Porter Davis homes

We got sucked into that one as well.. Its a crock.

I must say, all through the build, PD was excellent.. Handover was a disaster, and the 3 month a nightmare.

Great reading all. We are the newbies and have spent a lot of time reading your messages and looking at the blogs. It is great to see people at the end of the house journey and others, like us, just starting out. Information is definitely great to have before we go in for Tendor in a few weeks.

We have paid our deposit with PD for the Wembley 35, doing a knockdown/rebuild. Have a paid a visit to Hopetoun and 2 visits to National tiles to try and get things sorted. Some things are easy to choose and some things are tricky. Still, a lot of fun and a lot of decisions to make in such a short time. My head is full and overflowing with house stuff, whilst also chasing up 3 kids and Christmas just around the corner. Bring it on.....

I look forward to reading more.

MummaDJ
_______________________________
Deposit - "Cup Day" - 6 Nov 2012
Site Start (aim) - April 2013

hi helen, dont know if you get to read this post, wondering if you could please message us as we now have been in our home for a month and we still have things not completed, we would really appreciate it. m&a.
updated blog for those intrested.

Can anyone tell me how do we know if the Data pack we paid for is Cat6 or not? I selected the Network eight pack and there is nothing that states Cat6 or 5e! Checked contract drawings AND electrical drawings and no specifications provided. Can someone please help / advise where the specifics were on their contracts?

Baronx or Zinner.. are u guys/gals still active on this website?

Hi ma2531,
Are you able to send me a a private message via this forum, with your contact and build details and I will follow this up for you.
Cheers, Helen

Hi MummaDJ,
Welcome to the forum and I wish you all the best with your knockdown/rebuild. Can't imagine how busy you are doing all of this and having 3 children as well! Your BC and SS will be your primary contacts and keeping the lines of communication open and speaking up if you have any concerns, helps to create a smoother build process. If you ever feel in need of additional assistance, you can always contact me through a private message via this forum.
Cheers, Helen

Hi all. Glad to have found this forum and I've been stalking peoples blogs . It's been immensely helpful! Esp the costing thread! Which we'll add our info to once we have everything sorted.

Hubby and I are just starting the building process. We're building the Drysdale 30. Site start is booked for August next year (our land settles in May (fingers crossed) so we're hoping we can bring site start forward. We've chosen the gable facade and will build it in hebel.

We went to Hopetoun yesterday. Wow - we left there overloaded! LOL! Luckily we are pretty happy with many of the standard items so we wont be up for too many upgrade $$$. We really like the kitchen and bathrooms in the Point Cook display so we'll probably just choose the same as the display for those rooms. Phew - that makes things much easier!

One problem with Hopetoun is that they don't provide paint chips in the colors for the windows, roofs, colorbond, and it's really hard to put the colors together b/c they're on a white background so you can't see what they look like right next to each other. So we went to Bunnings on the way home and got some Dulux color chips. We thought we liked Surfmist for the windows when we were at Hopetoun, now we're home and looking at the paint chip, we're not so keen on it and can't remember all the other colors on offer (and didn't take pics of them all).

Oh well, another trip back to Hopetoun and we'll record all the colours you can choose from for the windows and colorbond and then get the paint chips and go from there. Or maybe someone here can tell me the window and colorbond colors available for the lifestyle range?

The Porter Davis section of National Tiles weren't open yesterday so we'll have to go back anyway so we can choose our tiles.

The only thing that stated CAT6 for me was on my Argus Electrical Paperwork. It was written down in pen by the Argus Person at my contract meeting and highlighted with the home theatre highlight dot circled in red to show the difference . These highlight circles were the positions of where the data points in the house were located.

In pen it said
HOME THEATRE WALL OUTLET
2 x CAT6 (Phone/Data)
4 x RG6 (TV / Pay TV)

GENERAL WALL OUTLET
2 x CAT6 (Phone/Data)
2 x RG6 (TV / Pay TV)

This was the only way I was able to get my points upgraded as they said the standard was always CAT6 cable with CAT5e sockets. If it wasn't for them writing down "WALL OUTLET" then I think I would of had trouble getting them upgraded to CAT6 as they originally put in CAT5e. There was nothing in the item list to show any specification at all of what I was getting. Just a thing in the notes saying "Telstra smart wire 4 Pack" and "TELSRA SMART COMMUNITY" in the electrical packages section. Nothing was in the itemised list of parts (with the pictures of what the part looks like) either. No way of relating anything I'd thought id payed for and been "sold" by the salesperson (i.e. Argus selections person).

I highlighted to PD that this could cause problems when people start to realise that they were not getting what they thought theyd payed for in the selections contract (as I had).

All it would take is for the sales/selections person to say "Would you like to upgrade to CAT6 points? It is an upgrade so it will cost a little more than standard." and everyone would of been happy. They said it was something that they would definitely look into doing from now on when they do electrical selections and would inform Argus to make sure they asked the question. There would of been no issues for me frantically going through my paperwork thinking I'd been sold and payed for something I wasn't going to get.

As I said, if it wasn't for the pen notation written on my official spec plan I think I would of had trouble getting the CAT6 points.

BTW, the CAT6 point was only upgraded for the data slot. The phone socket is still CAT5e.

thanks for the info Zinner..

Something to keep an eye out for during the fitout of the home.. sigh.. all the fine print... a bit annoying these builders try to sneak around giving us what we pay for..

We have discovered that our neighbouring builder is using our water. At first I caught them using our electricity and sent an email to the builder. Is there a body that we can complain.

