How often do you visit your site?

You are upsetting your ss’s performance KPI’s by finding defects mid build. He needs to keep the job moving by issuing new contract call ups for material deliveries and trades work. If you find things that need to be fixed this slows down the workflow process and reflects badly on his job performance which is monitored closed by the building manager using the workflow software. He would prefer any stage defects are either hidden, dismissed, or dealt with later after PCI, when they have most of your money.

In my contract I am not supposed to enter the site without the MANAGER. However, at the end it says I can indemnify the builder from any claim arising from accidents on the work site. I am also not to approach any staff member. This is also stopping me from offering generous cash bonuses (and beer) for extra work done outside the contract, but I shall use my continental charm and cartons and make offers they cannot refuse!

I will try to get there daily if I can and see if there are chairs under the steel in the foundation, and R5 ceiling insulation I paid for and R1.3 60mm anticon and 100mm slab and ...

ANY HINTS and TIPS and ADVICE for someone who is looking to do a brand new build in Melbourne but will be based in Sydney for the whole duration of the land purchase and the build completion?

Will being interstate (880km apart) be an issue during the 4/5 critical stages of the build when an IBI (independent building inspector) will go on-site and prepare reports for us, and if there is an issue and we need to interact with the builder to correct something?

Note typically the "independent building inspector" is not independent. They are your paid consultant and the builder is not obliged to act on their recommendations unless this is specified in your contract. It is unlikely your builder will agree to this. Do not you expect the builder to check everything is done properly by their contractors, even to comply with building standards. You will need to negotiate this with the builder if there are issues identified. Many builders will bluff you to avoid fixing expensive, 'hidden' defects, particularly those using low priced & low quality contractors. I suggest investing some time to visit the build as often as possible, ideally with the inspector, and seeing first hand as well as learning about what you may have to negotiate. There will always be issues to manage therefore don't expect to walk into a perfect copy of the the display home after 35 weeks. The volume builders are not resourced to deliver this quality and consistency.

Contract says I can only go in with manager, but contract also says I can indemnify the company, which I will in writing and as best in legal English as I can manage. I will need to go there as often as possible.

It's unlikely the workers on site will be staff members of the builder, most people will be independent sub contractors.

Hey Norfolk - appreciate your detailed reply, very useful

So looks like SS S/S (site supervisor) [CS C/S (construction supervisor)] will be a person one regularly interacts with, and no interaction allowed with other staff onsite. As 'domwild' mentioned in a recent reply above, have heard someone else also mention (for example) if one wants a third or fourth coat of paint [as many VB V/B (volume builder) only do the standard 2 coats of paint] apparently it is possible to have a chat with the painter that the VB hired and sort out a deal to organise the extra 1 to 2 coats of paint - but it doesn't seem that way now

In general are SS very hard to deal with, and know (like a car salesman) how to psychologically toy & play with the soon to be house owner (client)?

Are S/S known to use their physical stature to psychologically intimidate clients (eg: who maybe kind-hearted soft people or like elderly and non-confrontational types) so that the build can get finished as quick as possible to get to PCI (practical completion inspection) even if some parts are not done properly?

The SS's job is to issue and manage contracts and materials supply with about 120 sub contractors & suppliers to get your house built ASAP. He will manage up to 20 builds at a time. Often he will tell you whatever you want to hear to keep the job moving and your progress payments coming in to achieve his KPI's. The less interference from you the better! They just want to update the build progress status to you weekly, thats all. Be very cautious about what he says to you about defects. Anything about quality issues get in writing, or email him a record of your conversation and request him to acknowledge the email. Talk is cheap!

You may well jest about Car & New Home salesman
As the least trusted professionals here
Trusted Survey professionals
They are being replaced by APPS delivered by ironically engineers (software)
OT trust isn't transferable thru an app it has to be earned
by presenting the facts, data and proofs, certifications,etc
SS have an unenviable job and the smart ones welcome site visits and the use of technology
you can make their job easier by working with them.
I have found once you have shown them the technology and lol, read the riot act to them..it's all sweet
and not hard to deal with
Cheers
Chris

It really depends on your builder... with most builders the registered builder is not ever on site.

I would suggest, fly back to Melbourne if you can for site visits with the inspector and you can ask your SS to send you pictures of each item rectified. And call your SS weekly for updates while he is on site so he can show you!

But really can’t beat being there yourself or checking yourself.
It might be cheaper if you are able to arrange for your inspector to go back and check rectification works on your behalf and complete site visit with the SS while you are on the phone.... if your builder will agree to see them as your proxy. As inspector doesn’t have to write a new report the extra visit should be more affordable.

