Porter Davis homes

I think people don’t understand the nature of a volume builder. If you want a bigger choice then use a private builder.

Rule number one about volume builders and it’s a simple one (and please do not forget this)
Volume builders have restrictions on choices i order to drive prices down.

Now PD can’t get these bricks, move on.

In life when you fall, you get up and move one.

Another happy customer here, waiting for handover but my time isn't here yet.
My house looks awesome, it's not perfect, but lets face it, nobody's brand new home is ever perfect...
Overall, my experience has been long but good, but also pretty uneventful...

We'll get there

Well considering its on the Austral catalog I would hope so..



Its not a conspiracy, its a failure to communicate, PD is not the largest organisation on the planet, how about a simple email to all and sundry. Its not a hard task... thats my point. I have spent over a week back and forth with CSC, having tender documentation prepared, debating with the wife all over bricks that basically dont exist.

If thats acceptable to you then thats fine, its not to me however, as it displays a big problem with communication... it doesnt show me, that as a organisation they have things under control. Thats a real problem for me... and it should be for everyone. How can I know that any other communications get through?

This isnt rocket science, its a brick..

*************
Dear Team PD

Hi All, just to let you know Austral have advised us that there Melbourne 76 Hawthorn Range has been discountined, could you please make sure you communicate this change to any clients requesting these bricks.

In the meantime, this has been replaced with the Austral Hawksburn range. We dont have samples as yet, but in the meantime please direct all customers to Austral Cragieburn. We hope to have our selections boards updated in the next week or so.

Cheers
Boss

*************

That email took me 35seconds to write... I just feel like I am continually wasting time, going around in circles...

We have electrical and colour selection tomorrow. If we can't work out what's happening with the bricks or find an alternative one we are going to leave the bricks, windows, fascia, rendering colours out because we don't know what bricks we will end up with. We will just deal with the internals. PD have to understand we only found out on Saturday about this and they cannot possible expect us to just pick any old brick in a matter of 4 days without looking at other homes using these other bricks. I understand with the new bricks, there won't be any homes but I can't see myself heading down to Craigieburn between today and before 8am tomorrow to look at slabs of bricks. I am at work at the moment and I should be working, really. PD are supposed to get back to us before tommorrow to let us know of our options.

Humble, I believe you are right in that we won't get the discontinued bricks we wanted from reading the response you got. Were not after the Hawthorn we were actually after the Cotham. But we are in the same boat as you. I found out that the Cotham had stopped being produced over a month ago. I've gone totally opposite colour and we will have a look at the Burwood Blue brick which is available. I got a few addresses from Austral this morning to view the homes but it will have to be over the weekend. We will probably hate it because we had a vison of how we want our house to look. This will probably mean picking different render colour, window frame colour etc... from what we have already picked. Picking colours as everybody would know isn't easy. If you pick a wrong colour whether it be bricks or render the house will be ruined. I feel like I am starting from scratch and only have a few days to get it all together.

Anyway, I will let you know what happens should I get a call back from PD today.

In an attempt to try to help find solutions to these issues about brick availability have those currently experiencing problems considered a more radical solution. ie not using bricks.

PD offer a product called Hebal which has great thermal properties, is environmentally green and can be installed quicker than conventional brick. The outer surface can then be painted to any colour that the client wants.

Cost wise it was pretty good especially if one has chosen a brick from Cats 3 or higher.

Might be worth some investigation....

I've personally seen a home made from Hebal and was very impressed. Unfortunately we were informed about the product a few weeks too late otherwise we would have used it.

Hope this helps,

Chorlton

I signed a tender yesterday..
One of those tender conditions was hawthorn bricks..
Those Bricks dont exist..
Where too from here.. just pick another brick!..

Its not a flavored cupcake guys, its a house brick, it makes the house.

To be brutally honest your making way to big a deal out of this, it's time to move on!
Consider yourself lucky you have another very similar option.
This is nothing compared to what we have been through for the past 14 months, but I really don't feel it gets you anywhere harping on it, it's best to just stay positive and roll with the punches.
Things happen, that's life.

I've said it before also, compromise is a huge contributor to a relatively sane process.

Some of these things are out of anyone's control and therefore should be accepted and an alternative sought. Often this is not easy, but regardless, in order to move on it must be done.

Once again, the thread has become a bit of a builder bash session, and I guess it's the normal ebb and flow. We of late have had some challenges which have tarnished our experience somewhat, however overall we are satisfied that our home will be of good quality.

The largest problem I see with volume builders in general is lack of effective communication. This can be seen as the "root of all evil". Lack of communication between Supervisors/Tradesmen/Managers/Customers and the like all lead to frustrations and misunderstandings.

The way I see it, don't advertise that your staff will communicate with you fortnightly if you can't deliver. Simple. Either that, or give them the tools so that they can deliver - less work load and customer service training. If you require your staff to step outside their normal field of work ie building, then train them.

I will be brutally honest on two points that really nerk my beans:

I am sick and tired of hearing that a SS hasn't had time to call because he is "so busy - he has 14 jobs on the go".... I don't give two hoots how many jobs he has on the go - my job is just as important as the others, the first rule of customer service is to make them feel like the most important customer you have ever had. 14 x 10 minute phone calls once a fortnight = 2 hours & 20 mins out of your fortnight = 10 minutes a day... about as much time as you spend scratching your bits!

The elitist attitude of a lot of builders in general is extraordinary - it's almost like they are saying, consider yourselves lucky we are building your home for you - we will do in in our own time and on our own terms.

Sigh.... off soap box once again.

Could it be that Austral advised the line will be discontinued 2 weeks ago and they have a certain amount of bricks in stock and at the time of your tender the anticipated quantity was still available (as per the stats available to the estimator)?

Austral may just have a blanket statement to anyone enquiring off the street that they are discontinued but the arrangement with PD is that they have XX amount available for homes up to a certain start date.

Maybe you'll still be able to get the brick you want (As Tony said).

wow, have been sitting trying to reply in between doing tenancy schedule updates and can't keep up with the posts! so apologies if i have repeated anyone...lol