood deck.

In sum, the grading is not doing its job; water is not being diverted away from my home. The ground is a swamp that holds water for extensive periods of time after even the lightest of rains.

This problem has been present since I moved in (August 2014). The supervisor acknowledged the issue and stated it would be corrected in a few days. It was not corrected. I continued to ask for correction of the problem and was told the same thing, “it will be fixed in a few days.” Eventually, I informed the supervisor that I intended to install a fence and asked if that would impact the correction of the issue. He stated, “They will do the grading by shovel if necessary.” The issue was reported by me verbally and in writing on several occasions with no resolution. In March 2015 I contacted service via email and reminded them of the outstanding issue, again requesting remedy. I asked for at least a phone call. To date, I have received no response, not even a call.

Since this problem has already damaged my yard (mold, no grass, swamp) and it is likely to cause damage to my deck and basement, I had a third party come to assess the problem. I was advised that a french drain along with re-grading would be necessary. A temporary trench was dug to prevent potential damage to the basement and deck.

In a section entitled “grading” in the Maronda Homeowner’s Service Policy Handbook it states, “if water is allowed to stand in your yard, especially near the house, it may force its way through the walls into your basement.” The sixth paragraph of the same section states, “Standing or ponding water shall not remain for extended periods in the immediate area of the house after a rain (generally no more than 24 hours), except in swales that drain other areas or in areas where sump pumps discharge. In these areas a longer period can be anticipated (generally no more than 48 hours).”Desired Settlement: I want Maronda to install a french drain and regrade the affected area. I want a phone call and a reasonable time frame.

Business

Response:

On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 3:17 PM, [redacted]> wrote:Mrs. [redacted] Maronda Homes will review the yard once more on Wednesday 4/15/15. We have been to the yard and have regraded prior to the compliant. Should there be another issue, and is warranted, Maronda Homes will fill the low spot and reseed. It will be up tot he homeowner to maintain the grass seed, with water and fertilizer. We will contact the homeowner with a decision NLT friday 4/16/15. Thank You, [redacted]Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

As I stated in my original complaint, this issue has been ongoing since August 2014. I also stated in my complaint that the water had already caused damage to my yard and was likely to cause serious problems to my basement. In an email that I sent to Maronda on 3/14/15 I asked them to respond to me by 3/30/15 with at least a phone call so that I could find out if they intended on fixing the yard before further damage. They did not call and as a result a Revdex.com complaint was filed and sent to Maronda on 3/30/15. They did not respond within 10 business days. After the 10 business days I decided that I could not, as a responsible homeowner, allow the yard issues to further damage my property while waiting for a response. Therefore, I paid a third party to haul in four yards of top soil, two tons of gravel and a fifty pound bag of seed. I also purchased pipe and plastic. I paid another third party to install a french drain, regrade the back yard properly and reseed.Hopefully Maronda and their contractors will recognize this and NOT enter my yard since it has been freshly seeded. Unfortunately, since Maronda did not respond to any of my compaints in a reasonable time frame, the only resolution left is to reimburse me for the work that I had to pay to have done.

Regards,

Business

Response:

Maronda Homes was willing to return to the home to review the issue with the homeowner. While we may disagree on the procedures and corrective action, Maronda would have, and has returned to correct this. In our prior emails, we stated we would go to the home, but found the issue was corrected by the homeowner previously. Maronda Homes will not be able to reimburse the homeowner for work that they have had done. It is not a matter of the larger company, our amount of money. This is our policy, and stated in our warranty manual. No further action is needed on our behalf. Without being able to view the issue, we do not know what was needed or what had been done. Thank You,[redacted] Maronda Homes

Review: We moved into our new home in July 2013 and experienced multiple issues almost immediately, such as lack of air flow (air conditioning) to the 2nd floor, bubbles in the main roof, condensation from our $1500 high efficiency hot water tank, and electrical issues. It took one month to fix the condensation issue for the hot water tank and nearly 2 months to fix the electrical issues (breakers popping,etc.). The air flow issue was never addressed. When winter approach a hot 2nd floor from summer became a cold 2nd floor. The bubbles in the main roof were never addressed either. Another issue that we discovered upon reviewing the manual for our $1500 upgraded high efficiency hot water tank was that it was not properly installed. There is a filter that needs cleaned and/or replaced. However, Maronda did not leave enough room to access the filter. During our 6 month inspection on 1/14/14, I brought all unresolved issues up to the inspector Dave who said they would be handled. [redacted] looked at the air flow problem in February and did not present any good solution to the problem. My main concerns at this time are the water heater and roof. [redacted] states that I will be contacted by the plumber. Waiting 3 months so far has cost me $240 additional in electricity since we can't use the high efficiency mode. Also, if roofs are being put on new homes built in my plan why can't my roof be repaired? Timeliness of repairs has been an issue from day one. In speaking with my neighbors it has been an issue for them as well.Desired Settlement: Schedule plumber to fix high efficiency hot water tank such that the air filter can be maintained and that the tank is installed to manufacturer's specifications within 30 days.Inspect and repair bubble in main (2nd floor)roof within 30 days.

