Ashton Woods Homes

We moved in about 3 months ago and took pictures then and reported them. We reported them to both Jeff and Bob. Jeff told us to wait and send in the information because he said it was standard to find more and more discrepancies as we stayed in the house. I would be remiss to note that many of the issues we covered in the blue tape inspection were not fixed. The house also was never cleaned thoroughly before moving in, someone had even used the toilet and left it as a housewarming gift for us.

As upsetting as that was, we figured the warranty department could help us out, so we decided to utilize them. We called them about our paint issues. I need to preface this with some background. My dad and uncle both owned home contracting companies. My Dad has built whole subdivisions, so I grew up around this kind of work. Imagine my chagrin when I was basically chastised by the home warranty team and especially Israel Delgado. They gas lit me on multiple occasions and made talked down to me as well. They said that the walls were primed and that the paint would still allow stuff to bleed through. This of course is a falsehood. A good wall should be primed first and then painted over. If you put a good layer of paint on there (am not saying slather it on) it will look good and not rub off at the slightest touch, which is what is going on at our house. I explicitly told them the paint issue was systemic. I can rub my walls and the paint just falls off. There are spots that were never even painted at all.

The paint isn’t the only issue. There are spots where my texture and tape and bed are incorrect, wavy, or cracked. My hinges are not put on correctly, and some of my doors have different spacing at the top and bottom. The light in my bathroom was hung crooked. The light switch/plug face plates are crooked or covered in paint. Outside I have missing paint, anchors left in my brick, and my windows are covered in paint because the painters did not put painter’s tape over while painting (or if they did, they didn’t do it well). Also my tile grout was never sealed and so when I went to mop it, it became slightly discolored.

I would like my new house to look and feel new. A house is a sizable investment that you want to keep for a long time. The experience I have had with Ashton Woods is comparable to buying a new car and it is scratched or dented and the dealer tells you that is just the way it is. Baffling right? I am tired of trying to get Ashton Woods to make it right. I am tired of trying to explain why and being told it can’t be helped or I do not know better. It is a matter of principle. Ashton Woods sold me a house, we paid for the house. We want our money’s worth as well as good quality craftsmanship.

Also the warranty manager Brad came by. He basically told us they no longer prime the walls because they used latex-based paint. He said you cannot clean these walls, you have to repaint if they ever get dirty. As for the door paint coming off, he stated because they are hollow core doors, the paint will come off with the slightest touch. So to reiterate, you can't clean the walls and you can't touch the doors.