Pulte Homes Reviews in Columbus, OH

We signed to buy a quick move in home which was completed up to structure. Nobody mentioned before contract that garage will be incomplete, incomplete drywall and with no paint. After just move in they increased the HOA without any prior notice. The exterior works finishing is not good. Its differs from what we saw in model home. The floor, stairs make cracking noise when we walk, the carpet joining is visible.

We selected a 2-story design on a concrete pad in the $500K+ price range. Under present circumstances I cannot recomend the purchase of a Pulte home. Mortgaged it through Pulte w $15K closing cost incentive which was quite helpful in lowering interest rate. The mortgage app process was fairly simple and smooth. Loved it but: The quality of materials is average at best, a lot of the workmanship was simply awful. After closing, problems (even obvious ones) are only acknowledged by Pulte if buyer mentions them first. To name but a few of the problems: 1. The drywall finishing was crude, lumpy in places, not even and smooth in others, drwall tape edges showing through at corner beads etc. Workers who come to repair are obviously inexperienced and certainly not very capable. 2. Corner stud walls were installed out of square and plumb, so much so, that almost every corner spot and wall in the main entry/ hallway is visibly out of plumb (i.e. floor trim bows in and out and isn't parallel to floorboard joints). 3. Most of the baseboard trim in the house, especially the entry way, is rippled or bowed due to bulging wall studs and out-of-plumb corner studs. Nary a straight line in the place. 4. There are countless globs in the paint finish everywhere. In all probability, either their brushes were dirty or they just painted over drywall mud that hadn't been removed. And no matter what they might call it, Pulte applies only a primer wall paint throughout. 5. Immediately upon moving in water infiltrated two windows (at interior windowsill) during an average rain shower. We were told the infiltration was due to "improper caulking" by installer, but imo there is a design flaw by Simonton the like's of which I've never seen in homes at this price range. Also, 8 of the 18 windows are difficult if not nearly impossible to open beyond halfway (due to improper installation or inferior quality), and one is quite visibly not square. 6. Large, dark, unsightly stain spot (16" approx) on the back porch from unknown source remains. We had to ask for it to be fixed. 7. Plumbing was run primarily below concrete pad resulting in a minimum 2 - 3 minute wait (2.5 gal) for hot water at kitchen sink, master bath sinks, and the 2nd first floor bathroom. ... More

If you buy a house from Pulte you must keep on them constantly to make sure the job and quality is as expected. Unfortunately the contract with the builder is so one-sided favoring them that you essentially don't have any recourse when things are done poorly. The design and layout are great, it is a shame that the build quality is not up to the standards they used to have. Also beware, Pulte is cutting corners on materials in the house. Even upgraded items like kitchen cabinets are poor quality. Unfortunately I will never buy another Pulte house.

There were numerous things leading up to close that were not checked or inspected at high quality standard. I had to find those things and provide them to Pulte. The construction manager did work quickly to address these issues and concerns but they should have been caught sooner. Such as the water didn’t work and sinks were clogged. I caught that from running water in all sinks

Overall exp was not that great , but is is ok .

Before move in, our Pulte sales rep was not able to answer many questions, and at times provided incorrect information. After move in, there have been a number of issues with the house, generally minor, that are chalked up to poor craftsmanship. Poor flooring installation, thin paint with visible drywall tape, visible gaps between drywall sheets, non functional appliances. Working with our construction manager was at times effective, and other times we would get no response at all. A pulte warranty rep called us and rambled for 10 minutes about why some issues will be ignored by her team, despite our purchase of a brand new half million dollar home with a 1 year warranty on workmanship. ... More

This is my first experience with Pulte. I have been less than impressed. With this home I upgraded several options and unfortunately many of the upgraded options were executed poorly in the build process. This left a lengthy list of items to complete post closing and severe buyer’s remorse. I have been in my home almost 60 days now and am still having challenges with some of the subcontractors to complete their assigned task correctly. I understand there is a labor shortage so things take time, but there is no excuse for poor craftsmanship. Several of the outstanding items are a result of a trade clearly rushing through the task. This is unacceptable. On their website Pulte frequently mentions “quality”, “higher standards”, “attention to detail” but candidly I did not see this during my build process. During my build process there were items I had to call out to my site mgr (I.e a door created when there wasn’t one selected, a missing transom window, an uninstalled grounding wire from my exterior electrical box, the wrong accent stone placed on the home, etc). For these reasons I will not use again or recommend Pulte to family or friends. ... More

