M.D.C. Holdings / Richmond American Homes
Reviews and Complaints

Richmond American promised to build a home for us in 6 months after they received our deposit. They are still nowhere close to finishing the home. We checked with superintendent if the home would be ready by April 11, he said it would be ready a week before. So we told the apartment that we won't renew the lease and gave them 30 day notice. Now they won't be done probably till end of May or June. So i have to put my family in a hotel and live out of a suitcase.
On the material they provided it said that the tile roof was included, after they took my deposit the roof is extra.
American Richmond take the fun of owning a home and building dreams away.

Our home was built as a ready to move in home. We purchased the home in 2014. The home is so cheaply built. This has been the biggest and most costly mistake of our life. The cuts of the inside molding for the doors is horrible. The cuts were to short and wood filler was used left rough and painted. Now it holds dirt that you cannot be cleaned. The plugs do not work in many rooms of the house. You plug something in, it either knocks power out or just spits the plug back out. The biggest issue is the Window leaks. It is leaking under the window, you can't tell where the water is coming from but can see it running down the wall. Two of our windows are fully running water into our home. The entire window has a hole the size of my index finger that has come apart from the framing. The company states it is out of warranty and refuses to fix it due to the cost. It is clearly an issue with the framing and the sorry build. I think It is time for a lawyer.

First off the sales guy acted like a used car salesman for about 75% of the time we interacted with him either in person or on the phone. We should have known from the start not to move forward with contracting to build a new house with Richmond from the experience with the sales guy but instead we wrote it off as sales guys will be sales guys. We SHOULD HAVE listened to our gut. Everything seemed to start off ok at first and even as the home was being constructed. I'll spare the little buying nuances associated with new home construction as almost any and everything you want in the house that you think should just be a given is an "upgrade" that they charge you for like A/C. So stupid but there were a ton of things like that so buyer be ware with new construction - it's going to cost a lot more than you think.

Anyway, the real bad issues came at the end. First, our initial walk through was scheduled 1 week prior to the closing date. We were completely rushed through the whole thing by Aris, the "manager" supposedly, who was getting a noticeable attitude with us as we pointed out things that needed to be addressed. He seemed like he just wanted us to come in an get out so they wouldn't have to fix anything. Which, if things are wrong with the home or need work then they SHOULD BE FIXED and pointed out to the home buyer. Why would Richmond or any builder want to deliver a poorly constructed product to their "customers" aka home buyers? So, b/c we were rushed I completely missed a big crack under our master bath sink cabinets on the side - about 8-9 inches long - that from standing you can't really tell it's there but once you bend down to put things away it jumps out at you.
I read other reviews during this process that said "do your walk through like you live in the home. open things, put things away, etc." I thought we did a decent job of that but again, we were being rushed and I regret not telling Aris to hold off, we are going to take our time and do this our way. I mean, I spent a lot of money on this "new" house but in the end I regrettably let the construction guy rush me and missed things, sigh. We missed many more things that we have only noticed now after settling in after a few weeks. Things like caulking not completed around door frames and base boards, paint spots on walls, tile grout stuck to the tile and not where grout should be, screws not securing ventilation grates, closet doors not sliding open (note: make sure ALL of your doors and windows open, close, and secure properly), master bath sink light installed crooked, etc. Also, things not completed that Aris said he would have done while were were closing (this is second walk through by the way, day of closing) kitchen sliding drawer slide wouldn't stay in place so the drawer will slide out and not back in, a lightbulb for our master bath over the sink light, grout clean up from a tile they had to fix that they didn't fix until an HOUR BEFORE FINAL WALK THROUGH, stuck on grout on tile, paint/drywall touch up in side and outside of house. Then, we had a plumbing issue day 4 after move in with our floor drain in the mechanical room backing up b/c they left a test plug in the drain and didn't remove it. So with the A/C going all June and July while they did the inside of the house it just filled up with water run off and then overflowed in to my mechanical room and dripped pools of water in to the crawl space below the house - this is Saturday at 9:00pm by the way when we found this out. THEN the warranty company says they don't want to reimburse the $136 plumber charge to come fix it afterhours on the weekend b/c we should have give them a chance to fix the issue even though their "emergency after hours line" says "leave a message and we will get back to you on the next BUSINESS day" - again, this is water pooling out on a Saturday evening. I don't have the luxury to wait until Monday for you to get back to me then get someone out here maybe day of or perhaps Tuesday causing even MORE issues to pile up costing even more money on MY NEW HOUSE! Needless to say we are going to take the warranty company to arbitration over $136, but that's my money and they should be reimbursing me b/c it was their mistake, NOT mine. They messed up but won't make it right. SMH. Basically we feel that Richmond American Homes just wants to throw houses up and make their money while setting up a bootleg "warranty company" in between them and you that will never help the home buyer when something goes wrong b/c of them.