Business

Response:

We have consulted with the plumber, and after further review and communication with the homeowner, the hot water tank is resolved. The tank is installed correctly and is able to be maintained. A service manager for Maronda Homes has reviewed the issue with the roof. Our service manager was at the home, and determined the roof is not a structural issue, but a cosmetic issue in the way the shingles, and sheeting are laying. A roofing truss may have a bow/ or has bowed slightly from installation, and this can be normal occurance due to the nature of the material. This is not warranted by maronda homes.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted]. I agree with the response regarding the hot water tank. This issue is resolved. However, I am not completely satisfied with Maronda's response regarding the roof issue. During our six month inspection, Maronda's service representative stated that the roof issue was a "production issue" and he would "look into it for me." I was led to believe that something would be done. I also showed him the attached pictures of how the roofing was installed to our new home. I received no response regarding this issue until now.

Review: 1. The pipe running diagnoally across our asphalt driveway was not properly back-filled. After 4 attempts to fix it, it is still sinking and the driveway is unusable. There is a warranty on the driveway that Maronda is not living up to.2. Maronda never sealed the water line pipes in the basement, so the pipe has been leaking water for a year unknowingly. The brand-new carpet we had installed, as well as over $10,000 in furniture and baby items, is completely ruined. Further, a plumber needs to excavate the front of the house to make sure the outside was properly sealed since the pipes keep leaking. Also, a mesh "breathing" wire was put on ground level, which should be higher. Maronda has been well aware of these issues for months, yet, they have NOT done anyone to correct the issues. They tell me what I want to hear and never follow through. They admit that the driveway and basement plumbing are deficiencies, but have yet to fix the issue. I will be getting an attorney at this point since no one at Maronda Homes, Inc. will follow through with the warranty on the driveway and plumbing. Also, my 3 year old son is having lung, asthma and breathing issues due to the mold. All of our moldy stuff is sitting outside until an adjuster can look at it. My son is on inhalers and several asthma/allergy medicines. He must see a specialist because of this. Maronda knows about this, but does not care. I could write an entire novel on these issues! And, I have documentation of the verbal exchanges between myself and Maronda via email and telephone, including dates.Desired Settlement: I want my ENTIRE driveway back-filled and repaved correctly. I want the plumbing issues with the basement/outside fixed ASAP and restored to proper functioning. I want like Maronda to pay for the diagnosis, repair and restoration (including mold and mitigation) of the basement plumbing, drywall, concrete floor and walls that were damaged due to this issue. I would like Maronda to re-do the brick around the foundation of the house to replace the mesh that is at ground level. I will get a lawyer.

Business

Response:

Their Water/Lower Level issue is in progress and I will be talking to the remediation company we had in the home to get an evaluation of the issue. OUr service manager will be back in touch with the homeowner today as well. This is a new issue, and we will have to evaluate it for I can make a statement for repair.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 9735228, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: We closed on our house in 2010, during our 6 month inspection it was noted that the concrete patch between the driveway and garage was blistered. I spent almost three years attempting to contact Maronda to fix the blistering concrete and they finally came in July 2013 and put a skim coat (of concrete) on it to "fix" the problem. This did not resolve the issue and the concrete has continued to blister right back to where it was during our 6 month inspection. I contacted Maronda to repair the concrete again since they did not resolve the issue the first time. I received a response that they refuse to do the work and consider this a "homeowner maintenance issue". This has been an issue since the day we moved in, it should have been fixed right the first time by cutting it down, hammered out, and re-poured. A cheap thin patch of concrete that Maronda did in 2013 was only a Band-Aid for the problem, it did not fix it.Desired Settlement: I want Maronda to correctly repair the concrete. This is not a homeowner maintenance issue, this is a Maronda issue. Maronda should not be able to note things that are in need of repair at an inspection and then make a cheap repair that does not fix the issue, and then refuse to fix any further.

