Orchard Hills - Strada by Irvine Pacific

[hello]

If people do not care to maintain a small front yard now, imagine what it will be like in 5-10 years when the actual house itself will need some maintenance. 
Unfortunately this is a problem will persist and likely get worse.  Attitudes of these people will not change unfortunately. 

   

 

[abosch00]

Too be fair, after buying their home, most people don't have an arm to pull out the weeds or a leg to walk to their trash bin to throw them out.

 

[DrTravel]

Project still moving along at a good pace. Up to phase 27 now - Phase 28 will be released in a few weeks - move in December. Think there are "only" 31 total phases including model homes. Phase 28 will complete Thoroughbred, Phases 29 & 30 take care of Stetson and Phase 31 finishes the project. Base prices have increased during the past two phases. Currently one Plan 1 and six Plan 2's are available.

Sold - 189 homes
Available - 7 homes
Future - 28 homes (including models)
Total - 224 homes

 

[Perspective]

Have they poured any of the foundations on the west side of Thoroughbred? It's like production stopped there months ago, and has been on pause.

 

[OC troll]

Project still moving along at a good pace. Up to phase 27 now - Phase 28 will be released in a few weeks - move in December. Think there are "only" 31 total phases including model homes. Phase 28 will complete Thoroughbred, Phases 29 & 30 take care of Stetson and Phase 31 finishes the project. Base prices have increased during the past two phases. Currently one Plan 1 and six Plan 2's are available.

Sold - 189 homes
Available - 7 homes
Future - 28 homes (including models)
Total - 224 homes

So at this rate, Strada should sell out by end of summer maybe?

 

[OC troll]

Have they poured any of the foundations on the west side of Thoroughbred? It's like production stopped there months ago, and his been on pause.

Maybe IP / TNHC don't have enough construction guys? There are a lot of new projects happening at the same time. Just a guess.

 

[kchao]

Anyone would like to share their experience with landscapers and any recommended ones? We have a around 25' setback yard. Thanks!

 

[Perspective]

Anyone would like to share their experience with landscapers and any recommended ones? We have a around 25' setback yard. Thanks!

Good luck. This will be an adventure. We had trouble getting landscape companies to return calls, much less visit the site and follow-up with a simple plan/estimate. We're using Jefferson Rand right now, and I'd recommend them. I'd also recommend Seabreeze Construction/Landscape. Both of these are on Strada's referral list.

 

[timandjess]

Anyone would like to share their experience with landscapers and any recommended ones? We have a around 25' setback yard. Thanks!

We are working with Kathy at Alford's English Garden.

 

[kchao]

@perspective- do you mind sharing the price and things you have done? and what's the size of your backyard. Thanks

 

[lovingit]

Anyone would like to share their experience with landscapers and any recommended ones? We have a around 25' setback yard. Thanks!

Good luck. This will be an adventure. We had trouble getting landscape companies to return calls, much less visit the site and follow-up with a simple plan/estimate. We're using Jefferson Rand right now, and I'd recommend them. I'd also recommend Seabreeze Construction/Landscape. Both of these are on Strada's referral list.

With Jefferson rand, when they quote you a certain amount for plants and trees, what they don't tell you is that materials account for about 1/3 of that amount.  The other 2/3 goes to labor.  So when they say $10k "planting allowance", you're only getting maybe $3k in actual plants.  If even that much.

 

[Perspective]

@perspective- do you mind sharing the price and things you have done? and what's the size of your backyard. Thanks

We're spending $38K on a ~1,000 sq ft backyard (side paths too). A good portion will be pavers and we'll have a fireplace outside the CA room with an extended hearth.

 

[kchao]

I recently hired a flooring contractor to install engineering hardwood throughout the house. I went to check the flooring out yesterday, there are so many black streaks throughout the floor. They looked completely different than the sample from the show room. I know this is an engineering floor I picked up, but the black streaks/character shouldn't be this much. I paid $1k for the deposit, how do I handle this situation? I feel really uncomfortable with this flooring, and I don't think I can live with it and they are almost done with the flooring. I regretted for trusting them that much and not finding this out earlier.

 

[qwerty]

For what it's worth the flor looks good to me. The top layer of engineered is natural wood so it has the knots, black lines, etc.

You should have asked them to open up a box and show you a full plank. even then though, not all planks are the same. It sounds like you feel you were misled? It sounds like this is on you. They installed the floor you selected. Did you see pics of the floor installed online (although this is not always possible).  You could have also stopped the install after a certain point early on, returned the unopened material and start fresh.

