Burbank Custom DS- 4 months post Handover !

If it makes you feel any better, I arrange for an independent inspection at SLAB and FRAME but they didnt find anything major.. At FRAME, they only found a few missing nails.. So i think you should be fine.. Been told Burbank does quiet a good job by my inspector!!!

Also, today I called the SS to ask him whats happening with Roof tiling.. why they hadn't put up the roof (but I really called to find a date) but all he said was each builder does things differently and said if I was worried about the Floors being wet etc then to be re-assured that the timber frames they use are all to with stand up to 6 months without issues.. (Is that True??) but I didn't want to argue as they know better than me I guess.

Fortunate we havent had heavy rain or else i be complaining more to them!!!!

Maybe I am being inpatient but he said Brickies has to finish bricking ground floor entire before they can arrange Scaffold to go up.. Then Brick to first floor , then Gutter and last but not least the Roof Title

Thank you Mentone, I let it go AGAIN, well... have to... just waiting for the PCI as from what I have seen, nothing worries me really, the cracked roof tiles is hardly noticable, I believe the roof tiler didn't see it, and because of the chips on floor, I saw it, just replace a piece later

From what I know the timbers are treated, so they say it's fine, then it should be fine yes, different builders work differently really, my neighbor's double storey house got roofed first, then they bricked up the whole house except garage, and framed and bricked the garage separately, interesting!

Overall I think they are good, not hearing drama from you, from dsbuild, and me

your SS is correct.. each builder/SS does things differently. we had roof tiles, gutters and THEN the bricks.
Bricks to the garage & Alfresco were done last. we were told though that the frame can withstand rain or shine for 2 months without roof coverings..

What a bummer with the brickie, but at the end of the day you might as well have a precise and clean wall even if takes an extra week...

Hi Mentone! The houses around me that are going up and my new neighbours houses are as your SS stated. Ground floor, scaffolding, roof/bricks etc. remember they have a 30 year structural warranty.... So they will be doing all they can to make sure they don't get any claims.

I don't think I have pillars... So hopeful things will move a bit quicker. We can't go pass everyday...Hopeful weekly so my updates will be slow. They haven't updated my place yet either.

What!?? That's not right! Did Burbank know you where using an independent inspector? If so they should have allowed you enough time..... Did you make a payment? I am assuming (and could be making an a** of myself) that they would not move on to the next stage until a payment was made???? If Burbank knew I would complain.

Mmm I haven't actually said we haven't had any problems. We have had a few considering the build hasn't started yet. Unfortunately I have found you need to be persistent and stand your ground a bit with them. This is your home and your MONEY. If you are asking things to be clarified, fixed or done they should be helping you out!

Hey Dsbuild/Trambay,

Don't know about your office or its burbank process but we are at brick stage yet to-date I have not met my SS nor does he call and give me updates .. I have to either call him or rely on my weekly contract admin updates which I find at times are out of wack anyways ..


I called and asked him when we meeting but he advised normally he does not meet til at least lock up ..is that normal ??


I would strongly suggest you keep close eye on your build and keep your inspector engaged as they also didn't tell me slab nor frame was complete .. I guess because I only live 2 streets away and visit site every day so I know what's happening ..

I to am building with Burbank and have only met the SS once and that was following myself raising a number of concerns.

I do believe this is normal with Burbank and whilst i have had good communication with the office, there has been a number of mid-communications (Chinese whispers) and possible delays due to their policy of customers not contacting SS.

I hope to be at hand over in the next 3-4 weeks and once in, if given the opportunity will be providing honest and constructive feedback on the entire process.

I am happy with the build quality to date and issues identified through out the build have been addressed, but as the customer in my opinion there is room for improvement in practices to allow the customer to feel at ease during the entire build.

Regards,
Shane

My experience of Burbank was the same. The SS wouldn't contact me and I couldn't contact him. The few times I met him he waffled on endlessly about nonsense as if either he or I was a halfwit, wouldn't answer questions directly, wouldn't give timeframes on anything. This was unsatisfactory from the outset. I escalated early on and dealt directly with the regional construction manager instead, who was always available to take calls, would meet me on site for any concerns and ensured the SS was pushed to correct defects noted through the construction period. Would have been a different experience altogether if it wasn't for him!

