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We have been in the building process for 6 months now. Randall homes has great floor plans for an affordable price. We are very excited for our new home. We have many friends who have built new homes and we hear many differents things about different builders. Some are very happy, some are very dissapointed. Going into this process we had an idea of what to expect. No building process is easy. We knew to expect delays. What I did not expect was the lack of customer service and respect. We are a young couple making a HUGE purchase. We are not just buying a stereo! We are buying a house!! We have been treated like we mean nothing! I have had some concerns which I tried to speak to our agent about. He told me my concerns were "frivolous" but he would look into it. I went back to see him a couple of days later and he couldn't even remember what I had been there to talk to him about. He doesn't even remember my name! He ended up sending a written inquiry in to the office. There reply was "framer is on site, will finish when he can"! A simple question couldn't be answered professionally. My concern was obviously about the framing. Our foundation was poured two months before framing started. Other homes on the street had been started and finished in that time. (yes randall homes) When they finally did start framing they took five weeks. Framing is normally finished in two weeks. The framers started our house and kept going to other houses and finishing them, and then would go back to our house. My question was simply "is there a problem?" Maybe there wasn't enough materials? Maybe the crew wasn't experience enough on our Plan? That was all I wanted to know. I feel I was treated very poorly. The framing is now done, as well as all the mechanical rough in. We are unsure how long the house is going to sit now with nothing being done. We have already given them a huge deposit and would like to know when we are going to be able to enjoy our home. Our estimated possesion date is for October 1st. They still have not informed us of a guaranteed possesion date. I love the homes they build. From what I have heard the quality is great but the customer service is absolutely horrible. Dont' try calling the office, the receptionist is a horrible WITCH!!! If you choose Randall as a builder you will get a beautiful home, but you will be very very frustrated in the whole experience!

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I'm predicting our house will be 100% completed in...oh, I dunno, 5 years (at the rate they're at)

Do we have to nag the service desk every day in order for things to get completed around here?! We moved in end of August 2006 and it's now September of 2007 and we have yet to see a completed deck (that's TWO summers without a deck now), completed window wells, and resolution of the ridiculously freezing room(s) above our garage (in the winter). I can't say I've nagged them every day but now I'm wondering if I should have been doing that and whether that would have made any difference. Many times I have called the service desk but I feel like nothing gets through (or, at the very least, not EVERYTHING gets through). I'm kinda wondering if anyone else is having this problem...?!

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Randall Homes Winnipeg - review. My experience.

I have built a house with Randall Homes and I’ll tell you what I’ve learned: Randall Homes has their strengths and their weaknesses. First of all, they are a volume-builder. This means that they build cookie-cutter houses in bulk. So, if you’re the type of buyer that REALLY cares about your house and is finicky about details, you’re likely to be very frustrated with this builder – they won’t give you anywhere near the service you’re looking for. However, if you’re the type of buyer that wants a big, nice house, but doesn’t know anything about construction, and isn’t hell-bent on specific details, this builder is right for you. Randall Homes builds solid houses - at least mine is. They are not the absolute cheapest builder out there, but this shows in their work. I visited the building site and took pictures nearly every single day (literally) for the 250-day building process, and compared with other volume builders like Qualico or Kensington, you can see the higher quality of materials used. Now having said this, this applies only to the bulk and structure of the house – many of the standard finishing items (doorknobs, light fixtures, etc) are the absolute cheapest you can possibly get – and they show it. In building my house with this builder I had the most frustrating experience of my life. My agent was very good; however, the company’s business model is not based on needing to satisfy customers. Basically, they get you to sign a contract. Then, they are really good at doing what they’ve agreed to in writing in the contract. The only problem is that anything beyond that contract (for example: asking them in writing to upgrade something months before construction begins – and offering to pay whatever price they ask) they won’t do for some reason. They gave me the impression they were in business not to make money, but to be on some kind of ego-trip. I saw myself as their perfect client in that whenever I requested a change, I always indicated “and I’ll pay for it – how much does it cost?”. Even with this attitude, Randall would not work with me, which really surprised and sickened me. The moral: get everything you care about in writing – and I mean EVERYTHING. Don’t’ let them pressure you into finalizing your contract before you are comfortable. They’re really good at doing things once it’s in writing. I tend to agree with many other reviews on this site in that their service is horrible. I noticed that one of the subtrades had made a mistake during the contraction process, I and tried to notify Randall of this later the same day. My agent was on vacation so he couldn’t be reached. I called the reception desk at Randall’s head office and was told that I couldn’t be patched through to anyone “talk to your agent”. After explaining that my agent was on vacation and that this was an emergency, I was still told “Sorry, I can’t patch you through to anybody”. The worst treatment I’ve ever had from someone I’m hiring. I also disagree with the assertion that any frustration on the part of the buyer is because they didn't read their contract properly - I knew my contract WAY better than the builder did - they only way I could win arguements would be to say "as per the contract" - and point out the section to them. Only then would they acknowledge it. Randall also insists on communicating with their customers via lawyers when a simple phone call to the customer would suffice. For any construction issue, they are intentionally impossible to contact. I didn’t appreciate this. All in all, I got a great house – it’s 95% of what I wanted, but I absolutely hated the experience. I’m glad I went through the process, and that it’s now over, but all the stress and frustration was completely unnecessary, and shouldn’t be required.