If you are going to buy a new build, be aware of the issues upfront and don't let them push you or rush you or you WILL regret it later. I am and I shouldn't be. I wish I could get my money back or SOME money back for these issues as even if they did come to fix issues you have to take off of work to get let these people in to fix it and they won't all come the same day so you are inconvenience and out of your much needed vacation days at work. Truly experiences like this are where BUYER BEWARE came from.

We purchased our house in 2014, and I had to call Richmond out a dozen times to look at our AC unit. They didn't have line setters properly secured, the zoning control board wasn't hooked up correctly, the unit was making too much noise, the unit was shaking the walls and cabinets, etc.
Fast forward to our 3 year mark and our compressor has failed, along with about 30 other homes in our neighborhood. Every contractor that has looked at it has informed us replacing the compressor will result in another failure; that the design of the system is incorrect for the equipment installed.
Richmond's response is that they do not track data for neighborhoods so they are unaware of a larger issue here, and that unless I can prove a reoccurring issue at my address they are not interested in looking at it. The unit has a 10 year warranty, but the company that installed it says they have lost too much money in our neighborhood they will not be servicing Richmond houses any longer.

Are we the only ones that are having this Zoned Air Conditioning failure? Send me an email if you are having the same issue [protected]@hotmail. com

Our double paned window has condensation in it. When I called the company they said it was out of warranty and they wouldn't stand behind it. Even so, the rep stated, it was man made and they don't warranty man made items. She said they couldn't guarantee that our house would be waterproof. I was astounded! I asked her if she was saying that they wouldn't guarantee our house to be waterproof, because I thought I'd heard wrong. She said it was man made and they wouldn't, and couldn't, guarantee man made items. I was shocked! I asked her did she not expect me to live in the house and that the windows, etc. should last and she said it wasn't their problem. We were free to contact the sub contractor but they wouldn't help us. What a way to run a company. She wouldn't even consider checking into it. I suspect they just say no to everything and hope home owners will go away. Will I ever buy another American Richmond home? Never! And I suggest that no one else does either. Unless they want a man made disaster that the company won't stand behind. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the house not being covered because it's "man made"! Completely nuts! BTW, if it isn't man made how do you get a house? Grow one?!

Bought my first new home in Loretto Bay, Bella Lago, Henderson, Nevada. I have occupied my home for 3 1/2 months & the problems continue. Nightmare!

found out after buying my new home that, all my neighbors had landscaping included with the purchase. Now I find out, that on the new street under construction this is also included. I will be fined monthly for not doing mine! I'm a cancer pt & I am upside down in medical bills & was astonished that my home is 1 of 4 Not offered this. Then I find out that the neighborhood, which is new, will not be finished due to "low sales!" I only bought here because I assumed my son would have some neighbors with kids to play with. Now, my neighborhood is half desert & I'm paying HOA fees to keep up the grounds that dont exist

There are approximately 24 homes in the community built by Richmond American & approximately 140 dirt lots. If I would have known there was a possibility of them not completing the neighborhood, I never would have purchased this house.

I have had so many builder & "design center" issues that I have missed multiple days of work waiting for the(8-12 & 12-5) workers to come see, estimate & replace items, that I could have made a mortgage payment.

I'm so unhappy & upset that I struggled through my illness to be able to purchase this home for my son & myself, only to find that I was cheated out of my yard, out of neighbors & out of a community.

We have a Richmond American Home built from November 2006. It is 3yr 3mo old and Richmond American (RAH) couldn't care less about customer service. We have a tall kitchen cabinet that holds our oven and microwave that is pulling away from the wall. Because the cabinet is pulling away from the wall it's also pulling our granite countertops with it.

