Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 04, 2008 10:21 pm Hi everyone. It's been positively aaaaages since I was here last but I'm back & I need some help, please!!! Sorry for the long post...
We have now been in our Porter Davis home for just over 10 months (man, time flies!). However, we are STILL waiting for some items to be completed from handover!! The last straw came today when hubby phoned the site supervisor from work after me phoning every week...then every day & him not answering or returning my calls since December - seems he was screening them. Hubby had some choice words to say to him...site supervisor tried to lie his way out of the conversation. We're supposed to be having stern words with the manager tomorrow. There are a few small things still to be done but the biggie is our laundry vent. We wanted to vent our drier directly outside via a conduit in the wall & ceiling. When we were doing our original specs/tender stuff, the office person said we would need to discuss our requirements at the electrical appointment. At the electrical appointment, we were told to discuss directly with the electrician. Electrician said no problems, they'd put the vent & piping in & to discuss with the site supervisor about constructing some boxing round the pipe (& wrote "drier venting - boxing to be built by other" onthe plan). We discussed the venting with the site supervisor. No worries, he said. On numerous occaisons. In front of both myself & hubby. He knew exactly what we wanted...even measured up the hose connected to the drier. In fact, the last time I saw him, he even discussed the connection required for the hose already attached to the drier to connect to the one in the wall. The venting was never completed. There's an outlet outside & a hose in the wall but it needs to be put through the ceiling down to the drier & boxing built round the exposed pipe. This was all detailed on our "still to do" list at handover (incl on the report from the inspector we brought in). This was signed by the site supervisor & we were told everything on the list (incl the vent) would be finished within 2 weeks of handover. Of course, it wasn't & here we are 10 months later with several outstanding issues. Near the end of last year, we got a letter from one of the boss-guys at PD essentially saying the venting wasn't done because we'd moved the drier (which we never did...in fact, we had detailed discussions at the planning stage to widen the cavity under the bench so we could fit the drier & there's simply no where else to put it!). Our site supervisor told us PD were simply concerned that we'd hold them liable if they damaged the bench top when they ran the pipe through & to reply to the letter absolving PD of responsibility should this happen...& then they could install the rest of the venting. I did this & never heard back from them. Throughout the entire building process, we were assured it wasn't a problem to put this in. That it would be completed. Yada yada yada. Now the SS is claiming he never agreed to it & PD won't put it in. So...can someone suggest where we stand, please. The additional boxing, etc is not specifically stated on our original contract variation. However, it is mentioned on the electrician's electrical plan. It is also mentioned on the "still to complete" list that was a result of the inspection at handover, which was signed by the SS. All the piping, etc is in place. We were assured throughout the building process that it was going to be completed. Never once were we told they couldn't do it until now. And the SS even wrote himself detailed notes regarding the boxing, connections, etc. Right up till December last year it wasn't a problem...& now it is. Again...sorry for the long post. But I'm so cross. What do we do?! Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 3Mar 04, 2008 11:14 pm Casa - BACV is?
E Sounds lke they are trying to snowball you.. due to their mistake. Maybe a video camera would be a nice thing to use in those conversations. Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 4Mar 04, 2008 11:22 pm According to Google, BACV is the Building Commission...Building Advice & Conciliation Victoria. I'll give them a call tomorrow morning. Their web page says they do disputes resolution. I'd be interested to know if anyone has had any experience with them.
I'm so cross, though We've had issues for 10 months...waited this long...& now they turn round & try to pull this on us. Victoria's most professional builder? I don't think so! Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 6Mar 05, 2008 12:07 pm Hi There,
My best advice to you is to start putting your story on paper. Write a sequence of events and refer to any documents you have. Unfortunately, words can never be validated so if you have any emails/letters about the issue you should start collating them all together and then start doing a timeline. In teh event that it goes to court or dispute resolution stage you have all the facts to back you up. Good luck. I know its going to be hard but you should talk about the facts and not opinions. smeags. Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 7Mar 05, 2008 3:06 pm I have built before and I am currently building again. Let this be a lesson to us all to have EVERYTHING in writing. That way no one can argue about what was or wasn't agreed to! Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 8Mar 05, 2008 11:19 pm Herhaps a phone call to head office to ask for the nearest location of a large number of display homes, and that you will be down there on the weekend handing out flyers as to your experiences with PD??
Maybe a bilboard on your car? If it has taken 10 months to get this far, then I would take the gloves off. Adrian B Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 9Mar 06, 2008 2:02 pm I contacted BACV yesterday. They advised to send a letter (another one...sigh) to PD via registered post & give them 7 days to sort it out. Then lodge a formal complaint with Consumer Affairs VIC.
Let this be a lesson to everyone...DON'T sign handover until EVERYTHING is satisfactorly completed (& definatly don't listen to the whole "we'll get it done in 2 weeks" rubbish). And get written, signed copies of EVERYTHING. Needless to say, we still love our house but would think twice about recommending Porter Davis based on our experience. Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 10Mar 08, 2008 9:20 pm Thanks for sharing your story epiphany, 10 months, wow, that's a long time.
Our neighbour built with Clarendon and moved in mid last year. They have similar experience with builder ignoring their calls about fixing problems after hand over, after 7 - 8 months of waiting, they gave up... I guess the biggest lesson to people like us who hasn't reach final handover yet is, never accept handover and pay the last payment until all issues resolved! Re: It's been a while but I need some urgent advice, please 11Mar 23, 2008 10:44 pm Thought I'd give an update.
PD haven't contacted us directly (I'd still like an apology, to be honest, but I'm not holding my breath). However, two contractors have been in touch regarding 2 of the many outstanding items I detailed in my letter. They're the easiest two to fix, though...so only time will tell if the other items will be completed (including the laundry fan). My threat of legal action still stands...so if things aren't completed in what I consider to be reasonable time (rather than what PD seem to think is reasonable time), we'll be making a formal complaint. PD...or PD reps...if any of you read this: I'm throughly disappointed in your service & supposed "Most Professional Builder" rubbish you were using as promo fodder a year or so back. Because our experience (backed up by others' observations) has led us to believe otherwise (just so no one gets ansy about me making claims on the MB & all...all of this is able to be backed up). Heck - even the painter who turned up today (not a normal PD painter) to fix your mistakes told us bluntly that the exterior paint work was c**p (the 3rd to tell us this, I might add). Right...vent over...as you were... Thank you @. Tried to play with the facade models but the exact colour is not matching up. 2 1033 Thank you so much for the effort. We will use it to talk with builder. We also had idea of building duplex instead and seeking suggest ions. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=106744 11 10744 Hello everyone Please advice me how can I install mesh security window or we cab say mesh flyscreen inside while the pvc plantation shutters are already installed? Is… 0 7838 |