New Subdivisions - Tract Built Home Problems
Many people buy a new home over an older home because they think they will have less repair problems. This is not always the case. You need to educate yourself and know what you are buying. I bought my home when it was only 5 years old and it already had some rotted wood on it. The siding was Masonite and soon rotted also. Now most tract builders are using Hardiplank, (cement fiber board) which comes with a 50 year warranty.
Hardi is good stuff BUT and it is a big but some of these builders are NOT using Hardiplank trim boards. I have been out looking at 5 year old houses with Hardiplank siding and finding rotted out trim boards that are not Hardiboard. It doesn't take any more labor to nail up Hardiboard trim than it does to nail up regular wood. Labor is almost always more expensive than materials. So be sure to ask your builder when they tell you the home has Hardiplank siding if it also has Hardi on the trim boards. You should not have to replace trim boards on your house in 5 years. The 50 year Hardiplank warranty also states that the product must be installed correctly. Make the builder do it right the first time. The number one cause of siding failure is driving the nails too deeply. Check the info on the James Hardie website.
A tract builder may cut a few corners to save a few dollars on the construction of your home, this makes the homes more affordable. If a builder saves $2000.00 on the cost of each home and is building 200 homes that adds up to $400,000.00 to the builder. If the builder used high quality material and built all homes to perfection it's quite possible that many people wouldn't be able to afford a home in the first place. You are buying the home, you need to know where costs are being cut and what you are getting for the money. Personally I would rather have Hardi trim boards and cut costs on something that is easy to replace later like appliances or flooring.
I would also suggest asking your builder what exactly is behind that beautiful tile around the tub and shower. Is the tile on sheetrock, greenboard or hardibacker and what is behind that? Did they bother to put up a moisture barrier? There should be a moisture barrier on your studs that overlaps the lip on the tub. Then water can't get through when your grout cracks and leaks. To see some good images of a proper installation click here.
Ask what kind of sealer if any is used on the grout. Grout should not be used where two different surfaces meet or where different planes meet. This means there should be no grout between the tile and tub or in the corners of the wall. Caulk should be used here as there will be some movement of these surfaces over time and the grout will crack. Better than caulk is Schluter® Dilex tile profiles.
When you tile leaks back into the walls your studs can slowly rot away and you could be totally unaware of it. There is no reason for this to happen, but it does all the time. Next thing you know you have to gut that bathroom and all that expensive tile you picked out is going in the garbage. Should have spent a few extra bucks on a waterproof wall. It could save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
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