Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Apr 24, 2008 11:17 am I'm just wondering if builders or their employees read this forum? Has anyone received any benefits or responses from their builder after posting a complaint or recommendation? Re: do builders read this forum? 2Apr 24, 2008 11:31 am User be warned! Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: do builders read this forum? 3Apr 24, 2008 11:39 am What do you mean? Is it risky (?) to post a comment about a builder? Perhaps not mention actual names is better? Re: do builders read this forum? 4Apr 24, 2008 11:48 am sammy What do you mean? Is it risky (?) to post a comment about a builder? Perhaps not mention actual names is better? https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=4978 check this link out.... Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: do builders read this forum? 6Apr 24, 2008 1:00 pm I wonder if there is any correlation between the fact that Phoenix has 44 pages devoted to her house and she is receiving excellent service from her builder. No offence meant Phoenix - I think I might start a 44 page effort so I get good service too. Fi has moved in!! Re: do builders read this forum? 7Apr 24, 2008 1:48 pm brittany I wonder if there is any correlation between the fact that Phoenix has 44 pages devoted to her house and she is receiving excellent service from her builder. No offence meant Phoenix - I think I might start a 44 page effort so I get good service too. No offence taken Brittany, but i do need to say here that i raised my single thread and my blog to invite my fellow forum members and family along on our building journey and by no means, to sway my builder in any way. If you take the time to read it from the beginning, you will know that we HAVE had our fair share of issues too. I do not think that any one build project would be without at least ONE issue occurring. I am happy to say that i have taken an active part in our building process and made sure i was involved wherever i could be. I am not one to stay quiet and those that know me, will confirm that. When issues have arisen prior to or during our build, i have discussed them calmly and rationally with our builder at whatever level was required to get the best outcome. I must re-interate that GOOD COMMUNICATION with your builder is the key to any successful build. Maybe we've been lucky that we've had good tradesmen/staff with our build to keep it moving along fairly smoothly. Maybe, we walked into this build with some previous building/renovation experience and realistic expectations of what would/could happen??? I cannot answer for all builders. I know some read this forum, I also have mentioned before, that ours does, and am happy to say that at least they listen to what their Customer's and the general client base have to say. Not all builders are like that. And i must also say, there are other forum members (i will not name names) who have threads covering their entire building process as well and the issues that they have experienced. They are STILL experiencing problems. I think that everyone is entitled to raise a thread(s) about their building experience, BUT do not think that it will or should, in any way, sway your builder to do any better a job than they should be doing in the first place. If anyone has issues with their build, my recommendation is to take this issue and sit down with your builder and discuss it until it's resolved. Using the forum as a soapbox to vent is not the best way to achieve a positive resolution. Re: do builders read this forum? 8Apr 24, 2008 5:37 pm I believe our builder reads this forum and our blog and I think some of his suppliers are keeping tabs as well .
We have an excellent relationship with our builder; but I don't think that is due to the forum - it's because we work hard at keeping channels of communication open, raise issues in a respectful way and accept that the building process is not necessarily smooth. As some of you know we've had some tough times recently with our windows but this has improve. Our comments were in no way meant to sway the process but rather provide feedback on what was happening for other forum members - and to log our own progress. I don't doubt many builders watch the forum. If I was a builder I would certainly keep in touch in order to identify trends and establish why ppl were choosing some builders over others. Re: do builders read this forum? 9Apr 27, 2008 7:23 pm I am a builder and I read and post to this forum. Why? Because there is so much misinformation out there when it comes to clear and honest consumer information.
