Porter Davis homes

brucefil2011 · Aug 21, 2017 9:23 am

sencillez

Hi, to anyone who has a retaining wall in their site costs, at which stage will it be installed? Our slab is complete but there's still no retaining wall?

We have just started. Retaining walls have gone in first prior to any slab work.

Waldorf_Grange_Build · Aug 21, 2017 1:14 pm

For those early on in the contract or build stage and are still considering getting an independent inspector I have posted our recent defect report on the blog to show others how it is done. https://waldorfgrangebuild.wordpress.co ... nspection/ They are one of the most detailed inspection companies I know. They include pictures as evidence and also paste relevant parts of the building code. This means that even clients who know nothing about building can read the report and see where the defects are.

Hurrow · Aug 21, 2017 1:53 pm

Great detail in the report WGB, unfortunate that there are still so many areas which haven't been rectified from last time and there seem to be a bunch of new ones as well. I hope those all get sorted out for you soon!

Ashik_09 · Aug 21, 2017 2:02 pm

Waldorf_Grange_Build

For those early on in the contract or build stage and are still considering getting an independent inspector I have posted our recent defect report on the blog to show others how it is done. https://waldorfgrangebuild.wordpress.co ... nspection/ They are one of the most detailed inspection companies I know. They include pictures as evidence and also paste relevant parts of the building code. This means that even clients who know nothing about building can read the report and see where the defects are.

Wow WGB, thats quite detailed and lotsa pages, can't believe we are getting such quality from PD. They are obliged to fix any defects reported or provide appropriate justification

nikil · Aug 21, 2017 5:01 pm

Hi Everyone,

Our BC has just emailed telling us we need to organise for crushed rock all over the area where our driveway will eventually be. Is this common practice? It hasn't been mentioned before now. It's something I would assume should be covered by our $41,500 site costs. What's most annoying is it is only being mentioned now when we are expecting to start any day now.

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icat2000 · Aug 21, 2017 6:04 pm

What the crushed rock for. Is it because the site is muddy. I would try pushing back after paying 41k in site costs already. Bunch of sharks. Haha. Also they had ample time to mention it. Why now at the last moment.

nikil · Aug 21, 2017 6:48 pm

My thoughts exactly icat, I tried calling her at the same time she was emailing me back and forth and she didn't answer (she never does!) and then in my last email when I questioned why it's not included in the site costs and it's only being mentioned now and of course she didn't respond, I followed that with an email to respond to it as a matter of urgency or get her manager to contact me.

Does anyone have a contact for whoever is above the BC's?

lovehomeone · Aug 22, 2017 12:16 am

Waldorf_Grange_Build

For those early on in the contract or build stage and are still considering getting an independent inspector I have posted our recent defect report on the blog to show others how it is done. https://waldorfgrangebuild.wordpress.co ... nspection/ They are one of the most detailed inspection companies I know. They include pictures as evidence and also paste relevant parts of the building code. This means that even clients who know nothing about building can read the report and see where the defects are.

Please be careful about what you post on your blog. What they have is actually Table 7.5.2.1. Perhaps they have an out-of-date version of AS3500.3.

Phoenix · Aug 22, 2017 6:30 am

nikil

My thoughts exactly icat, I tried calling her at the same time she was emailing me back and forth and she didn't answer (she never does!) and then in my last email when I questioned why it's not included in the site costs and it's only being mentioned now and of course she didn't respond, I followed that with an email to respond to it as a matter of urgency or get her manager to contact me.

Does anyone have a contact for whoever is above the BC's?

Hi Nikil,

I would suggest that you talk straight to their customer experience coordinator as from experience, my BC's manager also doesn't care. I copied her about my complaint against my BC and no response, no explanation, no apologies whatsoever.

Here's the customer care's contact:

denise.valavi@porterdavis.com.au
Denise Valavi | Customer Experience Coordinator
T: 1300 799 105

She also replies if you email tellus@porterdavis.com.au and if you post a review at product.review.com.au.

Good luck!

brucefil2011 · Aug 22, 2017 8:43 am

Defenetly worth escalating to denise. Bear in mind anything your BC is telling you has come from thier boss so no piont complaining to thier boss. Denise seems to get things moving, I have had an issue and apon raising it with denise it "hit the fan" internally and stuff was done

nikil · Aug 22, 2017 8:50 am

Thanks guys, I'll give her until 10am to respond then I will contact Denise.

Phoenix · Aug 22, 2017 8:58 am

brucefil2011

Defenetly worth escalating to denise. Bear in mind anything your BC is telling you has come from thier boss so no piont complaining to thier boss. Denise seems to get things moving, I have had an issue and apon raising it with denise it "hit the fan" internally and stuff was done

I Agree, Bruce! She's also very honest and definitely cares for customer :-)

Hurrow · Aug 22, 2017 9:55 am

Given you're about to start construction it seems pretty poor that they're only now telling you that there are going to be extra costs for this Nikil. It can't come as a huge surprise that it's muddy in Victoria in winter so they should have already planned for this and told you about it. Have they said how much the cost will be?

nikil · Aug 22, 2017 10:08 am

They haven't mentioned a cost, they want us to organise and pay for it. It's very annoying but not much we can do about it. It's in the notes of the contract that we will provide all weather access. I had no idea what that meant!

lizbf85 · Aug 22, 2017 11:32 am

Laura Ireland

I don't mind paying for the extra stuff but I think it's unfair to charge us a fee for structural changes when we haven't had a chance to view the plans in the first place

its structural from the original house plan, so the fees apply regardless. sorry someone has probably answered this alrready

lizbf85 · Aug 22, 2017 11:37 am

nikil

Hi Everyone,

Our BC has just emailed telling us we need to organise for crushed rock all over the area where our driveway will eventually be. Is this common practice? It hasn't been mentioned before now. It's something I would assume should be covered by our $41,500 site costs. What's most annoying is it is only being mentioned now when we are expecting to start any day now.

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We weren't asked to do this! what a waste of money on your part. Did you ask why this is a requirement? I'd def ask for more information as to why and where this is documented?

We just bought crushed rock for our sideway, its about 60 a square meter and our driveway area was about 30 sqm
i wonder if that then has to be dug up when you go to do your driveway

lizbf85 · Aug 22, 2017 11:48 am

my husband just reminded me that PD actually put crushed rock down themselves, we didnt have do to it.

FIGHT it!

Waldorf_Grange_Build · Aug 22, 2017 7:03 pm

lovehomeone

Waldorf_Grange_Build

For those early on in the contract or build stage and are still considering getting an independent inspector I have posted our recent defect report on the blog to show others how it is done. https://waldorfgrangebuild.wordpress.co ... nspection/ They are one of the most detailed inspection companies I know. They include pictures as evidence and also paste relevant parts of the building code. This means that even clients who know nothing about building can read the report and see where the defects are.

Please be careful about what you post on your blog. What they have is actually Table 7.5.2.1. Perhaps they have an out-of-date version of AS3500.3.

Not sure what you mean

- View my blog at www.waldorfgrangebuild.wordpress.com

sencillez · Aug 23, 2017 3:44 pm

So after the slab pour, there was some soil delivery the other day. Today, we noticed that this has been distributed around the perimeter of the house. Does anyone know what it's for? I can't remember having the same in our first PD home. Thanks.

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nikil · Aug 23, 2017 5:02 pm

Good news today! Our building permit was issued. BC confirmed we will have a site start before the end of August, there was people at the block yesterday connecting power. We had to organise the crushed rock as per the contract section stating we are to provide all weather access. I now know what this means, oh well. I'm just happy to be starting.

We live in a rental house 4 doors up from our block so I'll be watching it daily!