New Home builder issues

My wife and I bought a home close to Venus and it is brand new. The concrete driveway is already breaking up and the builder will not fix it. Has anyone else had any issues like this, thank you for your suggestions Robert

House comes with a 10 year warranty check into it, if brand new.

Letter from a lawyer. Now.

Define cracks?

I’ll always guarantee concrete to do two things. Turn gray and crack.

Need pics of the cracks.


Concrete is guaranteed to do 2 things, crack and set hard (unless sugar was added)


Seriously though, I doubt you’ll have much luck with the driveway. Never seen a builder warranty those unless it obvious a major fail. Unless there’s a 1/4 inch wide or height difference, I don’t see them replacing it.

I replaced more driveways than I can remember when I was with Lennar for nearly 10 years. All but one were for normal surface cracks.. Yes, surface cracks are usually a normal part of the curing process. And yes, our JD Power surveys were really, really important to corporate.

Look at your warranty, it should define what constitutes defective flatwork.

Did they say why they wouldn't repair it? Breaking up and cracks are two different things.

When I bought new my house it had a 10 year warranty that included flat work. There were clauses that defined how wide the crack had to be to be covered.

10-2-1.

It’s probably got to be 1/4” or better. They are going to blame you for improper watering during this dry spell. It’s been a bad summer for concrete
Most owners don’t water right

Pics would help as others have said. Concrete does crack often, but not more than hairline surface cracks if everything is done correctly. I've poured over 2,000 cu yds this year alone. Basic things like density testing on the soil, moisture content of the soil, air entrainment of the mix, water content, slump, curing method, etc can all affect proper curing and result in more significant cracking and curling. On my current project we've poured about 700 yds. There was minor cracking (1/16" cracks) in a few spots in the foundation footing, nothing in stem walls, one hairline crack in one section of a little over 600 linear feet of sidewalk, and one hairline crack in 12,000 sf slab. All flatwork received specific cure for interior and exterior applications, was tested for density and moisture before pour, soil drenched with fire hose before pour, and concrete testing at every pour, every 50 yds. We do this and our slabs and sidewalks look great for years.

I can pick up a 4 inch thick piece of concrete and I can see a little bit of rebar on the ground but clearly I don't think I should be able to pick up the concrete at all? I have not be able to post pictures for some reason or I would for sure. The cracks some are completely through the thickness of the slab and all the way across in 3 sections and a new one is starting. Then the corners by the street are making cracks as a radius on both corners and is several of them are cracks meeting cracks toward the street. I have spent a could of hours trying to post a picture of my deer mount and was not able to do it for some reason. Tonight when I get home I will try and post some pictures. I tried to get on this forum with my phone to post the pictures too but the forum doesn't seem to work well with the phone as i can't get the whole page on my phone, lol. Maybe I will call my kids and see if they can post it some how. Thank you for your time.

Text them to the number in my signature and I’ll post them

Check the size of your pics. If they won't post then reduce the size and save.

Since when? Who regulates/enforeces this? What Texas state agency?

TRCC was sunseted by Rick Perry back in 2010

I haven’t seen a new home warranty that included driveways in flat work. Specifically stated foundation and patios. Driveways and sidewalks were not included.

OP...post up some pictures of your driveway issues.

Who's the builder?

It was probably DR. Horton. See what I did there?

Ha! Could be, but I don't think we're building in Venus.

Prescher custom homes llc

I went to the text page and I still am having issues with posting pictures. I don't know why I can't seem to upload.

okay maybe the picture was the issue let me go take some pictures and see if i can get them to the computer.

Back in 06 KB Homes had a bunch of driveways sinking 2-4” and I believe had to replace all of them.

Back then you the TRCC, Texas Residential Contruction Commision that over saw warranty on house in Texas. They came with 10 year structure and 2 year others like HVAC,Plumbing, Etc

They were sunsetted by Rick Perry like in 2010.

