My Adams Homes Story

My Defective Adams Home Story. Three years ago September of 2006 my family purchased a 3000 square foot home from Adams Homes of North East Florida. This was supposed to be a wonderful thing for me and my Family of Seven. We moved in and started having plumbing backups in toilets.

Builder sent out their Plumbers, Gunderson Plumbing company. The employees from Gunderson Plumbing advised my family that they didn't do the plumbing in my home and that the plumber that installed plumbing in home had been fired by the builder. They advised us that the plumbing was not ran according to the builders blueprints and that they had no idea where the plumbing pipes even were under the home, since they were not ran according to plan. They felt that the home had possible sag in line causing backups, but had no idea how it could be fixed.

We were told to wait to see what the builder would do, because Gunderson Plumbing was not liable, they didn’t install the system. But, the builder seemed to be stalling us, we had difficulty getting them on the phone from then on. We ended up having another clog few weeks after the first. Gunderson Plumbing came back to home, this time they found toys in two of the toilets, small fisher price animals, but all three toilets had been clogged when they came to home. So they said they knew that the toys didn't cause the issue of the clog but the builder was stating that was the case and they refused to pay the plumber. I went ahead and wrote check, and Gunderson didn't even cash it after we spoke to owner. That was very kind of them.

From that visit on, the builder stated there is nothing wrong with the house. They say the issues were caused by toys. They refused to address the fact that the plumbing was ran in wrong direction, they refused at that time to do anything for us.

So we got the Clay County Water Company to come and check the outside line running to the main sewer connection to make sure that their part of plumbing system was not defective. The water company ran a camera through the outside line and found sags in the pipes that would cause backups into home. They gave me paperwork showing exactly where each sag was and how big they were. The main connection their part was fine.

At this point with proof that the home had problems, and Builder refusing to do anything I decided to picket Builders Model Home. I wore a wood sign, and painted My Adams Home is Defective on the front, and Adams Homes says to flush twice on the back. Cause that is what the builder said I needed to do to fix, just flush more then one time.

The Saleslady was angry about my protest and everyday would turn the reclaimed water sprinkler system on me whenever I was there, she turned on only the station that I was standing by, and had the sprinkler heads turned to hit the sidewalk and me. This was their attempt to make me leave. She also put signs in the Model home yard that stated you can’t flush toys and cat litter. The sign basically blamed me and my Autistic child for the problems with plumbing in the house. She was stating the toys cause the issue, and making up the cat litter flushing in order to try to deflect responsibility. She also told neighbors that nothing was wrong with my house, and that I was crazy.

The Builder I guess got tired of me being up on sidewalk everyday, and called the Bonded Builder Warranty group into situation, the warranty group does not take over warranties till after first year but we were being forced into meetings with them and builder instead. So I stopped protest to give them a chance to see if they would fix home.

The bonded builder came and told Builder to video the inside and outside lines to make sure they were properly installed. So the Builder hired a company to video the pipes, The warranty person Fred and the plumbing company came and videoed the house. When they tested the master bathroom toilet to see how the flow was they turned on the shower to assist in pushing toilet paper from the toilet to the outside line. So am I supposed to run shower every time I flush to make it work right?

The Bonded Builder Warranty sent us a letter few weeks later stating that there was nothing wrong with home and issue was caused by the toys. I was so upset, how could that be, we already had paperwork from Water Company showing Sags in outside line. How did the Builder get past that in their video.

So I hired a outside plumbing company myself. I stood outside and watched him video the line, he showed me every sag he saw. He found the same ones the water company did on outside line, and he also found a 20 foot one in middle of my home in main line. So I knew then there was some sort of cover up going on, and builder was being deceptive. I got paperwork from plumbing company and video.

So I decided to started back on my protest, cause I knew my home had defect. I had a video now to back it up. But then we got a letter from Builder Stating if I didn't stop protesting them they would sue me for slander, cause there was nothing wrong with the home, and that they had upheld my warranty. So we had to go and hire an Attorney.

The Attorney advised me not to picket anymore that he would help us from there in going thru the arbitration process with the Bonded builder. He submitted our video and paperwork from the Water Company to the Builder and Bonded Builder. I called the Bonded builder and requested a copy of the Video that Adams homes had done of my plumbing lines. I wanted to see why they thought there was nothing wrong with plumbing, The bonded Builder informed me that they never viewed the video from Adams but, that after Adams Homes did the Video they called them and told them everything was fine and that it was the Toys that cause the issue. So now I knew why the Bonded builder said it was just toys, they never even looked at the video. Adams just called them on phone and said whatever they wanted to with no proof. Adams Homes told the warranty company toys caused problem and never showed them the video they did. Adams refused to give me a copy of the video they did as well.