Business

Response:

Dear Mrs, [redacted] I have reviewed our files and show the first complaint to come in apr. 17 2012. The homeowner closed on 11-24-10. While it is possible it was noted on the SIX month inspection, Which I was not able to pull at this time and am working on getting from storage,this is the information I have at hand. We will contact the homeowner and review this in person this week. I am unsure of the repair made previously and what the condition was at that time. Our warranty handbook has information on spalling of concrete and the causes, and possibly why the repair was made prior to. Again, we will look at the concrete this week. Thank You, Bob G[redacted] Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

Review: My wife and I ([redacted]) purchased and built a home with Maronda Homes, our closing was September 13th 2013. Lot [redacted] Our contact was [redacted] their service manager. There service was slow on all issue and took repeatedly emailing [redacted] to get answers(I have all email communication). On one occasion she asked for us to be patient which talking with our neighbors we understood that there were many issues in our neighborhood. We were. Summer came and still issues weren't addressed. Finally [redacted] their service person came and address our cabinet replacement, island issues, caulking and other small issues. The flooring company finally came and replaced part of our floor. However our concrete issues were never address. Our front porch and right outside of our garage the concrete chipped. [redacted] repeatedly said that the issue was given to the production supervisor (nickname and only name I know him by in [redacted] was aware of the issue and said it looked like they were in a rush to get to closing that they forgot to finish the concrete (original closing date was to be 7/31/2013). [redacted] told us that they (Maronda) would fix. The kept leading us along and then finally in October of 2014 [redacted] sent us an email that said because our year was up Maronda wasn't going to fix the issue. My wife and I feel duped. We were understanding with their work load and unlike our neighbors never sent a threatening (of a lawsuit) email or letter. We played by the rules and did everything they asked. We were even understanding when our waterproofing above the ground level wasn't addressed (they were late doing this and we had to cancel because we had to use the landscaping credit they provided before it expired). We were patient with Maronda and [redacted] but to then be told that the year was up and they weren't going to fix a issue they already said they would just isn't right.Desired Settlement: We would like Maronda to finish our concrete porch and in front of our garage.

Business

Response:

I have been able to review Mr. [redacted] information, and have been able to speak with the production supervisor as well to try and bring me up to speed. I do not know where the lines where crossed, or mis communication occurred. Our standard procedure for concrete issues, is for it to go back to our production supervisor and not our service manager. The [redacted] he mentions is our service manager. Regardless a ticket was opened up for the concrete issue on June 10th 2014. This home closed on 9-13-13. The concrete appears to be spalling/ scaling of the top layer. I am not sure why this was not communicated the homeowner prior to this conversation. I have attached a copy from our warranty manual that describes the spalling issue seen at the residence. Maronda Homes does not warrant the scaling of the concrete, which can be caused by many things, including extreme weather conditions, freeze/thaw cycles, salt use as well as others. I do apologize this was not brought to the attention of the homeowner sooner,. but this is not a case of in or out of warranty. This is a non warranted item, as described by our handbook. Thank You,[redacted]Maronda Homes

Review: We agreed to purchase/build a Maronda home. From what we were told, the warranty would take care of any issues that may arise. At 6 month inspection, we provided Maronda with a list of issues. At 9 months, I provided another list that included all of the things from 6 months as well as workmanship issues. According to their website (building philosophy), "with a commitment to customer satisfaction" & "It's about being responsible and using our time-tested process to provide you with the best value possible so you can simply enjoy the benefits of a new home" (reference the website itself - http://www.marondahomes.com/why-maronda-homes/building-philosophy.html). I have a driveway with a horrible patch job & channel running across it, hardwood flooring with stains (clear coat issues), both bathrooms upstairs have bubbles in the flooring (adhesive did not stick), carpet that isn't secured to the floor, a yard that holds water (creates a pond) when it rains & a microwave that consistently burns light bulbs (some sort of electrical problem). These are just some of the major ones that we have on our list. At our 6 month inspection, two gentlemen showed up with caulking guns & screw drivers. They didn't have any answers other than someone would be calling us. We are still waiting. This is the same answer I was told when I emailed the service department. I have tried to explain that this is our home & we feel cheated.Desired Settlement: Dig up & repave driveway with blacktop as it should.Contact flooring company & replace areas that need to.Fix carpet areas & replace as needed.Return top soil to property that was taken prior to building and create proper run off as described.Replace microwave with one that doesn't have an electrical issue.Basically do what we were promised by them in being driven by customer satisfaction company.Our neighbors also have a complaint via BB for similar issues.