What a shame MA:-(
Unfortunately these issues can easily turn what can be a 2 year process into ending on a rather negative experience. I really wish PD would (and Helen please pass on this feedback) really lift their game on communications and managing customer expectations at handover and handover + 1 month. It's impossible to see all the defects in a PCI session where you're rushed through (why trying not to dazzled by the shininess of your new house incarnate and completed).

How PD responds really defines their own quality control, their reputation, their true brand and often our overall experience.
Would it have been that hard to call you, MA, every week, even if no actions were being completed ? Just to touch base ?
That's not to say that waiting a week with no action is even remotely acceptable.

After planning and building for 9 months, I would have appreciated my BC and SS taking just a little more effort at handover + a few days to knock off any outstanding issues and I don't know why we're not all afforded the same courtesy. We've both paid for it and have a valid contract to expect it !

PD should be chasing us to after handover to ensure we're happy and that ALL outstanding issues are addressed in a timely manner, documented and resolved. What a shame this demonstrates they aren't keen to resolve and just shows how we're just a number and once the key is handed over, it "So long and see ya matey..."

Keep busting them down !
Mikey

If your land doesnt setting till sometime next year.. I would hold off on committing to the build. Or are you trying to lock in price/bonus?

Do they really want colours now? we waited 8 months for land, did colours day before contract. take some time to think it through, look at more displays etc etc.

Thanks Humble, we wanted to lock in the Spring Stimulus because a $32,000 discount is not to be sneezed at. I know builders have 'specials' all the time - and as it turns out, they've continued this particular special. But we def want to build the Drysdale - we've liked it for many months. We don't actually need to have our colours picked till late Jan or Feb (I'm guessing), but I'm the kind of person who obsesses and I wont relax till I've sorted it out.

Hi,

I have built a house with Porter Davis & moved in August 2011 & now it has been more than a year. The 1 year maintenance was due in last August & as I did not hear from PD therefore I rang the maintenance department.

When I enquired from PD with regard to the 1 year maintenance, I heard that it is valid only for structural items such as, any cracks & movements/shakings. If it is only for structural items I don’t think PD should announce separate 1 year maintenance, as anyway the structural warranty is valid for 7 years.

If anyone on this forum is aware of the 1 year maintenance, could you please advise me.

Secondly, I would like to know about the termite protection. PD said that there’s a termite protection insurance which has been provided by a termite protection provider & when I looked into that it has been already expired by now. I rang this provider to enquire on it & the lady who answered said I need to do a treatment, without even inspecting.
She mentioned that the inspection & the treatment would cost $440. Could someone please comment whether I need to carry out a treatment or need to inspect & then determine whether a treatment is required or not.

Thanks in advance…

Hi Roshi

Unfortunately we are only at the start of the process so can't help with you questions re maintenance and termite. However we are planning on building the Wembley next year. Are you happy with your house? Anything you would do differently, now after living in it for a year? We love the design for us. We plan to change the lounge to a guest suite and have the grand alfresco out the back. Would love any feedback.

Cheers
Mumma DJ

Hi

We are building a Montrose 19 in Allura Estates in Melbourne, we start next years once land settles in April. Anyway we received a flyer from Hopetoun along with our appointment letter which states they now offer landscaping options. Can anyone shed light on this?

Our BC wasn't aware of it and referred us back to Hopetoun but haven't had a chance to get in there or speak with them. I want to be able to discuss or find our from them what options there are, costs etc before going to our appointments.

If anyone has details or has recently discussed the landscaping packages they offer would be appreciated.

Cheers
Dave

Hello hello

We've just put our paperwork in for the Marbella 42. Have not even gotten a BC or SS assigned to us yet.. so still fresh and naive excited about things! New to building and have a lot of reading to do as value everyones input ....

Just wondering about a few things and hope to tap into some wisdom from this thread.

1) Getting an independant inspector - Yay or Nay? and at what stages is advisable to do it?
2) ELECTRICAL: Getting all electric work done now or later? We are thinking of turning the lounge into a home theatre space, have put aside a small amount for electrical upgrades but hoping to do most of it after hand over..
3) ALFRESCO: not going for the alfresco option right now, want one that is similar to the display but will do an outdoor living space later is this even realistic? Just as a price guide, even though Alfresco quoted 10k might end up almost costing us double as we lose the FHOgrant (plus need to upgrade slab yada yada)
4) Bricks or Hebel? Getting mixed reviews about Hebel.. but not too keen on facing brick selection
5) Insulation upgrades , double glazed windows etc? : omigosh I don't even know where to start with this..

1. Yes.. its a must
2. Yes and no. Depends (if double get downstairs, get all power points ran (easier)
3. Its expensive to do post.. we are getting quotes of 12k to 15k to do a 45sqm pergola!
4. Bricks.. Hebel while efficient has a poor wrap and will effect resale
5. Insulation yes, check the northern aspect of the house for double windows.

Congratulations and all the best with your build.

Was supposed to have the slab poured today but thank goodness it got cancelled... such heavy rain here in Melbourne. Had a pre-slab inspection done and the inspector noted significant issues. Now trying to get confirmation the issues will be addressed before the pour.. hoping it would be ok for the pour which has now been pushed to tomorrow.

Hi MummaDJ,

Yes, the Wembley is an awesome design, I specially love couple of things of it, such as, the Master Bed room at the front of the house, spacious living area, the kitchen & the pantry.

We didn't go with the alfresco option, but now we do regret for it & have poured a concreate to build an alfreso in couple of months time. It would be better to go with a grand alfresco.

By the way how do you change the lounge to a guest suite?

Good Luck with your building...