When we had our meeting with the Bounded builder, Adams homes, & our Attorney. They refused still to fix the home. Stating that all we had to do was flush more, that sags were acceptable, and that the large crack in our foundation that we found was just settling. The Bounded Builder that is supposed to be impartial, sided with the builder, even though we had by then 2 videos showing sags thru inside and outside pipes. We also had an Engineering report from an Engineer stating all the codes that were violated that caused the plumbing to sag and cracks in floors of home. So no resolution was made at the meeting. They said they can't prove what is happening under the home, so they are not going to do anything.

So we during this whole time we had been trying to get the Department of Professional Building Regulation to help us, and they looked at our proof and told us we had enough for them to investigate the issue. They are still working on it, have been for over three years now. The Department of Professional Building Regulation has the power to stop Adams homes from building in the State of Florida. But, they have yet to do anything to them.

A few months ago, We decided to try to put flooring in a few of the rooms that wouldn't be touched even if house was re plumbed. I started to find large cracks in other areas of home. Then I kept thinking about what Bounded builder Warranty said at the meeting we don't know what’s under the ground. So I spent 4 days ripping all the flooring out of my home to see how bad our situation really was. I found quarter inch cracks running many different directions through the home.

We at this point called our Homeowners Insurance Company, cause we realized maybe we were sitting on a sink hole or had ground issues causing plumbing problems and foundation issues.

State Farm came and agreed that they were not normal settling cracks, they set up a core ground testing and other test to make sure that we were not on sink hole. When the test came back, it proved that the ground was not compacted to code before home was built, and that the concrete foundation of home was not reinforced properly. We were not on a sink hole. It was an issue with the home not being built according to code by the Builder. A quality Craftsmanship issue.

So we with the help of a friend we submitted the new Core ground testing to the Builder and the Bonded Builder, and the Bonded builder sent a representative out to look at cracks. He stated that they could patch the top of the cracks. But we already knew this wouldn't work cause there is another home in neighborhood they did this to 2 years ago and she told me her cracks are back. This was only thing he offered at that time, he stated that an engineer would be sent out to look further, he took photos of the cracks and left.

We have started to get estimates for the repairs ourselves and also opinions on how to fix both plumbing issues and foundation issues.

The plumbing is going to be about 30k. That is the low estimate before we found other issues with plumbing. It will now cost more.

We had two foundation companies come out so far, both say that the patch will not work. They both had two different ideas on how to fix.

The first person said that she can fix but they will continue to possibly expand or we might get more cracking in future due to ground issues under home and further settling.

Second company drill holes in foundation and then he puts this liquid stuff under home that turns ground into hard surface like concrete, he then works on cracks and fixes. He said that should take care of it, for 35k as well.

Both companies could not guarantee the work. So even if I could afford to pay someone to try to fix house, they will not guarantee that the work will last. Makes me feel like the house is not fixable, and I will never be able to sell it.

Then to top it all off, we get a letter from Bounded Builder Stating that we are no longer covered for the cracks due to Builder Craftsmanship Warranty being expired. These are same cracks that were there in the first meeting, these are the same cracks that they said were just settling issues. So the Builder and the Warranty Company blew us off and stalled then and tell us we have expired now? What happened to the Engineer that they were going to send out to decide how to fix? Now they are just refusing again to do anything. Just like before we are being blown off on a legitimate claim.

We now submitted paperwork from State Farm Core ground testing to the Department of Professional Building Regulation and continued to request help from them in getting house fixed. We also submitted the Paperwork from the Bonded Builder Warranty that they were still refusing to do anything for us.

We contacted Ken Amaro At First Coast news and he came and looked at our home. He ran a news story on it and took video of all the cracks. Adams Homes and Bonded builder Warranty company refused to speak to Ken Amaro about our home.

After the story ran on Television about our house Adams Homes contacted the Department of Professional Building Regulation and we had a meeting in our house with both Parties. Adams homes stated they would Patch cracks with Synthetic latex patch, and re plumb the outside line of house in the yard. They refused to address sags under the house itself. We were advised by our Attorney friend that we had to allow them to do whatever they wanted to house. Even if we knew it would not fix it. So we allowed both repairs to be done.

We had a new plumber come out and re video lines for us under home to see if sag was still there. He found the sag under house and stated it is about 17 feet long. So we still have issues under home and have new video showing it. He stated that our plumbing lines under our home are flat lined and it does not have the right slope to it, that is one of the reasons we are having backups, along with the sag. He also told us to make sure when plumbing on outside of home was re done by Adams Homes to look and see if they used thin wall pipes because he thinks that is what we have in house.

