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Residents raise construction-quality concerns; community development outlines inspection process
Summary
At the April 1 meeting, residents said homes built by a contractor in nearby subdivisions showed serious defects that the builder did not fix and that warranty periods have expired. Community development staff described milestone-based inspections and said the village will require permits and inspections for any new development.
A resident complained at the April 1 Village of Cary meeting that homes built by a contractor on nearby subdivisions showed structural and finishing defects and that the builder failed to correct the problems during the warranty period.
Curt Zimmerman told the board the same contractor who built recent homes in Cimarron and Cary Algonquin is slated to develop a subdivision across from his property in Ridgefield Park. He said buyers have experienced foundation settling, doors that no longer open, and cabinets separating from walls, and that one homeowner spent an estimated $50,000–$75,000 after the warranty expired.
Community development staff responded that inspection protocols require milestone inspections tied to permit phases rather than a continuous on-site inspector for the entire build. The director said when permits are applied for on the new project, village inspectors will be called for the required inspections to verify code compliance.
Zimmerman pressed for closer monitoring: “The only way to make sure that everything is right is to have an inspector go in there and verify that it's right.” He contrasted past practices in which inspectors measured pier depths to the current approach he described as lax. The community development director acknowledged concerns and said the village will review the matter and that many issues may be subject to home-builder warranties and addition/alteration distinctions.
What the board recorded: the matter was raised during public comment on a consent-agenda item tied to a plat and development across the street. The village did not take formal enforcement action at the meeting but said staff will look into the contractor complaints and noted prior inspections had been performed during those developments’ permit processes.
Next steps: community development staff said permits will be required for the proposed subdivision across the street and that inspections will be scheduled at code-required milestones. The director agreed to take the concerns under review and coordinate with building-inspection staff to identify any outstanding complaints and enforcement options.
