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vervelife

Is this too picky?

The builder's subcontractors are SLOBS in my neighborhood. Like, gross disgusting GARBAGE is ALL over the neighborhood. We are one of the first homes being built (13 currently under construction, 1 occupied). Our move-in date will be #3-ish (December). There are a few specs that could have move-in's earlier.

I'm so irritated about this. My plan is to pick up the trash from my lot, but I can't possibly do the whole place. It's probably 70 acres of ground to cover. Trash has blown all over the place.


Is it reasonable to reach out to the builders (the signs are up in the neighborhood) via the contact thingy on their web-page and ask for them to clean this up and to keep their subs in line on this?

The litter is disgusting. I have empty nail boxes, caulking tubes, aluminum cans, water bottles, gatoraide bottles, chips, etc UNDER MY HOUSE in the crawlspace. There is a plywood "dumpster" built for each lot but no one uses it. I found a 1/2 bag of soggy tortilla chips and 1/2 a mountain dew under my porch cavity. Nasty. There are little strips of rusted nails (nail gun thingies) all over the place where lawns will eventually go.


Not only am I worried about this because it's gross, but I'm worried about critters. I'm worried about people's pets finding and eating this stuff. I'm worried about having chunks of who-knows-what coming up out of my lawn. At my last home a spot of grass just would NOT grow. I pulled it up to do some drainage work because that was the problem and there was a 1/2 sheet of rotting drywall about 1/2" under the soil.

For someone spending upper 500s for a house, this is unacceptable.

So, what say you? How should I approach this problem? What I'd REALLY like to do is call the local police and have each builder with trash on the ground fined for littering by the county.

Comments (14)

  • DLM2000-GW
    8 years ago

    Too picky? Not at all. I'd call every authority involved to complain and as you suggested, contact builders through their websites. It's certainly in their best interest to keep you and any other future owners happy.

    Rachel (Zone 7A + wind) thanked DLM2000-GW
  • Rachel (Zone 7A + wind)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Perhaps. I can look that up. Good idea. Is calling the police over the top?

    This is a Parade of Homes neighborhood. ONE of the builders has had his lot picked up and even the interior swept out (shop-vac'd maybe). There isn't ever trash on that ONE site. But the rest of them? WOW.

    I do not want to piss off my builder but this is totally unacceptable.

  • chispa
    8 years ago

    Yes, calling police as the first step is a bit over the top. How about a Health & Safety department, maybe your town has one of those?

  • Rachel (Zone 7A + wind)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I reported it as a code violation with the county permit office. I'm going to go pick up the trash from my lot again tonight (luckily i live in an apartment and have giant dumpsters).

    Last night I walked through the area and there was trash after hours. I understand during the day not wanting to come down a ladder to put away an empty caulking tube but it's left after hours. As my screen name signifies, I live in a very windy area. The wind picks up every night and the trash is blowing everywhere.

    I could not report it anonymously but I really hope they don't give my name out. :/

  • chispa
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    They should be able to just drive through and give the builders/subs a first warning and follow up with fines if necessary. There shouldn't be any need for them to give out your name. It really is a health and safety issue with the food waste and nails, etc. Let us know how it works out.

  • mshahmd
    8 years ago

    Mine was the same way. We had banana peels, Apple cores, bags of chips, countless half used Gatorade bottles.....and the worst were bottles filled with urine. Took one phone call and never happened again.

    Rachel (Zone 7A + wind) thanked mshahmd
  • Rachel (Zone 7A + wind)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Thanks everyone for the advice.

  • Ninjaneer
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Report the homes that are not yours, nothing else you can do.

    Do not take the passive aggressive approach when it comes to your house, though. Contact either your builder directly or the construction superintindent and advise them to get control of their sub-contractors by having them clean their mess at the end of every day, or back charge them if they don't. There is no excuse for a messy job site. If the issue isn't resolved, clean it yourself or hire someone and invoice the builder.

    My favorite client/builder in my area carries imaculately clean job sites, and posts signs advising subs to clean their messes or be back charged.

    Rachel (Zone 7A + wind) thanked Ninjaneer
  • lexma90
    8 years ago

    If it's a covenant-controlled area, with a Design Review Board, they should be monitoring things like this. If you have such an entity, give them a call too.

    I didn't realize this kind of problem existed until I read about it here - our builder was a bigger neatnik than my husband is; there was never trash in or around the house while they were building.

    Rachel (Zone 7A + wind) thanked lexma90
  • Rachel (Zone 7A + wind)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    It is a convenant-controlled area but unfortunately the neighborhood is new so the builder controls the CCRs and all entailed until it's turned over to the homeowners down the road at 85% sold.

  • Rachel (Zone 7A + wind)
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I just got back from the site. I found beer bottles in the bin. As I own the property and carry the course-of-construction insurance, I will CERTAINLY be giving my Project Manager a call tomorrow. I was not pleased.

    I also picked up around the site. I'm going to go buy one of those grabber things so I can pick up the rusty nails from the street areas.


    Grr.

  • jkliveng
    8 years ago

    Mama, I know it shouldn't come to this, but I have read on here before that a owner bought some used 50 gallon drums from a company, or on craigslist, and put a few throughout the property where the most trash was. Subs were just too lazy to walk to the dumpster, but if the bin was there they would use it.

    Maybe someone remembers the story of the subs peeing right by the new houses door constantly :(

  • cricket5050
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    It is inexcusable that this builder would tolerate any subs trashing your property or the neighbors. I would address your concerns nicely with the builder.

    We had a huge tree fall on our house years ago and it destroyed/flattened 1/3 of the landscaping in the back yard. The trees cutters had a job on their hands with the tree, limbs, and leaves. When they were finished all the debris was removed from our yard. Other than all my landscaping missing, you could not tell a tree had fallen. I took the time to call the owner of the company to praise him and his workers for an exceptional cleanup. He said the cleanup was an important part of his service.