Reviewing the builder review sites: help or hindrance?

I would be grateful for advice on how to best interpret on line reviews of builders. There are many review sites out there, and many of the larger companies have specific staff employed to manage (or maybe massage) the reviews, and there are companies out there that claim to help a business reduce or cull the negative reviews.


This creates considerable difficulties for consumers/customers in assessing prospective builders.

Some of the challenges I have discovered:

-Hipages probably won't post your negative review but may incorporate your score into the aggregate

-Facebook often has a 'reviews' tab and your score and your comment apparently cannot be removed except by the poster. However, follow up comments to your comment can be removed by the company, as can comments in the general post area. I have discovered that businesses unhappy with the amount of 'negative' reviews they receive with this FB feature may delete the tab so the ability to either read or post a review score is no longer possible.

-reviewers may have a conflict of interest or a commercial relationship with the company they are reviewing but many won't state this in their review

-Productreview appears a little better. They require evidence that you have been a customer, and they claim that companies cannot alter or remove reviews, in the most part.

-some companies with larger customer base may try to bury a negative review by asking their happier customers to post a review. That may of itself be helpful, given the overall percentage of unhappy customers is an important metric to consider.

-companies may remove themselves from a review site, eg. 1flare, if they think the advantages outweigh the loss of advertising

The ACCC has rules about on line promotion of businesses at:
https://www.accc.gov.au/business/advert ... ne-reviews

In Victoria, the VBA web site has very limited information about a builder's history. At least for Queensland (QBCC), you can view the cost of jobs the builder has done in recent years and this can inform your questioning to the builder. Otherwise they will only give the testimonials of the happy customers.

There may be many other difficulties that I haven't mentioned. What do others think? Are there any genuinely accurate review sites? Are there any other traps to consider?

Go by personal reviews such as the building experiences of Homeone posters and also use the forum's search facility.

Reputable building consultants are also a wake up to the 'tricks' practiced by individual builders.

A pre contract signing consultation with an experienced building professional is also essential as they can uncover a myriad of 'hidden' Performance Solutions, design errors (a frequent cause of complaint on Homeone) plus bad arithmetic and double charges that can total tens of thousands of dollars, invariably in the builder's favour.

I once found a $9,000 double charge on this forum when answering a technical query and one systematic unnecessary charge by one well known builder who didn't know a basic regulation often cost new home owners up to $7,000. This particular example was when the builder was still requiring either a solar gas boosted HWS or a harvested rainwater system to be installed to comply with the Victorian 6 Star Standard despite recycled water being supplied to the property.

I suggest the documentary 'evidence' requested by Productreview to support their claims of 'verified customer' is just as likely to be as fake as many of the reviews there. The only way to be reasonably confident that any review there is genuine is to speak directly with the reviewer, either in person or on a mobile phone with their number disclosed, not via a PM or one of their multiple gmail accounts.

If you are seeking Building advice why on earth would anyone post on a product site or forum
that reviews and sells Slow cookers and smokers? It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me nor does it pass the pub test.
in that "the average Aussie knows that the creation of their greatest asset, ie. home, is governed by rule and regulations... and not by Thumbs up, star ratings, slaps on the back and Bull$h!t insta images"
OT, that marketing rubbish ie sell the sizzle on the patio deck, went out years ago.
One star for structural integrity? What does that mean? if it's non compliant you'll be pulling it down.. my2c
Cheers
Chris

What should we do instead Chris?

Get all the Drawings, Engineering, Specifications prepared by someone you know and trust.... have it explained so you understand
Then get 3 builders to quote, settle back and watch all the theatrics on Insta, FB, sales Cowcrap..you'll soon figure out which builder you can trust.
Put them to the test while you hold the whip hand
Be prepared to walk out at the first sign of inconsistences, lack of transparency, fake Images, delays, non compliance, etc,
Once you hand over a deposit and sign, the builder will try to get (flog) extra costs wherever they can

BTW there are plenty of good Builders out there trying to do the right thing....without ripping you off

LOL, Don't be a mushroom ie kept in the dark and fed Bullsh!t.. the internet is about sharing information, data and proofs and ignore the sales rubbish you aren't buying a toaster that you can return/exchange. hth

what if you don't already have a pre-existing relationship with someone who can prepare the drawings, engineering and specifications. What do you do then?
What are the extra costs they will try to flog after signing?
This 'dance' we do with a prospective builder kind of reminds me of Al Pacino's character in "Glengarry Glen Ross"

Find someone independent to do the Sketches and Drawings own copyright, if you can't reach agreement on costs with a builder/trades then you can take your drawings elsewhere. Designers/Architects can't do/certify the engineering and there l!es the problem... it's left to the builder to organise

Builders see Engineering as easy money to manipulate by virtue of the contract
Selecting 3 Builders makes the quoting competitive and have engineering included.

Glengarry Glen Ross and suckers were real eye openers to the real estate and car industries respectively.
Governments and regulators don't have the balls to fix the new home sales industries.. buyer beware
there is a high probability your apartment is overpriced and probably defective as well
Sydney building ‘nightmare’ set to cost Maryam her life savings
Supposedly, Apartments Class 2 building should be regulated, Housing Class 1 is carte blanche