Like I posted earlier the pics are probably too big. Reduce the size and try again. Rebar on the ground is no good. I caught the same thing over my culvert at the street. When j pointed it out to the construction manager he said the inspector would have caught. Not trusting the inspector I called my realtor. Builder was not happy when I went through a realtor but he helped a lot when I was not out there doing inspections. My sister had a real estate license and recommended that I use a broker friend of hers.

https://www.facebook.com/GeraldSwindle.GMAN/videos/561109955099084/?mibextid=Ln9nvgL5G69ErzOE

What does sunsetted mean?
Oh, never heard canceled used that way before, wow.

I have a heavy floor jack and when I roll it across the driving was you can hear and feel the sound difference it is like it is not even touching the ground. I have a picture that show where the one of the many cracks where the side of the driving way isn't even 2.5 inches thick.

I fought with the phone and i was beaten. I tried to post pictures from it and I still cannot. Oh well

You could still text me the pics and I’ll post them two14-356-two410

Okay will will send you some pictures thank you

Hi Big, I just sent you a bunch of pictures from my phone. I have more but the cracks are all the way through and across the drive way. I was thinking about digging up both sides of the concrete because as you can see by the tape measure, some places are only 2 to 3 inches thick. When I roll my floor jack over the driveway you can hear how the sound changes from solid to hollow sounding.

It wasn't laid properly where it meets the asphalt. They should saw cut along the asphalt and back to the next expansion joint.

A lot of water in the mix

Was it laid on a really hot day?

Not done properly and not nearly proper thickness if ur tape measure is accurate to complete thickness of that drive. My moms driveway has cracks like that and is twice as thick. It should not be doing what it is if it was a properly done driveway.

If mine,,, tell them to redo. If they don't,,Lawyer time.

Those types of cracks are common and not worthy of replacing. However, like mentioned above, the joint to the asphalt should have been cut and poured thicker, not on a bevel. It does look too thin in that one area you measured.

Shoddy workmanship

Concrete isn't thick enough.

All of the above. Rebar looks to be laying on the ground as well.

My prediction is the builder will give two chits about condition and will ignore any request by you to make it right. Lawyer up or bite the bullet and get it done right on your dime.

Good luck.

Thank you for the replies, any suggestions on a good lawyer in the Venus area? I do have a concrete guy to come out and look at the work and do some test in a couple weeks as I am working 6 days this week and the following my sister is flying in and we will spend 4 days with her. I and hear and feel the difference as I roll my 4 ton floor jack across it and it sounds like there is voids everywhere excepts closest to the garage. The house was built last November and the driveway was poured a couple of weeks before we looked at it in late November and the builder was the one that informed me of this. As you can see, that big chuck of concrete that I lifted out with my hand doesn't have any rebar in it. I know that should not be happening. I did find an attorney and he wrote a sample letter to the builder and sent it to me to look at it. I looked up some of the reviews and I really didn't like what I read about him at all. So if anyone has anyone that they trust please let me know, as I would like to get this done. I thought about paying to have it fixed and perhaps video tape of the driveway being taken apart for a possible lawsuit if in fact there is a big issue, like I think it is and go to court over that? I really don't want to take the money out of the bank either lol. Thanks again for all the suggestion, Robert
t

Does the city have a pre inspection for flat work?

I'm sure his lender would like to know how their collateral is being constructed. You'll definitely burn the bridge, but if you let him know that's your next stop it may get his attention. Are there other concerns with the house?

It’s common for flatwork not to have rebar in it, depending on code. I built in Trophy Club, Grand Prairie, Flower Mound, and Euless. Most cities I built in allowed the flatwork to be poured over sand and wire mesh, not elevated rebar. 2x4’s were used to form the flatwork so ideally it should be ~3.5” thick. Like BIL asked, I would be curious if the city has an inspection too..

Correct. Welded wire mesh and properly compacted subgrade with proper moisture and density based on the proctor for the given area is standard. Any driveways, drive pans, sidewalks that we pour are 4" thick.

