Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Porter Davis homes 11941Sep 23, 2015 3:42 pm Does anyone have any recent prices for soil removal? PD have lumped us with a variation post cut and fill for $3300 for 90 cubic metres of soil removal. Considering they were only going to charge us $2000 initially for removal of all soil, $3300 for 90 cubic metres (leaving us 15 cubic metres) at the time of cut, seems excessive. TIA. KDR Chadwick 41+ Re: Porter Davis homes 11942Sep 23, 2015 4:59 pm Hi FirstTimePDBuilder, You will need to check what is noted in your contract under site costs. If it is fixed price, I don't see how this could be justified. regards, CR Partners Porter Davis homes 11943Sep 23, 2015 5:11 pm CR Partners Hi FirstTimePDBuilder, You will need to check what is noted in your contract under site costs. If it is fixed price, I don't see how this could be justified. regards, CR Partners Because we are a knock down rebuild PD put in a clause saying site costs can go up after repeat soil test. We were initially quoted $2000 at contract for removal of all necessary soil. We requested and paid $1449 to keep our soil instead. They deemed due to OH&S we couldn't keep all of it, so they carted away 90cubic metres (leaving 15 cubic metres). They are now saying their initial $2000 must have been a 'miscalculation' and are charging us the $3300 on top of the $1449 we paid to keep our soil totalling $4749 (more than double the initial $2000). It doesn't make sense, but we aren't getting much of an explanation other than it must have been a miscalculation and this is the charge! KDR Chadwick 41 Eastern Suburbs KDR Chadwick 41+ Re: Porter Davis homes 11944Sep 24, 2015 9:19 am FirstTimePDBuilder CR Partners Hi FirstTimePDBuilder, You will need to check what is noted in your contract under site costs. If it is fixed price, I don't see how this could be justified. regards, CR Partners Because we are a knock down rebuild PD put in a clause saying site costs can go up after repeat soil test. We were initially quoted $2000 at contract for removal of all necessary soil. We requested and paid $1449 to keep our soil instead. They deemed due to OH&S we couldn't keep all of it, so they carted away 90cubic metres (leaving 15 cubic metres). They are now saying their initial $2000 must have been a 'miscalculation' and are charging us the $3300 on top of the $1449 we paid to keep our soil totalling $4749 (more than double the initial $2000). It doesn't make sense, but we aren't getting much of an explanation other than it must have been a miscalculation and this is the charge! KDR Chadwick 41 Eastern Suburbs Seriously not happy! According to our BC this morning, the $1449 is a 'one off fee', and it doesn't matter how much was actually left, they won't give us any credit and the $3300 on top stands and must be paid! None of this was explained to us when we asked for our soil to remain. I PD say they 'respect the dream' but so often through this whole process we are left with a bitter taste in our mouth. It seems that what PD promises doesn't really mean much! They guarantee a site start (we paid for February and started in September) and now their 'No more to pay. Feel secure with a fixed price HIA building contract.' even after the clause that site costs may change after repeat soil test (ours went down because they didn't need a retaining wall anymore - there was no change to the cut and fill numbers) means nothing. If they knew we couldn't keep all the soil they should have 1. Informed us, and 2. Told us potential costs and 3. Put it in the contract rather than lump us with it now as a post contract variation! KDR Chadwick 41 Eastern Suburbs KDR Chadwick 41+ Re: Porter Davis homes 11945Sep 24, 2015 9:49 am Darmax Well I was aware the processes and procedures at PD could do with improvement but what has happened to us is unbelievable. ... At 4.15 on Friday afternoon I receive a variation totalling $4,300 regarding, in summary, increased height of slab to house by 10mm, additional fill and piers, shoring of trenches for retaining wall and increased retaining wall height! You can imagine how happy I was to receive this. Are they kidding! So of course the first thing I do is measure the new step down height to garage, porch and alfresco. The height of the slab had NOT been increased and the step downs were closer to original heights than the variation height. So they are charging me for something that hasn't even been done! Unbelievable. Needless to say I have emailed my BC and the directors of PD asking for proof by way of invoices that what they are charging me for has actually happened. Other than the retaining wall height I have no idea