What did they tell you that you feel misled?

Who was the contractor?

Good luck with your situation.

 

[Goriot]

I recently hired a flooring contractor to install engineering hardwood throughout the house. I went to check the flooring out yesterday, there are so many black streaks throughout the floor. They looked completely different than the sample from the show room. I know this is an engineering floor I picked up, but the black streaks/character shouldn't be this much. I paid $1k for the deposit, how do I handle this situation? I feel really uncomfortable with this flooring, and I don't think I can live with it and they are almost done with the flooring. I regretted for trusting them that much and not finding this out earlier.

Is this Provenza?  I had the same situation.  Significantly more black streaks with distressed look than I initially thought from the sample and model home.  It's a random print.  But, it will grow on you.  I received a lot of compliments that it looked very natural with the black streaks.  However, first thing was to take a look and confirm the flooring material before it was installed.

But just from the photo, the overall flooring looks pretty good to me.

 

[Ready2Downsize]

I recently hired a flooring contractor to install engineering hardwood throughout the house. I went to check the flooring out yesterday, there are so many black streaks throughout the floor. They looked completely different than the sample from the show room. I know this is an engineering floor I picked up, but the black streaks/character shouldn't be this much. I paid $1k for the deposit, how do I handle this situation? I feel really uncomfortable with this flooring, and I don't think I can live with it and they are almost done with the flooring. I regretted for trusting them that much and not finding this out earlier.

Did you see the flooring in this light shade? Probably the knots are more visible in a lighter shade. Once you add area rugs and furniture, you should notice the dark areas less.

Looks like they did a very nice job on the installation.

 

[socal78]

I recently hired a flooring contractor to install engineering hardwood throughout the house. I went to check the flooring out yesterday, there are so many black streaks throughout the floor. They looked completely different than the sample from the show room. I know this is an engineering floor I picked up, but the black streaks/character shouldn't be this much. I paid $1k for the deposit, how do I handle this situation? I feel really uncomfortable with this flooring, and I don't think I can live with it and they are almost done with the flooring. I regretted for trusting them that much and not finding this out earlier.

No, you should definitely, definitely rip it all out. And give it to me. 

I look at it this way: *Things don't have to be perfect to be beautiful.* If anything, "too perfect" and too consistent, is going to make the floor look like Pergo! First impression will be: "Fake". Knots, wormholes, splits... embrace it.

 

[WTTCHMN]

I recently hired a flooring contractor to install engineering hardwood throughout the house. I went to check the flooring out yesterday, there are so many black streaks throughout the floor. They looked completely different than the sample from the show room. I know this is an engineering floor I picked up, but the black streaks/character shouldn't be this much. I paid $1k for the deposit, how do I handle this situation? I feel really uncomfortable with this flooring, and I don't think I can live with it and they are almost done with the flooring. I regretted for trusting them that much and not finding this out earlier.

It wouldn't look so bad if the streaks were more uniform but the left half the room is all streaky while the right side is clean.

It looks like the left side is your hallway area so it will be more noticeable too.

 

[aquabliss]

Looks a bit too knotty for me.

 

[Bubba]

For what it's worth the flor looks good to me. The top layer of engineered is natural wood so it has the knots, black lines, etc.

You should have asked them to open up a box and show you a full plank. even then though, not all planks are the same. It sounds like you feel you were misled? It sounds like this is on you. They installed the floor you selected. Did you see pics of the floor installed online (although this is not always possible).  You could have also stopped the install after a certain point early on, returned the unopened material and start fresh.

What did they tell you that you feel misled?

Who was the contractor?

Good luck with your situation.

How much research did you do before selecting this particular engineered wood?  Every sample board is going to look different because it is natural wood.  Since you're doing this after COE, did you check out this particular wood at multiple showrooms or ask the flooring guy to show you different sample boards of the same wood?  If it wasn't offered to you, you should have requested to see a few open boxes once the wood was delivered to the flooring warehouse. 

Since flooring is a big investment, I was very particular and requested the flooring guy to walk me step by step through the whole process.  Before the install, I pointed out which pieces I preferred over the others and instructed them to install the less desirable planks in the closets/less visible areas.  I checked on the install each day (morning and night), finding out from the installer what was to be done that day.

Did you go check on the install daily?  I'm with Qwerty...I feel this is more on you than being misled by the flooring guy.  You chose a high character wood, did you ask to see references?  If you absolutely hate it, then start over.  However, I feel you are responsible for the material and labor incurred thus far.