Browse Forums Building A New House Clarendon 2Jan 07, 2007 11:49 am Hi Vlad
No BB reviews as yet but if you do end up signing with them it would be great to hear how it goes. They do appear to have offices in NSW and QLD as well. From some comments on other builders it is not uncommon though for the service etc to vary between states, or even within the same state, even though its the same builder. So hopefully someone who has used them in Victoria will be able to provide you with details on their experience. Hope it all goes well. Best regards Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 3Jan 09, 2007 4:11 pm I have earlier considered but decided not to proceed with them given the bad experience I had with their sales and customer service. Below is the previous thread.
http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=639&highlight=clarendon Good luck and hope you have a better experience with them. Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 4Jan 09, 2007 8:43 pm Grandlux I have earlier considered but decided not to proceed with them given the bad experience I had with their sales and customer service. Below is the previous thread. http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=639&highlight=clarendon Good luck and hope you have a better experience with them. Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated. I am at the contract stage with them at present, having paid 2k so far. I have gone through the colour selection stage, and am about to meet the electrician and the tiling selector. I am yet to actually sign a contract though, waiting to clarify a few minor points. What can I say about my experience so far? Yes the customer service is not the best. The guy I am dealing with is not very detailed, yet does return calls and emails, with some delays. The design we've selected though is by far and above the best one we've seen from the so called volume builders in 6 months. Given the area we're building in (East Brighton) this is easily the most important factor. I am not too fussed with the service as long as I eventually get what I want. TIme will tell. Unfortunately these are the rules of the game. Go with Ravida and overpay, go with a small builder and get tied up in his overheads and still overpay, or go with a volume builder who has a good design, change the facade as much as is allowed and save a bit of money. The service isn't a strong point with most of them from what I can tell. We'll see when it's all over I guess. Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 5Jan 10, 2007 4:07 pm Good Luck with Clarendon Vlad,
I am just curious as to whether you considrered any smaller builders for price and product? A lot of smaller builders will operate at a very competitive price in comparison to the major project builders due to their lack of overheads and will have the flexability and skills to design a home which will ideally suits your needs. They also work closely with you throughout the project allowing you to make changes and additions without slugging you major administration fees. Check your contract and see what the charge is for changing a colour selection or home alteraton. Food for thought anyway, Good Luck Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 6Jan 10, 2007 4:43 pm I have definitely considered small builders but the closest quote was 50k higher than what I have at the moment.
I do understand that small builders have other advantages, some of which you have touched upon here, but the bottom line was just too far apart. As far as changing colours, I have already changed them several times free of charge, but I haven't signed the contract yet. When I do there might be a fee for changes as you mentioned, but you've got to make up your mind sooner or later. My main concernt was the design which is really good in this case. Now hoping for the best. Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 7Jan 03, 2008 8:42 pm [quote="Vlad76"]I am looking for some feedback for Clarendon Homes - Vic.
I am at the contract stage, although I haven't signed yet. Any info, even if not based on personal experience, would be very much welcome.[/quote] Vlad - Hope you're still interested in feedback...built with them and had nothing but disasters ranging from Privacy, non-compliance to Building Code, occupant on-site injury during maintenance due to unsafe working practices, non-compliance to Building Commission demands etc. If you haven't yet taken ownership...when they ask you to, get an independent inspection from Building Commission (~$450) and make them act on all items in resulting report BEFORE you settle...CRITICAL step that I did not know about with much regret...3 years on and still waiting action. :twisted: Also know of another who built with them...nothing but troubles and house is moving on foundations! Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 8Jan 04, 2008 4:34 pm So far so good for me. But thanks for the warning mate.
I am getting regular inspections done by Kevin from New Home inspections, and feel confident that he can pick up issues if they are there. What were the issues that you're referring to at handover? Currently Building in Bayside (Brighton East) Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 9Jan 09, 2008 5:35 pm Issues were various...3 cases of not complying to Aust Building Code, fitting lower quality components than specified, outside pipes fitted too high, fitting faulty electrical points, not completing items to design/plan, using colors other than specified, poor quality paint works, multiple brick acid washes causing external metal fatigue (garage, pipes, door hinges), and so on.
Also verbally threatened legal action if we did not settle...we later found it was just a tactic to force us to settle. As stated, get final inspection and do not pay or take possession until all items actioned!!! In need, use Electrical Practitioners Board, Plumbing Industry Commission, WorkSafe & Privacy Commission for specific issues (all proved useful, uncovered their ******, and forced action), or Building Commission (whose advice and authority was found to be insufficient). Their staff advised we are 1 in 12 houses they typically build so poorly...not very reassuring! Good Luck![/b] Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 10Jan 09, 2008 10:57 pm Bonze Issues were various...3 cases of not complying to Aust Building Code, fitting lower quality components than specified, outside pipes fitted too high, fitting faulty electrical points, not completing items to design/plan, using colors other than specified, poor quality paint works, multiple brick acid washes causing external metal fatigue (garage, pipes, door hinges), and so on. Also verbally threatened legal action if we did not settle...we later found it was just a tactic to force us to settle. As stated, get final inspection and do not pay or take possession until all items actioned!!! In need, use Electrical Practitioners Board, Plumbing Industry Commission, WorkSafe & Privacy Commission for specific issues (all proved useful, uncovered their ******, and forced action), or Building Commission (whose advice and authority was found to be insufficient). Their staff advised we are 1 in 12 houses they typically build so poorly...not very reassuring! Good Luck![/b] Jesus! From a purely selfish point of view I hope it's just a Melbourne thing. Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 11Jan 10, 2008 11:58 am Cookiemonster Jesus! From a purely selfish point of view I hope it's just a Melbourne thing. I know a few examples of people building with them in Melbourne (other than me) and are all pretty happy. Would be interesting to know who the Supervisor is. Bonze, perhaps you can pm me his name if you don't mind. I am not done yet, but apart from a few issues here and there, which I think you get with every build, I don't have any reason to think that I will have handover problems. But we'll see. I am about 8 weeks away from completion. Currently Building in Bayside (Brighton East) Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 12Mar 21, 2011 8:55 pm Please read VCAT case http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/vic/ ... /1202.html before building with Clarendon. save yourself trouble, go with someone else!!! Re: Clarendon Homes - Melbourne - Any feedback? 13Mar 22, 2011 7:06 pm Thanks "nothappy!". After several long years we are still trying to get Clarendon Homes to fix things, and now they've lost our file and all documents. The attached case sounds very familiar and could soon be us. Please keep us informed...I'd love to know the final outcome of the case. Hi, We are looking for a builder that can build a small home (smaller length) on a sloping site. We came across Mojo's Zephyr design 10.6 m wide and 11.5 m length. Does… 0 22992 Hi, I am looking into doing a KDR in Melbourne and am contemplating using Kialla Homes. I am looking for feedback on them from others who have built with them. 0 13437 |