The problems with Champion Genesis just kept showing up...
This entry was posted on 3/31/2007 2:12 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
Originally we were told to expect some minor cosmetic problems that would be easily repaired. Cracks in the drywall as a result of transportation from the factory as well as doors needing adjustment. However, minor soon turned into major and then into MAJOR!
It is true that some of the minor problems were functional and cosmetic. For example, on the initial walk-thru the passage into the kitchen was blocked by an oversize refrigerator, part ot the premium package from the factory. In fact, if the dishwasher door was open, you could not walk comfortably past the refrigerator to get into the kitchen. The refrigerator stuck out 14+ inches from the front edge of the counter.
I commented during the walk-thru that the premium
refrigerator did not match the refrigerator depicted in the printed materials
and that the premium refrigerator stuck 14-inches into the kitchen, effectively
blocking the kitchen entry.Jay
responded, “That’s too bad.It’s part of
the premium appliance package and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
I
also asked Jay if the plumbing fixtures were “Moen,” as advertised.He stated that they were not Moen and that we
would find Moen in the corporate printed materials and on the corporate
website, but not in the homes.
I
can assure you that as a customer, when you’ve paid for what the printed
materials and the Champion Genesis website refer to as “brand name fixtures, appliances and cabinetry” that
“provides the assurance of quality and durability,” these are not the kind of
remarks you want to hear.This is hardly
what I consider product quality. What we did find in the home was trash painted to the top of the kitchen cabinets. Numerous empty cola cans, electrical boxes, nails and twenty-thirty screws glued to the top of the cabinets by the painters when the kitchen was being painted by the factory trained workers at the Champion Genesis factory.
Not only was the trash painted and firmly stuck to the top of the cabinets, clearly the top of the cabinets were never finished to begin with.
The Champion Genesis Jefferson II is a two story modular home. Going up the stairs for the first time, we quickly realized that the stairs were badly racked, uneven and did not fit the opening. The tread widths were not consistent and the rise varied between treads.
The stairs had to be torn out and rebuilt onsite to meet code. As you can see, the Champion Genesis factory also forgot to install the 5/8 drywall under the stairs in the closet below, another code violation.
Speaking of drywall, the alignment of the first and second story modules was so bad, the entire stairwell had to be shimmed and re-drywalled to make the walls match. You can see a little bit of the mis-match in the previous stair photo on the left.
Looking at the far wall in the photo below, shows the shimming necessary (1/4 to 3/4) before re-drywalling to make the corners square and the stairwell look right. Overall, the extensive additional drywall repairs throughout the house cost in the neighborhood of $3900.00 for labor and materials.
Code required a sprinkler system be installed in the house. Looking up at the ceiling revealed three sprinkler heads that were inproperly installed and stuck 11/2-2 inches below the ceiling.
Keeping in mind that this is a residence, you would not expect to find office sprinkler heads throughout the home. What was described and shown to us were flush mounted heads and what we got, is what you see in the photo. This sprinkler problem in the photo turned out to be minor when compared to what was discovered when the floor on the second story had to be opened up to install missing plumbing. (See inside the walls and floors)
Continuing the walk-thru in the kitchen, it was apparent that the electrical outlet behind the range was two high. At 41 inches from the floor, it prevented the range from going completely into the opening and caused it to stick out an additional 2 inches from the counter. The outlet had to be relocated to 23 inches from the floor to allow the range to slide in completely.
Not the kind of placement you might expect from a Champion Genesis trained factory installation or is it?
On the topic of outlets, switch plates and cable TV connections, the photos below demonstrates what to expect when you purchase from Champion Genesis Modular Homes.
You would think that the telephone and the cable would be combined into one box and at the very least the installation would be done with a level or a laser level, not by braille. Other outlets fell out of the wall because the hole was too big, still others were loose and several rocker switches were defective and had to be replaced.
Notice the red post-it, we ran out of post-its going through this house.
The modules are prewired at the factory. To make assembly easier and quicker, the connections between the first and second floors are snap together. All you have to do is raise the access panel which is marked and precut at the factory and snap the wires together. Imagine our surprise when after lifting the access panel, there were no electrical wires, not telephone wires and no cable for the tv. Not to worry, it turns out the wire connections were at the opposite end of the house and all we had to do was cut access holes in the floor to find them. Another sterling job by the Champion/Genesis "trained factory technicians."
