Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Jan 03, 2007 6:58 am Hi everyone!
My husband and I were going to build with them under the pretext of early start dates, good paperwork turnaround etc etc. We signed some costing with the salesman and was told in 14 days you'll hear from our colour people, tendering, then contracting well the only thing we got from B was a 7 month wait where nothing happened, so we called to do some chasing and we got the whole it'll be two weeks and your plans will be ready, two weeks and you can do colours...... So after a discussion we pulled the plug on B for there lack lustre approach, and now they have sent us a bill for $700+ for what the $1500 deposit didn’t cover? I don’t get it? if anyone has had similar dealings I would like to know! cheers Re: Problems With Building Company 2Jan 03, 2007 2:20 pm Hi Ourhouse
Its a shame how some builders get on with it and are really open with their clients and then some seem to keep you waiting with false expectations. No reviews so far for them on BB so I can't say if this is a common problem being faced by their other clients. You will probably need to check your contract as it probably says they can bill you for work done. Perhaps ask them to detail the work completed so you can challenge/discuss it with them if need be. Regards Re: Problems With Building Company 3Jan 08, 2007 12:12 pm ourhouse Hi everyone! My husband and I were going to build with them under the pretext of early start dates, good paperwork turnaround etc etc. We signed some costing with the salesman and was told in 14 days you'll hear from our colour people, tendering, then contracting well the only thing we got from B was a 7 month wait where nothing happened, so we called to do some chasing and we got the whole it'll be two weeks and your plans will be ready, two weeks and you can do colours...... So after a discussion we pulled the plug on B for there lack lustre approach, and now they have sent us a bill for $700+ for what the $1500 deposit didn’t cover? I don’t get it? if anyone has had similar dealings I would like to know! cheers I don't understand what stage you were at? Had you paid for the soil tests? Or had you actually gone to the tender meeting and paid a deposit? The reason I ask is that I've paid 500 for soil test as an intial price fixing deposit, and signed some diagrams/price lists. I am now thinking of pulling the plug before tender. Do you think that I can still incur further charges? i.e could the builder say..."we're charging you an extra $1k for our time" ? Thanks TC Re: Problems With Building Company 4Jan 27, 2007 10:24 pm Hi, I have just attended the colour consultancy of B homes to make my selections for the new home I am planning to build. And what a nightmare. I was asked to attend head office in Altona at 11am, and did not leave until 5.30pm, and in that time I was not offered a drink of water, (or of any sort for that matter), no food, and I had to ask for the toilet, which is kept locked. As for the colour consultant herself, she was the most arrogant, pushy and unpleasant person I have ever had the misfortune to come across. I was forced to make rapid fire decisions on bricks, tiles, paint, tiles, carpet, laminex, taps, grout, concrete, window frames, etc etc for 6.5 hours without letup. I had a splitting headache at the end, and couldnt wait to escape. It was a day of being constantly told what I could not have, rather than what I could have! After picking all other colours,the paint was the last thing on the consultants agenda, and it was only then that she informed me that the paint colours available were white or several shades of beige. I could not believe it! I told her I do not want white or beige, as I had a colour in mind, and had based carpet and tile selections around this colour. She told me it would cost around $2000 if I wanted any other colour than the basics - ie white or beige!!! The supposed reason, I was told, is because only those paint colours have been tested not to streak! They also require you to sign a waiver that if you make any further alterations to choices after that appointment you will be charged $500 for each adjustment. On reflection I am seriously considering withdrawing from the whole deal and would suggest others think carefully before proceeding with B Homes. Re: Problems With Building Company 5Jan 28, 2007 11:10 am Hi Sandii
Sounds like a horrible meeting. Often they selection meeting is designed to capture what you want, with the idea being you have already gone through and made your selections beforehand. I have heard many stories like yours where they don't tell you the full story, or expect you to know the 1000's of things you will need to decide upon right from the beginning and offer no help to you about it. Some of the better builders I have heard about provide you with more information and even a design consultant to help you make the selections. Sounds like a few people have built or are looking to build with them so hopefully we'll get a few reviews about them on BB to see if a pattern emerges! Perhaps they are just difficult at Pre-start but after than all goes well.... who knows! Regards Re: Problems With Building Company 6Jan 29, 2007 11:21 am $2000 to change colour !! OMG, do they have shares in white and beige paint. This is the reason I will never build with such a mob. On the other hand, they do offer very affordable houses which are pre-packaged. Still it's not chicken feed and a little more customer focus would not hurt. Good luck and hope your build goes well. Re: Problems With Building Company 7Jan 29, 2007 11:04 pm The whole prestart meetings are a funny thing. We seemed to have a similar sort of person work with us and was constantly telling us we can't do this or that in a very arrogant mannor. What got us though was most of the "you can't do that" replies were simply her opinion and not fact. Doing ALOT of homework is the key....go through and research everything on the adenda but you'd think that the prestart reps would also be trying to push certain upgrades and options...after all they want your money.
