Building a new home with AV Jennings

Hi everyone!

I am new to this forum. My husband and I have just signed a contract on a block of land in Victoria and are trying to choose a company to build with. The home we like so far is with AV Jennings. We won't be making any major changes to the plans (we might just ask them to extend the double garage to a triple) and we also want to flip the design (mirror image).

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about them. Can anyone give us any heads up on what we're up for. For example, do we need to visit the site on a weekly basis? If they tell us it will take 6 months to build but they will take 12-18 months instead, can we hold them accountable as we will be paying interest and also renting as we're waiting for our first home to build?

How much more can we expect to pay if we want the updated inclusion option.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated

Thank you
Layla

Hi Layla, the product review site is a good place to start; here is the webpage on AV Jennings: http://www.productreview.com.au/showite ... 21#REVIEWS

I am not too sure the hyperlink works: try googling "product review au"

Hi I am currently building with them. Have been on site for two weeks site scraped 27.03.09 and have a slab, frame roof trusses up and windows and sliding doors in. I did sign the contract back in October 2008 and it took some time to get the plans right, finally digned off on them this year at the start of March 2009 (I didn't make any structural changes) with lots of emails etc...

I visit daily only because I am not that far from the house, can very exciting to see changes each day but then diappointment when nothing has happened which will happen at times. Not too sure what the updated inclusion offer is at the moment so cannot help you there. When I signed up I got the Indulgence package.

Am happy to answer any questions that you have. Which house are you thinking of building and where? They have told me that single storeys take between 4-5 months and double 8-9 months.

Cheers and welcome

Hi Spunkylayla

We built with AV J and moved in October 2008. Based on our experience i will say have to say that customer service was very very poor.... the girls were rude.

They delayed majorly to start the construction of the house because they havent been supplied with enough building material so when that is done, they will inform us. We were renting like u guys and all this delay hit us bad financially...

Once we changed few things in the design in June 2007 (around 3rd week) and new design came only in mid nov 2007 coz their design engineer was sick (as if they cud not have other design engineer to do it)

the final contract was signed in Nov 2007 but they did not start till April (council permit, christmas break, Estate permit and not enuff building material added to the delay). But they handed over the house to us on the date they mentioned on the letter, which was good.

They do not give their building supervisor's number to you, which made it very difficult for us. you have to go thru the office for everything hence was a lot of communication problem.

Any how once the construction started, i have to say it went very smooth and fast. No major drama during construction phase. They took roughly 4-5 months to build, but from memory they tell u its 210 days for construction. Painting job was rubbish, but they repainted it w/o any dramas.

While construction they never called us to update what is happening when. We use to go and check every weekend. They would only send us the invoice after a particular phase was completed.. As we were first time builders and didn't know about H1 forum, I thought may be thats the way it is...

So finally we moved in, in Oct 2008 but still waiting for our 3 months maintenance to be done... We sent the list of defects in Jan end.. and nobody contacted us till 2 days ago..when we contacted them, we were told the maintenance supervisor is very busy.
So its more like a 6 months...

Although I have to say we are overall happy with the quality of the house....

Anny

Oh and as Jolie mentioned, go thru the product review website... before u sign up with them

My parents are currently signed up with them, up to this point i cant say i have much good things to say about them, its been really horrible customer service right from the start. I went with my parents to most meetings and when the lady knew i was building with another builder i felt that her reaction was quite rude, making me feel that i would be getting an inferior product if i went with anyone else but them, she was sooo sure that my parents house would be up and going before ours, but it doesnt look like thats going to happen. The one thing i found when dealing with their office is that they go against their word ALOT, basically dont trust what they say until it actually DOES happen. I would prefer someone to tell me they dont know when something is going to happen, instead of telling me next week and next week comes and goes and nothing happens, it makes you feel more dissappointed.

The most important thing though is the finished product. Don't know how they're going to be like once they get on site, im hoping the worst is over and everything is smooth sailing from there on.

Yeah, the customer service!!! I emailed them twice asking for some information (because the info on their website is missing), 2 months ago!

I am still waiting for a reply......