PORTER DAVIS refusing to build on a block

Amber27 · Oct 18, 2007 9:39 pm

Hi There

My brother has purchased a block of land and had a Porter Davis employee to oversee the block to see if they are willing to build on it - It turns out that they are not prepared to due to it having 'Slope'

I am definitely not a builder nor do I claim to know a thing about building but this 'Slope' I cannot see. I am totally clueless

What do they classify as 'Slope'???

Are there many other competitive companies who scrutinize the blocks to this degree or is it a Porter Davis thing :?:

Anyone been in this situation? if so, what did you end up doing?
His heart was set on a certain design with PD and now that they are refusing to build on this block I guess it leaves him no choice but to 1) sell the block or 2) find another builder.

Hennig · Oct 18, 2007 9:49 pm

I am aware that M+con are fairly lenient (depending on the locality and size of the block).

Michelle · Oct 18, 2007 9:50 pm

First time I’ve heard this one…..I’d say there’s another reason other than the so called SLOPE.

Why doesn’t your brother just use the plan, modified of course, changing a few things around on the plan…….and making it his own?

I didn’t say that …….OK! Just forget I said that! :wink:

Yak_Chat · Oct 18, 2007 10:02 pm

It's what is known as cookie cutter business.

If you vary from the - we always do this sort of site - and if you go away from that - then you start to loose money because you never know where your costs went - how to estimate it - and your will contractos will start to complain etc etc

So a sloping block - is not in their cookie cutter model - so they avoid it.
Steve

PhoenixStar · Oct 18, 2007 10:03 pm

Hi Amber27, this is pretty standard with volume builders. With our builder "H" you are allowed a maximum of 2m of fall over the building site. This means the back corner of the house to the opposite front corner of the house.
Ours is a fairly flat block, but ended up being a 800mm fall over the building area. The standard allowance is usually around 300mm, which is basically a dead flat block of land. And it can costs many 10's of 000's extra to build on such a block, if they say yes.

"H" sales reps always said call us before buying ANY block & he will advise us whether they can build on it or not... One sales guy said he had had 5 enquiries from 5 different propsective clients who wanted one particular block, but he had to tell all 5 that they couldn't build because they had over 2m of fall over the building area.

Also the major builders usually only build on slabs, which makes it a bit easier for them. The smaller builders will give you flexibility and then there are some builders that specialise in sloping blocks, eg. L.P. Warren homes in Melbourne... But i'm sure it would not be at the same sort of prices as the volume builders.
What is the slope on the block.. They should have it in a soil report.

rerob1 · Oct 18, 2007 10:13 pm

We liked one of the PD plans, but they refused to build on our land at all because we are in an established area (on their map it was the "grey"area) the sales lady said that they don't like to build in our area because of existing powerlines and schools!!!! :roll:

Needless to say we walked straight out of there!

I'm with Michelle on this one :wink:

Amber27 · Oct 18, 2007 10:23 pm

Thanks Guys for all of your input

Keep it coming

Amber27 · Oct 18, 2007 10:24 pm

Michelle

Why doesn’t your brother just use the plan, modified of course, changing a few things around on the plan…….and making it his own?

Hmm sounds like a good idea :wink:

Michelle · Oct 18, 2007 10:28 pm

WHO wrote that!!! :shock:

NOT ME

Amber27 · Oct 18, 2007 10:31 pm

Michelle

WHO wrote that!!! :shock:

NOT ME

bmp · Oct 19, 2007 9:25 am

IF they are desparate to use PD maybe they should have the block benched and then go back to PD???

madmel · Oct 23, 2007 3:39 pm

Hi Amber!

We had the same problem with Henley refusing to build on our block (see our blog for more details). Once you know the slope you are dealing with, it will be easier in terms of finding out pretty quickly whether a builder will build on it or not. We despaired that we might not find a volume builder who was willing, but we did! Get your brother to shop around!

Cheers,
Madmel

http://marshallmansion.blogspot.com/

Amber27 · Oct 27, 2007 9:54 pm

bmp

IF they are desparate to use PD maybe they should have the block benched and then go back to PD???

Im sorry may I please ask what ''Benched" is?

:oops:

Cant you all tell that building is certainly not my Fort'e

Pebble · Oct 31, 2007 9:52 am

Building certainly isn't my forte either.

Benched would mean earthworks to make your block flat - imagine a landscaped / contoured garden beds, but instead of rounded it has stepdown type benches.

Here is a picture of a benched block:

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Amber27 · Oct 31, 2007 10:08 am

Pebble

Building certainly isn't my forte either.

Benched would mean earthworks to make your block flat - imagine a landscaped / contoured garden beds, but instead of rounded it has stepdown type benches.

Thankyou so very much. After seeing that photo I can visualise what a benched block looks like.

Thankyou once again

Pebble · Oct 31, 2007 8:17 pm

Good luck with it. Otherwise changing the house plan a bit sounds like the way to go.