if any if the other things have even been done! How am I supposed to check if they don't even tell me it's happening! How am I liable to pay for something I didn't give approval for! Has this happened to anyone else???? Hi Darmax, having just received a variation of $3300 after the fact, I was wondering how you went questioning your bill? Thanks KDR Chadwick 41 Eastern Suburbs KDR Chadwick 41+ Re: Porter Davis homes 11946Sep 24, 2015 10:55 am It is the builder's duty to notify you PRIOR to carrying out any works and give you the opportunity to visit and view the site. If this hasn't been done ie they completed the works then asked for the variation, you are well within your right to refuse. They certainly know this and I'm sure they will swallow the loss which was their error I might add. regards, CR Partners Re: Porter Davis homes 11947Sep 24, 2015 11:02 am Actually this isn't always the case with Porter Davis, they made significant variations without notifying us. We recently discovered that Porter Davis had removed an outdoor drainage point under our alfresco, they said if they had to get contract variations approved fro this, it would put too much delay on the build process. So they use a rule, if it must be done and still meets the building code, then they won't notify the customer. I wonder how they classify "it must be done". Re: Porter Davis homes 11948Sep 24, 2015 11:14 am Hi Jackula, I don't believe moving a drainage point from an alfresco would either a)cause delays or b) done to meet the building code. I would suggest it has been a) missed during construction or b) removed for convenience. If your alfresco does not have a concrete floor, a drainage point in that area is paramount to stopping ingress of water which will contribute to slab heave long term. Regardless, a builder is obligated to notify you of ANY changes they make (building requirement or not) to plans/contracts after signing before they commence. CR Partners. Re: Porter Davis homes 11949Sep 24, 2015 11:15 am Jackula Actually this isn't always the case with Porter Davis, they made significant variations without notifying us. We recently discovered that Porter Davis had removed an outdoor drainage point under our alfresco, they said if they had to get contract variations approved fro this, it would put too much delay on the build process. So they use a rule, if it must be done and still meets the building code, then they won't notify the customer. I wonder how they classify "it must be done". If this really is their 'standard practice' how can they have a fixed price guarantee? They have also charged us a couple of hundred dollars for two extra silt pits they put in without our prior approval. Although frustrating cos they didn't check with us first and one is smack bang in the middle of our future landscaping area, a couple of hundred dollars is very different to suddenly coming up with multiple thousands. If this is going to continue throughout the build, how much are we expected to fork out after our so called fixed price? KDR Chadwick 41 Eastern Suburbs KDR Chadwick 41+ Re: Porter Davis homes 11950Sep 24, 2015 1:40 pm CR Partners Hi Jackula, I don't believe moving a drainage point from an alfresco would either a)cause delays or b) done to meet the building code. I would suggest it has been a) missed during construction or b) removed for convenience. or c) Not possible due to shallow storm water LPOD. Which is what happened to us. The drain point was there, but it had to go underneath the deeper footings at the edge of the slab. With such a shallow LPOD, the storm water points are not as deep as I'd like them to be, but there is little I can do about it too. Out west where I am, there is so much floating rock in the clay, most of the drains are shallow. The work was performed, then at their check point (their inspector, not mine), pulled it out. We were promised an extra drain point by the PD Slab Manager, which we are following up now. CR Partners If your alfresco does not have a concrete floor, a drainage point in that area is paramount to stopping ingress of water which will contribute to slab heave long term. They all do. I've yet to see one that does not have a concrete floor. CR Partners Regardless, a builder is obligated to notify you of ANY changes they make (building requirement or not) to plans/contracts after signing before they commence. CR Partners. In my case, they did. Re: Porter Davis homes 11951Sep 24, 2015 4:52 pm Yes, it was a storm water drain. I wish that was an option given to us, but we didn't get a drain at all and there weren't any refunds. They also cited shallow LPOD but they got the location wrong. Our actual LPOD as specified