PHOTOS - Page 9
Pages 9-11 are taken AFTER the Liberty Homes, Inc hired set crew and carpenters re-set the "home" on March 10th of 2006. (All photos are referenced from the viewpoint of looking at the front of the "home" unless otherwise noted)
On March 2nd of 2006, I was finally able to get a group from Liberty Homes, Inc. to come out to inspect the damages on this new modular "home". This inspection was the direct result of my complaining to John Reilly of the IL Dept of Public Health (IDPH) in Springfield, IL. (PLEASE NOTE: John Reilly is the “Plan Review Engineer” at IDPH; however he has a degree in Environmental Engineering, and is NOT a Structural Engineer, Architectural Engineer or a Civil Engineer.) This group consisted of Gary Alberson (General Manager - Liberty), Nader Tomasbi (VP of Engineering - Liberty), and Quentin Martin (VP of Manufacturing - Liberty), Glenn Stickney (Liberty Homes, Inc. carpenter), Josh Blount (Liberty Homes, Inc. carpenter), Robb Robbins (owner of Woodale Homes, Inc., dealer that sold me the home), and John Reilly. Gary Alberson, Nader Tomasbi and Quentin Martin measured this "home" foundation from the inside basement walls with a tape measure, and told me that it was out of square 3 inches. I could not believe that number, so they re-measured, and came up with 2.5". These “TOP 3” individuals from Liberty homes, Inc. began telling me that my foundation was the problem. NOTE: not one person measured the "home" (inside or outside) for square, i.e. rooms, etc.
The photos on pages 9 and 10 were taken on March 10th of 2006 after the set crew Liberty Homes sent was done re-setting the "home" on the foundation. The problem here is that Liberty Homes, Inc told the carpenters and the set crew that my foundation was out of square by roughly 3 inches. The carpenters and set crew believed what Liberty told them was true. However, the foundation was not out of square, and is not the problem. The carpenters that originally installed the sill plates (different than the carpenters sent by Liberty Homes), informed the dealer and then later informed me that the foundation was out of square by ~3/4 of an inch. At around 5PM on March 10th of 2006, I re-measured the foundation with my concrete contractor and found it to be roughly 1/2 inch out of square and not 3 inches as these “TOP 3” individuals from Liberty Homes, Inc. measured. We then went in this "home" and measured the bedrooms and the living room for square... each were out of square by as much as 1 inch... making the left modular section out of square by approximately 3 inches. Additionally, I had my foundation professionally surveyed on March 14, 2006, and the foundation is not the problem at all.
I do believe that Pete Oprea, the man in charge of re-setting, was misinformed by Liberty Homes, Inc., as was Glenn the carpenter. Pete did the best that he could given what he was told. This is unfortunate. Had Liberty Homes represented correct information, rather than erroneous information, Pete would have had a different outlook in the beginning on how to do things. At the end of the day, Pete Oprea told me that he has been setting modular homes since the early 70's, and that he has never seen anything like this.
When the "home" was originally placed on the foundation on January 14th of 2006, the left modular section was placed into position first and was therefore used as the reference section for placement of the right modular section. On March 10th of 2006, when the "home" was re-set by the set crew Liberty Homes, Inc. sent out, the right modular section was re-set first and aligned as best as possible first; then the left modular section was set using the right section as the reference (all using hydraulic jacks, not a crane). This procedure was the exact opposite of what was done on January 14, 2006, the day of the first attempted setting by the dealer’s hired set crew. The end result was a near mirror image of this original attempted setting... i.e. now the left modular section overhung the rear corner by ~2.5" AND the front corner is recessed in by ~2.5" AND the right modular section now is overhanging and recessed in by ~1"… whereas with the original attempted setting, the front of the right modular section overhung the foundation by ~3"-3.5". The McHenry County Corrections Notice specifically states that the house overhanging the foundation is something that needs to be corrected and that a Structural Engineer needs to sign off on the repair of the Liberty factory cut floor truss... yet Liberty Homes, Inc. completely ignored the Corrections Notice when re-setting the "home", and refused to provide a Structural Engineer, indicated to me, “If you think you need a Structural Engineer or a Mold Specialist that will be up to you to hire and pay for.” When I confronted them about the home still overhanging and that nothing was resolved by their attempted re-setting the home, Liberty Homes, Inc. told me that I had agreed to accepting the home not sitting right on the foundation. Every step of the way, Liberty Homes, Inc. was changing their minds, and accusing me of holding back the completion of the "home".
After the re-set, the marriage wall area where the two modular sections meet, appears slightly better than the first setting... still a far cry from anything near correct. However, everything else is extremely out of alignment (not plumb, square, or level).
BELOW... the start, on the day of setting.
BELOW... photos of "finished and back together again".
BELOW... photos of the front roof peak/gables area.
BELOW... Liberty's set crew is finished re-setting?
BELOW... this is how Liberty built it at their factory...
BELOW ARE PHOTOS OF THE RIGHT MODULAR SECTION; this section is now better than the first setting. Photos on pages 9 and 10 are viewed in a counter-clockwise direction. Starting at the right front on page 9, and starting at the rear center marriage line on page 10.
BELOW... this is the very left of the right module (by front marriage line/center line), just under the front door.
BELOW... the right front corner, as viewed from the side of the home. Overhangs the front of the foundation slightly (to left as viewed in photo).
BELOW... the right rear corner as viewed from the side of the home, and then from the rear of home towards the front. You can see how the corner trim is bowed out because this modular section is set inward because the front overhangs the foundation a little.
BELOW... the right rear corner, as referenced when looking from the rear towards front. Between the right "rear corner" (as viewed from front) and the marriage line, the gap increases as you near the center of the home (marriage line is to the right).
BELOW... the marriage line where the two half modular sections are joined. Note the lack of level (there is a gap), and the bow of the rim joist where it meets the other module.
