Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Apr 13, 2009 10:26 pm Hey, I'm a new member, but I've been reading here for a little while. I'm building in Albury and would like to vent my frustrations over the process of home building. In late January I placed a deposit with my builder and received a recepit stating a "late" april site start. In late Feb, I received a letter with an "april site start guarantee", signed by the sales rep and the sales manager. In Late march, I received a phone call saying there were delays with the site surveys and my site start date was now pushed into May. I was pretty shocked and depressed by the news and I emailed my CSO for further clarification. She said that she'd pass my question to her supervisor and they'd contact me. Well, a week passed without hearing anything, so I visited their office. They apologised and the CSO called the supervisor. She said that she tried to contact me (they have my contact information - three different phone numbers with voicemail and two email addresses), but she said the delays were due to XYZ acronym in the site survey and unfortunately it's resulted in a delay to my site start. So, I left barely any extra information, two vague apologies and added frustration. Anyway, I've received the contract Easter Thursday morning, to be signed tomorrow evening - the first day after the holidays. My site start date is listed as the 22nd of may, so it's basically an entire months delay on their guarantee. One of the diagrams in my contract is for a 25 sq home, but my plan is a 20. I expect some mistakes, but that's a bit careless. Added to this, are my furstrations during the sales period. They've continually changed their mind about certain aspects of the process: Solar hot water: $700 upgrade in NSW. Will have to check with sales . . $2000 upgrade in NSW. Front entry door: The one I chose from their brochure wasn't in their computer system, so wasn't available and I chose an $800 upgrade instead. At my colour appointment, I was told I can have my first door as a $380 option - sweet! Now that I have the contract, both doors are on the quote - totaling almost $1200. Location of upgrades. Every drawing I receive has mistakes (carpet layout, door layout, electrical). I highlight these and am told to correct them at contract signing. Facade. Not available. Will incure additional drawing fees. Not available under promotion costs, now an $8000 option. Anyway, just having a ramble and a rant. I hope I don't look back and wonder why I signed the contract. Re: frustrations with first home contract. 2Apr 13, 2009 10:54 pm Sorry to hear you're off to such a rough start.... if you really aren't confident at this stage, maybe you should look elsewhere? Is this an option for you? It seems they are out of line with changing what is available- I understand that the deposit is to secure the existing promotional offers. Have they got any documentation about what the deposit does? If you do wish to continue, don't sign the contract until everything is sorted with plans etc. Tell them you'll sign once you've recieved the updated copies. I can't understand how they've got a start date without the contract being signed though... Tell them to step their game up and you'll be going elsewhere... you are buying their services, you're not doing them a favour!!! Anthea Re: frustrations with first home contract. 3Apr 13, 2009 10:58 pm Hi YDG, Welcome to the forum, as you can see I'm from Albury/Wodonga too Sorry to hear about your building process frustrations. I don;t know the in's and outs about the site start gurantees and what have you. But.....I would not be signing any building contract or signing off on the plans unless everything in them was exactly how it should be. We made many changes to our floorplan and upgrades and over the last few months and got amended quotes and plans each time. So come the time it was for contract signing and signing off on the drawings, we were left in doubt as to what were getting. Dunno how much deposit you've outlayed to the builder, but if it were me l'd be be very wary of committing to them if l had the same experience as you have had. A few mistakes here and there is to be expected, but differing quotes for options, price changes and lack of information and communication would put me off completely....I'd rather cut my losses and find another builder. Good luck with whatever you decide to do....hopefully some more knowledgeable and more experienced fellow H1'ers might be able to better advise you as to what you could do. Keep us posted Re: frustrations with first home contract. 4Apr 14, 2009 12:12 pm I too agree with the others that I would not be signing unless everything was correct in the contract. There are so many things that can go wrong with the build and I would be very nervous if they can't even get the correct house plan in the contract!! Depending on how much the deposit is you paid I would be walking away if there are still errors in the contract. Good luck and let us know how you get on. Re: frustrations with first home contract. 5Apr 19, 2009 5:19 pm Thanks for tips guys. I sat down and spoke with the salesman and he was able to explain the situation. . . During my soil test and site survey, their surveyor forgot to check the levels in relation to flooding. Approx 1 month later, the builder has used their report to generate the plans and discovered that those parts of the survey were missing - so the surveyors had to come from Melbourne for another site survey. grr . . . My salesman took notes and said that he'll pass on my complaints (re poor communication by builders) to his supervisors. Anyway, we sat down and revised the contract. They've removed the 2nd front-door and corrected other mistakes. With the remaining promotion money, I was able to add a glass splashback and frameless shower doors Contract has been signed and we start construction in late May. Re: frustrations with first home contract. 7Apr 19, 2009 10:45 pm Glad to hear that you were able to resolve your contract issues....Hope everything goes smoothly for you from now on. Keep us updated with your progress. Oh! and l'm dying to know who your builder is? Re: frustrations with first home contract. 9May 25, 2009 2:50 pm Sorry to hear of your troubles. I'm wondering what you're doing to the facade for it to cost $8,000 extra? Gold trimmings? We changed our whole facade, added pillars, extended the roof, bla bla bla... It cost $1,000 extra in total. Our house thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=18335 Re: frustrations with first home contract. 11May 25, 2009 9:45 pm novotel i'm dying to know who the OP builder is..... Hi Novotel, I know who the builder is (and was not suprised) but seeing the YDG told me privately rather than post it, perhaps a PM is the go? Btw, l see your location as NE Vic, whereabouts? if you don't mind me asking? Re: frustrations with first home contract. 12May 25, 2009 9:50 pm i would be giving up the deposit and taking my business elsewhere, it sounds like theyre a bunch of cowboys and will probably shaft you more than once through the whole process, but thats just what id do. Re: frustrations with first home contract. 13May 25, 2009 9:52 pm I wanna know too!! Also want to know where you are up to now ydg - any further updates for us??? JL Re: frustrations with first home contract. 16May 26, 2009 10:28 pm Excellent YDG! Really glad to hear that things have been sorted out Re: frustrations with first home contract. 17May 27, 2009 6:41 pm Hey....a water meter, that's something!!!! Looks like you have a big block - are you in Easternview??? JL Re: frustrations with first home contract. 18May 27, 2009 8:04 pm I think the picture is a bit deceptive. The block is about 650m2. Yep, I'm in East Albury. I received my final plans this evening and they hope to "start construction this week" woo. Re: frustrations with first home contract. 19May 27, 2009 8:13 pm Excellent YDG! Hopefully your slab will be laid next week Re: frustrations with first home contract. 20May 27, 2009 8:21 pm Excellent - hope your start is soon. Were your final plans from Council or builder?? Albury Council took about a month for us. JL You talk about deletions, are they variations or PS and PC adjustments? pleas list them 1 16542 10 12255 So it looks like we finally have some movement on site! Definitely later than expected, but I'll take any progress at this point. I'll drop by over the weekend to get… 5 27222 |