by the council is about a meter below the NGL. But by that stage, the concrete had been poured and there was no way to put in a storm water drain. The area doesn't get much water since it's under cover, but when it does it pools slightly. Doesn't bother me much but wish they were less slack. Re: Porter Davis homes 11952Sep 25, 2015 12:59 pm We just had the flooring guy walk through the house and check things. The slab has been finished within normal building tolerances, so nothing for PD to fix. However, the slab's variation is not within the flooring manufacturers tolerances; they are tighter than the building code. So now looking at having the floor levelled. I'm still awaiting a call back from the leveller, so I have no idea of costs involved. Has anyone else who has done flooring post handover run into similar issues? If so, where they you decide to do about it? Re: Porter Davis homes 11953Sep 25, 2015 1:35 pm i made sure at handover they did it...and they did,as I was getting 600x600 tiles laid Re: Porter Davis homes 11954Sep 25, 2015 1:51 pm deefeez46waldorf i made sure at handover they did it...and they did,as I was getting 600x600 tiles laid The problem here is, that it really is not PD's problem. They have made it well within the building spec (which is 4mm over 2m). I spoke to darren from Darbecca, and they normally don't write it up unless it's in excess of 6-7mm. The issue is that the Quickstep floor boards require 2mm over 1m. So how did you manage to get PD to fix it? Re: Porter Davis homes 11956Sep 27, 2015 5:18 pm FirstTimePDBuilder Darmax Well I was aware the processes and procedures at PD could do with improvement but what has happened to us is unbelievable. ... At 4.15 on Friday afternoon I receive a variation totalling $4,300 regarding, in summary, increased height of slab to house by 10mm, additional fill and piers, shoring of trenches for retaining wall and increased retaining wall height! You can imagine how happy I was to receive this. Are they kidding! So of course the first thing I do is measure the new step down height to garage, porch and alfresco. The height of the slab had NOT been increased and the step downs were closer to original heights than the variation height. So they are charging me for something that hasn't even been done! Unbelievable. Needless to say I have emailed my BC and the directors of PD asking for proof by way of invoices that what they are charging me for has actually happened. Other than the retaining wall height I have no idea if any if the other things have even been done! How am I supposed to check if they don't even tell me it's happening! How am I liable to pay for something I didn't give approval for! Has this happened to anyone else???? Hi Darmax, having just received a variation of $3300 after the fact, I was wondering how you went questioning your bill? Thanks KDR Chadwick 41 Eastern Suburbs I will PM you Re: Porter Davis homes 11957Sep 28, 2015 9:55 am Wow, over the weekend the total number of views on my blog has gone through the 10,000 barrier. Staggering considering that I don't even have a dedicated forum post for my build and only put the link in this forum when I do an update and it's not advertised anywhere else. I guess there must be a lot of interested people who are either building with PD or considering building with PD who want to see how it all pans out. Porter Davis homes 11958Sep 28, 2015 12:36 pm Looks like we're finally getting closer to a site start! After months of being told title had been delayed we finally have progress - cert of compliance by the end of the month and title 1-3 weeks after that. Everything's been lined up ready to go at the Porter Davis end since May so can't wait to finally get this show rolling Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Re: Porter Davis homes 11959Sep 28, 2015 3:56 pm Not too happy with Choices Flooring at the moment. I do not have the contract of sale in front of me at the moment, but, they are demanding 100% payment up front two days before they even start the job. Happy to pay for materials up front. But the whole lot? What comeback to we have? Probably little. Just a warning to others. Re: Porter Davis homes 11960Sep 28, 2015 4:44 pm I won't pay any tradie upfront based on my recent experiences. Three options 1 Ask the liquidator 2 Find another PD customer and ask the source of their report 3 Pay for new report 3 12337 Ask for references and speak to them. If they are defensive or try to avoid the request, walk. 1 74701 I would never build with Fowler homes. I built with them in 2021 and till date maintenance issues are pending. All their existing trades and businesses don't work with… 14 105553 |