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Commitments and Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
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Feb. 28, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and contingencies include typical obligations of homebuilders for the completion of contracts and those incurred in the ordinary course of business. Warranty. We provide a limited warranty on all of our homes. The specific terms and conditions of our limited warranty program vary depending upon the markets in which we do business. We generally provide a structural warranty of 10 years, a warranty on electrical, heating, cooling, plumbing and certain other building systems each varying from two to five years based on geographic market and state law, and a warranty of one year for other components of the home. Our limited warranty program is ordinarily how we respond to and account for homeowners’ requests to local division offices seeking repairs, including claims where we could have liability under applicable state statutes or tort law for a defective condition in or damages to a home. We estimate the costs that may be incurred under each limited warranty and record a liability in the amount of such costs at the time the revenue associated with the sale of each home is recognized. Our primary assumption in estimating the amounts we accrue for warranty costs is that historical claims experience is a strong indicator of future claims experience. Factors that affect our warranty liability include the number of homes delivered, historical and anticipated rates of warranty claims, and cost per claim. We periodically assess the adequacy of our accrued warranty liability, which is included in accrued expenses and other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets, and adjust the amount as necessary based on our assessment. Our assessment includes the review of our actual warranty costs incurred to identify trends and changes in our warranty claims experience, and considers our home construction quality and customer service initiatives and outside events. While we believe the warranty liability currently reflected in our consolidated balance sheets to be adequate, unanticipated changes or developments in the legal environment, local weather, land or environmental conditions, quality of materials or methods used in the construction of homes or customer service practices could have a significant impact on our actual warranty costs in future periods and such amounts could differ significantly from our current estimates. The changes in our warranty liability were as follows (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended February 28,
| 2015 |  | 2014
Balance at beginning of period | $ | 45,196 |  |  | $ | 48,704 |
Warranties issued | 4,133 |  |  | 3,426 |
Payments | (7,595 | ) |  | (8,711 | )
Adjustments (a) | 3,623 |  |  | — |
Balance at end of period | $ | 45,357 |  |  | $ | 43,419 |
(a) | As discussed below, adjustments for the three months ended February 28, 2015 were comprised of a reclassification of estimated minimum probable recoveries to receivables and had no impact on our consolidated statement of operations for the period.
Central and Southwest Florida Claims. Since 2012, we have received warranty claims from homeowners in certain of our communities in central and southwest Florida primarily involving framing, stucco, roofing and/or sealant matters on homes we delivered between 2003 and 2009, with many resulting in water intrusion-related issues. Based on the status of our ongoing investigation and repair efforts with respect to homes affected by these water intrusion-related issues, our overall warranty liability at February 28, 2015 and November 30, 2014 included $5.8 million and $9.4 million, respectively, for estimated remaining repair costs associated with (a) 231 and 324 identified affected homes, respectively, and (b) similarly affected homes that we believed at each respective date may be identified in the future. The $5.8 million at February 28, 2015 encompasses what we believe to be the probable overall cost of the repair effort remaining with respect to affected homes before insurance and other recoveries. However, our actual costs to fully resolve repairs on affected homes could differ from the overall costs we have estimated depending on the identification of additional affected homes in future periods, if any, and the nature of the work that is undertaken to complete repairs on identified affected homes. During the three months ended February 28, 2015, we resolved repairs on 111 affected homes and identified 18 additional affected homes. We consider repairs for affected homes to be resolved when all repairs are completed and all repair costs are fully paid. During the three months ended February 28, 2015 and 2014, we paid $4.1 million and $6.0 million, respectively, to repair affected homes. As of February 28, 2015, we had paid $67.4 million of the probable total repair costs of $73.2 million that we have estimated for the overall repair effort. We anticipate resolving repairs on affected homes by the end of 2015. We believe it is probable that we will recover a portion of our repair costs associated with affected homes from various sources, including our insurers, and subcontractors involved with the original construction of the homes and their insurers. During the three months ended February 28, 2015, we collected $5.0 million of such recoveries. As of February 28, 2015, our estimated minimum probable recoveries, net of amounts collected, totaled $21.6 million, of which $5.8 million was included as an offset to our overall warranty liability and the remainder was included in receivables. The estimated minimum probable recoveries pertaining to affected homes are included in receivables to the extent they exceed the estimated remaining repair costs in our overall warranty liability associated with such homes. During the three months ended February 28, 2015, we reclassified $3.6 million of estimated minimum probable recoveries that were in excess of the estimated remaining repair costs to a receivable. Our assessment of the water intrusion-related issues in central and southwest Florida, including the process of determining potentially responsible parties and our efforts to obtain recoveries, is ongoing, and, as a result, our estimate of minimum probable recoveries may change as additional information is obtained. Overall Warranty Liability Assessment. In assessing our overall warranty liability at a reporting date, we evaluate the costs for warranty-related items on a combined basis for all of our previously delivered homes that are under our limited warranty program, which would include homes in central and southwest Florida that have been or may in the future be identified as affected by water intrusion-related issues. Based on this evaluation, we believe our overall warranty liability as of February 28, 2015 is adequate. As a result, we recorded no adjustments to our overall warranty liability that impacted our consolidated statement of operations for the three months ended February 28, 2015. Depending on the number of additional homes in central and southwest Florida that are identified as affected by water intrusion-related issues, if any, and the actual costs we incur in future periods to repair such affected homes and/or homes affected by other issues, we may revise the amount of our estimated liability, which could result in an increase or decrease in our overall warranty liability. Based on our assessment of the water intrusion-related issues in central and southwest Florida, we believe that our overall warranty liability is adequate to cover the estimated probable total repair costs with respect