Porter Davis homes

Imlost · Apr 02, 2013 5:07 pm

ftdt7882

I notice you removed the alifrost doors and got a credit. Did you remove the doors completely or just change the doors to laminex? I've been told I need to pay to switch from alifrost to laminex, even though I have paid for the upgrade to alifrost doors in a package! Confusing!

Hi ftdt7882, we have just recently had our contract appointment and have shifted from alifrost (included in a package) to silk laminex (which we paid for the upgrade cost from laminex) and did not have to pay extra. In saying this, we also did not get a credit for alifrost as we were told a credit cannot be given on something that is included within a package.

Hope this helps.

skye02 · Apr 02, 2013 7:08 pm

I don't know if that is entirely true. We took out the extended bench in the laundry from our promotion and were credited.

meowsy · Apr 02, 2013 7:15 pm

Hi all, can anyone help with paint selections?

i'm looking at the Hopetoun brochure about paint selection- it says colours to be chosen from standard Wattyl Colour chart, which I haven't been able to find in retailers, and it says "Additional charges may be incurred should you wish to use Wattyl Interior Design paint. " I have picked up heaps of large chips, but how do I know which are standard.... I'm looking at Moody White and Calcium, if that helps.. :th:

Lurgen · Apr 02, 2013 8:13 pm

Well, had my second electrical appointment today (the first needed to be partly redone because of the number of errors I was finding). Also received my "final" drawings for the second time.

Gotta say I'm seriously looking at that "cancel contract" form and considering my options. My losses aren't unacceptable if I walk away right now, except I have a piece of land that needs a house built on it.

The drawings still have over a dozen items that need correcting (after three detailed passes, where half of my concerns were just plain ignored), the electrical is definitely not quite right (I basically gave up and decided to hire my own electrician after handover to finish the things they can't do right), my colours items keep revealing mistakes and omissions, and I no longer believe this house can be built without tons of defects.

I'm sure they are a great builder, but they're not doing a great job with my house. Starting to wish I'd never started this process.

To anybody setting out, my advice right now is this: do not compromise. Do not "settle". Do not sign a single document that isn't perfect because you'll end up fighting it for months just fixing tiny details.

Team PD · Apr 02, 2013 8:58 pm

Tagell2

To anyone thinking of building with Porter Davis

My son and i are building the Waldorf 48 House and Land Package
The Process started in October 2012 ...
We choose the Waldorf 48 for the great floor plan and wanted the house and land package thinking there would be no surprises with site costs or planning and building permits ...Be aware of all the costs before signing the contracts...
When buying a house and land Package we didn't realize that there where so many problems
1. You have to purchase the land before you have the contract appointment where you find out all the extra hidden costs that nobody can/will tell you about.
2.Planning problems that delays the site start
Told that our site start would be at the end of March early April 2013 at contract appointment 22 Feb....
............

<quote edited and reduced by kexkez Support Member. >

These are just a few of the problems we have had so far there have been many more to many to mention ...I will continue to post updates until the build is finished ...if it ever gets started

Hi Tagell2,
I'm concerned to read about the number of issues you have listed above. Could you please private message me, via this forum, with your build and contact details and I will escalate to the Regional Business Manager for follow-up?
Regards, Helen

Back Pocket · Apr 02, 2013 9:20 pm

Hi all
We have put down our $1k deposit and are looking to build the PD Hoffman. We built an illoura with PD 5 years ago and have started on the process again. I am wondering if anyone else is building/ has built the Hoffman with PD?
Cheers

Team PD · Apr 02, 2013 9:45 pm

Lurgen

Well, had my second electrical appointment today (the first needed to be partly redone because of the number of errors I was finding). Also received my "final" drawings for the second time.

Gotta say I'm seriously looking at that "cancel contract" form and considering my options. My losses aren't unacceptable if I walk away right now, except I have a piece of land that needs a house built on it.

The drawings still have over a dozen items that need correcting (after three detailed passes, where half of my concerns were just plain ignored), the electrical is definitely not quite right (I basically gave up and decided to hire my own electrician after handover to finish the things they can't do right), my colours items keep revealing mistakes and omissions, and I no longer believe this house can be built without tons of defects.

I'm sure they are a great builder, but they're not doing a great job with my house. Starting to wish I'd never started this process.

To anybody setting out, my advice right now is this: do not compromise. Do not "settle". Do not sign a single document that isn't perfect because you'll end up fighting it for months just fixing tiny details.