Our builder gave us a folder with a few brochures on items like insulation, paving and brick options and paint brochures. What would be great is for a builder to go through and give the client a complete check list of considerations and options. For example we didn't have a clue about mitred joins for our bathroom tiling...it would have been great to have had the option!!! We were also told that we couldn't have colorbond gutters and downpipes....all because our prestart rep thought it wasn't unecessary! She learned fairly quickly that we aren't the sort of people to be told something as stupid as that. Re: Problems With Building Company 9Jan 30, 2007 6:14 pm I’M IN SHOCK….what a load of bull has been told to you people, the best I have heard yet is -
(She told me it would cost around $2000 if I wanted any other colour than the basics - ie white or beige!!! The supposed reason, I was told, is because only those paint colours have been tested not to streak) !!!! I have NEVER seen a paint streak; if it does…. it comes back to the Streaking Painter!!! Or ..that they have watered it down. That just takes the cake….. Sandii …what a nightmare for you!!! I can honestly say I consulted for Allworth Homes for a while as I got on really well with their rep; I also did all the colours in both of his homes. They had a whole lot more then the basics white and beige to choose from. It is in my experience that if you want another colour outside of their colour selections you just have to pay a LITTLE extra…..not $2000 worth! And not with same lame excuse to back it up! You do not have to put up with a colour consultant who is arrogant in her approach. Might I add here that some of these so called “colour consultants” have NEVER done a colour course and have had no training what so ever in design. I literally could go on for an hour after reading this post! It has got my blood boiling. I feel so sorry for you all; these companies are taking advantage of you. They are hoping you don’t know any better. Sandii, in your hast to get all your selections sorted in the HUGE amount of time it took….I hope it all comes together for you. This is the first time I have said what I am going to say in a year of being on this forum. US designers and decorators…. are well worth your money spent!!! We take ALL the stress out of your selections for you, we take a professional approach to the colour and design of you home, we take into consideration the families needs and requirements of the home. Please everyone…..give serious thought to paying a decorator or designer to do all your selections for you. It will be money well spent on your behave and a headache you could do without! Good luck to you all…. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Problems With Building Company 10Jan 31, 2007 10:44 am I'll second that.
Well said Michelle How's the blood pressure? Peter Clarkson - AusDesign Australia www.ausdesign.com.au This information is intended to provide general information only. It does not purport to be a comprehensive advice. Re: Problems With Building Company 11Jan 31, 2007 10:59 am Hi ausdesign, Blood pressure has died SLIGHTLY!
Thanks for the backup on this post…. Can you believe what is going on lately??? I am constantly left sitting with my mouth open while reading some of the posts in here. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Problems With Building Company 12Jan 31, 2007 11:13 am The professionals can be just as bad! Present company excepted of course, Michelle. I appreciate all the solid advice you give people on this website.
We used an architect to design what was to be our first new home. The meeting to pick all the detail items was about 1 hour long and we didn't get a chance to prepare for it. Now it's a case of 'too bad, too late to change'. Unfortuneately, the whole design went like that and ended up a total mess. We've got DA approval for a house that we don't like and can't change, so we've just decided not to build. We've lost a shed load of money in the process. Maybe I'll write up the whole sorry tale on this forum one day. Re: Problems With Building Company 13Jan 31, 2007 1:09 pm Michelle Hi ausdesign, Blood pressure has died SLIGHTLY! Thanks for the backup on this post…. Can you believe what is going on lately??? I am constantly left sitting with my mouth open while reading some of the posts in here. Ive got one for you michelle. I was told yesterday by the color consultant that we are not allowed to have 1/4 strength (of the wall color) paint around the door frames/skirting because of "warranty" issues. When asked to explain, they said that if a painter has to come back and do some touch-ups to the paint they won't be able to match it and instead have to order paint and will have to re-paint the whole door frame so the color is all the same. you have to laugh at that one. what a crock of ****. if the paint is not the same, the painter needs the sack, even a 16y/o trade assistant at bunnings can match paint!. We have built a new house before and done heaps of painting and never had a problem with 1/4 % paint. Re: Problems With Building Company 14Jan 31, 2007 5:03 pm Bud977
Architects are another story…… there are god and bad in those as well, the same as decorators and designers!!!! I’m working with my first one in 13 years of business, and its not going too badly. The most important thing people need to remember is …..It’s your home not theirs. You have the final say not anyone else! And you should NEVER be rushed into decisions that are important. In my eyes there is no need to RUSH anything, if the whole building process was explained properly to the client in the beginning people can be more prepared. It’s a shame about your house….what a waist! Thank you for the complement by the way!!! Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Problems With Building Company 15Jan 31, 2007 5:23 pm nc6000
(When asked to explain, they said that if a painter has to come back and do some touch-ups to the paint they won't be able to match it and instead have to order paint and will have to re-paint the whole door frame so the color is all the same.) Hahahaha, it just gets better!!!!! How do they come up with these ….LINES! Or shall I say ******!!! Is there a book written somewhere that I don’t know about??? “The book of C*** to tell your customers” I am learning so much from this forum, and I can say I’m not impressed! My head is starting to tell me there might be an opening here for me…..Maybe I might venture in a different direction with the knowledge I have!!!! Shack a few people up!! But more importantly…protect the client! Thanks for your input; Lets hope it all goes smoothly for you. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Problems With Building Company 16Feb 04, 2007 8:20 pm Hi, I just wanted to add a postscript to my earlier entry... after a curt letter threatening to pull out of the whole deal, we rescheduled a meeting and ran through all of my concerns. And the tender guy was very helpful and courteous, and was able to address most of my issues. Anything that couldnt be agreed on could be changed, for a price, of course. Anyway, I left the head office feeling much more satisfied. And I will be signing the final contract this week so lets hope its smooth sailing from here. PS Its just a shame that it takes a harsh letter to get results. PPS Thanks to you all for your concern and for all the good advice. I am not a brick expert, but rendering would be 1 option, it would be costly to do the entire house though.... 2 6678 Hi all, has anyone been ask to do the weeds in their property while in the middle of build? We are under the impression that they are in control of the site while they… 0 2768 Have had a few issues with out recently done bathroom floor. Probably around 18 months old First there has been been a crack running through a grout line which I put… 0 2174 |