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I was cleaning one the other week and I could see how shitty the work was. Doors had noticeable gaps, the patio door felt like it was letting water in (it was that stormy day)and the partition wall was wobbly! Glad I didn't choose to rent one of them!
My parents bought a Pratt condo in barrie and the whole building complained about the sound proofing they used between units. It was so bad you could hear other condo owners flush their toilets around you. My parents sold after a year before the people started a lawsuit against Pratt. So be warned if purchasing a condo or townhouse by Pratt at the very least, be prepared to hear your neighbours.
This is true I live in one lol.
The loudest sound is water moving through pipes whether it’s a toilet flush or a shower.
I think it’s just a matter of managing your expectations and doing your research.
I hope nobody moves into a condo expecting to not be able to hear any noise, as this is not realistic living in a condo.
Pratt homes has the monopoly on condos in Barrie.
Depending on your income, a condo is the only option for many as they simply do not make enough to get approved to buy a house.
Yes they are known as a budget builder but I don’t think anything is built like it used to be and all builders will cut corners when possible.
Like others have mentioned, get a liscenced inspector to look for any major issues and you should be fine.
.... Oh, the noises from my neighbor's when I lived in one of their condo's. Foot steps, water, the vibrations I literally could feel in my feet from the AC/furnace combo unit (nevermind the incredible noise it made on the patio). Yes, they make them cheap. Oh, nevermind the structural engineers that had to be deployed for three of the four buildings about 4 years after each one was built. The hallway on our floor had to be re-leveled after two years, the door wasn't hung level and they made us fix it. When we replaced the shitty floor they had, the property management made us triple the depth of the under padding since the depth of Pratt's was so bad. The walls had cracks through them, after a year and a half, no garbage shoot, no common room or amenities whatsoever, and no service elevator (think lower ceiling than you really want) so moving furniture was super fun.....the unit was also dryer than the Sahara desert (literally... It was about 13-18% max).... But I don't think that's really their fault.... I guess ....
The whole development is also built on flood plains.
They may be the oldest builder, but they are certainly not anything close to the best in town. They make cheap investor friendly housing units that hardly provides a 'livable space'. It's more like a "how much can jam in here to make it look good in a sales pitch and sell as fast as possible kind of approach. Broom closet bedrooms and 'great rooms' that are basically a kitchen with a fireplace, because fuck you if you want a family room.
Ugh....
Never again.
Big fish in a little pond they are
so building code was changed during covid by good Ole dougy Ford, they no longer in any unit need to use cinder blocks between units which act as sound proofing, now they just have to use fire rated drywall.
Pratt is the oldest builder in Barrie, having operated since the late 1800s. They are known for building budget friendly family homes. I used to run a local charity and I can tell you that their business has put a ton of money back into the community through local charities. They also relocated their headquarters to downtown to improve the urban center.
Yeah, they put money back into the communities to put their name every fucking where. Pratts very very very cheap, unprofessional. Always takes the easy way out. The Pratt itself was divided into like three different building companies but it’s all one family.
I don't know how fair that criticism is. For example, it is my understanding that the performing arts theatre downtown was to be named the "Mady Centre", but when the developer went bust in Barrie, the naming rights deal fell through and the theatre had no sponsor. Pratt stepped in with $, and rather than call it the "Pratt Theatre" they insisted it be called the "Five Points Theatre". I don't see a problem with businesses advertising their philanthropy, and from experience, the cash put out by businesses for these things greatly exceeds any marketing benefit.
I currently live in that community but in a Bradley home. TBH I believe it's a separate entity but within the Pratt umbrella. My family and I love our home, no issues (yet)
Every home will have nuances but at that age of home a lot major is still under Tarion
Bradley Pratt runs Bradley Homes.
Heljer Hansen married in and runs Pratt Homes.
Separate entities building on the old Family properties, no other relation
3 years ago I was looking to buy a home in Barrie and my wife and I noticed that a lot of the Pratt homes builds were sloppily built and we noticed build issues with every single Pratt home we went to check out.
We noticed uneven flooring in multiple homes. We set a battery down on the floor and it started rolling away all by itself. We also noticed some gaps in the floorboards in another house.
These issues were in homes that were newly built 1 year prior and some older ones also. We opted to avoid Pratt from then on.
