Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 23, 2011 5:51 pm We had heard so many good things from our friends who had built with this builder. We were naturally inclined to trust our dream and life savings after months of research on this building company. Our experience so far was quite professional I must say. Yes we weren't a hundred percent happy but we werent unhappy either. But today was a disappointment, I got a very rude call from the SS accusing me of being sly and playing with words. He kept shouting without giving me a chance to even speak. I was at work and it was quite embarrassing I must say. He went on to threaten me that he would further stop progress on the house and tried to intimidate me. Then said he didn't want to talk to me at all. And all this was over an upgrade of the evaporation cooling unit which was around 400$. We are building a house with this builder for over 280K, I think we deserve a lot more respect and professionalism. This aggravation and intimidation form a professional builder is the last thing we expected. We had chosen a brown evaporation cooling unit in the contract. When the unit went up it was grey. So i informed the supervisor of the mistake and he said he will look into it. Next day (Tuesday) I receive an email form the Customer rep saying that the brown is discontinued and the brown is only available in an upgraded version. So I wrote back the same day asking if the builder would bear the cost of the upgrade as I felt if it was the case they would have informed me earlier to actually installing the unit. I did not get a reply till Thursday when I called the supervisor to discuss other issues and asked him as to what was happening with the cooling unit. He said that it was already replaced on Wednesday and that there was a cost for the upgrade. To which I said I will speak with the office about. Come following Monday I receive an email form the CSR saying that she understands I have spoken to the supervisor and I have agreed to the upgrade and she will raise and send me a variation. I reply again saying I haven't agreed and since I did not receive a reply form her and the supervisor had changed the unit PD was in agreement to bear the cost. That's when I get the nasty call from the supervisor saying the CSR has advised him that I am refusing to pay for the evaporation cooling unit. And I am playing with words and he would stop progress on the house etc. I can understand there being a miscommunication and that the supervisor acted in the best of interest. But the conduct was just appalling, I'm a paying customer damn it, if you screwed up you don't call the client and intimidate them to cover up for your mistakes. I didn't make up there rules the builder did they very clearly state a variation sign off is required before making a change. I have asked for the matter to be escalated and will post how this issue gets handled here. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Tarneit : The Reserve Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 3May 23, 2011 5:58 pm Sorry to hear what has happened, although I understand unless you have signed a variation accepting the $400 charge, they can not make you pay this. Someone correct me if I'm wrong ? The road to success is always under construction House completed April 2011 - slowly making it a home... Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 4May 23, 2011 6:09 pm Post variation or pre variation...there is a way to deal with customers...With someone having highest professional awards, this is no way to deal with a client. Firstly they put the wrong colour on the roof without telling the client that the colour they choose has been discontinued and then when theclient enquires,they correct the colour and put it back on the roof again without informing the client and even before the cleint has decided whether to go for the upgrade or stick to current colour and when they are yet negotiating with the cso regarding if PD will bear the cost .... There is no co-ordination here with CSO or the SS and lot of assumptions and mis communication, the better way to deal with this kind of situation is to tallk and resolve rather than threaten and scream . Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 5May 23, 2011 6:12 pm Hopefully this is a one off incident and we were the unfortunate ones. But it does expose how vulnerable we are as clients locked into a contract, a mortgage being paid without the house and the everyday struggle for such things, a lot will depend on the outcome of how the builder handles this issue. Tarneit : The Reserve Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 6May 23, 2011 6:29 pm Rramesh, I'm sorry to hear this has happened. Contact your CSA and asked to be put in contact with a construction manager or someone higher up. The attitude of the SS needs to be addressed if he is treating you this way. Simply not on. Good luck! Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 7May 23, 2011 6:39 pm Hi Rramesh Sorry to hear about this lack of communication and unprofessionalism you have to deal with. I think Team PD is on this forum somewhere, there here to put out the fires (so to speak) maybe they can help you settle this matter. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ All new built homes look like display homes... until the furniture goes in. Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 8May 23, 2011 7:30 pm We are also building with PD prestige west office. My base stage is completed and I have yet to hear from my SS. Just wondering if you can PM me your SS's name just in case I have him. I usually email my CSA after a telephone conversation to recap what was discussed. I will definitely do recaps after speaking to my SS now after hearing what you have gone through. Hope you get this resolved with PD. bst rgds pup Waldorf 44 Sales quote: Jan 18th 2011 Tender : Feb 24th 2011 Colour & Electrical: March 9th 2011 Contract: March 24th 2011 Site start: May 5th 2011 http://ourwaldorf44.blogspot.com/ Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 9May 23, 2011 8:06 pm Deary me, I can't say that I am too surprised If you're not already aware there is a specific thread for people building with PD in addition to other, smaller ones for particular designs etc. Even a brief search will reveal you're not at all alone in your experiences unfortunately! Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 11May 23, 2011 8:59 pm Thanks for the support I have pm Team PD with this link as well. Hope some thing constructive comes out of all this. But I will keep posting on my experience. So far nothing seems to be happening on my site. Tarneit : The Reserve Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 14May 23, 2011 10:54 pm Try talking to BACV - Vic, they will tell you what your options are. Costs nothing to have a chat with them, except for the cost of the call. Now: Building another new home Settlement: 8 July 2021 Construction due to start: In two months Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 15May 23, 2011 10:55 pm *** weak form from the SS... To ring the client and speak to you like that!!! What they need to remember is this. Without clients they have no job... Anyway that’s the building industry for you. Its little man syndrome, taking advantage of clients that (most) wouldn’t know any better. They would not last one minute on the site I run. I hope this guy gets what he deserves Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 17May 23, 2011 11:24 pm Thanks karmaz I will try giving BACV a call to see what my rights and options are. But in all fairness I haven't given the builder a chance to look into the issue yet. I have escalated the matter and waiting for their response. But Id like to stress on the fact that a lot will depend on how the builder handles this issue. Tarneit : The Reserve Re: Porter Davis - Let down!!! 18May 23, 2011 11:31 pm Good luck with it. We *almost* built the Illoura, loved the design. Might be worth making the call anyway to see what your legal rights - forewarned is forearmed..... Now: Building another new home Settlement: 8 July 2021 Construction due to start: In two months Re: Let down!!! 19May 24, 2011 8:26 am Geeee rramesh I am so sad and disappointed to hear what happened to you. But when you pay your money and you are the customer, you should not tolerate any defects if something is not done properly. In the end, they just keep abusing on your kindness and tolerance to cover up their mistakes. They can't just change anything to their liking or even subject to availability on the market without your written consent. If I were you and they were stuffing me around for $400, I would go back and get them to fix EVERYTHING as per the signed contract. Re: Let down!!! 20May 24, 2011 8:59 am thegourou20 Geeee rramesh I am so sad and disappointed to hear what happened to you. But when you pay your money and you are the customer, you should not tolerate any defects if something is not done properly. In the end, they just keep abusing on your kindness and tolerance to cover up their mistakes. They can't just change anything to their liking or even subject to availability on the market without your written consent. If I were you and they were stuffing me around for $400, I would go back and get them to fix EVERYTHING as per the signed contract. Hi Ramesh, I think you shouldn't have tolerated all those defects and mistakes mentioned, all builders are the same they will abuse your kindness as told by "thegourou20" How long is a "long period"? For a few weeks, it should be ok. It also depends on the area you live in...I would let your neighbours know that you will be away too and… 1 28576 Hi HomeOne, I'm in the midst of landscaping a cat run down the side of my house, and the recent rains have me wondering if I need to install some sort of drainage. I've… 0 12288 Hi I live in a 100yr old semi and my neighbour added an additional floor last yr and our architect has advised that we can knock down our semi and build a free-standing… 0 37723 |