North Country Homes Corp

We contracted with them in September of 2002. We were told that we would be in our home by Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then , by the end of January. We moved in at the end of February, 2003, with the house unfinished. We still do not have a Certificate of Occupancy. During construction, I had to go out to the site every day to direct the workers, as the owners never did. They gave the wrong information to the well-driller for placement of the pressure tank. They gave the cement worker the wrong information on the garage door opening - we ordered two 9-foot doors, not one 16-foot door. They poured the garage floor when it was less than 15 degrees out - the cement has never been right. They installed a sub-standard ridge vent. They ran the water supply lines out on the sill plate, OUTSIDE of the sill insulation. Whenever the temperature dropped below 25 degrees outside, we had no cold water in the kitchen. Being in northern Michigan, that is a problem! They never built the window bump-outs that we ordered (and I never got a refund!). The A/C was not hooked up. They tried to bill me for the electrician's call to hook it up. For three years after the house was set, we called for service. Until we got a lawyer involved, they would not respond. In June of 2004, I filed a complaint with the State of Michigan. That got some activity. They fixed a siding issue, and a couple minor issues on day 9 after the complaint. I closed the issue, since they were working. As soon as I did, they stopped coming to work. The only way we ever got work performed was to keep on them! During the construction, we were given a final bill. I refused to pay it, since the work was not done. With all the delays, I was afraid that if I paid it, they would never finish. They threatened a construction lein against my home if I did not pay it. I then paid, and we are still here today with an unfinished/substandard house. I must add, the HOUSE is great - it is a Redman home. The builder that set it seemed unable or unwilling to do their job to completion, up to acceptable standards. The major issues we complained about are still unresolved. I had to hire a plumber to fix a MAJOR issue with their work - they left an open pipe to the sewage line, where they placed the discharge line from the furnace/air conditioner. We had a back-up, which allowed sewage to blow out of that hole into my basement. The on-going issues are a ridge vent that leaks and allows animals into the attic space; a garage floor that is powery, lumpy, and incorrectly poured; a design flaw with their bay window - the sun reflects off a window to the garage, melting the vinyl siding. I still do not have a Certificate of Occupancy for this house! I was given a temporary one, but that has long since expired. I would be happy to show prospective buyers some examples of North Country Homes Corp's work before they contract with this company! I would not wish this stress on anyone!