[Chellybean]

Originally Posted by GaryW

I am quite aware of this issue,,, The Pop Outs,, alot of debate on that issue.

The are different type of mixes for concrete. Concrete is guaranteed to reach a certain strength threshold if you will. It will reach that strength in 28 days. Alot of mixes for T&D are designed not to "Cure Fast" but to achieve desired strength in a shorter period of time.

Slabs on ground (e.g. pavements, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, floors, canal linings) and structural concrete (e.g. bridge decks, piers, columns, beams, slabs, small footings, cast-in-place walls, retaining walls) require a minimum curing period of seven days for ambient temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit1.

American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee 301 recommends a minimum curing period corresponding to concrete attaining 70 percent of the specified compressive strength2. The often specified seven-day curing commonly corresponds to approximately 70 percent of the specified compressive strengths. The 70 percent strength level can be reached sooner when concrete cures at higher temperatures or when certain cement/admixture combinations are used. Similarly, longer time may be needed for different material combinations and/or lower curing temperatures. For this reason, ACI Committee 308 recommends the following minimum curing periods3:


Curing in Construction

http://www.nrmca.org/aboutconcrete/cips/40p.pdf


Little reading for those interested in this type of boring stuff.

tHANK YOU YOU ARE CORRECT BUT I DID NOT WANT TO BORE ANYONE WITH THOSE ACI Committee 308 STANDARDS.

[GaryW]

Originally Posted by Chellybean

tHANK YOU YOU ARE CORRECT BUT I DID NOT WANT TO BORE ANYONE WITH THOSE ACI Committee 308 STANDARDS.

That is only the tip of the ice berg with concrete curing and properties. But since it was coming up,, little reading material

[Chellybean]

Originally Posted by GaryW

That is only the tip of the ice berg with concrete curing and properties. But since it was coming up,, little reading material

l.o.l. I'LL PUT IT IN MY LIST, THANKS

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by GaryW

That is only the tip of the ice berg with concrete curing and properties. But since it was coming up,, little reading material

I have to respect the folks who have built more homes than any builder I can think of and feel that most of us are very happy with them. Gary, thank you again for your patience and skill and hard work. Your kids have a lot to be proud of.

You have posted on this forum and explained so many things about the things that happen behind the scenes here.. How did your friend do after his accident with the cement truck? Hope he will be well and enjoy Christmas with his family.

Merry Christmas Gary to you and yours.

[TrudyM]

I am glad to hear that the structural is 10 years that helps us decide to not buy homes build in 2004 and before just so we feel safer.
Hubby worked as a engineering aid for the DOT in between degrees so his knowledge of cement is highway construction and in Hawaii so hot and the rock in it was volcanic which apparently has it's own issues.
So if we decide to build instead of buy pre-owned (the assumption is issues will for the most part been addressed already) we will need to be there to watch them and make friends with Chellybean so hubby has someone who really knows for advice. As aircraft structures are not the same at all.
The goofs that get made even by the best intentioned happen. I was having a door put in and went to the bathroom when I came back the sub that the contractor was using had put the door flush with the siding instead of the sheathing so it needed a frame extension on the inside. The best of builders have an ebb and flow of workers that don't always understand what they are told.
I have been working for a year on hubby to get him over the sink hole concern so now I know 10 years on major issues.

Thanks again

[Vladimir]

Originally Posted by Chellybean

there are so many things wrong with your post i don't know where to begin.
I have also been a builder in the north for 36 years and they do have a lot of employee rotating and some builders have been there awhile.
Concrete needs 28 days to Cure and the houses are built in 60 to 70 days so you do the math. for the speed they build for production houses they do ok, don't get me wrong i am very pro Morse and what he does for the economy here in Central florida, they feed a lot of families.
The reason why they stay to the production houses and not custom homes here, is less chance for errors and it becomes repetitious.
a lot of the help knows their job once there told and they do it over and over again, but a lot of them don't have the ability to read plans.
I will stop here or this post will be a mile long. To the average eye the homes are ok, to a trained eye there is a lot of hidden errors due to them moving too fast. One thing to point out, look above eye level, top of tiles on roman showers are rarely chalked (mildew can build behind tile) , top of ledges on archways are not textured or painted, the Molding on base molding have way to much chalking and miter joints are poor etc.... I HAVE TO STOP have a nice day

I have seen enough newly built homes in the northeast as well as checking out quite a few other retirement communities before moving here. All I can tell you is that you get a very well built house for the price compared to what I have seen... never mind the environment and lifestyle.
Sure you can have better building techniques, materials, higher quality products, processes, etc. but its a value proposition - a cadillac with its corresponding price tag.
Ours was one of the last custom designer homes built and I checked the base molding, top of roman shower and miter joints, top of ledges as you mentioned and it was all done correctly. I'm not saying everything is perfect and that mistakes are not made but you have a year for the builder to fix the problems you find and they are responsive.

