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Post by chrisp33 on Jan 22, 2016 14:05:37 GMT
Hi all,
I've been reading these comments with interest (and mild panic) for some time as my wife and I are currently in the process of purchasing a Harron Homes property which will be on Derwent Chase (Phase 4).
Firstly I want to express my sympathy for those of you who have experienced what sounds like totally unacceptable after sales care. What I'd like to understand is how broadly affected the properties are by the problems described in these forums? I accept any new build will have a few minor snagging items which need dealing with but the issues described here sound horrendous. Are these instances isolated to the pre-Xmas rush jobs or have most customers experienced this level quality/service from HH and their contractors?
We are aware of previously criticised developments like those in Huddersfield, which is why we will be employing a professional snagger to inspect our property before we move in. We assumed that HH had learnt their lesson but I'm not so convinced now.
I've got mixed feelings about what to expect however like everyone else, we would lose a significant amount of money if we were to pull out (and we really have no intention of doing so).
Our moving date is tentatively set for early April (delayed from late Feb) and we are expecting our second child in July. Frankly we cannot be dealing problems of this magnitude with baby on the way. Just looking for someone (impartial) to put our minds at rest!
In the meantime we are looking forward to meeting our new neighbours in the coming months and despite the foregoing we are really excited to be joining the community.
Thanks,
Chris.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2016 14:50:31 GMT
If you seriously want to have a look at what harron homes are capable of come and have a look at my house. They false advertise, this house is in a right state.
Me and next door have already said we should have boards outside our house saying come and look around like they do with the showhomes. The contractors coming in to fix problems can't believe how bad of a state the house is in and most are bodging jobs on top of jobs already bodged up.
I wouldn't mind if it was just snagging problems but most aren't. They have still got all the bathrooms to tile, the garage to sort as it flooded, the drains were a main issue and the garden is still an ongoing problem.
The garage needs sorting asap as I need that as a studio and I'm losing work through it.
I would advise anyone buying a harron homes house to forget about the snagging and focus on the main problems that you can't see as these try and cover anything up. If I wasn't in the house everyday and out at work then a lot of problems would have been missed.
As I see if you find it then they'll fix it or bodge it more, if you don't find it then they've got away with it.
Good luck on your move xx
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Post by terri1977 on Jan 22, 2016 15:48:45 GMT
We buying a Kenilworth, we have a professional snagger booked through Brick Kickers, they have dealt with Harron Homes before and know the tricks they try....
It's not nice having to put up with all those snags, which is why we have a professional snagger to catch what we would probably miss until we'd been moved in a couple of weeks.
Brick Kickers are very good and I would recommend anyone who wants to move into a close to perfect house as possible to contact them, Martin has given us loads of advice about Harron Homes.
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Post by gemhopper on Jan 22, 2016 15:49:42 GMT
Hi all, I've been reading these comments with interest (and mild panic) for some time as my wife and I are currently in the process of purchasing a Harron Homes property which will be on Derwent Chase (Phase 4). Firstly I want to express my sympathy for those of you who have experienced what sounds like totally unacceptable after sales care. What I'd like to understand is how broadly affected the properties are by the problems described in these forums? I accept any new build will have a few minor snagging items which need dealing with but the issues described here sound horrendous. Are these instances isolated to the pre-Xmas rush jobs or have most customers experienced this level quality/service from HH and their contractors? We are aware of previously criticised developments like those in Huddersfield, which is why we will be employing a professional snagger to inspect our property before we move in. We assumed that HH had learnt their lesson but I'm not so convinced now. I've got mixed feelings about what to expect however like everyone else, we would lose a significant amount of money if we were to pull out (and we really have no intention of doing so). Our moving date is tentatively set for early April (delayed from late Feb) and we are expecting our second child in July. Frankly we cannot be dealing problems of this magnitude with baby on the way. Just looking for someone (impartial) to put our minds at rest! In the meantime we are looking forward to meeting our new neighbours in the coming months and despite the foregoing we are really excited to be joining the community. Thanks, Chris. Hi chrisp33,
We have recently moved into our Hebden Home on Lescar Road and we love the design of the house.
