"Our warranty commitment is easy to understand and is based on COMMON SENSE. We believe the homeowner has a right to expect a clean home and free of defects at the time of closing. Things should work. If there are problems because of defects in materials and workmanship, as outlined above and described in more detail later, THE BUILDER will arrange for their repair or replacement."
That paragraph in the introduction to the limited warranty sounds good, maybe it is just a selling tool. Pulte's marketing is good, however their actions may turn once happy homeowners into their enemies.
My A/C warranty expires in 5 months. This problem should be resolved by then.
I will be buying a second home by that time, and it will not be from Pulte Homes, DiVosta, DelWebb, or anybody related to them.
Why this blog?
In July 2005 I bought a home from Pulte Homes in Orlando, FL.
After receiving a huge bill from OUC for electrical charges I contacted Pulte's Customer Service Rep Jacy who simply told me: "that is something that is expensive here in Florida. Your unit is on the fourth floor and is empty, maybe you are running the a/c too low. Contact OUC".
Ok, so I did contact OUC who said something similar "your unit is on the fourth floor, etc".
I told Jacy what OUC told me and had Bryan from Pulte come into my unit to check the thermostat. Maybe I was doing something wrong.
I paid the bills and believed what Pulte and OUC told me. My family still insisted something was wrong and that I had been taken advantage of.
After receiving a huge bill from OUC for electrical charges I contacted Pulte's Customer Service Rep Jacy who simply told me: "that is something that is expensive here in Florida. Your unit is on the fourth floor and is empty, maybe you are running the a/c too low. Contact OUC".
Ok, so I did contact OUC who said something similar "your unit is on the fourth floor, etc".
I told Jacy what OUC told me and had Bryan from Pulte come into my unit to check the thermostat. Maybe I was doing something wrong.
I paid the bills and believed what Pulte and OUC told me. My family still insisted something was wrong and that I had been taken advantage of.
2 months later
My tenants are complaining about the high energy consumption. I repeated to them what Pulte then OUC told me: "Energy is expensive here in Florida, the unit is on the fourth floor, etc".
They believed me since they came from New York. I had believed Pulte and OUC since I came from North Carolina.
I told my tenants to open the windows if they wanted to save money on electricity.
They believed me since they came from New York. I had believed Pulte and OUC since I came from North Carolina.
I told my tenants to open the windows if they wanted to save money on electricity.
4 months later
Now is March and the tenants are complaining about the cost of electricity. They are saying the consumption is too high.
I contact Jacy at Pulte who sends their A/C person who finds nothing wrong with the unit.
My tenants are getting behind on rent payments to me and energy bills to OUC.
I contact Jacy at Pulte who sends their A/C person who finds nothing wrong with the unit.
My tenants are getting behind on rent payments to me and energy bills to OUC.
15 months from purchase date
The A/C technician found out something wrong with the A/C. He said the sequence was wrong since the installation date. He explained both heating and cooling were working at the same time.
No wonder the electrical meter was showing such a high usage (more than twice than my neighbor's).
No wonder the electrical meter was showing such a high usage (more than twice than my neighbor's).
Jacy is not happy with the A/C vendor
She candidly explains this is a good chance to get rid of the A/C vendor. They should had found the mistake back in March when they came to the unit. I tell her about the high charges for "double consumption". She says to wait for two bill periods and she will see she can do.
17 months after purchase
Jacy from Pulte tells me she can refund me $1,400 based on the problems we had with the A/C. I tell her "no thanks" because my calculations indicate $1,800 should be the fair amount. She disagrees and starts losing her patience with me. Now she is pissing me off because I told her 15 months ago about this problem, I believed her explanation then, and now she is wrong again. The $400 difference is based she is using March 2006 as the original problem date and I am using August 2005.
January 2007
I regret I bought a property from Pulte Homes. Their "customers for life" mantra looks like a lie. Their J.D. Power surveys are worthless in situations like this. There is pressure from Pulte's CSRs to complete a good survey. I would call it subtle pressure within prudent limits. A good survey is tied to the CSR's bonuses.
I promised Jacy I would take this situation to the top, I meant to the big guy, the founder, Bill Pulte. I was not interested dealing with the Orlando office. They could always tell me "things are expensive in Florida". I listened to her again and contacted the Service Manager in Orlando, Derek Morgan.
I promised Jacy I would take this situation to the top, I meant to the big guy, the founder, Bill Pulte. I was not interested dealing with the Orlando office. They could always tell me "things are expensive in Florida". I listened to her again and contacted the Service Manager in Orlando, Derek Morgan.
My experience with Derek Morgan
At first Derek listened and was cordial. He promised to look into the matter. After a couple of weeks he replied with the identical story Jacy had told me. Not only he is backing up his employee, but he is talking about "not paying for consequential damages".
I have never asked about a reimbursement for consequential damages. That would be a couple of trips to Florida and associated expenses because my tenants were not paying the rent. The time I have spent in this problem, checking all 40 electrical meters in the building. Plenty of aggravation because a bad A/C installation.
I am only asking PULTE HOMES for the money paid because of the bad A/C.
I offered to see Derek in person so he would realize I am not lying. He refused to see me in person and added he never said I am lying. So he needs to check with Jacy and maybe she will admit she blew me off the first time I told her about the A/C. She did not record our conversation in her laptop that she carries around. We need more common sense here and less technology.
Now Derek wants me to read the Pulte Homes protection plan and the limited warranty.
