Clay Custom Homes

We contacted clay custom homes in may of 2019, first by email and later, through a phone telecom stating our interest in having their company build our family a custom home. We had originally sent a floor plan through their website that we had found off the web as a starting point for discussion and during our first consultation with clay custom homes at their rio rancho, nm office, were advised that the plan we chose would be above our price point. After looking at their "easy breezy" plans, we declined a pre-designed home and collectively decided it was necessary scale back and find a floor plan smaller in square footage in order to meet our budget. During the next couple of days, we found a 2-d floor plan whose square footage was closer in size to that of which clay custom homes verbally communicated was necessary based on our budget. We sent the plan to clay custom homes in order to start the design process. After 6 months and exhausting all of our effort to patiently mitigate, work and communicate with clay custom homes on a design which would lead to a home build, we asked for a partial reimbursement of the $7000.00 fee they charged to design our home. Because after 6 months, we had an incomplete drawing package which met neither our budget nor our needs. After 6 months we were 100k over our discussed budget. We were frustrated and felt as though we were at day 1 after 6 months. We were told that the square footage we were asking for to meet our price point was outside the capability of clay custom homes' in-house designer. We were never shown or offered to review the cost break down which we were told was complete in order to resolve any of our concerns or in order to move forward with our build. We decided it'd be best to cut ties with clay custom homes even though we were advised that clay custom homes does not give partial reimbursements. We took the same 2-d floorplan we sent to clay custom homes to a draftsman and less than 1 week later, we had a full drawing package which met the total under roof square footage we had requested. We unfortunately had to spend another $3000.00 to do so. The new plans were sent out for bid and we were able to find several builders who met our budgetary constraints as well. We thought it fair that clay custom homes return at the very least $4000.00 of the $7000.00 fee they charged for a design package they stated was 95% complete. We felt it fair to pay for a drawing package we never saw complete and were never able to use. Clay custom homes failed to respond to both of our lawyers attempts of coming to any sort of resolution. Instead we were left with the last communication from clay custom homes that they "designed a home we could not afford." They also failed to return the 5% they responded we were entitled to. This is merely our experience with clay custom homes. We felt as though we were never treated like a paying customer. The communication was sub-par and though they apologized for broken communication time and time again, it never improved. Attention to detail was lacking and flawed. They cancelled meetings on several occasions and failed to design us a home that met our needs after they helped us determine our constraints. We sought clay custom homes as consult on the sizing and building of a home we had a set budget for. After they failed to do that for our family, they stated they designed a home we could not afford. When we asked for a resolution and or partial refund, we were dismissed. We were again dismissed after we sought resolution through legal consult. It is disheartening that a company that boasts "design svc in house, helps you keep your dream home within the budget." And does the very opposite. The fact that we were able have our home designed and bid to our need shows that it was indeed possible and we were just not a priority to clay custom homes. Because it will require even more time and effort to fight for what is fair, we have to walk away from the situation. This is a very polite version of describing our situation and experience. The silver lining is that even though we're out on time and a large sum of money, we were actually spared from proceeding any further with a company who not only treats their customers poorly, wastes their time, but also fails at meeting their needs. There is probably something to be said about what the rest of the experience would entail, however, we are really glad that that is not ours to share.