Thanks for the information guys. I too think I would feel more at ease talking directly to SS, especially as my file as already had some "hiccups". I keep reminding myself they have a 30 year structural warranty, so it's in there interest to get the first stages of the building right. I am just concerned now, since we cannot look at the block every day, that they will go ahead and complete stages without let my independent inspector look at the works first.

Not much is happening at the moment so we'll just take one step at a time.

I haven't heard from the admin officer in weeks! Before that I was the one contacting her!

I'm just biding my time......

You will only start to get weekly admin updates once build has started .. Prior to that I think it's more like the client contacting the office !!

Have they arrange to put ur meter in ??

Email-talked with my client relation girl, she had forward my concern about roof tile to my SS, and according to what she said, I have to let my inspector call her to let her know there will be an inspector involved so that she can arrange, which sounds resonable, but things are moving forward so fast, she still didn't know that my house is being plastered already.... what could I say, seems the SS hasn't been providing updates to her too She was still saying the brick was done and plaster would happen in a few days

From my experience, they don't stop to wait for payment, just keep on building, so if you want to send in your inspector, you better let them know clearly and early! I missed it, but nothing big is making me concerned, so I decided just jump to the final inspection

Week 9 - Ground Floor Brick 90% Complete !!
Mon 03rd Mar - Sun 09 Mar 2014


We getting there slowly.. The ground floor after (10) days of Brick work is now 90% complete


Mon 03rd Mar - East Side bricking - Day 38
Ground Floor Brick Work Day 6: Brickies started bricking bottom half of East Side.



Tue 04th Mar - East Side bricking continues - Day 39
Ground Floor Brick Work Day 7: Brickies completed bricking to bottom half of East Side.


Wed 05 Mar - Alfresco Area Bricking - Day 40
Ground Floor Brick Work Day 8: Brickies started bricking near the Alfresco Area.



Weekly Contract Admin status update:-
The bricklayer is due to complete the ground floor brickwork by the end of the week.

SS has now booked in the scaffolding, roof coverings, fascia & guttering & the bricklayer to complete the first floor brickwork.



Thu 06 Mar -- Internal Garage Doors Bricked - Day 41
Delivery: Steel Lintels (Beams)
Ground Floor Brick Work Day 9: As the Steel Lintels beams to above garage Doors and above Alfresco Pillar were delivered today, the brickies were able to complete some more bricking around this area.


Fri 07 Mar - West Side Bricking - Day 42
Delivery: First Floor Bricks
Ground Floor Brick Work Day 10: Brickies were soldering on and completed most of the ground floor brick work to West side.

Also more bricks (To first floor) were delivered today along with a sight clean and sight CAGE emptied out...



Here are some of the finish work to Ground floor to-date..
Not quite there yet but some progress is better than nothingg!!!


Front Facade



East Side



Steal Lintels (Beam) above Alfresco Pillar



West Side



Bricking to above Garage Doors Steel beams






House as @ day (42) of Build
** with a sight clean**




I cant wait to next week to hopefully see the Roof tiles go on!!!

Your garage look super! ! I have been wondering how they lay bricks above window and garage door, now got it

Hi Trambay!

Where are they up to now? You seem very easy going... I can a bit annal about things sometimes. From what I can gather they are really supper busy and all have extra work loads... So I my plan is to stay in regular contact so I am at the top of the pile!

Wow looking great Mentone! I agree the garage look amazing! They will have the brick work finished before you know it. Where they are slow in one area they might be really speedy in an other!

The way you do your updates is really cool too!

Hey Trambay! The photo update is looking good! The the plaster up it looks like a house!

Hiya Trambay

Alot of builder will not put brick to above garage doors nor window as they need to put the extra steel beam.
We were lucky to have them included to ground floor at no cost but we had to pay extra (approx $800) to get brick above rear garage roller and flush panel door.

What do you think of it though?

Brick to above Alfresco area (standard inclusion)





Brick to above Rear Garage (upgrade $800)

Hi Mentone, What I think? EXPENSIVE! I don't have bricks above windows, didn't upgrade due to the cost, now I can't remember how much they charge for brick inserts.... there were a few zeroes! Hopefully the windows won't look too bad

Hi Dsbuild, there was no big isssue, so I still had a smile on my face, otherwise I would not pay for sure

Wow what speedy progress there Trambay, you also got kitchen cabinets put in? So you managed to get snaps of the inside? Have they not locked you out yet?