Hi Lurgen,
Your concerns and frustrations have been duly noted and forwarded to management to look into. We will be back in touch with you ASAP.
Regards, Helen

gabster · Apr 03, 2013 2:55 am

Just got a call today from BC regarding our tiles situation. Building manager is out on site looking at the tiles and will be giving us an update on Weds.
Thanks Helen for organising this for us. Hopefully we will get the finish we wanted from the start.

On a positive note, PCI this thursday!!!! Next week handover! YAYYYY

Mali02 · Apr 03, 2013 10:27 am

Imlost

ftdt7882

I notice you removed the alifrost doors and got a credit. Did you remove the doors completely or just change the doors to laminex? I've been told I need to pay to switch from alifrost to laminex, even though I have paid for the upgrade to alifrost doors in a package! Confusing!

Hi ftdt7882, we have just recently had our contract appointment and have shifted from alifrost (included in a package) to silk laminex (which we paid for the upgrade cost from laminex) and did not have to pay extra. In saying this, we also did not get a credit for alifrost as we were told a credit cannot be given on something that is included within a package.

Hope this helps.

Thanks

Don't mind if we don't get the credit as I don't think it would be much (although every little bit counts), I just don't want to pay any extra given laminex is standard

tinker · Apr 03, 2013 11:05 am

Back Pocket

Hi all
We have put down our $1k deposit and are looking to build the PD Hoffman. We built an illoura with PD 5 years ago and have started on the process again. I am wondering if anyone else is building/ has built the Hoffman with PD?
Cheers

Hi back pocket
We will be building a Hoffman. At least hope we we will get to:(. There are couple of issues that need to be sorted before contract. I really hope PD try's to sort them.

Lurgen · Apr 03, 2013 12:05 pm

[quote="Team PD]Hi Lurgen,
Your concerns and frustrations have been duly noted and forwarded to management to look into. We will be back in touch with you ASAP.
Regards, Helen[/quote]
Thanks, but I don't expect a great deal to change. My construction start date is probably blown because of all these re-tries on basic planning, thousands of dollars of unplanned changes have come up since tender that I didn't budget for, and I still don't have any reason to think we'll be closer than this by the end of the week.

The PD team didn't even bother to respond to over half of my concerns with the final drawings and somehow expected me to just sign the things anyway. Last time I did that it was on the basis that it would all be fixed in the final drawings, that there'd be no more costs just minor adjustments to the paperwork to clean up mistakes we (me and the BC) knew were there. So much for that.

I keep getting thrown 24 hour deadlines for reviews and signatures but don't see PD responding in the same times. If I don't respond fast enough, I get penalised (my build doesn't start, or it costs me more random sums of money). They seem happy enough to respond with incomplete answers, half-hearted updates to drawings, or to just ask me for another couple of grand to fix their mistakes.

I've spoken to so many PD staff throughout this process, and everybody assures me it'll get better. As far as I can tell it has only gotten more complex, less accurate, and more worrying. Walking away really is looking to be a probability.

Is anybody else finding it this difficult to get their final drawings right?

Amusing examples include...
- When I pointed out that an item was only included on one elevation drawing but not the other, it was removed rather than added (so now I lose the item?)
- Random cabinet widths were chosen with absolutely no attention to basic aesthetics
- Cabinet widths don't add up any more, there are more cabinets than there is wall space somehow
- Items that aren't readable on the plans were questioned because their scanner isn't picking up the details, but I cannot seem to get a clean copy of the drawings to review
- Tiling layouts were only partially updated resulting in patchy bathroom tile plans
- Hot water system solar panels keep moving around to random roof placements, it appears that the draftspeople don't know where they belong (at one point my HWS was on the opposite side of the house to the panels, about 15m away

I'd go on, but I'm already starting to hate my new house and it isn't even built yet.

jnkbids · Apr 03, 2013 1:37 pm

Lurgen

Thanks, but I don't expect a great deal to change. My construction start date is probably blown because of all these re-tries on basic planning, thousands of dollars of unplanned changes have come up since tender that I didn't budget for, and I still don't have any reason to think we'll be closer than this by the end of the week.

..........

I sympathise with your frustrations as I was in the same boat as well when going through my drawings (wrong plans at electricals n tiles etc). Hours were spent going through everything with a fine tooth comb and notes were made on every page as to what was wrong etc. Unfortunately, some things were still missed and you pay for it during construction, which again I think isn't very fair.

There are some procedures that PD have to improve on..... Having said that my BC has been really good in trying to help correct the errors and being really helpful.

