Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jan 04, 2008 8:39 am Hi everyone.. just wandering if anyone has any info on simonds homes...
good, bad & ugly.... thanks lildutchgringo Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 2Jan 04, 2008 8:44 am Welcome to the forum - loads of people have posted comments on various builders.
First thing (if you haven't already) is to try a search of the forums. Second thing is to try bestbuilder.com.au as you may find some reviews there. Cheers Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 3Jan 04, 2008 8:50 am thanks for the info perry... appreciate it
lildutchgringo Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 4Jan 04, 2008 12:47 pm My neighbour had built with Simonds.
They have a lovely house and very good quality. The house was built quite fast - 4 months (single storey). They said the issue was with pre-contract stuff... took longer than the actual building. Simonds have nice houses too... very contemporary and some designs are unique. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Built the Nevada 42 Next project - landscaping! Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 5Jan 07, 2008 12:59 pm Hey VJ..
thanks for that... yeah we really like the house were after... simonds is sending out some info on prices and inclusions... hopefully they have what we need... if poss could you find out from your neighbour if he had any major contract issues or just niggly stuff... thanks... Lildutchgringo Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 6Jan 07, 2008 8:14 pm I don't think they had issues with the construction and quality/timeliness, based on how they talked about their house.
The only thing they mentioned is about the very long process of pre-contract, which I believe is quite normal for most developers. Will ask our neighbour again when we see them. We visit our block everyday and at least once a week he greets us. There's another house on the same street but haven't talked with the neighbour yet. Will ask them if I see them outside their house. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Built the Nevada 42 Next project - landscaping! Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 7Jan 08, 2008 7:37 am Hey VJ...
Thanks for your queries... it's well appreciated... hopefully tonight we will be going to look at the house we like... stay tuned.... lildutchgringo Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 8Jan 08, 2008 7:54 am Hi,
We almost went with Simonds. We really liked their Millcrest 2800 (I think that's what it was called) but it wouldn't have worked on our block, with aspect, etc. Still, the sales chappie with whom we dealt was very pleasant and had the house been exactly what we wanted, we may have gone down that path. However, we decided that we'd go with a small operator. Why? Well, we've built before and found that, without fail, once they have your money, most big building companies (most, not all) have crap customer service. We found that with the two companies who built our first and third home, whereas the second home - built by a lone builder - had great after-sales service. So we're going with a small operator. I think the fact that there are so many conflicting opinions as to the quality of workmanship and customer service is what confuses most people looking to build. Some people have a great experience, others have a terrible one. Most have one in between. We had crap experience with house number one, and a crap experience with house number three. Both were big operators that used whatever sub-contractors - and often THEY changed as often as one's underwear! - were available in any week. Smaller companies might have a greater risk in "going under" than the big firms, but they can't afford bad press. Simonds is a big operator and you may well find it's a great company with which to work, should you go with them. One bit of advice: you like a plan with one company, you can take it to any other builder and they'll work with it. We didn't do that, but many people do. Fiona Let us know 9Jan 08, 2008 9:10 am Hi Everyone
If you've built/building with them it would be interesting to know how you rate them. Also - I think they operate in VIC and QLD. Where were you building? Regards Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 10Jan 08, 2008 9:25 am Quote: One bit of advice: you like a plan with one company, you can take it to any other builder and they'll work with it. We didn't do that, but many people do. But, aren't they copyright? I thought that, even if you made changes to a plan, it still belonged to the original company and could not be built by some-one else? Guide 11Jan 08, 2008 10:09 pm Hello all
With so many designs quite similar, I'm sure there is a legal ruling around how varied it must be. Plus.. the builder would have to make a case to say it is copyright and so you'd wonder how much time/effort they might put in - especially if just for one house. Perhaps the Industry Association has some guidelines? Best regards Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 12Jan 08, 2008 10:13 pm How would the company know you had copied there plan anyway unless they went inside your house?? Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 13Jan 09, 2008 12:19 am The reality is there are only so many ways you can design a house. Two designs could be identical but it is not copyright infringement if the sketches and working drawings are kept showing how the design was created. Re: Has anyone used simonds homes 14Jan 09, 2008 8:33 am Quote: How would the company know you had copied there plan anyway unless they went inside your house?? It's not so much that the first company would know, I agree, they wouldn't ever go in your house to find out, but that the second company would refuse to build someone else's design, covering their own back. Also couldn't it be found out by the plans which go in for council approval which are available to the public?? I do know several people who wanted to do this and second company would not do so. I think you would have to make your own changes to the plan with a private draftsman and then take that to a company which builds "owner designs" ie by then it is your own design and not first company's. I guess this would also make it more expensive. Quote: The reality is there are only so many ways you can design a house. Two designs could be identical but it is not copyright infringement if the sketches and working drawings are kept showing how the design was created. Which is basically what HomeReview is also saying as above. Hi we are looking to talk to people who have built with them recently. We have signed mid range built contract but identified that a lot of things are not included.… 0 743 As title suggests, looking at using the interlocking Pentablock stacked stone products to replace failing timber retaining… 0 17880 Hi All, we are starting to think of building with Masterpiece Builders in Victoria, has anyone had any feedback or experience with them 0 13603 |