By: Stephanie Prokop
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIPA group of residents who live in the Preserve at Meadow Run development have enlisted state Assemblyman Joseph R. Malone, R-30th, to help them with their claim that faulty concrete was installed by Orleans Homebuilders on their driveways and sidewalks.
According to Marlo J. Fairlie, a Gateswood Court resident, the mission has grown to more than 30 residents, most of them claiming that they are tired of the "quick fixes" that Orleans Homebuilders have tried, claiming that it leaves their driveways and walkways full of holes and looking patchy.
"Orleans will tell us that they laid bad concrete," said Ms. Fairlie, "but we want to know what they’re going to do about it to replace it."
Orleans did not return calls for comment before the Register-News deadline.
There are approximately 165 houses in the development, all of which were built between 2004 and 2006. Ms. Fairlie said that after a year in the development, her family noticed that every time it rained parts of the concrete would disintegrate into the street beneath the driveway.
In the letter that Ms. Fairlie penned to Mr. Malone, she asked him, along with the township and state to encourage Orleans to take responsibility for the workmanship and replace the driveways.
Mr. Malone said via phone interview Monday that he believed what was happening in the development "just isn’t right," and that it would be unfortunate for only one or two houses to be experiencing the concrete woes, but the scale reported is "definitely something that has to be rectified."
Mr. Malone also said he is planning on delivering a petition that containing 31 names and addresses to Burlington County Director of Consumer Affairs Renee Borstad, and other governmental agencies.
"From there we may have a field inspector contractor come out from the Department of Consumer Affairs in Trenton to take a look at the concrete," he said.
The houses range in price from the low $400,000s to the mid $600,000s, and over the past few years many residents have reported noticing either cracks or rust spots that make their way up to the surface and then smear down the concrete, the rust stains being in sharp contrast to the off-white and cream colored cement.
In addition to rusting, running and cracking, many of the residents said they are frustrated at the fixes that Orleans Homebuilders has supplied for those homeowners who have concrete difficulties fixes that Ms. Fairlie describes as "a low-grade means of hiding a bigger problem."
Residents say their driveways are not covered under warranty and many have been denied claims in writing. The approximate cost to repair the driveways is $3,800.
Ambika Chabra, who lives with her husband, son and parents on Crestview Lane, said she is very frustrated with the lack of correspondence from the builders.
Ms. Chabra’s problems first began about six months after they moved into the house.
"Around October or November we noticed a hairline crack that went down through the driveway," said Ms. Chabra.
Notified that residents could not have any heavy trucks or moving vans on the driveways, Ms. Chabra did just that. She said she would often run out to meet delivery trucks and other heavy vehicles just to make sure that they didn’t park on the concrete driveway.
She also said that when a representative from Orleans came out to inspect the crack, they claimed that the wear and tear was probably due to rock salt being placed on the driveway.
"We hadn’t even been through a winter yet, Ms. Chabra told the representative. "It was as if that was a standard reply that they gave to everyone," she added.
Ms. Chabra said her husband had sent a letter to Orleans, asking if the driveway was covered under warranty, and was denied coverage of the cracked driveway.
Another point of dissention that many residents have with the building company is what they say is a lack of correspondence.
Ms. Chabra also said her husband had tried to call the warranty department of Orleans in Mount Laurel, his calls were not returned.
"We then had gotten in touch with our lawyer, to see if there was any recourse," explained Ms. Chabra.
Ms. Chabra said that when she and her husband finally received a letter, it was after the two-week timeline that their lawyer had asked for a response.
There are now over 130 rust marks on the Chabras’ porch, and the concrete stairs leading up to the porch. Orleans has since sent out a repair person to try and fix the holes, but Ms. Chabra said she is doubtful that fix will work.
Another resident, Natalie Schreiner, of Meadow Run Road, said she is frustrated with what she describes as "the concrete on our driveways just crumbling right before our eyes."
She said her husband and family moved in almost three years ago.
"They’re saying it’s because the way the concrete was mixed, it had way too much water in the mix," said Ms. Schreiner.
"(It) is ridiculous to be having this problem in a development with half-million dollar homes," she continued.
"They’ve been filling in bits and pieces of our sidewalks, and the concrete is different colors," she added.
Ms. Schreiner noted that on Monday a repairman was at her house repairing holes in the cement.