Connections for the water between the 1st and 2nd floors turned out to be a little more of a challenge. The 11/4" pipe from the 1st floor was nearly six feet from the 11/4" pipe on the second floor and to make matters worst, it was in the wall. All we had to do was cut two access holes in the floor, cut a hole in the master bedroom closet wall, cut the pipe, solder on an elbow, connect a 5+' length of pipe and connect to the second floor.
The "minor" adjustments on the French doors turned out to be a little more than minor. All that needed to be done in order for the doors to work properly was taking the surrounding trim off, removing the screws holding the door jams into the frame, removing the shims and starting over from scratch. One exit door had to be removed frame and all and the framing had to be modified in order for the door jam to be square in the opening. Anything but minor. Another fine job by the Champion Genesis factory trained and supervised technicians.
Walking around the exterior, Jay Angus was heard asking Ron Bailey, "Can you tell me how it is that we can build a 61 foot long unit that fits both ends of the foundation and hangs over 11/2-2 inches in the middle of the foundation?" Ron's answer "no." This question surprised several of the framers that were working on the site built garage and porch (excellent work) and they came to me after the Champion Genesis management team left and ask if they hear the question correctly? I answered yes and they laughed, boy did they laugh. Framers hear how factory built homes are better because they are built in a controlled enviroment with factory trained workers. Here they are presented with a one-on-one comparison and the garage and porch they are building fit perfectly and do not overhang the foundation an 1/8 of an inch, let alone 11/2 - 2 inches. Advantage: onsite carpenters.
The Champion Genesis Jefferson II was ordered stucco ready. Somehow the factory trained workers thought that meant you did not have to chalk around all the windows, just maybe parts of some of them! All the windows, as pointed out by the county building inspector, had to be calked, either again or for the first time.
In addition, the exterior control for the fire sprinkler system was covered by an osb panel, not the metal box and door required by the building code and not stucco ready. Another fine Champion Genesis factory job.
The alarm bell was surfaced mounted on the osb panel and would need to be removed and extended in order to prevent it from being encased in stucco and ineffective. Not exactly "stucco ready."
Perhaps
one of the most glaring omissions had to be the HVAC.
While the house was under construction in the
factory, I sat in the Modular Home Pro office as you placed a call to the factory to determine
the placement of the air handler and furnace.You were told and then you repeated to me that a platform would be
provided by the factory and located in the attic space.
The foundation plans indicated placement of
the HVAC equipment in the attic as well.It was not until the house was delivered that we discovered the
foundation plans were wrong and the HVAC was located outside the house.
Since cutting a hole in the concrete stem
wall would have structurally compromised the foundation, we were forced to
retro fit the HVAC by cutting large holes in the outer and inner walls of the
house, building a platform and lifting the unit through the holes and into the
attic. Once again, another stellar job by the Champion Genesis factory engineers and workers.
Champion Genesis was notified,
but ignored the request for payment despite the fact that Champion Genesis
Management acknowledged that the HVAC was a serious problem.The retro fit was time-consuming and costly.
Please keep in mind, all of these problems were discovered on the initial walk-thru. The real surprises were yet to come when we were forced to open up the walls and the floors to make repairs and sometimes to do work that was never done in the Champion Genesis factory.
Next post takes you inside the "partially" built factory home...
4/23/2007 6:04 PM
Mike Robbins wrote:
I am totally grateful for your honesty and detailed depiction of your purchase of this home. My wife and I are considering purchasing a modular home here in the near future. I appreciate this article and would like you to know that you have totally steered me from champion homes. Thank You very much!!! Mike Robbins Reply to this
4/24/2007 7:43 AM
Mike wrote:
Mike R, Glad to have been some help in your search for a modular home. As you probably read in a previous post, there are several good modular home manufacturers who build quality products. The modular home concept is a very smart way into home ownership and it all starts with sound research. Good luck and if you would not mind, please keep us up to date on your progress. Mike
6/24/2007 8:08 AM
stu wrote:
May I ask, from what dealer did you buy your Champion Home? Was it a Redman home? Reply to this
6/26/2007 7:15 AM
Mike wrote:
The dealer was Modular Home Pro, located in Escondido California. The Genesis Jefferson II modular home was built in Chandler Arizona, at the Champion/Genesis/Redman plant. The same plant is used to build both manufactured homes and modular homes. Unlike some modular factories, the Chandler plant builds both manufactured and modular on the same line and as we were told, in no particular order. Consequently, the following quote from a Champion employee is easier to understand, "when you send thirteen manufactured homes down the line and then throw in a modular, mistakes happen." That explains a few problems, however it does not explain how Champion Genesis advertises Moen and supplies some off brand.