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Excellent, Randall Homes built my family a great home, we have enjoyed the buliding process at every aspect.

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A great time buiding with Randall Homes, very helpful from the start to the finish of the construction of the home. The after service is excellent, they are always trying to help with your questions and issues no matter how big or small they are. Great home and a great builder.

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I was very skeptical that the builder would deliver a simalar product that I fell in love with like the showhome. But they hit that goal. I had some family telling me during the construction to keep a better eye on the builder, but I simply don't have the time to hawk over the home everyday. So I worried because of what others said (including family), but it was all for not. When I took possession last week, I felt like I was walking into the showhome (less the furniture of course). I could,t be more happier. Only a few paint flaws, and trim issue on possession, but the service department had it fixed by the second day. I have had freinds buy from other builders, and they seemed to complain from the word go! My wife and I have nothing but good things to say about Randall and their homes. We strongly recommend them to anyone.

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I sometimes check this site to see how the builder that built my new home is rated. I have come to the assumption that some of the customers that give Randall Homes a poor rating, may be upset because they didn't full understand their contract which in turn may make them upset because they feel that the builder should know what they want at all times. I have been in my new Randall Home for about a two years now and I must say that this company is always trying to improve the buiding experience even after you take possession. I have found that no matter what the issue or concern you may have, it is Randall Homes policy that they will address the situation even after your one year warranty. The impression that this gives a customer is that they stand behind their product. One more point to mention is that the administration staff is excellent and the sales agent that sold me the home was very helpful. Keep up building a great homes.

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I just completed the process with Randall Homes and couldn't agree more with some of the comments below. What a horrible experience. The comments regarding their contract are true. Read it carefully. Their contract will deny you any means of backing out of the deal. It will allow the price of your house to change in any manner, even after you have purchased the house and signed all the papers. So your house CAN go up in price by tens of thousands of dollars at their discretion. EVERYONE around me who built with Randall had their home prices raised if they weren't smart enough to stroke that clause out of the contract. Their contract also makes you relinquish your right to sue them. Their contract allows them to make any changes to the house that they want to do without your knowledge or permission. If you choose a type of flooring for your home and it becomes unavailable, they can substitute anything they want without needing to contact you. Bottom line, this is a contract that you must take to a GOOD lawyer, pay them lot of bucks, and have them save you every heartache in the world. I was fortunate enough to have my lawyer rewrite their contract. It cost me hundreds of dollars, but it saved me tens of thousands. This contract is not written equitably, it is written 100% in favour of Randall Homes. BUYER TIP: Have every word "estimated" removed from the contract. The comments below about Randall not caring about you are absolutely correct. They do not return phone calls. Requests go ignored, and the owner of the company couldn't care whether they are making satisfied customers. All they care about is milking their customers for all they are worth. I can't wait for the market to slow down and watch this company struggle. I too had to replace all my exterior hardware (door locks etc) as they fell apart in less than one year. I can't even properly close one of my exterior doors and all Randall does is pass the buck and say it is not their problem. Oh, be careful about your selection of options in your house. You'll find out that if you decide to select the "chrome package", that does not mean all of your fixtures will be chrome. I had brass exterior doorknobs (because apparently when you say you want chrome throughout your house, this excludes any exterior fixtures) next to chrome doorknobs. I have pewter lights and plastic lights that have been painted a grey colour that is close to chrome, but they are NOT chrome. I have had to have one of my rooms electrical wiring rewired. Light switches have had to be replaced in less than one year because they are such low quality. One would also assume that since Randall Homes is in the business of home building, their home designs would be functional. I have a walk-in closet, but I can't put any proper shelving or hanging units in my closet because the walls on either side of the door are not deep enough (as I found out after, you need 2' deep on both sides for hangars and shelves). So I have a useless walk-in closet. My foundation already has severe cracking (you can put fingers into cracks) as they don't reinforce 1800 square feet of concrete in any way, so it shifts and cracks substantially. I will be having engineers out shortly to assess the problem and will need to sue Randall because their only response to me is that "cracking is normal". I found coffee cups and burger wrappers in my vents. My fireplace leaked fumes into my home. I had a gas leak the first few days of owning my home. My stucco fell off the house within months of application. My next door neighbor (who also bought Randall) has had leaking windows for 3 years and now has rotten flooring. Randall is in no rush to help them. One thing you don't think of is where they put the pipes in the wall. All the piping for my master bedroom bathroom runs through my daughter's bedroom wall without any sound insulation. She hears EVERYTHING if you know what I mean. The same bedroom has the air conditioner placed 2 feet below its window. You can imagine the volume level in her room. I can go on and on. Their show homes sure look nice, but I must admit that the process of building with Randall and the end product you get are not pleasant. Good luck when the market stalls.