I'd want to know what the city spec mix is because looking at that chunk, it's obvious that mix is seriously messed up. Very little aggregate, high amount of cement and probably a lot of flyash. I bet it has insufficient air entrainment. Air entrainment allows for stress cracking to occur without cracking the actual structure. We require 5-8% air on average in our exterior pours, all of which are 4500 to 5000psi on avg.

I worked 6 days last week so I didn't have any time to look at this, but thank you for all the feedback. The builder said that the concrete guy came out and tested the concrete and we were not home. There is no holes drilled into the concrete and no pieces are missing. They told the builder that it is up to code? The concrete guy that will be coming out informed my wife the there was basically two ways to test it and one was to drill a hole all the way through and test it and another one with a machine of some type. This is my wife trying to describe to me what was told to her. Anyways he will come out and in a couple of weeks and check it out. Everything that you guys had told me about the wire mesh and rebar a know a little about and that all makes sense. The concrete mix has been a concern as it just doesn't seem to be correct, it is too brittle which is why that it is cracking. Which was also mentioned too. I just need to know how to go about getting this corrected. In California we have state licensing departments that we can turn too and file against. Here I don't know where to turn to. It seems like anyone who wants to start building houses can by a license and hire a crew and go. Not so in California or it could be similar but with different names? Back home we can have their contractor license board, here I don't see that. I have heard that I would probably need to hire some type of engineer but not sure who or where I would locate one. Part of me not yet knowing the cost of getting a new driveway put in, is to have it done and video tape it being taken apart so that i can video tape how thin or thick the slab is. Just by the sound alone I can tell that not all of it is touching the ground or there are some big voids in it, as it doesn't sound solid. I you guys had this problem what is the first thing that needs to done, thank you for your help, Robert

California you say?

Concrete company likely performed a hammer test to measure the cured strength of the mix. Pretty silly test once you see how it’s conducted, but it’s good enough for Engineers to back it..

Recommend not disclosing that piece of information in Texas.

Oh snap, there goes the neighborhood

You are likely correct. I don't mean to downplay this, but look at the very big picture. It is a driveway, not the center of the home. Everybody wants to "lawyer up" on about everything. I don't think you are there yet.

Do you want to pay the lawyer's fee? It is likely way more than a driveway. I have a recently retired lawyer relative that had a buyer default on a sale. I'm his Realtor. I reminded him of a clause in the sales contract regarding if the buyer defaulted and scoffed and walked. He said he was very well aware of the clause and he could file "X" and then they have "X" amount of time to reply, rinse and repeat for a year or so. He said screw it and we moved on to the next buyer, which we just closed with.

Maybe you should wait until the home cracks. Then you may have a case a lawyer will take on contingency. Otherwise all you have now is stress and out of pocket expense.

re bar on the dirt dont work. prolly gonna have to do it on your own to ge it right. sux though.

Never heard of a licenses in Texas for building houses, no such thing exist that I know of

I bet there are plenty of empty homes with nicer concrete in Cali for you.

Yes Sir california. My daughter, husband and grandkids moved here like 6 years ago. I flew my out about 4 times a year or more as she was always crying when she saw the gkids being born. I finally moved her out, we are now 150 miles and she will drive herself out there a lot of times to be with them. I was stationed and trained at Ft. Silly, Ok and drove to Texas for more training a lot of times and to party back in the 80's. There are a lot of stuff I have been looking at to try and get out and do some hunting but Texas doesn't have the public space like Cali does but hopefully I can learn where to to, where it won't cost and arm and a leg to hunt, but I haven't found too much without driving a lot of miles lol. Oh well, the wife is not crying anymore so at least there is that. I haven't been off roading anywhere yet. Sure miss hunting in the mountains and the desert which were only a hour or two away and I could take the quad out to to do that too lol. I did manage to finally build me a welding bench, which i can add to it as I need depending on what is needed. I was going to build one in Cali but when I finally had enough of the wife crying were sold in a month and out the door. Its been a ride I tell you what hehee.

No they are not empty they just move in the illegals in them and there you go. Just be advised and vote, that gruesome newsom doesn't become the next president of the U.S. get out and vote. You don't want that at all!!