to affected homes, though we believe it is reasonably possible that our loss in this matter could exceed the amount accrued as of February 28, 2015 by zero to $3 million. Florida Attorney General’s Office Inquiry. In 2013, we were notified by the Florida Attorney General’s Office that it was making a preliminary inquiry into the status of our communities in Florida affected by water intrusion-related issues. We are cooperating with the Florida Attorney General’s Office inquiry and are in discussions to resolve its concerns. While the ultimate outcome of the inquiry is uncertain, based on the status of our discussions, we established an accrual for the estimated minimum probable loss with respect to this inquiry during 2014 and increased the accrual during the three months ended February 28, 2015. At this stage of our discussions, we believe it is reasonably possible that our loss in this matter could exceed the amount accrued by zero to $5 million. Guarantees. In the normal course of our business, we issue certain representations, warranties and guarantees related to our home sales and land sales. Based on historical evidence, we do not believe any potential liability with respect to these representations, warranties or guarantees would be material to our consolidated financial statements. Self-Insurance. We maintain, and require the majority of our subcontractors to maintain, general liability insurance (including construction defect and bodily injury coverage) and workers’ compensation insurance. These insurance policies protect us against a portion of our risk of loss from claims related to our homebuilding activities, subject to certain self-insured retentions, deductibles and other coverage limits. We self-insure a portion of our overall risk through the use of a captive insurance subsidiary. We also maintain certain other insurance policies. In Arizona, California, Colorado and Nevada, our subcontractors’ general liability insurance primarily takes the form of a wrap-up policy, where eligible subcontractors are enrolled as insureds on each project. Enrolled subcontractors contribute toward the cost of the insurance and agree to pay a contractual amount in the future in the event of a claim related to their work. To the extent provided under the wrap-up program, we absorb the enrolled subcontractors’ general liability associated with the work performed on our homes within the applicable projects as part of our overall general liability insurance and our self-insurance through our captive insurance subsidiary. We record expenses and liabilities based on the estimated costs required to cover our self-insured retention and deductible amounts under our insurance policies, and the estimated costs of potential claims and claim adjustment expenses that are above our coverage limits or that are not covered by our insurance policies. These estimated costs are based on an analysis of our historical claims and industry data, and include an estimate of claims incurred but not yet reported. We engage a third-party actuary that uses our historical claim and expense data, as well as industry data, to estimate our liabilities related to unpaid claims, claim adjustment expenses, third-party recoveries and incurred but not yet reported claims associated with the risks that we are assuming under our self-insurance. These estimates are subject to uncertainty due to a variety of factors, the most significant being the long period of time between the delivery of a home to a homebuyer and when a structural warranty or construction defect claim is made, and the ultimate resolution of the construction defect claim. Though state regulations vary, construction defect claims are reported and resolved over a prolonged period of time, which can extend for 10 years or longer. As a result, the majority of the estimated liability relates to incurred but not yet reported claims. Because the majority of our estimated liabilities relate to incurred but not yet reported claims, adjustments related to individual existing claims generally do not significantly impact the overall estimated liability. Adjustments to our liabilities related to homes delivered in prior years are recorded in the period in which a change in our estimate occurs. The changes in our self-insurance liability were as follows (in thousands):
| Three Months Ended February 28,
| 2015 |  | 2014
Balance at beginning of period | $ | 86,574 |  |  | $ | 92,214 |
Self-insurance expense (a) | 2,435 |  |  | 2,616 |
Payments, net of recoveries (b) | (6,262 | ) |  | (4,414 | )
Balance at end of period | $ | 82,747 |  |  | $ | 90,416 |
(a) | These expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses and are largely offset by contributions from subcontractors participating in the wrap-up policy.
(b) | Recoveries are reflected in the period we receive funds from subcontractors and/or their insurers.
The projection of losses related to these liabilities requires actuarial assumptions that are subject to variability due to uncertainties regarding construction defect claims relative to our markets and the types of product we build, insurance industry practices and legal or regulatory actions and/or interpretations, among other factors. Key assumptions used in these estimates include claim frequencies, severities and settlement patterns, which can occur over an extended period of time. In addition, changes in the frequency and severity of reported claims and the estimates to settle claims can impact the trends and assumptions used in the actuarial analysis, which could be material to our consolidated financial statements. Due to the degree of judgment involved and the potential for variability in these underlying assumptions, our actual future costs could differ from those estimated. Performance Bonds and Letters of Credit. We are often required to provide to various municipalities and other government agencies performance bonds and/or letters of credit to secure the completion of our projects and/or in support of obligations to build community improvements such as roads, sewers, water systems and other utilities, and to support similar development activities by certain of our unconsolidated joint ventures. At February 28, 2015, we had $550.4 million of performance bonds and $27.2 million of letters of credit outstanding. At November 30, 2014, we had $541.6 million of performance bonds and $26.7 million of letters of credit outstanding. If any such performance bonds or letters of credit are called, we would be obligated to reimburse the issuer of the performance bond or letter of credit. We do not believe that a material amount of any currently outstanding performance bonds or letters of credit will be called. Performance bonds do not have stated expiration dates. Rather, we are released from the performance bonds as the underlying performance obligations are completed. The expiration dates of some letters of credit issued in connection with community improvements coincide with the expected completion dates of the related projects or obligations. Most letters of credit, however, are issued with an initial term of one year and are typically extended on a year-to-year basis until the related performance obligations are completed. Land Option Contracts and Other Similar Contracts. In the ordinary course of our business, we enter into land option contracts and other similar contracts to acquire rights to land for the construction of homes. At February 28, 2015, we had total cash deposits of $28.5 million to purchase land having an aggregate purchase price of $829.2 million. Our land option contracts and other similar contracts generally do not contain provisions requiring our specific performance.

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