A representative from RAH came today to look at the cabinets and said "oh, it's a manufacturer defect - you'll have to contact Aristokraft to fix that". I just called Aristokraft and the lady in customer service told me I had to go through the authorized dealer to submit a claim. Am I stupid or what - isn't RAH the authorized dealer? I swear - I will never by another home from them. Once you sign the title - you never see them again!

We regret building with RAH. This company supplies each house with the CHEAPEST of everything. The garage doors, all fixtures, electrical sockets are RARE, personal requests to change something because you realize how crappy their stuff is creates a HUGE problem. Everything is a NO!...then they try to sweet talk you to accept it and be happy. Everything that comes STANDARD is SO CHEAP. We cant even find the crap they supplied anywhere...its SO cheap. We have a huge garage with only 1 electrical outlet. They left the wires to the garage doors hanging out. Its just frustrating to see that RAH does not want to be known for quality as a standard!
We bought for the floor plan but now have TONS of work to do to make our house feel like it has some quality.

We had the problem with the upstairs hall bathroom that leaked into the dinning room.

We contacted Richmond American Homes, they sent out a representative and he informed me that the overflow drain was turned the wrong way. They repaired the ceiling. However as time went on it continued to leak into the dinning room. We had the ceiling removed in that section and a plummer informed us that the drain pipe was improperly installed.

The front door also leaked into the foyer and eventually the door fell apart. Richmond did not make the repairs.

The WORST home I had ever had built. We had problems with plumbing, wiring, landscaping, flooring, etc. We have lived in this new house for three months...and still continue to have problems...yet Richmond does not care...once they close on your house and get their money...they could care a less about what happens. Don't get me started on their customer service either...oh and their mortgage company tries to swindle you into using their services by threatening to stop building your home...don’t fall for it...better yet don't buy Richmond...You just might end up regretting it like I do.

I just want to forewarn any contractors considering working for Richmond American Homes. They play games with their billing paperwork, frequently taking months to resolve simple issues. Then suddenly you're time's up for collecting any money they owe for this, that, and the other - and you have to write that off, because they owe you thousands more, and what's a couple of thousand compared to tens of thousands?

They backcharge you without cause, because they have to backcharge somebody to justify that line item. Their house packages are frequently wrong, and require on-site orders and adjustments, which only prolongs what should be a seamless operation - particularly given the size and scope of this builder. And too often it's not the companies who's owners golf with the big shots at RAH which get backcharges, but the little guys who just have to suck it up if they want to keep working.

They'll try to strong-arm you into doing things without getting paid for them, not on site, but just with paperwork. Too often their employees are far less educated about the actual job sites than they are about the forms and reports required in the office. Trying to explain to an office geek why you should get paid for that extra work is like pulling teeth.

And then the next thing you know they owe you over $100,000, or $500,000, and they want a discount, a break on work you've already done. Once again, you're in the position of having to take what you can get, or file suit and lose the work. In short, they are a powerful employer in the construction business, but poor financial ethics proliferate this company, making it a dangerous proposition to work for them unless you have legal counsel on retainer.

Of course, all the savings they're able to achieve by ripping off the honest working men who are building these homes they sell are paid out in multi-million dollar 'Production Bonuses' to the CEO and President and their families...

Letter to Attorney General:

As a consumer from your state, I felt it was my responsibility to bring to your attention the following incident.

15 days ago we put $4000 down on a deposit for a home to built.

due to circumstances my husband lost his job, therefore we did not qualify for a RHM loan, The permit has only just been requested, and they have not even broke ground.In the contract it states that if you get loan denial within 30 days, you will receive a refund. Well they are not giving us back our money, no-one will return our calls, we are at a total dead end, i have become ill because of this, i also have 2 small children, we really need the money refunded to us, there quick to take your deposit but never to give it us back..can someone help us..please, all we want is our money back!

As a resolution, I would like the following:

We want a full refund, we gave them everything they need including letter of denial, even Richmond Home Mortgage told us they will refund our money. All we are getting is a runaround!@

Please contact me if you need more details regarding this incident.