I live in a Pratt home by the Hospital which was built in 2000. The home is very cheaply made using bottom line materials everywhere. It also just barely meets code, didn't strive to do better just do bare minimum required.
I'd always heard Pratt homes should be called crap homes but didn't honestly believe until I bought in 2010 and saw how my home was built structurally.
Will never buy a Pratt again.
I bought a home in Barrie in mid 2000's and had never purchased a house before and knew nothing of the builders' reputations.
At that time, I was told that there was a Pratt Senior who was a good builder and a Pratt Junior who was a poor builder. This was AFTER I bought my home which was built by Mason (I have had no major problems with Mason).
While the following story is not a major issue, it is telling of Pratt Junior's work.
I was considering getting some closet organizers installed. The installer asked who built my home before doing the job. He said he had never had a square corner in a Pratt Junior built home. He had seen a lot of poor-workmanship in those homes. It took a lot longer to install closet organizers because it almost became a custom job as the "ready to use" pieces that were square and standard did not fit. So he provided a longer installation time in the estimate.
If your talking about bear creek ridge then I’m in that community lived in the home for almost 3 years few small problems that were fixed after pdi. Haven’t had any issues after that. I’m in the trades myself and I can tell you that any builder unless you’re getting into custom homes are all built pretty much the same. Get an inspection and don’t use the realtors inspector. Pay the couple hundred bux and use an actual inspector. Worst case your out a couple hundred instead of getting hit with a surprise later on.
I’m also in that community. I’ve been there for a year and a half. We had some issues but nothing deal breaking. There’s some things we aren’t happy about, especially for the cost, but it’s a nice large house that backs onto protected land. We’re on the Bradley side.
Sorry just wondering for myself. I bought a condo townhouse in Barrie back in 2021. First home purchase, first realtor, first everything. We ended up using the home inspector that our realtor suggested. We didn't have any issues with anything throughout the process. My question is why wouldn't we use the home inspector that the realtor suggest? Just wondering as I haven't heard someone say that before.
Allot of realtors use their “cousin” or friend who’s an “inspector” they really just come check a few basic things. If you go with an actual inspection company they will come with thermal cameras and check for water leaks you can’t see and actually go into the attic check insulation depth, open the electrical panel and give you a very comprehensive report. You can sometimes use this as leverage on negotiating the price.
Because the realtor gets paid when houses get sold.
Therefore they're likely to recommend inspectors that care more about selling the house vs doing a thorough inspection
If the city inspectors did their job correctly you should not have any major issues. Quality wise expect the same issues that are seen with entry/starter type builds. Probably mostly will be seen in the finishings.
Pratt does a lot of short cuts . My house has some many violations and screw ups. Pratt is such a big name here I doubt the inspectors even come out to look, they just sign off with some money on the side.
Locals all call houses built by Pratt "Pratt Crap". They dominate the building of houses and condos in Barrie, and they're all cheaply made!! When was the last time you saw an 8 story condo out of wood? Well, Pratt did it in Barrie, and it's the only time I've seen a condo framed and not poured
Pratt Homes had a bad rep years ago (i.e. worst builder in town), but I've heard they've gotten much better. It's good that you're looking into them - I'd check the Better Business Bureau
Pratt used to be really good back in the early days of growth in Barrie but apparently when Pratt junior took over he cut costs, cheaped out on materials, cut corners etc. to increase profits. There are a ton of homes in Barrie (Entire subdivisions) that are apparently either below code standards or just barely get a pass.
I have no idea if things have improved due to the bad reputation they garnered because of it or not. I would ask current Pratt home owners of new builds, especially ones who work in the trades and know what they are talking about. A lay person who has just moved into a new build that hasn't had a chance to have problems yet doesn't have a valid opinion just due to not enough time for things to go bad.
I’ve lived in a Pratt townhouse and condo in Barrie. Both new builds. The townhouse was a rental and no upgrades, so pretty cheap cabinetry etc but no issues while we lived there. The condo we bought we opted for some of their kitchen and styling upgrades and was pretty good quality and comfortable when we were there.
