Sutherland Shire Clarendon Homes

Just wondering if anyone has built in the Sutherland Shire with CL******* Homes? May choose the Balmain home. We are about to take the plunge and would appreciate any feedback. Have read a few posts containing not so 'favourable' mentions. Thanks! THEMAX

Hi themax,

There are a few of us sydneysiders building in sutherland shire, as well as St George.

Have a squiz here https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=10680

Lobo is building a Clarendon Crestmead in St George, Maxie is building a Clarendon Balmain in Moorebank, Helldad is Building a Clarendon Cambridge in Sutherland Shire, Clarity is building a Clarendon in Ryde council, Flissfloss is building a Clarendon in Glenwood.

Do I have everyone??? I'm not a stalker!!!

Themax - I can only tell you about the pre-tender/tender stage - we pulled out with Clarendon after this!

Cheers Bel

Edit - Sorry Heathen forgot to add you Madison- Northern Beaches

Bel,
Thanks so much for your reply. I am a newie at this post stuff so sorry if I stuff up. We went to Clarendon this past weekend (after many, many,many visits) and were told that this coming w/end will be the last time to 'sign up' for this year. Worried about wasting 2 months of fiddling around and red tape (Nov/Dec) and then not getting anything started until late Jan when everyone gets back from Xmas break. SO feeling a bit pressured to sign up this w/end. Is it rude to ask why you dropped out after the tender process? I will search through the link that you gave me perhaps you have already posted the story for others to read? We also found out that Clarendon (more for the others that may be interested, as you have obviously gone with someone else) that Clarendon have stopped purchasers making any custom changes on their homes now. Have seen a few going up in The Shire and have been monitoring the time line. Would appreciate anything you can tell me. Thanks again for your time.

Good Luck with your build, can't believe that you can't make any changes on their homes, that sounds stupid to me.
We also pulled out of a Clarendon build, we had DA approval and had knocked over the old home.

Thanks danma, I will have a good read of your blog. (will make a cuppa first) I have just read the first part and can see why you changed companies, good idea I think. Oh gee, I am so NOT looking forward to this build and we haven't even signed anything yet!
Thanks again for your reply, I look forward to reading all of you blog. Good luck to you too!

Happy to share our experience...... We were really excited about the cdesign, but were unsure whether it would be ok for our block. (Upsloping) After lots of discussions with the sales rep, around whether the house could be built on our block, in our council, and general discussions, we went ahead with the initial payment and got a survey and soil report. All was fine, the sales rep was nice enough, and always would answer my q's.

Went to the tender presentation (at Kellyville/Baulkham Hills, which is a major pain with DS1 at school, DS2 and DD1 1 at the time, had to organise babysitting etc). The tender presenter (I kid you not) was running late......by 50 mins. I was very angry

My opening sentences to the lady was, "well I'm not very happy, and you haven't made a very good first impression, how is Clar3nd0n going to met my needs"!!! She apologised as she was with another client who held her up - hello what am I, I made an appointment!!! I told her she should have told the previous appointment to leave and come back another time!!!

Anyway, as we worked through the tender doc, ...............

So I said, its over budget, what do we do now? So we looked at different houses, and came up with about half a dozen to go and look at.

We did that over a couple of weeks, and narrowed it down to a couple, which we were happy to go through the process again.

Back to the sales rep, and then we were then asked to provide more money for a tender, at which point I say no way.................

Have a read of these:

https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.p ... highlight=
https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.p ... highlight=
https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.p ... highlight=
https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.p ... highlight=



What??? Did they say why - Seems to me that they are just trying to get your business??? So if someone comes in the following week they will say no!! Ha, I doubt it



Don't stress yet - Although I do think this is the worst part (Mind you the council bit is a shocker too!!

Are you sure? That is crazy! How could they expect that the plans would 100% suit anyone as is. Everyone makes changes don't they? Even if just minor??

Wow this is wonderful, all this info coming to me it's great! Thanks 'Bel' and 'buildingadreamhome' for your input. So helpful. Bel I am shocked at that story and we would totally have done the same thing. Our first choice of design was the one you mentioned but there were a few reasons so they said, why we couldn't build it on our block (to tell you the truth my brain is a bit scrambled with all the reasons and house changes etc.). Anyway we leaning towards the Bal...n. As for the changes being blocked now- we asked if the house we liked, (and there is one being built in our street now with a balcony) could we have a balcony on the front like they did? No. I think it was 3 weeks ago or something that they stopped all changes as the process was taking too long to certify, sign off etc. every time a change was made. Not happy. I asked for a d/stairs shower in our second choice and apparently that will be ok. Go figure? To explain the w/end last chance for contract thing- apparently anyone who signs up after this w/end 'ish' will not see any type of progress on their contract etc. until after Christmas as it seems to be a cut off time. So, you can still sign up but nothing will happen this year. Will think it over this week with all I have read and heard from you all and then decide what to do . SO SCARY! Thanks again.

