We moved into our Symphony home less than 2 years ago. We were excited like most new homeowners to be finally moving into our "custom" home. Upon moving into our home, we were asked to write a review and was willing to share our experience with others. Over the period of time we have been in the home, we have since taken down our review. While our experience in the build process was a positive one with David, we have since regretted going with Symphony Homes. Many of our concerns had to do with poor quality materials, poor construction quality, and poor concrete work. These were clearly not obvious at the time of building the home but exhibited over time. The following are some of our concerns with our home:
1. Quality of Materials used
a. Fans- We had a fan blow within a week of moving into the house. Thought nothing of it and Symphony quickly replaced the fan but then we've had 2 other fans go since. They give an allowance for fixtures and let you choose your type but it is clear after the failures these are "builder class" products.
b. Appliances
i. Microwave cyclotron failed within a few months of being in the house. Warranty repaired the problem. After researching, the appliance was also "builder class" and worth $199 at Lowes on sale for $100 at the time. The handle has also broke on the microwave door and the trim around the bottom has come off. Unfortunately, the warranty has limited what we have been able to repair. We have since replaced the microwave oven. Upon replacing the microwave, we have realized the microwave was installed without all of the proper screws in place.
ii. Oven- heats unevenly but it wasn't detected till after the expiration of the 1 year warranty. Also "builder class"
2. Quality of construction
a. Our outdoor ceiling fan stopped working after 2 uses, but this is most likely due to the panel not being properly sealed. This fan was likely the highest end fixture in the house but suffered from poor construction and finishing.
b. There is no indoor wall insulation. You can be in one room and hear everything that goes on in another room. The previous home we lived in was a common builder and we never had this kind of issue. We had family visiting and they commented on how "thin the walls seem to be".
c. Uneven floors and tile work.
d. Water that overflows from our walk in shower. Our walk in shower does have a door, but this does not stop the water.
e. We recently installed a glass storm door in the front and ran into another mishap from the way our door was installed. We ended up having to install more trim work due to uneven installation of our front door. Once again, this would not be noticed on a brief walk through of the home.
3. Poor concrete work- Obviously concrete has natural flaws but I wouldn't trust their concrete work at all.
a. Our driveway is cracked in large crevices. We have complete sections of the driveway coming up well past an inch in crack.
b. Our sidewalk from our driveway to the front door has sections that have separated and are coming up.
c. Our back patio cracked within a few days of moving in. Builder said that it was not ¼ in so it was common. Crack has since spread and widened and after less than 2 years, it's past ¼ inch.
There are other issues, but these have been the most bothersome. Yes, we did a final walk thru with Symphony upon completion of the home, but these were issues that have increased over time. The bottom line is, we do not feel like we have the custom home build we desired. We are writing this review after being a Symphony homeowner for less than two years. I feel this is a realistic review of a home after having the opportunity to live in it and having the "newness" fade away. These are all concerns that should not be an issue with the amount of time in a home. Symphony states, "the difference is in the experience" and this is true because it is definitely not in the quality.
Update March 29: We had family come to stay and all they could talk about was the poor quality of the home build. Not only is our driveway a complete disaster, our concrete patio addition is cracked throughout the slab. It is evident they use poor contractors, and a lack of supervision of their work. Another area we have concern with is our tiled floors. The tile work throughout our house is uneven and "popping up in areas". Apparently, this is an issue with other Symphony homes that have been built. If we had to do it again, I WOULD NOT BUILD A HOME WITH SYMPHONY HOMES, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE BUILDING IN AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. read more