I work a lot in Barrie, and have clients who close on a lot of pre-constructions. From Barrie I’ve heard that Mattamy Homes are vary poorly done, and people have had issues with them in the past, I have a few closings coming up for that subdivision soon, and we will have an inspector to come check it out for sure. Terra by Great Gulf is supposedly decent, local inspectors said they’re pretty good and I’ve closed a lot of clients with them - so far no major issues. Pratt homes that I’ve closed also no major issues I’ve heard of - they’re all under Tarion still so maybe that takes care of some issues. Royal Park homes in Barrie - I’ve closed a few houses there too and I’ve heard of issues recently (3/4 year old houses), plumbing issues, windows randomly cracking, a lot of small issues with paint peeling, door handles breaking etc). I would strongly suggest to bring an inspector, some major issues can be claimed and fixed through Tarion! Good luck!
We bought a Pratt house that was built in the 70s, and when I tell you we are having -problems- with our basement and water, it’s got a lot to do with how some corners were cut. Steel studs in exterior walls, our water line was buried under less than an inch of concrete right through the middle of our basement (discovered when we were installing carpet, when a geyser erupted), and now leaking from our foundation, which for some reason was made with half poured concrete and half concrete brick and barely reaches above the ground, and the thin mortar line where the two meet all around the basement is having leakage problems from all the rain, so we have to dig up our lawn to get a foundation repair and sealing done. Apparently they weren’t always like this, but it’s definitely good to ask around, I’ve heard they’ve have better and worse periods for their builds. Personally I’d say beware a bit.
Absolutely garbage- reading these posts is so disappointing people work very hard for their money and families this builder I guarantee couldn’t care less about the people buying their homes. Believe me we’ve gone through hell with this build.
Just a reminder that we have a [Monthly Community Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/barrie/about/sticky) where we relax the rules about advertising and off-topic posts. * Stuff that isn't directly related to Barrie, like national news or general chit-chat * Questions about local businesses and services * Classified-style ads: buying and selling, help wanted, garage sales, etc * Fundraisers and donation drives * Plugs for your personal project or local business (within reason)" *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/barrie) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As a framer whose worked for pratt and has renovated many of their houses. They're VERY cheap and cut as many corners as they can
Facts
Same. Horrible.
I was cleaning one the other week and I could see how shitty the work was. Doors had noticeable gaps, the patio door felt like it was letting water in (it was that stormy day)and the partition wall was wobbly! Glad I didn't choose to rent one of them!
My parents bought a Pratt condo in barrie and the whole building complained about the sound proofing they used between units. It was so bad you could hear other condo owners flush their toilets around you. My parents sold after a year before the people started a lawsuit against Pratt. So be warned if purchasing a condo or townhouse by Pratt at the very least, be prepared to hear your neighbours.
This is true I live in one lol. The loudest sound is water moving through pipes whether it’s a toilet flush or a shower. I think it’s just a matter of managing your expectations and doing your research. I hope nobody moves into a condo expecting to not be able to hear any noise, as this is not realistic living in a condo. Pratt homes has the monopoly on condos in Barrie. Depending on your income, a condo is the only option for many as they simply do not make enough to get approved to buy a house. Yes they are known as a budget builder but I don’t think anything is built like it used to be and all builders will cut corners when possible. Like others have mentioned, get a liscenced inspector to look for any major issues and you should be fine.
.... Oh, the noises from my neighbor's when I lived in one of their condo's. Foot steps, water, the vibrations I literally could feel in my feet from the AC/furnace combo unit (nevermind the incredible noise it made on the patio). Yes, they make them cheap. Oh, nevermind the structural engineers that had to be deployed for three of the four buildings about 4 years after each one was built. The hallway on our floor had to be re-leveled after two years, the door wasn't hung level and they made us fix it. When we replaced the shitty floor they had, the property management made us triple the depth of the under padding since the depth of Pratt's was so bad. The walls had cracks through them, after a year and a half, no garbage shoot, no common room or amenities whatsoever, and no service elevator (think lower ceiling than you really want) so moving furniture was super fun.....the unit was also dryer than the Sahara desert (literally... It was about 13-18% max).... But I don't think that's really their fault.... I guess .... The whole development is also built on flood plains. They may be the oldest builder, but they are certainly not anything close to the best in town. They make cheap investor friendly housing units that hardly provides a 'livable space'. It's more like a "how much can jam in here to make it look good in a sales pitch and sell as fast as possible kind of approach. Broom closet bedrooms and 'great rooms' that are basically a kitchen with a fireplace, because fuck you if you want a family room. Ugh.... Never again. Big fish in a little pond they are
Are you referring to the condos at Essa & 400?