To my mind, any half smart sales manager at a major builder should be trolling this site on a daily basis and SOLVING the problems as they crop up. Usually that is what happens and this is so much easier (and cheaper) than everyone going postal and forking out thousands of dollars on a lawyers picnic at the tribunal. All building projects, mine included, live or die by the quality and extent of the relationship that we build together. We must build the relationship before we build the building or we will have problems. If your relationship is based on price, then don't expect many warm and fuzzy feelings of respect, trust or integrity because you have not built that relationship - you built one on price and price alone. The basis of all relationships are trust, and trust is built by effective communication - there is no other way. If I have no other mission for the building industry then it is to educate my colleagues and future consumers on that one point. There are far too many unprofessional horror stories on this forum and in the community generally. Building a home is the single biggest investment most people make in their lifetime and I believe that we can and should still be doing much better as an industry. There you go, off the soapbox now! Builders are people too.... Re: do builders read this forum? 10Apr 27, 2008 9:59 pm Whilst I do not know the issues regarding individualy cases, some building comapnies have directly contacted the owners regarding information posted by members on the forum. Whilst the details are no-ones business but Homeone, the builder and the forum member, I cannot emphasis enough the points that both Phoenix and Builda have made.
People are too quick to whinge, dog and post about issues, when a simple phone call can explain, solve, or make your supervisor aware of an issue. As Phoenix stated, "I must re-interate that GOOD COMMUNICATION with your builder is the key to any successful build." People should contact their builder in the first instance, and then if they are not gettting anywhere by all means can 'make the issue public'. Many points have been created regarding keeping records. Builda's comments are spot on. Building a house is a relationship. You need to work on it. I had a greaqt relationship with the Big M. if I had a question, or someting didnt look right, then I asked. If I felt it wasnt correct, i pushed, but I asked them in the first place. PS I am not a builder.... Adrian B Re: do builders read this forum? 11Apr 27, 2008 11:02 pm I think so - when talking to the sales person at one of the display houses we visited yesterday I mentioned that I had heard some very positive things about their home designs when reading an online forum ... the sales person replied "is that the Homeone forum?, we read that all the time" .....
So I reckon if the sales people are checking it out ... those further up the food chain are Fiona Re: do builders read this forum? 12Apr 28, 2008 8:49 am builda I am a builder and I read and post to this forum. Why? Because there is so much misinformation out there when it comes to clear and honest consumer information. To my mind, any half smart sales manager at a major builder should be trolling this site on a daily basis and SOLVING the problems as they crop up. Usually that is what happens and this is so much easier (and cheaper) than everyone going postal and forking out thousands of dollars on a lawyers picnic at the tribunal. All building projects, mine included, live or die by the quality and extent of the relationship that we build together. We must build the relationship before we build the building or we will have problems. If your relationship is based on price, then don't expect many warm and fuzzy feelings of respect, trust or integrity because you have not built that relationship - you built one on price and price alone. The basis of all relationships are trust, and trust is built by effective communication - there is no other way. If I have no other mission for the building industry then it is to educate my colleagues and future consumers on that one point. There are far too many unprofessional horror stories on this forum and in the community generally. Building a home is the single biggest investment most people make in their lifetime and I believe that we can and should still be doing much better as an industry. There you go, off the soapbox now! Well said!!!! I agree, builder should be watching this forum, and not just shoot you down when you have a negative comment to make. They should use it as a guide to improve their standards!! Great to have you here and making positive comments. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: do builders read this forum? 13Apr 28, 2008 8:52 am Talinsmum I think so - when talking to the sales person at one of the display houses we visited yesterday I mentioned that I had heard some very positive things about their home designs when reading an online forum ... the sales person replied "is that the Homeone forum?, we read that all the time" ..... So I reckon if the sales people are checking it out ... those further up the food chain are Fiona That’s what I was trying to hint at with my original post!!!! YOU’RE BUILDER! I can tell you now……they will have all had the heads up about Homeone. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: do builders read this forum? 14Apr 28, 2008 1:22 pm Quote: I agree, builder[s] should be watching this forum, and not just shoot you down when you have a negative comment to make. They should use it as a guide to improve their standards!! This is true - I have seen some get a bit carried away....very sensitive lot we are! Don't forget, the building industry is a tough jungle and most only survive as the alpha male hence they don't take too kindly to other peoples views and percieved critisisms! While I love to be the 'boss', I think I learned to get over myself a long time ago! Anyway, we need to remember that every cent that is generated in the domestic building industry is generated on the back of the contracts we sign with our clients. Every cent that pays suppliers, subcontractors, lawyers, sales people, councils, insurance companies - all comes from those contracts and ultimately from your (the consumers) bank accounts. Consequently my philosophy is that we need to bring some serious respect into these contractual relationships as the builder and the consumer are THE primary stakeholders in this industry. There is no longer any room for petty and stupid 'alpha-maleism' in our industry. This forum is invaluable as it gives and sends a very strong and powerful community voice to the state of the industry - in real time! THe Victorian Building Commission keep pumping out stats (at our cost!) trying to prove how fantastic everything is and what a great job they are doing. The reality however, is here on forums like this so congratulations to all the contributors! This is the power of the internet in real time. Builders are people too.... Re: do builders read this forum? 15Apr 28, 2008 1:34 pm Do builders read this forum?