When the pipes on the outside were taken out of ground I video taped part of it. I also took photos. It turns out the plumbing pipes that were used in the construction of our home are Thin wall Plumbing pipes. These pipes are not up to State codes for use in Florida. The builder built my home with weak Plumbing pipes that were not up to code. These pipes are the reason why we have sags in the plumbing lines, and have had backups from the beginning, not the toys.

Also, I was not happy with the patch on floors because the cracks go all the way through the foundation and it is not addressing the soft sandy soil under house that was not compacted. So it is possible my home will continue to settle and crack more. This is not a permanent fix.

We contacted the Department of Professional Building regulation again, and updated them with new info about the pipes being thin wall and not up to State code standards. They started working case again. They still even with the new proof have yet to shut down this builder and help us get resolution. Even with physical proof wrong pipes were used in my house.

I also had a meeting with Mr. Conner, he is Director of Code enforcement at Building Department for Clay County and also Fritz Barings he is County Manager at Clay County. At meeting they had their Attorney Present and said that they are deeply sorry for everything I have been through and they are aware that my house should not have passed inspection. But, that County cannot be held Liable for the problem even though they passed the house. They also stated that the builder has a State held License not a County held License and only the Department of Professional Building Regulation can shut them down. My house should have never been sold, and it looks like I am stuck with it at this point. I cannot hold the county Liable even though they didn’t do their job and inspect house properly.

We are now working on getting Ken Amaro to do a follow up story about house with the new info, he said he is interested so hopefully we can get that worked out. I am concerned about other homeowners in my Sub division. If the plumber Adams Homes had working for them at the time my house was built used Thin wall Pipes in my home is it possible that he has installed it in other houses here? There may be people with the same issues sitting under there home and not know it.

I have decided I can’t take just sitting and not getting anywhere anymore. I am going to start up my protest again. I feel it is the only way I have to stand up for my rights. I know that the builder is going to threaten me again. I know that they are possibly going to sue me even though I am only telling my story, and my story is the truth. Adams homes will use any tactic they can to make me go away. I am sure they will threaten me for setting up this web site as well. But, I have been through all of this.

I can’t sue them due to the Mandatory Arbitration in my home purchase agreement and the Bonding Company and Adams are refusing to do any more for me.

I am now living with a Adams Home, with sagging plumbing under foundation, wrong pipes used in the construction and severely cracked patched floors. Plus to fix the thin wall plumbing under house, I will have to move out and have whole house re plumbed, all the way into the walls. Jack hammering my floors through out the house. That will only further weaken the foundation that is patched up. If I could even afford to try to fix this house, there is no guarantee issues wouldn’t get worse or come back.

I also have had heat and air conditoning issues with this house since the beginning right after we moved in and they still persist in home, no heat last two winters at all. When you turn on heat the breaker in garage flips off. I had to put double covers on all my kids beds just to make it through last two winters. We were freezing in a cold house with concrete floors all winter it was horrible. Plus our A/C freezes up in summer. We have to turn it off and thaw it to get it working again. I will post under documents all the work orders from repairs to A/C and photos of the frozen ac unit for you to view. Adams did have A/C repaired over and over first year. But, Air conditioning company kept patching it up and never got it fixed properly.

I can't sell this house in this condition, and wouldn't want to even put this sort of thing on another person anyway. Even though the Builder sold it to me this way. They knew the plumbing was put in the wrong direction. But, they sold it to me that way without disclosing this information to me. They knew the cracks were bad, but they did nothing till it aired on TV, then they did the smallest fix they could. They sold it to me defective, and have done everything possible to try to make me just go away. They Blamed all the issues on me and my young autistic child. That is How Low Adams Homes was willing to go, they Will Blame an Disabled Child and his toys, instead of doing the right thing.

I am pleading with Mr. Wayne Adams, Owner of Adams homes to do the right thing. Buy back this house, Pay us all our losses. What we put down in cash, all the cash we spent on upgrades after we moved in, all the attorney fees. Settle with me and let me move into a normal house.

Adams homes advertises that- “It is our desire to help you have the home of your dreams. We are committed to building communities that exceed the expectations of homebuyer.”

MR. Adams You did not sell me the home of my dreams, you did not exceed my expectations as a homebuyer. You sold me a nightmare and have no problem leaving me stuck living in it. You hired the contractors and built this house. It is not built up to State Codes, it should have never been sold to anyone. The certificate of Occupancy that you signed that stated the house is built to code, is not correct. This house should have never been issued a Certificate of Occupancy. It is un sellable.