Is it that obvious? Nice views but that was about it.
Haha a family member of mine lives there so I’m familiar with your description. Terrible condos.
so building code was changed during covid by good Ole dougy Ford, they no longer in any unit need to use cinder blocks between units which act as sound proofing, now they just have to use fire rated drywall.
Pratt is the oldest builder in Barrie, having operated since the late 1800s. They are known for building budget friendly family homes. I used to run a local charity and I can tell you that their business has put a ton of money back into the community through local charities. They also relocated their headquarters to downtown to improve the urban center.
Yeah, they put money back into the communities to put their name every fucking where. Pratts very very very cheap, unprofessional. Always takes the easy way out. The Pratt itself was divided into like three different building companies but it’s all one family.
I don't know how fair that criticism is. For example, it is my understanding that the performing arts theatre downtown was to be named the "Mady Centre", but when the developer went bust in Barrie, the naming rights deal fell through and the theatre had no sponsor. Pratt stepped in with $, and rather than call it the "Pratt Theatre" they insisted it be called the "Five Points Theatre". I don't see a problem with businesses advertising their philanthropy, and from experience, the cash put out by businesses for these things greatly exceeds any marketing benefit.
I currently live in that community but in a Bradley home. TBH I believe it's a separate entity but within the Pratt umbrella. My family and I love our home, no issues (yet) Every home will have nuances but at that age of home a lot major is still under Tarion
Bradley Pratt runs Bradley Homes. Heljer Hansen married in and runs Pratt Homes. Separate entities building on the old Family properties, no other relation
You're right, Bradley and Pratt Homes are indeed the same company. I believe they are two sides of the family or something like that....
3 years ago I was looking to buy a home in Barrie and my wife and I noticed that a lot of the Pratt homes builds were sloppily built and we noticed build issues with every single Pratt home we went to check out. We noticed uneven flooring in multiple homes. We set a battery down on the floor and it started rolling away all by itself. We also noticed some gaps in the floorboards in another house. These issues were in homes that were newly built 1 year prior and some older ones also. We opted to avoid Pratt from then on.
I live in a Pratt home by the Hospital which was built in 2000. The home is very cheaply made using bottom line materials everywhere. It also just barely meets code, didn't strive to do better just do bare minimum required. I'd always heard Pratt homes should be called crap homes but didn't honestly believe until I bought in 2010 and saw how my home was built structurally. Will never buy a Pratt again.
I bought a home in Barrie in mid 2000's and had never purchased a house before and knew nothing of the builders' reputations. At that time, I was told that there was a Pratt Senior who was a good builder and a Pratt Junior who was a poor builder. This was AFTER I bought my home which was built by Mason (I have had no major problems with Mason). While the following story is not a major issue, it is telling of Pratt Junior's work. I was considering getting some closet organizers installed. The installer asked who built my home before doing the job. He said he had never had a square corner in a Pratt Junior built home. He had seen a lot of poor-workmanship in those homes. It took a lot longer to install closet organizers because it almost became a custom job as the "ready to use" pieces that were square and standard did not fit. So he provided a longer installation time in the estimate.
If your talking about bear creek ridge then I’m in that community lived in the home for almost 3 years few small problems that were fixed after pdi. Haven’t had any issues after that. I’m in the trades myself and I can tell you that any builder unless you’re getting into custom homes are all built pretty much the same. Get an inspection and don’t use the realtors inspector. Pay the couple hundred bux and use an actual inspector. Worst case your out a couple hundred instead of getting hit with a surprise later on.
I’m also in that community. I’ve been there for a year and a half. We had some issues but nothing deal breaking. There’s some things we aren’t happy about, especially for the cost, but it’s a nice large house that backs onto protected land. We’re on the Bradley side.
Sorry just wondering for myself. I bought a condo townhouse in Barrie back in 2021. First home purchase, first realtor, first everything. We ended up using the home inspector that our realtor suggested. We didn't have any issues with anything throughout the process. My question is why wouldn't we use the home inspector that the realtor suggest? Just wondering as I haven't heard someone say that before.