The quality of materials was fair at best. Multiple repaints and touchups needed. The molding down the basement steps were gapping with a width at the bottom of 2.5 inches and top 1.5 inches. Was told this was the Standard with Poulti and local staff not allowed to change. As I write this we have handymen putting down molding for safety and a finished look. Our Handy men were shocked by the lack of finish. They were not complimentary with the product. One said if this was done right, I would not be here. Then vinyl flooring in three places have stains and scratches that are not able to be removed. I could go on. Our Realtor continues to also be amazed. Thanks for lis ... More

Pulte does a good job at sales and financing. The house was well built, but follow up on open items after closing is terrible. We closed six weeks ago and were told that landscaping and grass would be done quickly. So far nothing has been done, and we can't even get a expected timeframe. For other issues (doors, drywall, etc.) we were referred to warranty (Customer service). they don't even return voicemail messages. the one item they sent somebody out to fix (door) is now worse than before they fixed it. We were told that in order to get things done we need to elevate it up to someone at the next level, and get belligerent with them. let me know someone to contact who will actually respond. We have had several new homes built before, and have never had follow up service issues with a builder before. the others fixed their problems in a timely manner, and actually had a customer first mentality that doesn't exist with Pulte. ... More

Pulte is using sloppy contractors and generally doesn’t care about their customers post purchase. They installed lots of already brown, most dead sod that is not coming back to life and 2 weeks of daily watering and accused me of not watering enough despite my day 1 proof with photos and my water bill detailed usage graph, then their sod contractor came and literally yelled in my face and they are refusing to replace the dead sections they installed. Incredibly unprofessional and it’s a disgrace Pulte uses such awful contractors. We’ve also having electrical issues, corners were cut with plumbing, mortar and paint speckles are all over bath runs because they weren’t properly protected, drywall seams are very visible, many items called out during the build process were never fully addressed despite promises they would be. A lot of the issues weren’t seen at the blue tape final walk through. There’s just no way you can catch everything in that one hour window. But after living here nearly 2 months it’s clear Pulte does not pay attention to detail or care about their clients post purchase. ... More

Plan on spending some time and money fixing all the things that are delivered just "good enough" by Pulte - floors went in first and weren't protected, gaps around outlets and switches, one coat of paint that is paper thin, and overall such a disappointment. Wouldn't recommend Pulte to anyone. Focus is on selling homes as fast as possible - no one cares about quality of product.

Make sure you look at everything the contractors do because the workmanship is poor. Our house is beautiful but so much needs fixed. Make sure you are getting the things you paid for.

The whole process with pulte has been a struggle from the get go, there was a lack of communication throughout the process and many questions that we asked to get answered that were not. After moving in we have had many issues with the home just within the first month and as of now the value of the home we paid for does not seem to match the quality expected.

Be careful when signing a contract. You have to make selections at that time that cannot - or will not - be changed. You are given the choices on the day of contract and have to decide then. No changes allowed.

As a real estate agent, our experience was less than impressive. Home was supposed to close in July. Waited over 3 months for siding. Ultimately, we were only given 1 "option" as a "replacement" color. Ironically, I had asked if we should choose a replacement in July. House closed 3 months late, which pushed back the sale of our previous home (missing the summer sales season). Refrigerator was delivered and installed with broken door. Drywall finishing and painting is a 5.5 out of 10, at best. Even though the home past inspection, permitting and occupancy, the Sump Pump was wired on the incorrect breaker. In addition, the electrical contractor placed over 20 receptacles on 1 (15 amp) circuit. Standard "rule of thumb" is 8-10 per (15 amp) breaker. Planted grass and sod too late in season. I will most likely need to replant and seed in spring. ... More

Our experience was negatively impacted by a weak construction manager who did little to oversee the pace and quality of the build process. Fortunately, our sales representative was great and has helped us mitigate the issues. Frankly, the rest of the story is the most important, as we see the response to the items that need repairs.

Have had a lot of issues with labor shortages, back ordered products, and wanting us to close on an incomplete home. Still trying to get shutters since they are on back order but other identical homes are receiving theirs. Also told sod and landscaping might not happen until spring of 2022 and we moved in July 2021.

