strangers going through your house thats being built

[pearlieq]

Grrr! This happened in my neighborhood to and it really, really bothered me.

We were one of the last people to close and I went to party a few weeks before where everyone informed me they had been through my house. How rude! They had no business in my home and I do consider it trespassing.

Our neighborhood had strict rules about not walking through the construction sites. You had to call ahead, be escorted by a supervisor, and could only go through your own house or another with the owner's permission (usually because there wasn't a model). I just can't believe these people felt entitled to ignore the rule and lope on through my property!

 

[720L]

This is not in a development, not by a mass builder. And it's way off the road, behind another house. I'm going to put a No Tresspassing sign up tonight. And I will be sure to tell my builder that nobody goes through it without OUR permission once the locks go on. I think it is kind of ok to go through a house being built in a development (that are all by the same builder)--although I myself still wouldn't do it. I think it's extremely tacky to go through a private lot and look at a house though.

 

[scoutsmom99]

We have had 2 developments added to our nieghboorhood in the past 15 years and we always walked through the houses while they were framing and what not. The builders seemed to encourage people to walk through the houses. Two of our nieghbors actually ended up building with a builder as a result of walking through homes that were under construction!

 

[SplshMtn99]

This is not in a development, not by a mass builder. And it's way off the road, behind another house. I'm going to put a No Tresspassing sign up tonight. And I will be sure to tell my builder that nobody goes through it without OUR permission once the locks go on. I think it is kind of ok to go through a house being built in a development (that are all by the same builder)--although I myself still wouldn't do it. I think it's extremely tacky to go through a private lot and look at a house though.

OK, now, I wouldn't do that -- no matter what stage the house was at.

 

[sandramaac]

In the grand scheme of things, if you are having a builder construct your home well then, the house really isn't your's yet---it's the builders. He is the one that has secured the financing on the land, has title to said land, and title to said improvements on that land---that being your home. Even though you may have said a agreement to buy the home and placed a deposit, until final closing the home is not yours. It is at the point you own the deed and title to that land and property. Now if you bought the land yourself, have hired all the sub-contractors, and currently hold full title to that land, and are paying your sub-contractors, well then the home is yours.

 

[sandramaac]

This is not in a development, not by a mass builder. And it's way off the road, behind another house. I'm going to put a No Tresspassing sign up tonight. And I will be sure to tell my builder that nobody goes through it without OUR permission once the locks go on. I think it is kind of ok to go through a house being built in a development (that are all by the same builder)--although I myself still wouldn't do it. I think it's extremely tacky to go through a private lot and look at a house though.

Once again, I ask who has put up the money for the financing on the property. Even if you are not in a development, if the builder has put the financing up, then it is his home. He has title to the land and said improvements. If he want folks to walk through the home he is building, since he owns it, an army can go through it. It isn't 'your' home until settlement. So before you put that no tresspassing sign up, I would make sure it is ok with the builder. We are currently building a new home ourselves (here is the link of what our house is, only difference is mine will have an all brick front---going to be 6 bedrooms and 5 1/2 baths, we are adding a 6th bedroom over the family room, and my breakfast room will be double the size it appears on the drawings--we should be done in November). Anyway good luck

Here are the links:


http://www.paparonedistinguishedpro...m/hbbid_images/HB1005_Images/Cherbourg_el.jpg

and

http://www.paparonedistinguishedpro...m/hbbid_images/HB1005_Images/CherbourgFlp.jpg

 

[720L]

We own the land.

 

[ladycollector]

This is so weird; I have never heard of such a thing. Why would you want to walk through? The only possible reason I can think of is if you were building and you wanted ideas, but certainly everybody doing this can't be building.. I just think it's really nosey.

 

[lulugirl]

I think it's rude.

 

[720L]

BTW-awesome house Sandramaac! Huge!

 

[Lalita]

When we had our house bulit several years ago, we didn't mind people go through our house actually we met alot of great neighbours going through our house. But we did mind that in the basement there was footprints all over one section, just rude to walk on wet cement. But I do understand what you mean and how your feeling.

 

[sunni]

Someone ask about theft. Yes, people steal from builders all the time (DH works for a builder). In an upscale neighborhood, one of the neighbors (a real jerk) was spotted walking off with a tool from an unfinished house, he wasn't aware he was being watched, and he certainly could have afforded to buy one. As soon as builders can get locks on they should do it. One home had all the windows glued shut by vandals... not as funny as it might sound.