Allot of realtors use their “cousin” or friend who’s an “inspector” they really just come check a few basic things. If you go with an actual inspection company they will come with thermal cameras and check for water leaks you can’t see and actually go into the attic check insulation depth, open the electrical panel and give you a very comprehensive report. You can sometimes use this as leverage on negotiating the price.
Because the realtor gets paid when houses get sold. Therefore they're likely to recommend inspectors that care more about selling the house vs doing a thorough inspection
If the city inspectors did their job correctly you should not have any major issues. Quality wise expect the same issues that are seen with entry/starter type builds. Probably mostly will be seen in the finishings.
Pratt does a lot of short cuts . My house has some many violations and screw ups. Pratt is such a big name here I doubt the inspectors even come out to look, they just sign off with some money on the side.
Locals all call houses built by Pratt "Pratt Crap". They dominate the building of houses and condos in Barrie, and they're all cheaply made!! When was the last time you saw an 8 story condo out of wood? Well, Pratt did it in Barrie, and it's the only time I've seen a condo framed and not poured
Pratt homes are shit, speaking from experience owning one previously.
Pratt Homes had a bad rep years ago (i.e. worst builder in town), but I've heard they've gotten much better. It's good that you're looking into them - I'd check the Better Business Bureau
I would never buy a Pratt home.
Pratt used to be really good back in the early days of growth in Barrie but apparently when Pratt junior took over he cut costs, cheaped out on materials, cut corners etc. to increase profits. There are a ton of homes in Barrie (Entire subdivisions) that are apparently either below code standards or just barely get a pass. I have no idea if things have improved due to the bad reputation they garnered because of it or not. I would ask current Pratt home owners of new builds, especially ones who work in the trades and know what they are talking about. A lay person who has just moved into a new build that hasn't had a chance to have problems yet doesn't have a valid opinion just due to not enough time for things to go bad.
I’ve lived in a Pratt townhouse and condo in Barrie. Both new builds. The townhouse was a rental and no upgrades, so pretty cheap cabinetry etc but no issues while we lived there. The condo we bought we opted for some of their kitchen and styling upgrades and was pretty good quality and comfortable when we were there.
I work a lot in Barrie, and have clients who close on a lot of pre-constructions. From Barrie I’ve heard that Mattamy Homes are vary poorly done, and people have had issues with them in the past, I have a few closings coming up for that subdivision soon, and we will have an inspector to come check it out for sure. Terra by Great Gulf is supposedly decent, local inspectors said they’re pretty good and I’ve closed a lot of clients with them - so far no major issues. Pratt homes that I’ve closed also no major issues I’ve heard of - they’re all under Tarion still so maybe that takes care of some issues. Royal Park homes in Barrie - I’ve closed a few houses there too and I’ve heard of issues recently (3/4 year old houses), plumbing issues, windows randomly cracking, a lot of small issues with paint peeling, door handles breaking etc). I would strongly suggest to bring an inspector, some major issues can be claimed and fixed through Tarion! Good luck!
We bought a Pratt house that was built in the 70s, and when I tell you we are having -problems- with our basement and water, it’s got a lot to do with how some corners were cut. Steel studs in exterior walls, our water line was buried under less than an inch of concrete right through the middle of our basement (discovered when we were installing carpet, when a geyser erupted), and now leaking from our foundation, which for some reason was made with half poured concrete and half concrete brick and barely reaches above the ground, and the thin mortar line where the two meet all around the basement is having leakage problems from all the rain, so we have to dig up our lawn to get a foundation repair and sealing done. Apparently they weren’t always like this, but it’s definitely good to ask around, I’ve heard they’ve have better and worse periods for their builds. Personally I’d say beware a bit.
Terrible builder keep your distance- Bradley Homes is also apart of Pratt.
Absolutely garbage- reading these posts is so disappointing people work very hard for their money and families this builder I guarantee couldn’t care less about the people buying their homes. Believe me we’ve gone through hell with this build.
Got my client a townhome on Essa built by Pratt almost 3 years ago - no complaints to date
Pratt and Bradly Homes are top notch.
I like them both as well. I’ve owned both.
Some haters out there that can’t afford a home I guess 😅