I have done what he requested. The A/C has a 2 year coverage period. I have owned a Pulte Home for 19 months now, and after 17 months I am still waiting for a cordial resolution for this issue.
Will Derek be smart and admit Jacy's & Pulte's error?
I hope he applies his common sense.
He never did, he did choose to insult my intelligence. I never wanted to talk to the man again. Then I had to contact him once again on March 2nd, 2007 when my tenants reported there was no cold air. Derek promised to send someone in. He did...keep reading to see what happens two years later!
I have never asked about a reimbursement for consequential damages. That would be a couple of trips to Florida and associated expenses because my tenants were not paying the rent. The time I have spent in this problem, checking all 40 electrical meters in the building. Plenty of aggravation because a bad A/C installation.
I am only asking PULTE HOMES for the money paid because of the bad A/C.
I offered to see Derek in person so he would realize I am not lying. He refused to see me in person and added he never said I am lying. So he needs to check with Jacy and maybe she will admit she blew me off the first time I told her about the A/C. She did not record our conversation in her laptop that she carries around. We need more common sense here and less technology.
Now Derek wants me to read the Pulte Homes protection plan and the limited warranty.
I have done what he requested. The A/C has a 2 year coverage period. I have owned a Pulte Home for 19 months now, and after 17 months I am still waiting for a cordial resolution for this issue.
Will Derek be smart and admit Jacy's & Pulte's error?
I hope he applies his common sense.
He never did, he did choose to insult my intelligence. I never wanted to talk to the man again. Then I had to contact him once again on March 2nd, 2007 when my tenants reported there was no cold air. Derek promised to send someone in. He did...keep reading to see what happens two years later!
What others are saying
Interestingly enough, a simple search in google using the words "arbitration" & "Pulte" provides a deeper understanding of their products. Thank you Derek for bringing up the "arbitration" word.
Here are some examples of some other nightmares, much worse than mine:
- Fight Pulte
- Groceman v. Pulte Homes Corp
- HADD
- HOBB
- Rip-off Report
Here are some examples of some other nightmares, much worse than mine:
- Fight Pulte
- Groceman v. Pulte Homes Corp
- HADD
- HOBB
- Rip-off Report
Then more facts showing their quality:
- Better Business Bureau
- Corruption at Pulte Homes
- CNN Money February 2007
In response to all that "bad press", Mr. Morgan simply says some people will be unhappy because Pulte Homes delivered over 40 thousand units in 2006. Maybe he is right, and maybe they are building too fast.
How would you feel if you made an effort to buy a home and had high expectations from a good brand? You probably would be very dissapointed like me!
How about being told several times you are wrong because they were wrong? That would either wear you out or reinforce your fight for justice and fairness.
Fast Forward to March 2009
About a month ago, my new tenant reported the heat was not working, then once the temperature went up, he reports the A/C does not work!
$440 dollars later everything is working the way Pulte Homes should have done it from the beginning. Here is the report presented on March 19th, 2009 by an A/C technician that has fixed many Pulte/Reliance mistakes in the Stonebridge community:
- Pressure checked system to 500 PSI, located leak at at unit's service parts.
- Valve cores leaking due to melted rubber most likely during install of condensing unit (quite common for Stonebridge neighborhood, observed on my history of repairs to numerous units in the neighborhood).
- Checked wiring in air handler to determine reason why unit is not running efficiently (problems with no cooling and heating):
1. Emergency heat was not hooked up (bypassed not to come on).
2. TStat wires and condenser wires were connected opposite of what they should be; this caused emergency heat to always be on as well as fan motor having continuous power. Very high power bills are a consequence of this mistake, this is the third unit in Stonebridge I found with the same problem, all of them done by the same installer: Oscar.
- Wired unit correctly and did a system check, everything is working ok at this time.
- Vacuumed system down for one hour, held vacuum for half an hour then charged unit with 410A to specs. A/C unit is cooling properly now.
Bottom Line:
Pulte Homes subcontracted Reliance for their A/C work. They did a lousy job. Then I ask them to fix it, and they send Reliance again. It was wrong from day one and it was never fixed until March 2009 by an independent A/C technician I found. I am fowarding this case to my attorney.
$440 dollars later everything is working the way Pulte Homes should have done it from the beginning. Here is the report presented on March 19th, 2009 by an A/C technician that has fixed many Pulte/Reliance mistakes in the Stonebridge community:
- Pressure checked system to 500 PSI, located leak at at unit's service parts.
- Valve cores leaking due to melted rubber most likely during install of condensing unit (quite common for Stonebridge neighborhood, observed on my history of repairs to numerous units in the neighborhood).
- Checked wiring in air handler to determine reason why unit is not running efficiently (problems with no cooling and heating):
1. Emergency heat was not hooked up (bypassed not to come on).
2. TStat wires and condenser wires were connected opposite of what they should be; this caused emergency heat to always be on as well as fan motor having continuous power. Very high power bills are a consequence of this mistake, this is the third unit in Stonebridge I found with the same problem, all of them done by the same installer: Oscar.
- Wired unit correctly and did a system check, everything is working ok at this time.
- Vacuumed system down for one hour, held vacuum for half an hour then charged unit with 410A to specs. A/C unit is cooling properly now.
Bottom Line:
Pulte Homes subcontracted Reliance for their A/C work. They did a lousy job. Then I ask them to fix it, and they send Reliance again. It was wrong from day one and it was never fixed until March 2009 by an independent A/C technician I found. I am fowarding this case to my attorney.
