Ryland Homes

[mnkywrch]

How do they rate compared to other builders?

Better/average/worse?

[chop456]

Don't be lazy.

Choose your own plan, get references and do your own subcontracting. My next door neighbor saved about 30% of construction costs.

Unless you're buying an existing home.

[WickerBill]

I almost bought a Ryland but the deal fell through, and I ended up in a Hansen and Horn and am much happier with my subdivision than I would have been in the Ryland one.

There were a couple of details in the Ryland we liked more, but Hansen's lot size and design choices were ten times better. Maybe twelve times.

[mnkywrch]

Originally posted by chop456
Don't be lazy.

Choose your own plan, get references and do your own subcontracting. My next door neighbor saved about 30% of construction costs.

Unless you're buying an existing home.

Brand new, but existing.

We dig the floor plan and location and it's got everything we think we'd need for the next 15 years.

Save a cable provider who offers Speed Channel as part of their analog offering.

[chop456]

Originally posted by mnkywrch
Save a cable provider who offers Speed Channel as part of their analog offering.

Who are you kidding?

All YOU need is ABC. :p

[mnkywrch]

Originally posted by chop456
Who are you kidding?

All YOU need is ABC. :p

Naw - then I'd miss Inside Winston Cup, Legends In Motorsports, Car & Track with Bud "Look Out!" Lindeman, and all the F1 and NASCAR stuff.

Half of my TiVo is stuff from Speed Channel.

:) ;) :p

[WestMcLarenF1]

Originally posted by mnkywrch
How do they rate compared to other builders?

Better/average/worse?

If you want a quality built home, hire a local general contractor. Your mass produced home builders, example: Ryland, Pulte, Centex tend to use cheap materials and cut corners. There is a reason that they're in and out in six weeks. Things to watch out for. 2x10 floor joists instead of pre-engineered floor trusses, 2x4 exterior walls with Tuff-R sheathing instead of O.S.B. It's the little things.

[mapguy]

You could do what I did and buy an older home. Back when they built them right. It can be a double edged sword, however. We looked at new houses and they did look pretty cheap when looking at the details. Also they don't really have any character. Just a bunch of boxes. We ended up buying an 80 year old colonial that has tons of character. Pocket doors leading to the dining room, A real fire place with a brick mantle. Real wood trim all over the place, real hardwood floors. Plus with an older house you have an establised neighborhood. Fully grown trees, etc...

There is a downside, however. Unless you get one that is pristene (which are VERY expensive) there is a lot of work to do. We still have the original windows in the house. They look nice but don't insulate worth a damn. We need new siding, as it is very old. Back in the 20's when this house was built there was no such thing as an eat in kitchen and therefore the kitchen is small.

Having said that the place is built like a brick spit house. Rock solid and the floors don't creak. This house will probably outlast all the average house that is built today.

[Turn7]

Rock solid houses are great if you plan to live and die within the same town. However, reality is that rarely happens now days. Rather than getting all tied up in the absolute highest quality of the builder, make sure the location is right.

Make sure you are in an area that is growing and the house will appreciate in value. Look in the "hot" area of town and buy just outside of it in the newest development in the direction of growth. I am not saying to not look at quality, just that other things factor into the equation as much if not more than the quality of the builder.

A house is an investment and you should make sure that you aren't buying as an area peaks.

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by mapguy
You could do what I did and buy an older home. Back when they built them right. It can be a double edged sword, however. We looked at new houses and they did look pretty cheap when looking at the details. Also they don't really have any character. Just a bunch of boxes. We ended up buying an 80 year old colonial that has tons of character. Pocket doors leading to the dining room, A real fire place with a brick mantle. Real wood trim all over the place, real hardwood floors. Plus with an older house you have an establised neighborhood. Fully grown trees, etc...

There is a downside, however. Unless you get one that is pristene (which are VERY expensive) there is a lot of work to do. We still have the original windows in the house. They look nice but don't insulate worth a damn. We need new siding, as it is very old. Back in the 20's when this house was built there was no such thing as an eat in kitchen and therefore the kitchen is small.

Having said that the place is built like a brick spit house. Rock solid and the floors don't creak. This house will probably outlast all the average house that is built today.

I know what you mean, Mapguy. I'm selling my 75 year old bungalow right now, and moving into a 90 year old bungalow in a different city. The feeling of quality and solidity around us is quite nice.

Incidentally, we took the old windows out, stripped them, and reputtied the glass. Got a 30% decrease in our power bills for our trouble. The good news is that my wife LOVES to do that stuff, and I don't mind it. We also combined our kitchen and enclosed back porch into an eat-in kitchen/sunroom...

[Sean O'Gorman]

Originally posted by mnkywrch
Save a cable provider who offers Speed Channel as part of their analog offering.

Wanna trade houses? I wish our cable company offered SPEED as digital, the picture quality would be much better, since we have the cable split 4 ways.