Pratt Home Builders is celebrating 20 years in business and is rapidly approaching over 1,400 homes built in the Greater Chattanooga area. Throughout the last year, the Pratt team has been diligently focused on standing behind the multiple warranties that come with every Pratt home by making the follow-up process even more effective. We have added a full-time home warranty department and customer care technicians. Robin Warren is spearheading our Customer Care department and is sharing insight about the details of the fifth piece of the Pratt Process: the Pratt Peace of Mind Plan.

BN: Robin, tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do in terms of Customer Care.

RW: I am a full time in-office assistant to all of our customers and to these gentlemen who make up our warranty team. I will be our customers’ first contact when reaching out about any warrantable concerns. I help coordinate service orders for our technicians and gather data to help improve our department.

BN: I know all of us on the Pratt team as well as our homeowners are so glad to have you all! Can you tell us more who else is involved in this rapidly growing department?

RW: Our team members include Josh Gunter, Chad Gadberry, Brandon Whitworth and we are looking forward to a new specialist joining our team later this month!

Josh is a Chattanooga native who joined the team in December 2017 as one of our customer care technicians. Soon, he is starting his transition into our construction side as a Pratt builder. We’re going to miss him on our team, but are extremely happy for him as he pursues his building career. When he’s not working, he enjoys all things outdoors like hiking and kayaking.

Chad Gadberry is another one of our customer care technicians who started working for Pratt earlier this year. Outside of work, Chad enjoys cooking for friends and family, working on his home and spending time with his wife and children. We are very grateful to have Chad on our team. He’s very efficient, thorough and all of our customers love him.

Brandon Whitworth is our director of customer care. He is approaching his one-year anniversary with Pratt Home Builders. He loves to spend time outside of work with his wife, Tina and their three children: Brandon, Bailey and Cooper. They enjoy horseback riding, kayaking and camping. I (Robin) really enjoy working with Brandon. He is always on top of issues, willing to help anyone with all tasks and is diligently working to improve our customer care department.

We are also very excited about a new employee coming soon to join our team later this summer!

BN: Can you tell us more about what’s included (warranty-wise) when a buyer purchases a Pratt Home?

RW: Pratt homeowners get several types of warranties with their new home. The Pratt Peace of Mind Plan outlines these in depth, and each owner gets a copy of this plan for their reference. Here is an excerpt from The Plan highlighting each warranty type.

– Materials and workmanship for 1 year

– Certain major home systems for 2 years

– Defined structural defects for 10 years

In general, the Plan is a commitment that materials and workmanship are warranted for

one year from the time of closing. The heating, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing

systems are warranted for 2 years from closing. Defects in materials and workmanship

in the structural elements of the home are warranted for ten years from closing. Some

appliances, equipment and other components included in the home are not warranted

by Pratt, but are covered by separate warranties provided by the manufacturer or

supplier. These warranties are assigned to the Homeowner by Pratt at the time of

closing. In the event that a timely claim is made under one of these warranties without

response, Pratt will assist the Homeowner in attempting to resolve the problem with

the manufacturer or supplier.

BN: What are the main differences in the various warranties, respectively?

RW: There are many different elements of a new construction home, but I believe most buyers will be pleasantly surprised by the items covered. Check out the time and terms on the warranty coverage I’ve listed below (from the Peace of Mind Plan).

One Year Coverage – Pratt warrants the construction of the home will conform to the

tolerances for materials and workmanship, as defined in the Performance Standards, for

a period of one year after the closing date.

Two Year Coverage – Pratt warrants the workability of the plumbing, electrical,

heating, ventilating, air conditioning and other mechanical systems, as defined in the

Performance Standards, for a period of two years after the closing date.

Ten Year Coverage – Pratt warrants the construction of the home will conform to the

tolerances set forth below in the Performance Standards for Structural Elements for a

period of ten years after the closing date, subject to the limitations set forth below.

Structural Elements are footings, bearing walls, beams, girders, trusses, rafters, bearing

columns, lintels, posts and floor systems. A Structural Element will not be deemed

defective, and no action will be required, unless there is actual physical damage that

diminishes the ability of the Structural Element to perform its load-bearing function such

that the home is unsafe.

BN: Why is this warranty unique?

RW: Our warranty program is growing rapidly and we are making daily progress to benefit our customers and this is one important attribute that sets us apart from our competitors. The warranty itself stays with the home, not the homeowners. So, essentially if you purchased a “used” Pratt home and it’s still within our one year, two year or 10 year warranty period, then the new homeowner still gets to reap the benefits of our warranty program.

BN: If a customer has any type of issue, what’s the best way to get in touch with the team and how soon can they expect to have the issue resolved?

RW: During office hours, a call can be made to myself at 423-267-9917 ext 312 or an e-mail made to me at RobinWarren@PrattLiving.com. If an emergency arises, homeowners can call our office line at 423-267-9917 and press 9 when prompted for an emergency call.

We will always have someone on stand by for emergency issues such as no heating/air or water leaks. While emergency warranty situations are rare, prompt response is essential when they occur. Trouble shooting tips are provided to you but if your efforts fail to correct the problem, you can call us at (423)267-9917 or call the necessary trade contractor or utility company directly.