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  1. #1
    Jenni Wailes's Avatar
    Jenni Wailes Guest

    Default Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Has anyone had experience with this builder, if so what was it? My husband and I are starting our build in October... But we are both very new to this.

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  2. #2
    Ted Menelly's Avatar
    Ted Menelly Guest

    Default Re: Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Quote Originally Posted by Jenni Wailes View Post
    Has anyone had experience with this builder, if so what was it? My husband and I are starting our build in October... But we are both very new to this.
    I will just say this and let others make there opinions on the matter.

    As in any home being built you need to hire an inspector that does phase inspections. Before your slab is poured. Before the drywall goes up and a pre walk thru/closing inspection.

    I'll leave it at that for now.


  3. #3
    Jenni Wailes's Avatar
    Jenni Wailes Guest

    Default Re: Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Hmmm... something tells me you have some strong opinions on this builder... i really want to hear both the good and bad. its not too late for us to look elsewhere. yes, we would be out a small amount of earnest money, but whats that compared to possible repairs and maintainance. a home should be built well to begin with, and i need to know before it is too late. like i said, all feed back, good and bad is needed.


  4. #4
    Ted Menelly's Avatar
    Ted Menelly Guest

    Default Re: Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Quote Originally Posted by Jenni Wailes View Post
    Hmmm... something tells me you have some strong opinions on this builder... i really want to hear both the good and bad. its not too late for us to look elsewhere. yes, we would be out a small amount of earnest money, but whats that compared to possible repairs and maintainance. a home should be built well to begin with, and i need to know before it is too late. like i said, all feed back, good and bad is needed.
    Jenni

    I am originally from Mass and then lived in Florida (where I first ran into Centex Homes) and now live in Texas and I am still running into Centex homes. Centex is a minimal builder that drives there supers to one goal. Getter done.

    From my experience with them they put the minimum into there homes.

    I'll stop there. I have inspected their homes and they do correct concerns I find. I guess that is what matters.

    With any new build, with any builder, hire an experienced phase inspector. He will help keep things right as the build goes along.

    The part about living in Massachusetts. I am an opinionated 54 year young Yankee.


  5. #5
    Jenni Wailes's Avatar
    Jenni Wailes Guest

    Default Re: Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Thank you for you input. we will definately haire a phase inspector, and my husband and I plan to be at the site as much as possible. This will be our first home, as we are both 28. BTW: don't worry about the yankee part. It's in my blood too!


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
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    28,032

    Default Re: Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Quote Originally Posted by Jenni Wailes View Post
    Hmmm... something tells me you have some strong opinions on this builder... i really want to hear both the good and bad. its not too late for us to look elsewhere.

    With few exceptions (none that I know of, but I am allowing for some to exist) the same holds true for all national builders. Plus, I only know of a couple of local builders (in South Florida) who were exceptions to that, leading me to believe that there are exceptions for local builders. That is how they compete with the national builders for the most part - they compete on service, not on reputation (make that not on 'perceived reputation').

    Some of the builders who tout themselves as 'Americas luxury home builder' (there must be a dozen or so who claim that one), or similar phrases, are sometimes the worst offenders.

    Your best defense is a contract (needs to be spelled out in the contract) which explicitly states that you are allowed to bring any inspector you want to inspect on your behalf and that no unreasonable demands may be made regarding that inspector, with you being the party deciding what is "reasonable" and what is "unreasonable" (don't leave that to the builder, they will want $10 million in in$urance, and, to them, they will tell you that 'is not unreasonable' - you will want to discussed what is 'reasonable' and 'unreasonable' with your inspector, so you know what the issue comes up).

    Mind you, if the builder balks at that in the contract, it *does not* mean the builder is 'bad', but is an indication that they 'do not want' you to have anyone inspecting on your behalf.

    Also, in the contract, stipulate that all repair items reported by your inspector will be corrected and completed before being covered over or hidden. Do not fall prey for the term 'will be addressed' as that only means 'yeah, we talked about those items, and, nah, we are not going to do anything about them' - i.e., those items "were addressed".

    Also, in the contract, stipulate that they (the builder), none of their employees, no subcontractors, no one, will be allowed to interfere with your inspector and that your inspector will be allowed as much time as your inspector needs and wants - that the builder shall not place any restrictions on your inspector, time or otherwise.

    If your builder agrees to all of that, then go for it, make sure you select a competent inspector who will stand up for you and your interests.

    When checking for inspectors, DO NOT USE PRICE as a factor in deciding which inspector to chose - remember, even if the inspector charged 1% of the sales price of the house, it would be a steal once they start finding things and the builder corrects those things (not saying that your inspector will charge that, but I do - and sometimes more - for my complete consultation, which includes plan review).

    I'm also *not* saying that a low price inspector is not any good, just not to use price as a consideration. Think of it this way: The inspector knows what he thinks he is worth, that is what he/she charges. Do you want 'great worth' or 'so-so worth'?

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
    Posts
    4,521

    Default Re: Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Jenni,

    I can tell you from my personal experience as my first home was a F&J.

    Not one problem did we ever have with that home the whole 13 yrs. I lived there except replacing the water heater.

    Over the years, I've inspected a many of them here in the DFW and most have had not many problems other than homeowner neglect.

    Being in the termite business, I've also had to drill through the slabs doing termite work and their slabs are some of the thickest and hardest I've drilled through.

    In my opinion, one of the better tract home builders for the money.

    Rick


  8. #8
    Jennifer Tulley's Avatar
    Jennifer Tulley Guest

    Default Re: Centex (Fox & Jacobs) Homes

    Hi Jenni:

    I would tell you a couple of things. First, the experience in other cities is as useless as if the comments were about a different company. We have moved 12 times, and have found the same company in different cities to be different (Pulte, Ryland, Centex). That being said, I recently went to jdpa.com (JD Power and Associates) and looked up builders and quality, and found that Centex had five stars in Houston. It looks like they were the only one here with that rating.

    Having built 5 homes, I am not aware of a builder that would agree to all the terms oftened mentioned on these threads, especially under $500,000, but I enjoy reading them anyway. I have learned to talk to the people living in the neighborhood, and that clues us in to what to look out for. Then pay closer attention to that.

    Looks like you chose well - best of luck!


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