There are some excellent staff at PD that really help in the build process and unfortunately for them, they sometimes get blamed for things that are beyond their control.

meowsy · Apr 03, 2013 4:00 pm

skye02

I know this has been previously discussed but what agreements have people come to with PD regarding skirting boards when doing flooring post handover? I've been told they will provide uncut, unpainted and outfitted skirts.

ok, to clarify, I now am of the understanding that this is the option PD offers if you are to have flooring done after handover. So I am now looking at getting quotes for having the skirting cut, fitted and painted.

skye02 · Apr 03, 2013 4:26 pm

meowsy

skye02

I know this has been previously discussed but what agreements have people come to with PD regarding skirting boards when doing flooring post handover? I've been told they will provide uncut, unpainted and outfitted skirts.

ok, to clarify, I now am of the understanding that this is the option PD offers if you are to have flooring done after handover. So I am now looking at getting quotes for having the skirting cut, fitted and painted.

Thanks meowsy!

Has anyone had the issue of having a "waterfall" finish to your island bench. I would assume the flooring should be laid before this is done but PD wont let me have flooring done in case their workman damage the floor.

tstr1a · Apr 03, 2013 4:41 pm

skye02

meowsy

skye02

I know this has been previously discussed but what agreements have people come to with PD regarding skirting boards when doing flooring post handover? I've been told they will provide uncut, unpainted and outfitted skirts.

ok, to clarify, I now am of the understanding that this is the option PD offers if you are to have flooring done after handover. So I am now looking at getting quotes for having the skirting cut, fitted and painted.

Thanks meowsy!

Has anyone had the issue of having a "waterfall" finish to your island bench. I would assume the flooring should be laid before this is done but PD wont let me have flooring done in case their workman damage the floor.

totaly understand PD's point of view.

If the flooring did get damaged you would hold them responsible for the damages.

skye02 · Apr 03, 2013 4:48 pm

tstr1a

totaly understand PD's point of view.

If the flooring did get damaged you would hold them responsible for the damages.

Oh i agree too and i admit that i would! Just seeing what other people have experienced with having a waterfall edge. Has anyone floored just under the island bench so that the island sits on top and the caesar sits ontop of the flooring or do you need to start from the edge of a room to fit timber flooring.

Meowsy, i just spoke with my flooring people who said to allow about $5 a metre to cut and fit the skirts - you will obviously still need to paint them though.

tstr1a · Apr 03, 2013 4:55 pm

skye02

tstr1a

totaly understand PD's point of view.

If the flooring did get damaged you would hold them responsible for the damages.

Oh i agree too and i admit that i would! Just seeing what other people have experienced with having a waterfall edge. Has anyone floored just under the island bench so that the island sits on top and the caesar sits ontop of the flooring or do you need to start from the edge of a room to fit timber flooring.

Meowsy, i just spoke with my flooring people who said to allow about $5 a metre to cut and fit the skirts - you will obviously still need to paint them though.

If you are having timber flooring, best for the floor to be laid first otherwise you will need to put quads around the waterfall.

skye02 · Apr 03, 2013 4:57 pm

tstr1a

skye02

tstr1a

totaly understand PD's point of view.

If the flooring did get damaged you would hold them responsible for the damages.

Oh i agree too and i admit that i would! Just seeing what other people have experienced with having a waterfall edge. Has anyone floored just under the island bench so that the island sits on top and the caesar sits ontop of the flooring or do you need to start from the edge of a room to fit timber flooring.

Meowsy, i just spoke with my flooring people who said to allow about $5 a metre to cut and fit the skirts - you will obviously still need to paint them though.

If you are having timber flooring, best for the floor to be laid first otherwise you will need to put quads around the waterfall.

Nooo! i hate quads!! thats the whole reason i am getting my flooring done elsewhere. Help!

mimi23 · Apr 03, 2013 5:11 pm

I have solid timber floorboards and a waterfall end on my island and also hate the quad.
My installer cut the boards to fit around the waterfall leaving about a 3-5 mm gap which was filled with flexible silicone colour matched to the boards.
We also had our skirting boards tacked on which we removed for flooring to go down then re-fitted them.

skye02 · Apr 03, 2013 5:20 pm

I don't believe PD tack skirting boards anymore

I have contacted my BC about my issues. I will see what she says. I am not having quads. Yuck.

I'd be happy to sign a disclaimer to floor that small section but I'm unsure if that can even be done yet.