Here is the story of our build - up to completed slab at present:
https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=10891

I get apprehensive when I sense that the majority of this builder's clients in this forum feel more like victims. We don't feel that way (yet). Yes, we have experienced some unreasonable delays, but they were more like weeks than months. The Sutherland DA approval process was relatively painless and surprisingly quick (accordingly to the builder), and it included a slightly non-standard request to reduce our street setback. Mind you, there is a premium of several thousand bucks for building in Sutherland, and a couple of other councils too. If you look at the plans I've posted in that thread, you'll see that the ensuite and WIR is altered - compare to their published plan. I think that if we had met a blank refusal to do any "mods", we might well have gone elsewhere.
We don't have any illusions that this builder has great customer service - we have been always polite but firm in our correspondence with them, and so far so good. There will undoubtedly be more delays, but we won't be unduly shocked by that - especially having read this forum.

themax, make sure you read all the horror stories on here before you proceed. From personal experience I'm definately unable to recommend them.

Hi themax - our sad saga is scattered throughout the forum - I never got around to doing my own thread - probably would've been too depressing to read

As you can see, we have built a Balmain - a long, very slow, frustrating and stressful experience. I can't say that I would recommend Clarendon to anyone - I have a friend who is also going through the tender process with them at the moment, yet I can't dissuade her as they really like the house they have chosn. And that's what ulltimately makes the decision for you - the house - you need to select what suits you. Not everyone's build is the same, but thre are DEFINITELY some unpleasant common factors in most of the Clarendon builds.

I was advised by our site supervisor today that handover will be next Wednesday, 19 Nov - I was drinking a cup of coffee at the time and nearly spat it out in disbelief. The end is..............next week....hallelujah.

I can't believe that they would knock back requests for changes that will add $$$ to the contract - or maybe, they are finally trying to manage their workload??? I still can't believe it's nearly all over and soon it will be time to move onto the next stressful event - selling our current house!

hello themax,

I am not sure what to say, Cl@rend0n is probably not the same organisation it used to be. You could still build with them but would have to factor in some extra costs and delays..

I am sure all the chatter on the web about them is generating negative publicity and they act ASAP... We are currently at the frame completed stage when we were informed the brick is not made anymore ! that is when brickwork was about to begin.

I am keep going on but I suggest you speak to them and ask them why are your customers having problems? why the delay and low 15$ /day penalty etc..

Have only been on this forum a few times but I have already found it a fantastic resource. We have paid the $800 for the Soil Survey report etc. and we are now waiting for the call for the appointment for it to happen. I guess it will be the first of a year's (maybe more??uughh) worth of WAITING! Have probably settled on the Balm@in design with Cl@rendon. We were able to do minor changes, that was good.
Congratulations to Maxie on the arrival of your new home! What a Merry Christmas it will be for you! It must be nice to be at the finishing line!
Well done.
themax.

Hi Again themax,

Congrats on making the commitment and deciding on your house!

Enjoy the journey!

Bel

Thanks Bel, so nice! What stage are you up to now? Hope it's all going ok for you. I am not sure what you did after you pulled out of the C******n pre- tender stage.
themax

Hi,
We are still waiting for approval in Kog@r@h council. It's been a nightmare, both the builder and council delaying things. We have had to redesign quite a few times, and our latest neighbour notification ends this week. Hopefully soon after we will have approval, and it will be all systems go in the new year. (Our original plans when we bought the block was to be in about Easter this year - at this rate we are hoping for Xmas next year!!!
Bel

Hi there, we have engaged Clarendon for building a home and they are sooooooo sloooowww and inefficnet that I would not recommend them to anyone. The problem is not that they are busy but I found that they do not have enough knowledge. We are building in a new suburb and they did not know the developer's guidelines which delayed the whole process and snowballed in further delays. It seems you are just a number with them and if you have problems they just don't care. The Holroyd council too has not been hot either and have brought in arbitrary rulings not part of their plans using words like "...is generally acceptable..." and then saying "we only said 'generally'..." even though we are within the guidelines..We are getting sick of this and wondering why we made this stupid decision to go with Clarendon ...