Your build really comes down to quality of trades and knowledge of your SS as well as how busy they are, and how often they visit your site. Many builders pay their contracted trades poorly, and for that they get sub quality work.
When separately the SS, construction manager and director all said we always do X at time Y, I learned that they make assumptions work is done correctly, but do not check.

If you view your SS as a project manager, who books trades in, orders materials and oversees that the build is moving forward to next stage so next stage payment can be made, may help you decide how often you want to visit.

As stated by others above SS really want to keep moving towards PCI by which time much is also covered up. To be most confident in the build, you really need to check, or to drag the SS around with you checking at a site visit that rectification of defects has taken place.

Great advice! Thanks. Can you later use it as an alarm and SMS you if there is an intruder? Thanks.

Hey dany - is this the solar gadget you mean so no batteries required? and an Arlo Go Mobile HD camera , or Arlo Pro , or Arlo 4k ? Did your one come with a 'base station'? As many of the Arlo's that I listed in the title descriptions says 'base station not included'

Hey Gaudi - thanks for the very detailed reply, I and many on this forum will find it very useful. Who did you build with and where (city/state) and how long ago was that?

I built in SE Melbourne.
Custom build started in late 2015 so the builder appointed the registered building surveyor, who acted for the builder . Maintenance was completed in 2018.

I would prefer not to mention the builder’s name as I have had an OK outcome although the process was ridiculous and lengthy. I contributed a lot more time and effort than I expected, and I read many many Australian Standards. I made some compromises that would not have been required if I had known before the build that the SS likely was a tradie with no formal building qualifications, and not to assume that meeting building standards was a priority in the home building industry. Internal Quality assurance processes were limited.

I really think that it is luck of draw with trades and SS/building managers.

Many builds do go smoothly. But prepare for the worst, use a private consultant and my advice is to have builder show you that defects have been rectified before the next stage progresses too far along- don’t take SS word for it.

Some of the most useful advice from homeone I received was - take photos of everything even when you don’t know what you are taking photos of.

Appreciate you sharing your experiences in details with us all. Any private consultants (independent building inspectors) you would recommend or have heard good things about that service the Melbourne area?

Gaudi Exactly my experience with Metricon in Sydney. 6 site supervisors and finally one building manager supervising the build over an 85 week build, including legal action. Contract build time was 42 weeks. In the end the quality was reasonable, but I had to work hard for it (and pay extra rent etc. over the additional 43 weeks), dealing with a lot of BS and learning a lot about the industry in the process.

Hi,
Did you have a penalty cost $ written into your building contract?
thanks
Jo

There were 6 different (separate) SS during the 85 weeks (600 days) or you had multiple SS overlapping at the same time?

Who did you use for your legal action - your conveyancer lawyer or you had to hire a totally different new lawyer? What type of lawyer was it if so, and how many weeks were they hired for and how much did that cost (including GST)?

Gaudi and Norfolk as Jo0853 asked did your lawyer while inspecting the building contract at the beginning have a clause added in to the original for a 'penalty payment' incase it turns out like it did for you both?

Hi TeslaCyberTruck and Jo0853 There were 6 different SS one after the other, then Metricon's building supervisor finally took over personally to address the defects once they realised they could no longer bluff, bully and BS me. I used a suburban solicitor with building dispute experience for strategic and tactical advice plus checking my dispute letter drafts before I sent them to Metricon. Twice he had to send legal letters directly to Metricon, however. The legal action resulted in a time bound rectification order made be the NSW Department of Fair Trading, which Metricon breached anyway, taking an additional 5 months to complete most rectifications beyond the deadline they had agreed to following mediation. Metricon inadvertently sent me some of their internal emails about this issue which provided interesting reading about their attitudes and behaviours. Some defects i just had to ultimately accept, unfortunately. The solicitor's engagement was on an as required basis over a period of about 9 months, billing for about 10 hours at $550 (inc. gst) per hour. My investment of time and stress was also significant. Regarding a 'penalty payment' clause: When I checked the contract I was naive about the liquidated damages clause in the HIA contract, overlooking specifically how unfair Metricon's damages amount was at $30 per working day after the contract build time of 42 weeks (less rain days) compared with my rent and storage etc costs of about $1,500 per week. This low provision meant Metricon's costs of deliberate delaying tactic are minimal, which they can leverage as required to pressure customers to accept defects because they need to move in. Unfair builders contract terms and such unconscionable behaviours can be challenged in court, however I had neither the finances or the remaining energy to pursue this. Better for the ACCC or a building commission to do this.