We had heard so many good things from our friends who had built with this builder. We were naturally inclined to trust our dream and life savings after months of research on this building company.
Our experience so far was quite professional I must say. Yes we weren't a hundred percent happy but we werent unhappy either.
But today was a disappointment, I got a very rude call from the SS accusing me of being sly and playing with words. He kept shouting without giving me a chance to even speak. I was at work and it was quite embarrassing I must say. He went on to threaten me that he would further stop progress on the house and tried to intimidate me. Then said he didn't want to talk to me at all. And all this was over an upgrade of the evaporation cooling unit which was around 400$.
We are building a house with this builder for over 280K, I think we deserve a lot more respect and professionalism. This aggravation and intimidation form a professional builder is the last thing we expected.
We had chosen a brown evaporation cooling unit in the contract. When the unit went up it was grey. So i informed the supervisor of the mistake and he said he will look into it.
Next day (Tuesday) I receive an email form the Customer rep saying that the brown is discontinued and the brown is only available in an upgraded version. So I wrote back the same day asking if the builder would bear the cost of the upgrade as I felt if it was the case they would have informed me earlier to actually installing the unit.
I did not get a reply till Thursday when I called the supervisor to discuss other issues and asked him as to what was happening with the cooling unit. He said that it was already replaced on Wednesday and that there was a cost for the upgrade. To which I said I will speak with the office about.
Come following Monday I receive an email form the CSR saying that she understands I have spoken to the supervisor and I have agreed to the upgrade and she will raise and send me a variation.
I reply again saying I haven't agreed and since I did not receive a reply form her and the supervisor had changed the unit PD was in agreement to bear the cost.
That's when I get the nasty call from the supervisor saying the CSR has advised him that I am refusing to pay for the evaporation cooling unit. And I am playing with words and he would stop progress on the house etc.
I can understand there being a miscommunication and that the supervisor acted in the best of interest.
But the conduct was just appalling, I'm a paying customer damn it, if you screwed up you don't call the client and intimidate them to cover up for your mistakes.
I didn't make up there rules the builder did they very clearly state a variation sign off is required before making a change.
I have asked for the matter to be escalated and will post how this issue gets handled here. Has anyone else had a similar experience?