Millbrook Modular Homes Budget over-runs, product and installation quality issues, and broken promises Walpole Massachusetts

We have successfully resolved our differences with Millbrook Modular Homes.  We were able to meet with the builder and review our list of pending punch list items, and have come to a satisfactory resolution for both parties.  We look forward to many years of happiness in our new home.

I don't quite understand how ledge issues at our site justify the building of such a poor quality product, nor does it explain why the builder refuses to come back and correct the laundry list of punch list items that have been persisting on the home for nearly a year.  Also, the builder neglected to mention that HE installed the floors we purchased and HE installed the doors.  In both cases, the defects were due to installation -- and the builder even admitted this with regard to the floors.  In fact, we wanted to hire our own people to do the installation, but the builder forced us to use his.  I wish we were allowed to post email exhanges and photos, as I have a multitude of evidence I would love to share...

Millbrook -- You say that you care about your clients and have your whole lives invested in your company.  Then I ask you yet again, why won't you come back, honor your warranty, and address all of the quality issues we have at our home?  For heaven's sake, we have a leaking roof and chimneys, with mold in our attic and three small children living in the home!  I sent you these photos and the roofer's report, and have asked repeatedly for you to addresss the issues.  Please do the right thing!

Hi,

Due to our client's expressed frustration on Ripoff Report, please see our response below.

Millbrook Modular Homes only has one client in Connecticut that Millbrook Homes built a mansion for.  During the estimating process, he wanted to know how much everything was going to cost.  Although Millbrook bundles its services, Millbrook agreed to giving him an estimate by line item based on what we knew.  We expressed concern that his lot looked like it had a lot of ledge and was filled improperly. This client denied this as he said he knew the person he bought the land from.  He wound up with a ton of ledge and improperly filled land. Given our interest in preserving our reputation, we worked with him, trying to save him money and allowing him to cancel already agreed to services. This client wanted to put the liability on Millbrook. Even though we took off $20,000 in ledge removal the client continues to want more from us. Millbrook made all kinds of credits back to the client because he had told us he had no money and was running out all his funds. He did not have the money to pay Millbrook to finish the project. We breached the contract with four different occurrences.  Trying to help him we credited services back to him. Once we gave him credits back he turned around and finished his playroom, finished his basement and put in an in-ground pool. This customer also decided to purchase his own front doors and the wood for his hardwood floors to save money; he cancelled using our products and bought his own. Ironically these products have shown to be extremely inferior, the doors are cracking and the floors are warping. This client wants Millbrook to warranty these products???  Millbrook will no longer provide this flexibility in the future.  Quality concerns with materials Millbrook doesn’t purchase are not the responsibility of Millbrook. Ledge is a cost of excavation that can't be predicted ahead of time and is largely due to weight; it can only be avoided. Millbrook has continued to try to satisfy this client with a peaceful resolution.  This customer has not paid Millbrook our final balance of $40,000 and litigation seems to be the only way to resolve this situation. We lost $80,000 on this job and counting by not receiving the above and crediting back services contracted for but later cancelled and then spent elsewhere.  The last mansion we built netted the homeowner a $800,000 gain.

Millbrook has grown by word of mouth and has no other complaints against their name in all of the years of their operation. We just won a national recognition as building the "House of the Month" nationally from the Modular Homes Builders Association. We are a family run business and our entire lives are invested in this business.  Our whole family's livelihood is within its operation and reputation.  We would do anything to preserve it unless it involves bankruptcy.  We are in business due to our reputations as honorable and hard-working Americans.

All concerns raised were handled professionally and every effort to help this customer was made. They say “Buyers Beware", in this case it is "Builder's Beware”.  Please contact anyone from our family and our ever expanding circle of friends if you want an accurate portrayal of our worksmanship, our reputation, or our dedication to our clients.  We will provide you with numerious references of satisfied customers.  Please checkout modularhousing.com where our home showcases on their homepage.  Clearly the highest of standards of quality are maintained within our projects. 

Thank you for reading this.

Unfortunately, Millbrook and I were not able to resolve our differences.  I still have a home with numerous unaddressed punch list items (over a year later!), and now even a leaking roof and chimneys.   When I asked again recently for Millbrook to address these issues, the owner simply said that they were not covered by warranty and that he would be turning the matter over to his attorney.  What a disappointment to have a brand new home with so many problems...  Good luck if you choose to hire Millbrook!

I am pleased to report that Millbrook Modular has returned as recently promised to address the issues in our home.  They worked on several of the smaller items and we have now agreed on an action plan for them to address some of the more significant items.  I greatly appreciate their responsiveness and am optimistic that the outcome will be mutually agreeable.  I would like to be able to recommend them if we are able to continue to work through our differences in a constructive manner.

I am pleased to say that I heard from Millbrook today and the company has agreed to send back a team to start to address the punch list items next Wednesday.  I am hopeful the company delivers on this commitment and that we will be able to address our differences in a constructive and professional manner.