Business

Response:

I have reviewed the complaints that the homeowners has brought up, as well as what is in our system. The driveway was repaired according to our service policies. Under the "Asphalt drives & Concrete Aprons" section, it states that " On asphalt drives, we will patch fill sunken spots 2 inches deep or more on a onetime basis during the first year of ownership. Under no circumstances will we re surface the entire driveway because of a sunken spot" . The repair made was that of patches for sunken spots. I do show an open ticket for our flooring contractors, and will ask for an update for the homeowners, and to see if they can expedite the issues . I will have a supervisor stop at the home to review the yard complaint. Should the yard hold water for more than a 24 hour period, we will address it. If this is caused by washout or storm water, it may be up to the homeowner to correct. Our handbook states " after the initial installation of your starter lawn seeding, it is not our policy to service landscaping. In case of serious washouts or sunken spots caused by storms or excessively heavy rains, we will normally furnish - on a one time basis at the curb side- additional fill ( not screened topsoil0 and seed, but no labor, in order that you may repair any damage. ". again we will ahve a supervisor review the yard first. If the microwave is having issues, all of our appliances are reverted back to the manufacture. This information is given to the homeowner at closing.** Customer care can we reached at toll free ###-###-####. We will have a supervisor review the yard by weeks end, and set a landscaper should it be required, otherwise, if a service load of top soil is wanted, please email [redacted] with your request.

Thank You,

Maronda Homes

Review: Maronda Homes has been involved in deceiving practices and making false promises to customers to lure them into signing a contract with them and later quickly changing their story. In addition they are not proactive in keeping their clients informed throughout the building process and would only provide information if somebody asks for it. Lastly they do not care about their customers and providing great customer service instead they are only concerned about themselves and the money they will make. We signed a contract with them on 3/23/13 and were promised a closing on 9/24/13. They waited 3 months to start construction stating township delayed approving permits. Township confirmed Maronda didn't send permits until 2 mos after signing contract.Date was changed to 10/17/13, per email from Maronda on 6/5/13. on 9/25/13 closing date changed again to mid November, without an explanation as to why. Vice President, [redacted], takes no responsibility and says he can't do anything to help. He also lied that they have never committed to a specific date in October to complete the home. He tried to get out of it by saying it is our fault of the delay as we added too many options and we should've had contract reviewed by an attorney.In summary, from June 5 until September 25 there was not one instance or time where we were given either verbal or written notices that our home would be delayed for any reason whatsoever. I do believe that 3 and a half months is sufficient enough time to advise on any homebuilding issues. In my conversation with [redacted] I was not only angered but deeply perplexed as to why he did not have any knowledge of the customer construction complaint form which I submitted on September 26. Lastly [redacted] had stated that a potential issue for delays in the home would be for our selections which were completed on May 7 2013 which is before the permit request was even submitted by Maronda. Finally there has never been an explanation from [redacted] and [redacted] as to why the delay, just lies!Desired Settlement: At this time, I would like to request that they do everything possible to complete the home when they promised, October 17, 2013. If unable to do so, we would like Maronda to compensate us for:-the credit lock extension-storage of our household items for an extra month,-extra month of rent -travel expenses to and from school/work for children and us -a written apology from the Vice President, [redacted]-detailed timeline from day we signed contract to the day we close

Business

Response:

I am somewhat perplexed by the timing of this complaint because I just agreed to pay his rate lock extension and verbally apologized for the delay in his closing. In addition,

the [redacted] loan manager, [redacted], sent me an e-mail on Friday indicating that Mr. [redacted] agreed to the delivery date of November 15, 2013 in exchange for Maronda paying the extension fee. Although not happy with the events, at no time did Mr. [redacted] indicate that he wanted to escalate his complaint.

I hope this is a case of timing of e-mails. If not, I am prepared to forward a number of previously written e-mail communications, to include his contract to you in response to his complaint. I hope this is unnecessary because both [redacted] and I were under the clear impression that we were moving forward without any further issues provided we closed by the 15th of November.

Please keep me posted. I am in hopes that they will drop this complaint in light of our agreement to extend their rate lock on Friday.

VP, Maronda Homes

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I did request that Maronda Homes pay for my rate lock extension as the reason for my delay was caused by Maronda Homes. One thing I NEVER agreed to is a closing date of November 15, for a few reasons. First, [redacted] never committed to a concrete completion and closing date on our home. He was very careful to state every time that this is only an estimated closing date which could change to either be earlier or later. So, I am not sure how I could commit to an uncertain date. Next, [redacted] stated on many instances to me and to my wife that verbal commitments do not matter to Maronda and all that they are interested in are things in writing. Following this simple logic, I would love to see a document with my signature on it stating that I agreed to a closing date on November 15. As I mentioned above, I did ask [redacted] to pay for my rate lock extension as the delay was caused by Maronda, and after 2 days of me calling his office for an answer, he finally called and said that he will pay the rate lock extension for 15 days, but the home may be done earlier. However, never did he ask me to commit to a closing date on November 15. The only thing that Maronda has in writing from me is the Customer Concern Form submitted on 9/26/13, where in paragraph 3 we state that “…we are not in agreement with moving our closing date past October.”