Bought this home after coming to know Pulte homes are good at construction and they take care customers well. Realized that they are no more as the community was sold out and they wanted to handover the pending homes soon and move out. It was supposed to be inventory home with upgraded materials and we did not have a chance to choose any further. Had poor laundry flooring, handrails, poor paint quality (know that we had to wait for a year to settle down, but the paint that I got was very poor quality). More than a month now after closing but there were many pending items and still not fixed. There were many missing items in the build (tissue holder, towel holder, towel ring), back side door entry door was fixed right in front of floor air vent. Some of the fixtures (done via contractors) had loose fittings, improper workmanship. One would think the field manager is the one who pulls over all contractors and inspect what is in the build and what was completed however we had to end up in telling him many missing things. Not sure how they would keep their promise of coming back after 1 year to inspect and fix things once the home settles down. ... More

We are 75 days into the ownership of our new home and while we love the house, it has been a horrible experience in getting the remaining items finished on our property. We have no schedule, work done incorrectly identified by us and not Pulte because the Field Manager did not monitor or QC, no communication from the Field Manager, and workers showing up unannounced. When we have brought this up to the Field Manager, we have been told that they can't "control the trades" and that they were unaware of them coming out to do work. It's been a very unprofessional, haphazard, and disappointing experience to close out what should have otherwise been a great experience. I hope that the remaining fill dirt & grade, downspouts, and landscaping can be completed at level we would expect at this price point, but we have no faith in that occurring. ... More

Worst experience. Would never build with Pulte ever again. Had to visit the house every day to make sure house was completed properly and on schedule. Had to go above site manager’s head on multiple occasions to his boss to make sure proper repairs were completed. Initial Electrical and plumbing done incorrectly in the kitchen, no water to the dishwasher, multiple cabinets damaged, windows leaked at the time of closing and then charged $700 in late closing fees because I wouldn’t sign until windows were repaired. Told me since I didn’t find it during the walk through it was my fault. I could go on with even more issues. Do not build with Pulte. ... More

I am really disappointed with the quality and service. - Poor material and quality - Closing process is flawed; you will have not have enough time to inspect the house.

The best part of the build is that they have done this at a pretty good pace and kept up with the timeline as promised (in fact a week before the tentative completion date). However the overall build quality is not to the expectations. It is quite evident in the finishing or touch up works done in the last minute and the very shabby job of cleaning the house or power washing the basement and garage. It was delivered in a "not so clean" state. Not satisfied !!!

While workmanship is decent, numerous issue around the subdivision including ingress/egress issues and drainage issues. Columbus staff has not been responsive except with generic vague responses nor seem trustworthy at this point.

There were a few items that should be included in a house. A garage door opener, pulls on cabinets, and vents in the toilets. You all really seem to step over dollars to save pennies. If I would of known the above along with the fact that you were not willing at all to help with changes on a house that was not sheet rocked is very disappointing. Would not recommend you all or buy another home from you.

We encountered significant issues with both the Sales Consultant assigned to our project and the construction team responsible for building our home. Now that closing is complete, it is imperative to address how our experience can be meaningfully rectified or compensated—and how similar lapses can be prevented for future homeowners. Despite submitting these concerns in a prior survey, no follow-up action has been taken. The past several months have been both stressful and disheartening, and our repeated attempts to resolve these issues have only added to the frustration. Despite our early optimism, the process was undermined by a series of troubling missteps and communication breakdowns. We’ve compiled a thorough record of correspondence—emails, text messages, and documented interactions between ourselves, our realtor, and your team—that highlights systemic issues. Specific concerns include: - Unannounced Contract Cancellation: Our contract was prematurely voided without any notification, resulting in unnecessary confusion and delay. - Missed Opportunities for Upgrades/Add-ons: Key selections were never presented during early planning meetings, leaving us unable to make informed decisions or adjustments later. - Fireplace Installation Error: The fireplace placement deviated from the agreed plans and was not centered appropriately, raising questions about quality control. - Ignored NSO Request: Following our February 24th email, we were under the impression that a slat request was submitted. Multiple follow-ups received no acknowledgment or response. These issues—avoidable with even basic attention to detail—left us feeling misled, unsupported, and disappointed. They raise legitimate concerns about the professionalism and standards expected from your organization. The construction phase presented additional challenges. We experienced a revolving door of three different construction managers, resulting in inconsistent oversight and accountability. While the most recent manager showed genuine effort and dedication, they appeared undertrained and lacked the necessary support to handle the complexity of the project. The final walkthrough revealed that quality control and cleanliness were not priorities. There was visible dust and debris throughout the home, including an unacceptably dirty garage. Additionally, workmanship issues were glaring—cabinet installations had caused wall damage, and various finishes appeared rushed and uneven. ... More