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In the process of building with Randall Homes. Was promised a date of possession, and it looks like it will be 6 to 8 months after- all this while the escalation clause keeps having our base price of the home increase every month. If you sign a contract with this builder, be very careful of the part that says 'we keep your deposit.' There is no way out and we were not able to cap our price. Don't take anything you hear from their agent at face value, get it in writing, or it will cost you 15 to 20 thousand more than you thought. Also, after completing a contract, don't be surprised if you get ignored. They have your large deposit, then they blow you off. Trying to get any info. is like squeezing blood from a rock. If you call the head office with a complaint about the lack of info. they tell you to contact the agent who was ignoring you in the first place. And if you want out of the deal, no matter if you lose your job, have a dealth in the family, develop cancer, they tell you to talk to your lawyer. Buying a new home should be a fun experience. Not with Randall Homes... their product is nice... but, I'd have a better experience at Stony Mountain in the shower.

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I have now been in my Randall home for just over a year. I have to say overall I am quite pleased with my home, how it was built, and the enjoyment it now offers to my family and I. Were there some mistakes during construction? Yes. Were there items that had to be corrected after possession? Yes. Are there still some outstanding items to be addressed? Yes, but the bottom line is that we expected some of these things to happen. Our sales agent was informative and more importantly, realistic with us in what to expect during the building. Most of my issues have been addressed and corrected. (I am waiting for a flooring repair.) We understand that with big builders mistakes happen, that's life. When they're corrected, problem solved. My home was a great investment, and an experience that did not cause me stress or pain. in 12 months my value has increased by over $50,000 dollars! I would build with again.

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Randall is probably one of the best builders out there. We couldn't be happier with our home. The building process was smooth. The management was outstanding to me, the girls at the office are just amazing and helpful. And our orientation was the icing on the cake. He expained everything crystal clear. Told us how to take care of our house and what to expect. He even went out of his way to make sure thing got done as soon as possible after the walkthrough. (all minor stuff) I highly recomend Randall to anyone planning on building. You would never be sorry. Even a couple of months later. Any problems you have, someone is there to take care of you in no time Love the house

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This is a company that never stops trying to provide you with a quality home and excellent customer service. We found that working with Randall Homes has made the building process very enjoyable. They took the time to explain their company procedures and policies to us at the time of our sale and during the building process. After our possession date they handed us a Home Owners Manual to help us better understand what may happen in a new home. This was very useful. They are there always to answer any questions or concerns. Yes sometimes some service work takes a little longer, however with Randall Homes they stand behind their product even if your one year warranty has expired. This is great company to deal with. We found if you work with them they will work very hard for you.

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Make sure you get everything in writing, and make every last detail explicit. They weren't going to put rebar in the garage. They installed the basement bathroom in the wrong place and also installed the electrical panel in the wrong place. We had to replace all of the outside door hardware ourselves because theirs broke within a year. They built the house with terrible drainage. We took them to court and won, but we're still living with their mistakes. Went right to the owner and he treated us like dirt! Avoid Randall Homes if you can.

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Randall Homes will portray itself as "caring about you" until the moment you sign the agreement. From that point on, you can expect that they will ignore any requests for information and that they will build "their house", not yours. Once your house is completed, they will not return to complete their warranty work unless you scream loudly enough. They mostly respond to requests with "take it up with your national home warranty program". Many individuals in my area including myself have either sued Randall Homes successfully, or are in the process of lawsuits. If you insist on dealing with this company, make sure you delete the clause in your contract that removes your right to sue them. Never build with this company.

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