The next point [redacted] made was that I have never indicated that I will not be escalating my complaint. I find that perplexing as well because if he goes back to a conversation he and I had on 9/30/13, I stated that if he is not able to help me close on my home by the end of October, I will file a complaint with the Revdex.com and will also reach out to the President of Maronda Homes, [redacted]. He stated that I can feel free to reach out to the Revdex.com, but the Revdex.com is not interested in complaints like mine, only in more serious complaints. [redacted] also stated that I can reach out to [redacted], but he will support [redacted] in his decision, regardless of what that may be. This is yet another instance of selective amnesia on the part of Mr. [redacted].

Lastly, we have never gotten an apology from Mr. [redacted] for the way he treated us. Given his unprofessional behavior with me and his ridiculousness during the conversation he had with my wife, the very least that we deserve from him is a written apology, and a detailed explanation, with a timeline, as to the events that transpired with the building of our home from the day we signed our contract until the day our home is complete.

Most importantly, as it is evident in Mr. [redacted]’s response to the complaint, he is once again not taking responsibility for any of his actions or of the actions of Maronda Homes. He again is doing what he seems to do best...blame the other party. Just like he stated that it is our fault the home is delayed because we picked too many options, or that it is our fault that we did not have our contract reviewed by an attorney before we signed it to see that the dates are only Estimated dates and not guaranteed or that it is our fault that we did not anticipate Maronda delaying our home by 2 months and we should have never sold our home and waited until we were given a closing date by Maronda to put our house on the market (and by the way the attachment from June 5 has a Projected Close Date of 10/17/13 signed by Mr. [redacted]). Mr. [redacted] does not care that my wife and I had to beg our apartment complex to extend our lease by a month, which caused us to pay rent over market price to keep the apartment for an extra month. Nor does he care that my wife and I drive over 125 miles every single day to take our girls to school, go to work, leave work at 2:30 every day to pick them up and drive them back to the apartment. Or, that we have to pay an extra month of storage for 6 units. Again, Mr. [redacted] has no concern for his customers and will do anything he can do save Maronda a buck regardless of what that means for their clients.

At this time, we ARE NOT satisfied by the outcome of his response (which as you can see has no outcome listed). We believe that at the very least Maronda can do is compensate us for the extra month of rent, extra months of storage costs and extra month of travel expenses that we incur.

Thank you very much for you time. I look forward to a timely resolution of this complaint.

Sincerely,

Review: We purchased a paint package for $2100 when we purchased/built our home in Maronda farms. At our six month inspection, we were told we had the worst case of nail pops they've seen. We were told that wouldn't be taken care of until 1 year and even then it was too much work. After a Maronda contracted worker came to fix a bedroom ceiling that was caving in he said he got approval to fix our walls. He fixed them over two days and did a great job. He said a painter would be coming out. Maronda staff [redacted] confirmed several times that a painter would be calling. We have emails showing this communication. This went on for 2 months. When Maronda saw the scope off the job (over 250 nail pops) they said they would not paint. We explained that we payed $2100 for the paint package, they said our nail pops were really bad, they fixed them and now won't paint the painted walls we paid for. They have been ignoring our requests and encouraged us to get an attorney and go through the Revdex.com. We expect that they complete the repair or reimburse the money we payed for them to paint our walls. Even [redacted] who is in charge of all the construction in Maronda Farms felt the right thing would be for the job to be completed since our case was so extreme.Desired Settlement: Paint the walls affected by the nail pops/repairs OR refund the $ 2100 we paid for them to paint.

Business

Response:

We had come to the home originally for separate drywall repair. This issue has been completed. At that time, the homeowner had made our service manager aware of a second drywall issue in the kitchen above the cabinets I believe. If we are back in the home we will repiar and repaint the drywall issues that we have caused. I have copied a section of the homeowners handbook and attached it this email. If the homeowner had the contractor at the home take care of the nail pops throughout the home that was fine. We will only repaint the areas in question due to repairs we made in the home. We have wanted to send a painter to the home to correct those issues that we are responsible for. The homeowner did not want a painter back because he was not painting the nail pops. As in the handbook, we will return to address nail pops in the following fashion. we will replace/ or reset the nail/screw, and mud over the area. It is up to the homeowner to sand and paint the nail pops.

We are willing to send in a painter to take care of the areas effected from our original repairs. No further action to be taken on the nail pops.

Thank You,