[cquick]

we actually had a cigarette butt in the concrete on our front stoop. I power washed out the cigarette, and it left a hole.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I think they do an excellent job putting up homes. Their concrete crews have been with them for twenty years as have most all their building crews. They have many, many specialty crews. They have different ones for each kind of home; designer, premier and villa. They have crews who ONLY roof, crews who ONLY frame and crews who ONLY plumb and those that do electricity. They even have a group that seals each seam on the interior, the crown moulding and the baseboard, etc.

They may work quickly but they work carefully and every single thing is checked. I could see the builders notes and directions that were stuck to the back sliders when our house was being built. We have built many homes over the course of our lives and our children have built several This is the most efficient process here in The Villages that we have encountered and we have built a couple larger custom homes too.

If you have a question call warranty. They are the ones who have power over all the different teams and they will see that any problem is corrected.

P.S. I don't work for the developer.

Please do not be offended by my comments. I offer them as a person who inspected homes for years. You are offering a layman's opinion on the quality of Villages homes. Generally, Villages homes are of a quality that is comparible to most home contruction elsewhere. To a person with a trained eye and home construction experience, Villages homes are chock full of flaws. For example, far too much caulking is used to hide flaws, very few inside and outside walls are straight, windows are inferior in quality, block walls are constructed on concrete floors not nearly cured long enough, vinyl siding was applied incorrectly for several years, and on and on it goes. I offer the following that a person can use to tell when a individual or contractor lacks construction experience. When they someone uses the term "cement" floor or perhaps "cement" driveway, that person is not a true craftsman. The correct term is always "concrete" floor, "concrete" driveway or perhaps "concrete" patio. Cement is the binding product added to stone, sand and water that hardens and creates CONCRETE....Where I come from, many use the terms kitchen sink and kitchen zinc.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

Please do not be offended by my comments. I offer them as a person who inspected homes for years

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

. You

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

are offering a layman's opinion on the quality of Villages homes. Generally, Villages homes are of a quality that is comparible to most home contruction elsewhere. To a person with a trained eye and home construction experience, Villages homes are chock full of flaws. For example, far too much caulking is used to hide flaws, very few inside and outside walls are straight, windows are inferior in quality, block walls are constructed on concrete floors not nearly cured long enough, vinyl siding was applied incorrectly for several years, and on and on it goes. I offer the following that a person can use to tell when a individual or contractor lacks construction experience. When they someone uses the term "cement" floor or perhaps "cement" driveway, that person is not a true craftsman. The correct term is always "concrete" floor, "concrete" driveway or perhaps "concrete" patio. Cement is the binding product added to stone, sand and water that hardens and creates CONCRETE....Where I come from, many use the terms kitchen sink and kitchen zinc.

I am not offended, nor am I surprised. I have a good memory for posts and for opinions and attitudes.

BUT....Since you had all this information, all this background, all this expertise, why in the world did you buy a home here?

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

[B][COLOR="Magenta"]

I am not offended, nor am I surprised. I have a good memory for posts and for opinions and attitudes.

BUT....Since you had all this information, all this background, all this expertise, why in the world did you buy a home here?

Did you not read my comments ? I stated that Villages homes are comparible to most homes anywhere else. I didn't simply buy a home here, I contracted to have a home built here, big difference. Generally, you get the quality that you would get anywhere else. But allow me to answer your question. I am here mainly because I was present in the Villages as my home was constructed from beginning to end. I can assure you my home is constructed much better than if I had not inspected it every day and insured it being acceptable to my standards. I watched my neighbor's home being built. He was not present. I assurfe you, hi is home does not meet the same quality as my home.

[GaryW]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I have to respect the folks who have built more homes than any builder I can think of and feel that most of us are very happy with them. Gary, thank you again for your patience and skill and hard work. Your kids have a lot to be proud of.

You have posted on this forum and explained so many things about the things that happen behind the scenes here.. How did your friend do after his accident with the cement truck? Hope he will be well and enjoy Christmas with his family.

Merry Christmas Gary to you and yours.

Why Thank you My Lady, Merry Xmas to you and your family, The guy in the wreck, still not working,, had some type of head injury. still out.

The homes here are put up fast, but are of Quality. This is the fastest growing community around by far. There are alot of people and companies doing a hell of job trying to keep up with the demand.

With that said,, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good Night or Day depending on when you reading this.

[rhood]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Lots of folks seem to think that this is a nice place to live and the homes are just fine.

Well, you are half right.