4/27/2007 1:05 PM
Linda Bone wrote:
Mike, I have been looking at the Redman manufactured home (by Champion). Do you have any info about the Redman. Please reply and I would appreciate your input on some of the better manufacturers. I like anyone else cannot buy then spend and fight to get things done. Thanking you in advance for your help. Reply to this
4/27/2007 3:33 PM
Mike wrote:
Linda, Did you get an opportunity to read the post dated 4/16/07 "Flat earnings..." In the post are two links dealing directly with Redman homes. As you already know, Redman is a Champion subsidiary and that is all I need to know to cross them off my list!
Modular home manufacturing and availablility is strongly dependent on your proposed location. What area of the country do you plan on locating your home?
I hate to ask about this in this forum, as it is off-topic, but are you the same Linda Bone who managed an apartment complex called Esperanza Village? If you are, I need to get ahold of me. Please e-mail me at mike at conway dot org. Thank you. Reply to this
4/27/2007 5:10 PM
Bill wrote:
I know you can't send me a list of manufacturers that are considered to be the best but you can name two or three that are the best in your personal opinion. We are spending some of our little retirement money and don't want to make mistakes Reply to this
4/27/2007 7:40 PM
Mike wrote:
Bill, Without knowing what region of the country you plan on locating your modular home, I wouldn't know which manufacturers to suggest. There are several good companies to choose from, just need to narrow down the region/state to determine which ones might meet your needs. Mike
5/29/2007 7:54 AM
Mike wrote:
Stella, I have not had any first hand experience with Palm Harbor. Everything I have read or seen speaks very highly of the organization and their homes. Champion modular could learn a thing or two from Palm Harbor, starting with the mission statement. When compared with Champion modular homes, the Palm Harbor mission statement speaks volumes: If you can arrange it, visit one of their factories. Speak with one of the personal construction managers about your new home and tell them what you see when your Palm Harbor home is completed.
6/9/2007 1:18 PM
Donna wrote:
My husband is retiring in January 2008 and we were planning on a log cabin modular to be located in the Rockies near Leadville, Colorado. We currently live in New Jersey. Champion is on my list as a BIG No No!! Do you know or heard of any good modular home contractors in the Rockie Mountain Coloradoi area? Reply to this
6/11/2007 8:29 AM
Mike wrote:
Sorry to say that I do not personally know any log cabin builders in Colorado. That said, from our experience when we were considering building a log home near Steamboat Springs, I do know there are several very good log cabin builders in Colorado and the surrounding states. If your are able to arrange your schedule, you should attend the Timber Frame & Log Home Show in Denver. There are similar shows across the country every year, however we found the Denver show to be very informative. You probably are already aware of the shows, if you are not, then this may be of some help to you and your husband. Good luck, you have picked a GREAT place to retire.
In a previous reply I suggested that you and your husband attend a Log & Timber Home Show. If you have not selected a builder or a specific product, you might click(ctrl-click) on the following link for the shows schedule:
6/17/2007 12:24 AM
Doneyel Fisher wrote:
I live in the Wesson, Ms and the closest area to look for homes is Brookhaven, McComb, or Jackson. What are some suggestions would you give me in purchasing a first-time manufacturing homes in these area? Reply to this
6/17/2007 5:29 PM
Mike wrote:
The two companies that you might consider are Safeway Homes and Ritz-Craft.
6/29/2007 3:10 AM
Frances Capps wrote:
What can you tell me about Mascot Modular Homes? We live in North Carolina and have alos been looking at Southern Showcase which is a Champion Home but are they the same as the company you went with in California? Reply to this
The home we purchased
was built at the Redman plant located in Chandler Arizona and owned and
operated by Champion Enterprises.
I have no information
regarding Mascot Modular Homes.As
always, you are encouraged to do as much research as you possibly can before
buying.
This same advice was
shared with a neighbor after our experience with Champion Genesis. As a
result, he crossed Champion Enterprises off his list of possibilities and in three weeks will be placing a new modular home built by Guerdon on his foundation:
10/18/2010 12:56 PMMicroConsole wrote:
I can see that you are an expert in this field! I am launching a website soon, and this information is very useful for me. Thanks for all your help and wishing you all the success in your business. Reply to this