YES Do builders care about what is written here? OF COURSE Do they care enough about their clients to listen to them after their posts here? SOMETIMES - They are pretty quick with the 'legal' threats though.. Should builders pay more attention to this site in the future? DEFINATELY - Homeone has become 'THE SITE' to discuss building and renovating. (Done a google search on the big builders names lately to see what comes up??? ) Re: do builders read this forum? 16Apr 28, 2008 1:50 pm Adrian B People should contact their builder in the first instance, and then if they are not gettting anywhere by all means can 'make the issue public'. Many points have been created regarding keeping records. Building a house is a relationship. You need to work on it. If I had a question, or someting didnt look right, then I asked. If I felt it wasnt correct, i pushed, but I asked them in the first place. I agree that we should contact our builder if we have concerns and that it is not a good idea to flame them on the forum. Sometimes I will post on HO first in order to get feedback from others and establish if my concerns are legitimate / or expectations unrealistic. HO has provided me with excellent advice many times, particularly when we were struggling with the hydronic heating/cooling issue. As it stands now: our builder knows that if I have a concern I will do my own research and then contact him to establish where he sits on the issue. It has worked famously for us and I have to add that the HO forum has helped me to maintain my relationship with our builder and specify issues for resolution. On the other hand there have been times when I have contacted the builder first - usually when it is blatantly obvious that there is an issue that needs to be addressed. To date he has been fabulous (probably because he always agrees with me ). Re: do builders read this forum? 17Apr 28, 2008 8:04 pm DeeElle, as they say - "knowledge is power' and what you have described is the information revolution in application.
The information revolution was supposed to deliver knowledge, independent of vested interest and as you have seen it is powerful when applied properly. All strength to you! Builders are people too.... Re: do builders read this forum? 18Apr 29, 2008 8:08 am Whilst in the early stages of building I conveniently let it drop that on the internet (gave the webpage) there were some unhappy customers. I had a great relationship with our customer person and since then I believe the big H has been watching. This was a year or so ago
I think it can only benefit all. Reply to ... Do builers read this? 19Apr 29, 2008 11:38 am Hi there,
I'm sure that even if the builders don't read it, someone else does. In this day and age, i believe you need to be politically correct, as to not offend any1. have a moan or a whine, but slandering is OUT!! Have a gr8 day! Re: Reply to ... Do builers read this? 20Apr 29, 2008 11:45 am Totally disagree. Politic correctness has gone mad. We need to go back to the days of saying what needs to be said.
If you have to make sure that what you say doesn't offend anyone, then barely a word would be spoken. In Victoria you cannot put a caveat on arising from a domestic building contract. 65 112673 They already have two well known ones (HIA & MBA) that many new home buyers mistakenly think are regulatory bodies that Joe Public can complain to. 6 18136 2 31573 |