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Imagine buying a home that hasn’t been built yet. You get input on the decisions and can watch it being built. What would you do if the construction workers claimed that something you wanted done wasn’t possible, but then you saw your neighbor’s house and realized they did exactly what you wanted in that house? Would you call them out on it and insist that they do what you wanted, or would you let them keep going with the modified plan you felt forced to agree to?

In this story, one couple is in this situation. The husband tells the tale, and he’s pretty upset when he sees his neighbor’s house and realizes that the construction workers just lied to him to make their job easier.

Now, he’s not sure if he should leave the situation alone or press to have what he really wants.

Keep reading for the whole story.

WIBTA. New construction. Builder says he cant do something for me because of reasons. Two weeks later, he does exactly what I wanted, but in my neighbors house with the same floor plan.

We are building a new home with a basement and 2 floors. Our basement will be unfinished to start, and will be finishing it in about 2 years.

We have big plans for the basement that the builder is aware of from day one-including a large rec area and a mother in law suite.

After the framing was complete and before electric was brought in we went through the house and located where everything will eventually go.

In the basement I mentioned the M.I.L. suite with bathroom, kitchenette, laundry, etc. I pointed out a “closet” sized room and said that’s where we will put the AC. The agreed that it was a great spot.

There was already a problem.

2 weeks later we are going completing our electrical walk through and notice an HVAC unit in the basement, with sloppy ductwork running across floor joist and up through the floor to cool some areas of the main floor. The remainder of the house is cooled from 2 other HVACs in the attic.

Let it be known that my wife and I despise floor registers ( kids, spills, mopping, etc). I tell the builder that basically floor vents are a deal breaker and we need to move the basement hvac to the attic.

He tells me that it will cost several thousand in parts and materials to move it.

I approve the cost.

This is disappointing.

A few days later, I meet with the realtor, builder, and HVAC installer a d we walk the house. I know I will have to steal closet space for routing. I agree again.

Then as we start to figure out logistics, the builder and hvac begin pointing out things in the way, the long ducts will make the cooling inefficient, the house will be hit in the summer and wont be able to cool it, roof rafters and supports will need to be moved. Now the cost doubles and I cant cool the kitchen or living room.

My wife and I discuss the situation and accept that we will just have to live with something we both hate.

This sounds really frustrating!

This week dry wall was hung, doors installed and hardwood floor was laid.

I checked on the progress. Coming along nicely.

The next door neighbor has the same floor plan as me with a slightly different basement. As I walked through his basement, I notice his basement hvac is only for the basement.

I go upstairs and the whole house is cooled from above, EXACTLY like I asked to be done in my house and was told I cant do it, even if I forked out over 10K.

He’s not sure what to do.

I feel like they didnt want to address my requests and rework my HVAC, and talked me out of it.

I based the decision not on cost alone, but the inefficiency of the system as they described it.

A month later, they build the HVAC to the specs I requested in my home for my next door neighbor.

WIBTA if I insist my builder reroutes my ductwork now that dry wall and floors are in?

They’ll be upset about it, but they proved they can do it. Why live with something you hate when you could have exactly what you want?

Let’s see if Reddit agrees.

Here’s a suggestion to hire a lawyer.

Another person thinks he should get what he wanted.

Another person suggests hiring a home inspector.

But this person suggests talking to the construction crew.

I think he should talk to the neighbor and explain the situation to him. Was he given the same choices and made a different decision, or did they simply do things differently in his house?

I definitely think it’s reasonable to get what you want when you’re paying to have a home built, especially if they were able to prove they can do it in your neighbor’s house.

He’s not being unreasonable. I’d be upset too. The construction crew is most likely just trying to take the easy way out, but these homeowners will have to live with a home they don’t want if they don’t get this problem fixed.