Cityliving101 Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I have had numerous leaks since buying my home in 2006. The repair process has not worked to date. I am curious to know if anyone else has had similar problems with their Tricon home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 where are the leaks originating? roof? siding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 To start, we had a leak in the roof. The top of the parapet wall was not sealed. The only thing holding water out was cap flashing. The flashing was leaking. Some new flashing and a lot of caulk and it appears to have stopped the leak.Then five windows were leaking. The first one was due to a repair Tricon did to get the upward bow out of the bottom portion of the frame. They shot nails through the bottom of the vinyl window frame to flaten the bottom edge so that the window would close. It also had an alarm sensor drilled through the bottom of the frame. That window had to be replace.Four additional windows (vinyl frames) had alarm sensors drilled through the bottom of the frame. Those windows were replaced as well.Several additional windows were leaking. That was due to improper flashing.We also had scuppers and vents leaking. None were ever flashed.We also had doors leaking. That was also due to improper flashing.We continue to have leaks in numerous locations. It appears that the building envelope is failing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 that is horrible. i saw the flashing problem at a friend's recently. he had a room with two windows added to the original structure. during the first heavy rain, i got a frantic call and the solution....install flashing. the contractor tried to do the job with caulk and that just doesn't work long term. it was a poor caulk job too. what is the exterior material? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 Swiss Cheese! Just kidding, it's hardieboard and stucco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Swiss Cheese! Just kidding, it's hardieboard and stucco.hardi is good if it is installed properly. i went over a friend who moved into a perry one a few months ago. during a 4th of july party i pointed out an area that is/will be leaking due to improper installation. he called them the next day to point out the problem. i'm not a fan of the fake stucco. proper flashing is super impt with the material Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 Yes, HardieBoard is a great product when installed right. There are problems with the installation such as buckling and nailing. Nails are over-driven, under-driven, and driven in at angles. Proper clearances are also an issue. Even with all the problems with the Hardie, this is not the problem for the water penetration.As to the stucco, it is the real thing...3 part stucco.The problem is the building envelope (Tyvek house wrap & flashing). Tyvek too, is a great product if it is installed right. The problem here is that it is not. After seeing the HardieBoard removed at several locations, we got a view of the Tyvek and flashing. The flashing was not installed in a clapboard fashion, the Tyvek was not installed correctly to the windows and doors, the vertical seams were not taped, etc.The problem now is that Tricon does not want to do anything but minor repairs. Minor repairs simply will not fix the problems we are having. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 you better find a good attorney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 Do you know of anyone you can suggest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Do you know of anyone you can suggest?RedScare is HAIF's resident attorney and there are a few others here as well. I'm sure they can provide some direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 We did more moisture checks since the last hard rain. Old areas are still showing moisture. We have new areas showing up as well. There is moisture in our north wall, south wall, east wall, and west wall. We are devestated!If you own a Tricon home, you may want to seriously consider having an inspection performed by someone who is well versed at detecting moisture. Do it within a day or two, three at the most after a good rain.If you're planning on buying one, MAKE SURE ITS RAINING when you do! Don't forget your umbrella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifuwong Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Sorry about your experience with Tricon homes. They seem very nice looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Your problem is a common one, just vist the Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings web site to see. Houston needs better building codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwilson Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 The codes in Houston are fine. It is the builders that we need a higher quality of. Most builders are all bottom line in spite of what's best for the home owners. Even in the luxury market. This is the primary reason I decided to go in to business for myself.Also, inspectors in this town are a joke. You are lucky if they GLANCE at something. I've never gotten a single red tag on a CoH job on things I KNEW I should have. For example, we had a previously scheduled inspection for plumbing grounds at one job and the guys didn't get it done in time. There was literally 2,000 square foot of the houses plumbing that wasn't complete. The inspector green tagged it anyway. The plumbers finished it and I had it reinspected, but it was still a joke.Bellaire, on the other hand, has much more attention to detail with their inspectors. What builders don't realize is inspectors help with your liability as well. If they find a problem before it presents itself to the owner, you've just saved yourself from another liability.Tricon is actually going out of business, I've heard. Good luck though. If you need to get the roof repaired, let me know. I've got a great roofing company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 The codes in Houston are fine. It is the builders that