Excel Homes

We purchased our new home 20 months ago in Hillcrest in Airdrie. I have been exceedingly patient in waiting to write this review but my patience is done. We viewed 3 spec homes in Sep. '17 and purchased the 3rd one we viewed the same day. Most companies would do everything they can to look after a customer like that, knowing that they will most likely be a repeat customer. Not Excel. The purchase went smoothly; everything that came after has formed my 1 star opinion of them. The six month visit lasted about 30 seconds as they give you no advance warning till you complain. For the 12 month they gave advance warning. The minor deficiencies such as drywall, ceiling, paint were quickly repaired. The HVAC company treats you like you know nothing and outright refused to repair most items (5" duct take-offs installed in 6" holes and held in place with 20 pieces of duct tape, duct joint sealing only done on 3 sides of the duct because no one looks at the 4th side, right?) The worst issue is the new Excel home they completed to the west side of us. They removed the soil from our final grade (which we had previously signed off on for Excel) and used it for the neighbouring houses final grade. This has left a 18" instant change in elevation on our rear yard. When Kidco excavators were on site in Oct. '18 with the Excel tech their response was that our house was graded wrong, the new house was graded correctly, and they are going to do nothing about it. I asked who graded our house? Their response: they did. They exposed up to 16" of foundation wrap on our east side foundation; the Excel techs solution: cut the wrap off and leave the parging 16" above what Kidco calls final grade. The next day I get a call at my front door: Kidco wants me to move my vehicles from my driveway so they can jackhammer it open to fix a water valve. I tell them it is now October; what are the plans to fix the concrete. Their response: they will fix it in the spring sometime. My next question: I did not buy a new house with a concrete patch on the driveway and you cannot leave a hole in my driveway all winter; how will you be fixing this? Their reponse: if you don't let us do it we will call an Airdrie inspector. My response to them: once the inspector is on site we will have him review your final grades and see what they determine. Since then: silence from both Kidco and Excel. I have been waiting for 20 months since purchasing this home to fence the backyard and there is no end in site; I have no idea which elevation to fence at. I have had to keep a vehicle parked over the water valve in the driveway for over 7 months to prevent Excel and Kidco from destroying the concrete driveway without notice.
It has been my impression since purchasing from Excel that to them their contractor is always right, not their customer. The first 95% of our Excel experience was great; the final 5% makes you wish you had purchased elsewhere. The after purchase service people leave you with the impression that they do not like their jobs and would much rather be elsewhere.