Newly-built homes deemed unlivable due to sliding soil

If you want to know what a sinking home sounds like, just ask Eric and Carole Kamradt.

[bakedinspiration]

Edge homes new motto is,
“We build homes ON THE EDGE.”

[TheRm]

In New Orleans they built houses that were below sea level (you can look UP and see ships passing by). In California they build on cliffs and in fire zones, and then when their houses are destroyed, they rebuild in the same place. And anywhere there is waterfront, they build as close to the waterline as they can and then complain about erosion and flooding. Can't fix stupid.

[Tom-muzy]

We built our retirement house on relatively flat ground and we still went to an engineering firm and had a soil analysis done before designing our foundation and building the house. The information we got included a water table that got within 7 feet of the surface during the summer irrigation season so we went with a shallow crawl space below the house and ventilated it. A few years later we watched a neighbor build a house with a full basement across the street. I went over during the excavation and asked them if they had a soil analysis done and was asked to leave. Their basement flooded the very first summer.

[CoreyChambersLA]

Glad to hear that the builder will buy back the homes. The soil movement problem is clearly quite severe.

[ornotgortwormiii]

I'd take the builder's offer to buy back the home in about half a second and wouldn't look back. Plenty of houses out there.

[Chronically_JBoo]

I bet Edge Homes only offered that after the news had to get involved. My heart breaks for these families.

[roachtoasties]

The builder should also be required to reimburse the homeowners for all other expenses involved in having to move out and relocate, including dealing with the bank with the loan and refinancing. It's not like you just bought some item at Walmart and want a refund.

[jonathanstrauss]

That's called developers not doing their due diligence allowing greed to run the show.

[joesmith]

I see this all the time in new residential construction. Buyers are far more interested in insignificant stuff like flooring or paint color over the fact their house is built on a terrible lot.

[dr.emilschaffhausen]

Always, always get a soil compaction test and a write-up by a competent engineer prior to building on any piece of property.

[rainmaker]

These homes fell down the ravine yesterday, but Edge still says they are safe! LOL

[terrylewis_]

I bought my first home in early 2020, and many of my familiy and friends have purchased homes in recent years. The ones who moved into "new builds" have ALL had major issues. I'm talking, unable to use their bathrooms for 6+ months, flooring needing to be redone but again, it takes months for the fixes to get done. They are cranking homes out so quickly.

[cbobwhite]

This is the same builder that built condos in Edge View. The home owners can hear every sound the neighbors make, shower running, toilet, dishwasher, cabinet doors closing, etc. Of course, Edge Homes claims they use the proper soundproofing in their homes.

[outlawbillionairez]

Retaining walls are almost never used to hold back soil that's supporting a building. Partly because they are holding back water as well.

[Twitch_Moderator]

Back in 2008 I bought a new home. There was no soil shifting and all the windows on the north side of the house cracked. The drywall cracked all over and the water lines burst. All in one year. Oh!! And the drive way pad cracked too. I didn't park on it for the 1st 12 months either.

It is now sold and gone. Btw it was a premium house too. What a disappointment house materials are now. I ended up buying a 1978 house and it is perfectly built.

[Ember]

This isn’t surprising, the builders know upon what soil the houses are built.

[zeke]

Goes back thousands of years- build your home on firm foundation- prophecy of life

[mattywho]

How the builder expected those cider block style walls to retain anything is beyond me. How those homeowners could walk through that house, look out at the back yard with those crappy walls in a drainage area and still buy that dump is amazing !

[myyt]

There’s only like 5 retaining walls holding up those lots. WHO SIGNED OFF ON THIS?!?!?!

[dc]

Kudos to the city holding firm against pressure from Edge Homes. Several months later the homes have collapsed.