Although we have some cosmetic snagging, our issues are not as extreme like that Hayley is reporting. Their phase was a lot further back compared to ours, our roof was on at least 3/4 weeks before the Waverly Walk phase so it is clear that they have rushed it.
My main issues are they have tiled my bathrooms incorrectly, poor drainage in the garden, grouting for the floor tiling is patchy, cracked tiles and wrong paint colour throughout however if you look past the cosmetic issues, the house is great for our needs.
Harron have started to rectify them however it appears that they are doing the easy jobs first. We have found that giving them our key seems to have enabled the painter to come in and out over the last week and get then shoddy paintwork completed.
The decision whether to release your key to HH in place of taking days off work is completely personal choice.
We have found that you have to continually nag them and even though they fail to reply, continue to push them we are very slowly getting somewhere. We are expecting the snagging to take at least 6-12 months to rectify.
It does appear to be Christmas where they really let themselves down as they pushed to get everyone in by year end so their books look good. My partners friend moved in this time last Christmas (2014) and he had exactly the same problems on Bradfield Way.
I hope that your move goes well and that you enjoy your new home.
Gemma
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2016 20:11:28 GMT
I would make sure you dig all the drains up for definite, even a professional snagger will not check this. I would even go as far to take plynth boards off the kitchen units and check behind. The garden definitely needs drainage, every garden on here has a problem with it and harron homes are aware of how bad the gardens are but I don't think they are willing the spend the extra to put them right so push for drainage. I think our garage is a one off for flooding, we've got a Grassington so ours has a detached double garage - most drives slope away from the garage from what I've seen, ours slopes towards the garage and the garage slopes to the back. Check all doors lock as our french doors didn't lock!!! Check all your guttering and check places where you can't see just by looking. Cosmetic things are very easy to pick up, we've got pages and pages of just snags but the things that will cause concern down the line are the ones they've hidden.
I think ours and next doors and one other could me a one off but if they are pushed to hit targets then this will happen.
I think the house that get built from now till November you'll be fine as I've seen the others on our street getting built and they are in and out everyday checking and cleaning everything as they can afford to push the dates back if needed as they have a full year to work with. When it comes to December and you are moving and your house isn't ready by the beginning of December I would be concerned as the same thing will happen again and you will be left with a house like this. And even if you get a professional snagger they can only tell you what's wrong, you still have to move in as they are under no obligation to complete the snags for moving in, you could barter with harron homes but they will still tell you to move in. And again there is no timeline for when this stuff gets done all I can say is be on there case all the time. They have one person that IS the aftercare!!! If youve done a part exchange with harron and you insist on not moving they will tell you to get a licence to occupy from your solicitor.
We have been moved in one month tomorrow, so far we have had Richard out twice, Neil and Dean out endless times and are on their case every single day. Today for an emailing confirming some dates for most things, whether they get done is a different story but if all to plan everything in theory should be completed by the middle of February, maybe the garden but we will see. But we have been onto them every day none stop. Xx
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Shocking
Jan 22, 2016 20:42:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2016 20:42:16 GMT
We also went with Brick Kickers who found around 350 issues with the house. However, these were mainly small cosmetic issues (mainly painting flaws).
Harron told us they don't have to let anyone in to snag your home prior to moving in, but I believe by law they have to. I would advise walking round with the snaggers, even though they are supposedly professional they don't pick up on everything, one of our windows wasn't sealed and they didn't spot it as an example.
We are currently 2 years in and still waiting for some issues to be rectified. The guys off site are quick fix merchants and nothing seems to remain fixed for long, I refuse to have one of the lads back as he was useless.
It wasn't long ago they sacked most of the customer service team, things have gotten worse as they have built more houses so they can't cope with the exponential rise in issues. They seem to be throwing the new phases up as if it was lego.