we need a higher quality of. concur. They put cheap crap into the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Is this a patio home (loft) ...? I mean, the 'Tricon' home?I have often thought that many of them are shoddily built, but I have nothing to prove it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwilson Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Is this a patio home (loft) ...? I mean, the 'Tricon' home?I have often thought that many of them are shoddily built, but I have nothing to prove it on.They are definitely shodily built. The mentality of most builders is cheapest bid wins. This is a lot different than wanting to get the best possible price on the best product. This is sacrificing quality for the sake of price, and it is standard practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 I do not want to categorize a whole genre of popular housing (they have sprung up ALL over Houston and are by any estimation, VERY popular), but just wondering if anyone has noticed problems with them now that some are approaching 5 - 7 years out...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwilson Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 I do not want to categorize a whole genre of popular housing (they have sprung up ALL over Houston and are by any estimation, VERY popular), but just wondering if anyone has noticed problems with them now that some are approaching 5 - 7 years out...?If you are thinking of a townhome/patio home...don't buy, build. And find a builder with integrity. Having 50 builds under your belt doesn't mean anything if they built 50 pieces of crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Don't you have to complain to TRCC, which, as we know, is a completely worthless agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
segovia Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Tricon is ubiquitous in the Heights area. They used to build solid homes. You can tell there is a varying difference in quality comparing their homes from the early 2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 18, 2007 Author Share Posted July 18, 2007 It is a free standing home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 18, 2007 Author Share Posted July 18, 2007 gwilson...Where and when did you hear Tricon was going out of business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Just checked the Tricon web site, dont see any mention of quality on it. Was thinking perhaps you could sue them for false advertising but seems they are smart enough not to even mention quality on their web site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porchman Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Tricon is ubiquitous in the Heights area. They used to build solid homes. You can tell there is a varying difference in quality comparing their homes from the early 2000's to the present.Actually, two realtors (neither of whom represent Tricon, by the way) have told me that Tricon's quality has improved since 2000. I don't know for sure. I haven't noticed anything when I've walked some of their open houses - Mctorians and firehouses, both. However, as CityLiving101 can testify, a walkthrough like that doesn't tell you much (unless the builder is really bad).Two Tricon Mctorians in my neighborhood - one built '03, the other '06 - have recently had single-paned decorative windows on the upper levels worked on. I'm assuming leak problems were the issue. Anybody know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 23, 2007 Author Share Posted July 23, 2007 Just checked the Tricon web site, dont see any mention of quality on it. Was thinking perhaps you could sue them for false advertising but seems they are smart enough not to even mention quality on their web site.TRICON has a full page advertisement in the July 2007 issue of INTOWN MAGAZINE. TRICON talks about their building top quality homes, superior construction project management and their selection of topnotch contractors who share their zeal for quality workmanship and customer service. Unfortunately that was not my experience with TRICON HOMES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cityliving101 Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 Don't you have to complain to TRCC, which, as we know, is a completely worthless agency.By law, you have to go through the TRCC before you can take legal action. We are now waiting to hear back from the TRCC as to them moving forward with the 3rd party inspection. It is a timely process and while we wait, water continues to penetrate our house.We saw on HOBB.org that they have a link to Homeowner Websites. We decided to start a website ourselves. In the meantime, if you are considering buying a Tricon Home, then we want to invite you into ours to see all the problems we have first hand.During your visit, you can see the unfinished condition they left our house in, the inspection report we received after having our house inspected by an independent TREC licensed, ICC certified inspector (non-TRCC), the report we received from the Field Support and Forensics liaison at DuPont Building Innovations Department regarding the Tyvek building envelope, and all communications with Tricon including emails, certified letters, and pictures. Feel free to email me at cityliving101@aol.com if you are interested.In fact, we are thinking of running an open house each weekend, with signs and balloons saying:Tricon HomeOwner Open HouseIf you're considering buying a Tricon HomeSTOP HERE FIRST! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Please let us know when your web site is up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachanga Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 they have had leak problems at several projects...where is your place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 the owners of tricon are featured in one of those local home magazines this month. i left the magazine in the car so don't remember the name at this moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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