September 20th, 2009
Week 3: Basement floor, rough-ins
We stopped by this weekend to see that the basement floor has been poured, along with the garage slab. Also the plumbing for the wet bar/bathroom and the sump pump are in place. Looks like they’ve started filling dirt/gravel in around the foundation as well. We’re really hoping to see some framing happening this coming week.
September 21st, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Teresa says:
I’m so excited to see your house coming together!!! It makes it all seem so much more real.
Still no word on our house in Greenwood. Not a single thing done to the plot yet (except for a few stakes in the ground).
September 21st, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Matthew Rogers says:
Thanks Teresa! It is pretty exciting…I really, really want to see the framing happen soon though, that’s what’ll really make it seem like a house.
That’s strange that they still haven’t gotten yours going. They’re going to have to put you into that special mortgage product to get the tax credit for sure.
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Teresa says:
The way the process is going, I would refuse to sign the paperwork for a mortgage for a house that does not/may never exist, so we are holding out for the rebate option.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Chapel Woods Neighbors says:
Hello
I found your web-site after searching for comments about Hansen and Horn. We recently built our home in Chapel Woods (the dark gray house across the field). Our building process went pretty quickly, but we had some major problems getting our yard done! We have noticed that your home has been under construction for some time and progress has been minimal. We are hopeful for you that they will follow through on their commitment to you! They build a good home, but their communication is sketchy at best! We are excited to see a couple new homes going up!
Good Luck!
October 2nd, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Matthew Rogers says:
Hi Neighbors!
Yes, we’ve seen your house…directly across the field from us. I remember when we first were looking in the neighborhood that your house looked done but didn’t have a yard! We’ve been experiencing the same thing, that communication is lacking during the build process. There’s been 5 full weeks since groundbreaking and there’s no framing happening yet. I hope they get moving soon…see you around the neighborhood!
October 6th, 2009 at 3:53 am
Fellow customer says:
Wow. So glad I found your blog. My husband and I are in a situation with Hansen & Horn that has become a nightmare. We lost our home in a fire in the middle of June; H&H was our original builder so we decided to return for our rebuild. We had a signed agreement to re-build using the original foundation on July 2nd. We have had at least five different start dates given to us. The lumber has even been dropped off and it just sits on our driveway. We get one excuse after another. We have had terrible communication with them since we got past the initial selection process and final plan approval (2 months ago now). Part of our delay is due to payment from our insurance company that had to go through endorsing procedures with our mortgage company. They didn’t tell us that they would not start until they received the first payment, which is a third of the purchase price. When we finally figured out that that’s what they were waiting for, they agreed to get started anyway-that was almost a month ago. Since then it’s been excuse after excuse. Now they have 1/3 of the money and they still haven’t started. We’re wondering if they are in financial trouble. Latest word is that the framers will be there tomorrow. We don’t believe it, because we don’t believe anything they say, but I’ll let you know if they show up. The customer service is appalling and I can’t believe that they can run a business like this. Good luck to you.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Week 5: No progress | Build a House Blog says:
[...] a good explanation as to why it can’t start yet. Several other Hansen and Horn customers have found this site and posted comments that they’re getting (or have gotten) the run around too. I recently [...]
October 11th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Fellow Customer says:
Good news for us, the framing has started on the rebuilding of our house. Hopefully, that means things are going to start moving for you as well.
October 11th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Matthew Rogers says:
Fellow Customer:
Glad to hear it!! Hopefully we’ll see these mythical framers soon as well. Right now, we’re at three weeks of no work.
That’s terrible about losing your home; actually, I’ve heard about your story from our sales agent. She mentioned someone who had lost their home in a fire, and told us how Hansen and Horn was able to rebuild using your original plans with a few of your modifications. The sales team at least was quite proud of this. Sorry to hear it’s been so much trouble on your end!
October 12th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Explanation for delays | Build a House Blog says:
[...] were waiting for the appropriate vendors to be available; other customers, however, had started wondering on this blog and elsewhere if the company was still financially solid. I personally thought it was a cashflow [...]
October 18th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
forthepeople says:
h&h is not paying the subs building your homes that is the reason for the delays there looking for another sucker to do there work not pay them then find another sucker ask for a list of subs building your home so you can check ref’s bet you wont get one if you do take the time to check them out you should get an attorney on retainer now!
October 18th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Matthew Rogers says:
@forthepeople:
I’m having a little trouble understand what you’re saying with any periods in there, but I think I get it…
You can check out my more recent post for their explanation of the delays. You say they’re not paying their contractors; that doesn’t appear to be the issue, neither from what they’ve told me nor from the independent research my Realtor and I have done. It appears that in the poor economy, contractors are suddenly demanding full payment up front (which has never been the arrangement), and then sometimes just won’t show up or will go out of business. So from what we have seen, the subcontractors are the biggest problem here.
According to an independent source we trust, H&H is financially solvent, but many of the subcontractors are not. Do you work with or for one of their subs? You sound a little bitter about this issue.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:11 am
forthepeople says:
the reason the subs are requireing payment upfront is they know through the grapevine many other subs have not been paid or extremely slow pay the reason the subs dont show up is because they havnt been paid for work done weeks and months before if theyve gone out of buisiness is because many builders have gone bankrupt and the subs dont get paid so dont you dare blame the guys who have put there blood sweat and tears into building your homes as for the quality of work you get what you pay for and the builders dont pay believe what you want i know the truth!
October 24th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Fellow Customer says:
Despite framing taking place on our house, we continue to wait for more progress. No activity took place on the building site all of last week. Despite making numerous contacts last week to at least three individuals within Hansen and Horn who should be in the know regarding the scheduling of trades on our house, no response was received from any of them. No communication whatsoever on this matter. They simply choose to ignore requests for information!! We are growing very concerned regarding this company. Professsionalism and customer satisfaction do not seem to be a priority with them.
October 24th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
forthepeople says:
sorry about my lack of grammer and sorry for your luck with h&h. yes i am bitter, mostly about the way the backbone of america have been treated, especially when it comes to bankrupties. these big buisiness owners pad there bank accounts, hord the assets and when times get tough they go bankrupt and keep all there assets and screw every one else.
Im tired of it and have decided to, when i see injustice voice my feelings where ever i can.ripoffreport.com is a great place to do this, file a report then send report to who ever did you wrong and give them a chance to rectify. the whole world can see it, its easier and more up to date than BBB. i think as americans this is our new calling this is the new front on our freedom. BTW i am a contractor not with h&h
October 27th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
KP says:
Hello guys,
Reading through the post it seems like I am reading my own story.. We are also constructing the house with H&H and signed all the papers in july with the promise that they will complete the house by Nov 30. But nothing happened for almost months and after many meetings they have finally started the house.
But still its a long road ahead…
All the best to everyone like us!!!