I do believe Harron offer better looking and layout of houses but the fact there are 120 threads on issues with Harron, 20 Taylor Wimpey and 5 on Barratt speaks volumes. Harworth really need to reconsider selling any more parcels of land to these cowboys.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2016 22:32:59 GMT
Anyone on here got a house December 2014? If so what things did you find wrong? X
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Shocking
Jan 26, 2016 18:40:06 GMT
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Post by bish on Jan 26, 2016 18:40:06 GMT
I've become accustomed to a daily fix of update to this thread. As we haven't heard anything for a few days hopefully that means good news, that you haven't found any new major snags and hopefully those that you have told us about are starting to get fixed.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2016 18:48:41 GMT
Found many new stags. Who else has checked under their kitchen units? It was getting to me that they had put a new kitchen on top of all that rubbish so I decided to clean it out.......found nails, fags, loads of muck, wrappers and used teabags!!!! Plus they have left a cap off the pipe to the drain where rats and mice could easily get up and into the kitchen!!!
Painter came out yesterday, said can you tell me exactly what I'm here for!!! Said a full house repaint as the plasterer has just finished doing all through the house.....said im only here to patch up, said don't think you are you'll be here till next week. Took him all day to do one room!!! More painters coming out tomorrow and Thursday plus renderers are out tomorrow. Yesterday we had the carpet fitters in but they still need to come back next week.
Can't wait to have a little sit down with Richard once everything is done!!!! I've got a full book of photos and a diary log of everything they've done and what we've found.
Garage is getting done as well this week (meant to be). New floor in. And all tiling is getting done next week. I'm on top of them everyday to when someone next is coming out and what's happening otherwise they wouldn't bother. More interested in building more and more houses and making money than deal with the problems they've got xx
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Shocking
Jan 26, 2016 21:19:42 GMT
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Post by bish on Jan 26, 2016 21:19:42 GMT
Glad to hear you're seeing some progress at least. It sounds like a full time job for you to keep on top of them day after day. I can imagine it being very wearing on you. Well done keep it going.
Ps disgusting what you found underneath your kitchen units.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2016 21:40:11 GMT
It's the only way to get stuff done and you have to watch them while they are repairing as they usually bodge it and hide it again. Fed up of been in all day though everyday!!! Xx
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Post by sifu on Jan 26, 2016 23:08:36 GMT
Similar to you Hayley. It seems we're only getting stuff done this week as my wife threatened them. She's only able to hassle them as she's off on maternity leave. As was pointed out, its a full-time job! My wife is back to work next month and is gutted that the last couple of months is not spending as much qualuty time with baby but chasing builders. It's exhausting to say the least.
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Shocking
Jan 27, 2016 18:39:50 GMT
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Post by olicharls on Jan 27, 2016 18:39:50 GMT
We too have a house on derwent chase reserved. Our treatment has been horrendous. Feel let down and anything they tell you seems to change. It's only really the amount of effort we have put in to sorting it all and it being in the right location for us all that I haven't pulled out.
I have to be honest I am dreading it. Shouldn't feel like this, should be excited.
What type of house are you buying on derwent chase? Do you know number ?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2016 19:17:18 GMT
Thought today things were finally in track after having dates for everything that needs doing and promises on top of promises......Didn't last long!!! The plan was the knock all the render off. They came and went over it and now it's stuck right out and sticks out further than the wall at the side of it!!! Looks a right mess. On top of that they were told to put scaffolding up but didn't bother!!! Instead was walking in the plastic canopy.....only gone and cracked it!!! So now we are in a worse position than when they started and need all the canopy replacing. Plus a leak under kitchen sink!!! Dunt think it can get worse can it. X
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Post by bish on Jan 28, 2016 7:45:55 GMT
Thought today things were finally in track after having dates for everything that needs doing and promises on top of promises......Didn't last long!!! The plan was the knock all the render off. They came and went over it and now it's stuck right out and sticks out further than the wall at the side of it!!! Looks a right mess. On top of that they were told to put scaffolding up but didn't bother!!! Instead was walking in the plastic canopy.....only gone and cracked it!!! So now we are in a worse position than when they started and need all the canopy replacing. Plus a leak under kitchen sink!!! Dunt think it can get worse can it. X No sense at all! Did you say you had a friend who did the rendering? One option would be (assuming you trust your friend) having him come to your home, strip all the rendering off, replace it all correctly, and have him send the bill to Harron. From what you have been describing and by some of the photographs you have been putting up I would have lost patience on day 1.
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