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***(Editors note) I've talked frequently with the particular victim from Park Place at Red Run Mills in Maryland below. This Ryan Homes nightmare story is a truly horrific, worthy of it's own site (ryanhomesnightmare2.com.) The story includes examples of the often lesser seen despicable customer service Ryan Homes provides for those more difficult problems that come from shoddy construction practices. These are not from simple mistakes but a pattern of deliberate recklessness, carelessness, and shortcuts commonly reported by victims of Ryan Homes. ***

From Home Owner at: Park Place at Red Run Mills in Owings Mills, MD

Hi,

I purchased a Matisse condominium / townhouse in Park Place at Red Run Mills in Owings Mills, MD. The home (two levels below another two level condo) became mine in November 2008. From day one I have had problems. I can hear my neighbors through the walls and ceilings. I could have a conversation with someone in the other condo. Ryan Homes has promised to further insulate these walls. This concession did not come easy. It took months of battling. I will let you know if they stay true to their promise.

They have not told me if they can do anything for the ceilings, which I can hear voices through. My ceilings and floors shake when the family above me is active. This came as a surprise to me since I was told that there was a cement slab between the two condos that would inhibit noise and vibrations. After purchasing, I was told that I was misinformed. Nearly ninety percent of my recessed lights failed repeatedly. I had to wait three months before the project manager would send someone to fix the problem.

First, he told me to purchase more bulbs, because I may have had a bad batch. I did this. The lights failed again. The p.m. had me do this two more times. Those bulbs failed too. He then told me to purchase special bulbs (br40 longnecks, as opposed to the br30 bulbs that my home was designed to use). When I refused, he reluctantly and without haste sent an electrician to tighten the connections. Additionally, the drywall does not seem to have been applied by a professional contractor.

While the above problems are inexcusable, there are problems that are even worse. In March 2009, I discovered water dripping from recessed lights in both of my small bedrooms. I, also, found that a large patch (3 ft. x 6 ft.) of carpeting near the deck door was wet. I called Ryan Homes immediately. They resolved the leaks coming through my lights by repairing mislaid siding.

The p.m. told me the water intrusion at the deck door was a minor issue and that they would get around to fixing it. I thought that they should fix it promptly, because this was a new home and I had new furniture ready to go into the room. I did not say anything, because I did not want to put too much pressure on the p.m.. He had informed me that he had just come back to work after recovering from a serious illness. This was a brand new community and I knew that he must be stressed.

Since I was led to believe that the issue was minor, I believed that it was alright to let it go until the p.m. had the time to fix it. I still called on a weekly basis to remind him. I informed him that water was coming in regularly. In August, after five months, I could not take it any longer and hired a home inspector. The inspector could tell immediately that the water was coming through the walls and ceilings, and that this was not a minor issue.

Thermal imaging, performed the next day after a heavy rain, proved that the walls and ceilings were wet. Oddly enough, because I have an egg shell/satin finish paint, water staining was not evident. Now that I had an inspection report, Ryan Homes had no choice and had to fix the problems. The deck above mine was not flashed properly, and the framing around my deck door had not been properly attached.

During the months with water intrusions, I suffered with fevers and a persistent, hacking cough. It became difficult for me to breathe, and I was put on an inhaler. Later, I was prescribed prednisone, as well. Now, I understood why I was so sick. This prolonged water event had allowed mold to proliferate. Mold can make people very ill.

Even after Ryan fixed the deck issues my cough remained, but to a lesser degree. Mold remediation was performed in my home a couple of weeks ago, but more may still be needed. To this day, I still have an area in my chest that does not feel normal. Prior to living in this home, I never had never felt anything like this. I will be getting an MRI soon.

(also) have a problem with flies. When I first walked into my home after closing, I was bombarded by flies. Over the next few days (Friday through Sunday), I found approximately 100 dead or dying flies. On Monday I called the p.m. He told me that a Ryan Homes worker must have left food around and that the flies would go away. He did not offer assistance in locating this mystery food nor did he offer to hire an exterminator. The fly problem continued for over two months. Still, I was not offered assistance. I did not move in until January and neither the contractors I hired to paint and do electrical work nor I brought food into the home during the months prior. So we were not contributing to the problem. The flies seemed to favor the two small bedrooms (the rooms that I would later discover had water damage). By the middle of January I thought the fly problem was resolved. This past October the flies returned. I keep my home very clean. My home should not have flies. Again, the flies are mostly seen in the two small bedrooms. After researching flies on the internet, I learned that flies seek refuge from the cold and enter buildings through cracks. I believe there must still be a small leak in my home, either from the outside or, possibly, a pipe leak that is providing water for the flies. Ryan Homes has not been willing to address this problem.

Editors notes: Reports of trash being left hidden within new home construction behind walls and so on is a common occurrence. In one case a Ryan Homes employee was allegedly using a master bedroom closet as a toilet. Ryan Homes denied this, but fired that employee and added portable toilets to the job site. The buyer did not want the house after learning of the special wood treatment her closet received. Ryan Homes kept her deposit and sold it to someone else, who was not told of the prior issues.

I saw this site prior to purchasing, and like many others convinced myself that the people complaining were disgruntled consumers and that those with true home problems were few and far between. I was enticed by the beautiful model home. I found the sales people very friendly. I believed that if my home needed repair, I would be treated in a friendly and fair manner. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have had to plead for assistance. Ryan Homes has made this home buying experience an absolute nightmare. I have owned my home for a little over a year now, and even though I fulfilled all my responsibilities (writing a detailed letter to NVR, notifying my local Ryan etc. all within the warranty period), I am still fighting to have Ryan make the fixes that I am owed. I do know that others in my community are also experiencing water leaks (plumbing) and sound transference issues as well.

My home is beautiful to the eye, but I will have an extremely hard time selling it when the time comes. A home that has had mold has a stigma. They stay on the market longer and generally have a lower resale value. Ryan Homes built a defective home and then allowed the mold to grow. I should not be penalized for their mistakes and negligence. If it were left up to them, I would be. Plus, how many people will be accepting of this fly problem? The sound problems? If these issues are not resolved, I will have to take a huge financial loss. Ryan Homes does not want to accept responsibility for the health problems I have had either.

additional comments from homebuyer

1. In October I discovered a raining sound (I recorded this minutes long episode with my camcorder) coming through a hallway wall. The wall was cut open and signs of water were not found. Since the interior walls of my condo are not insulated, the sound could have been echoing from an area nearby. Ryan Homes cannot explain the sound and will not further investigate. They sent me an e-mail in November stating that they were willing to help find an answer, but have not done a thing. I have asked them many times to keep true to their promise, but my requests have been ignored. I am concerned that this may be a sign of a problem that has yet to surface. The incident has been recorded and Ryan Homes could seek expert advice if they wished. I have caught this sound only once, but it could be happening regularly.