I personally wouldn't go through one without an escort from the builder or owner. While it is amusing to see what awful taste some of these homeowners have (money does not equal taste!), I do believe it's better to get permission. Some of these houses have expensive floors and woodwork and the builder will be responsible if you damage it. One home had some kind of large, expensive, wood "medallion" shipped from overseas and set into the hardwood floor -- can you imagine a person that is nosy and not even looking for a home coming through and damaging it?

 

[disykat]

Some of these houses have expensive floors and woodwork and the builder will be responsible if you damage it. One home had some kind of large, expensive, wood "medallion" shipped from overseas and set into the hardwood floor -- can you imagine a person that is nosy and not even looking for a home coming through and damaging it?

Surely by that time it would be well locked. Doors go on houses here when they are done with the framing - well before the walls are put in, making it long before flooring.

That said, although I've said I've gone through houses, they are in developments with "for sale" signs up - very clearly owned by the developers with fliers posted out front with the floorplan and price. I really don't feel like I'm being any nosier than reading the flier.

 

[sunni]

Surely by that time it would be well locked. Doors go on houses here when they are done with the framing - well before the walls are put in, making it long before flooring.

Unfortunately it's not unusual for sub-contractors to forget to lock up. On our way to dinner tonight we passed by one of the houses DH's bosses own. The garage door was up and the side door unlocked. He says they never own up to it, or it's "so-&-so said he'd lock up", or "so-&-so said they were coming right back"... it's never anyone's fault.

 

[disykat]

Walking up and going through an unlocked door is the same as breaking and entering IMO, far different than walking through a partially framed house with no door.

 

[sandramaac]

Until you have all your windows and doors in your kinda hosed. I would then put the sign up, and also indicate that you will not be held liable for any injury's that occur. Good luck!!!

 

[poohandwendy]

Friends of ours are building a 9,000 sq ft home (my DH is doing the electrical work). This is not a plan being built, but a single home on 22 acres. The owners ARE the builders, the building and the land are not owned by anyone but them (and the bank, LOL). People in the community are very curious. (I would post a picture, it is amazing...but I wouldn't do that without their permission)

Because the driveway is very long, they just keep a backhoe blocking the driveway at the bottom. You would think that would discourage the lookie-loos. It doesn't. I think the only thing that is really a problem is the safety issue and the fact that there is alot of expensive equipment on site. Most of it is locked up, but still.

The funny thing is that EVERYONE in the community knows who is building it, and they are nice people who would let anyone who asked take a walk through while they are there working. But people still just go and walk through without permission. It's frustrating to my DH because often he is there in the early evenings, working alone, and a stranger walking up to you in a building (out of nowhere) can be more than a little bit startling. And then they want him to quit what he is doing and take them on a tour! He refuses now because he is trying to get the wiring completed for the initial inspection...so he doesn't have much patience.

I can see both sides of this, but I think if there are any barriers up at all, signs or a car blocking access to the drive...you should take that as a hint to stay out.

 

[Poohnatic]

I didn't mind people going through my house, because the salesperson was NEVER at the model. I did have a problem when we got to finishing things up-flooring/carpeting was installed, the house was painted inside, etc!

We were about two weeks from moving in and DH and I were in the house, taking pictures when a couple parks their car in front of the house and got out. I'm pretty sure they had plans to 'tour' our home, then realized that we were inside and it might not be a good idea!

Suzanne

 

[the kabuki]

As a residential builder it is a usual practice in our area for people to walk through homes under construction, while in the Rough-In phase. Once doors and windows are up, they are typically locked up.

In most standard building contracts you'll find that the builder is allowed to have prospective customers' walk through homes under construction until the day of closing.

Yes things are sometimes stolen. Just recently had to replace the copper plumbing pipes in one of our homes, they were ripped right out of the walls. Unless there's a guard there 24/7, it's a chance you take.

 

[tinkertraci]

We've been in our house 7 years now. This reminds me of a funny story about our first neighborhood get-together picnic. One busy-body neighbor (dirty old man) came up to my husband and me and said he had walked through our home when it was being built and he noticed that we put insulation between our interior wall between master bedroom and son's bedroom. He said he thought that was strange to put so much insulation on an "interior" wall. Then he looked directly at my husband and asked him if I was a "screamer". The best part of the story is when my husband answered him...."No, I am." This really shut him up!!!!

FYI - We put insulation there due to TV being on that wall and we didn't want the tv noise to bother our son.

Also, it's technically not your home (it's the builders) until you close so there isn't much you can do until they get the locks on.

Thanks for reminding me of this funny story.