Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Apr 27, 2008 3:25 pm Hey guys,
For those building with PD - is it possible to go to National Tiles for a browse prior to going there for your selection day (like you can go to Hopetoun on the weekend) I haven't even looked at tiles and would be interested to see what the range is like, b4 the appointment Cheers Bel Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 2Apr 27, 2008 3:37 pm Bel,
We're not building with PD, but I'm sure that you could go there for a browse anytime. This is the same with Beaumont - M's tile supplier. You would be able to ask too, which tiles are standard for your house. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Built the Nevada 42 Next project - landscaping! Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 4Apr 27, 2008 3:58 pm Actually, we went to Beaumont several times before our tile appointment.
This is to make sure we like the same tiles everytime we go there. As you know.. most women change their minds as often as they change their clothes . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Built the Nevada 42 Next project - landscaping! Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 5Apr 27, 2008 4:05 pm Actually, we went to Beaumont several times before our tile appointment.
This is to make sure we like the same tiles everytime we go there. As you know.. most women change their minds as often as they change their clothes . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Built the Nevada 42 Next project - landscaping! Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 6Apr 27, 2008 4:15 pm I went to both Beaumont Tiles and Kefton Ceramics, the two tile places that DFH use.
The lady I spoke to at Kefton was very helpful and pointed out which tiles were builders standard and which were upgrade. I think that most of the tile places use stickers to show which are builders standard, which should assist with your selections. Dana -------------------------- Building with DFH - carpet installed! Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 9Apr 27, 2008 6:03 pm Bel, when I went down the PD road, I went to my tile appt and was very dissapointed - I knew what I wanted but they didnt have them.
Then when we chose a tile that was an upgrade they charged like a wounded bull Having just redone the ensuite at home I had a fairly good idea of cost and theirs was sky high. So if you can go for standard, or be prepared for the cost. They wanted to charge a 'special laying' fee to lay a different tile in the niche - I mean cant the tiler pick a tile up from one pile for the main stuff then reach for a different pile for the niche??? Same size tile just different colour Anyway good luck give them a call to ask if you can go and make sure you go to the one that PD uses as the other NTiles may have differrent ones that arent available to PD. Paula Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 10Apr 27, 2008 6:38 pm The project home builders can cut the costs of building because they build so many homes.
As a smaller builder, we couldn't care less what tile you picked so long as it was within the price range we quoted - usually $35.00 - $70.00 per m2, depending on your home. To me it sounds as if they actually have bought pellet loads of specific tiles at special pricing and anything else has to be charged at full retail. You should understand that when you build 2000+ homes per year then you have serious buying power for everything from timber to tiles to kitchen appliances. Those discounts are largely passed on to you the home buyer but if you want to buy from outside the standard box then you will pay full retail - there is no rip off here that I can see (not that i have any interest in defending PD etc), but purely market economics at work. Builders are people too.... Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 11Apr 27, 2008 7:29 pm I went in to National Tiles in Port Melbourne prior to our selection appointment as it was months after our colour selection appt at Hopetoun and I wanted to have a good look at what I would be matching up with in the tiled areas.
I think I went in on a Friday (?). The consultants were dealing with appointments and didn't offer too much assistance which was fine. They did give me a quick run down on what was standard etc. We selected mainly standard tiles - it suited our neutral tones and we are only using them in our bathrooms, toilet and laundry. I think we only paid an extra $280 (this included the 'extra' for laying certain tiles) Good luck Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 12Apr 27, 2008 9:04 pm Quote: Those discounts are largely passed on to you the home buyer but if you want to buy from outside the standard box then you will pay full retail - there is no rip off here that I can see (not that i have any interest in defending PD etc), but purely market economics at work. I think you missed my point, it was the laying charge that I had the issue with. If I chose the same tile for the niche as well as the shower the laying charge was the same (regardless of if it were a standard tile or upgrade). but if I chose a different tile for the niche (standard or upgrade) they wanted to put a hefty laying charge on it. Quote: As a smaller builder, we couldn't care less what tile you picked so long as it was within the price range we quoted - usually $35.00 - $70.00 per m2, depending on your home. The same tile at a tile shop for $60.00 per m2 was $85.00 at Ntiles for PD Paula Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 13Apr 27, 2008 9:06 pm Oh yeah, I chose a standard tile for the walls and floors and put a feature tile in the shower niches and the extra came back at $6000.00.
Now you cant tell me that there is $6000.00 in 3 wall niches and a strip of feature above the 3 basins!! Paula Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 14Apr 27, 2008 9:29 pm Sorry, I see that now. What sort of fee are we talking about?
Just the same I still think this laying fee will be related to the cost of importing the standard tiles and that they make their profit from you using those, not from using others. That is, as soon as you choose a different tile then they simply cannot make the markup on the new tiles to cover the loss of profit so they load up the 'laying' fee. If your new tiles were porcelain (as many are now) as opposed to ceramic then maybe they can justify an additional cost to lay. Plus, someone has to order and pick them up etc - all has to cost something. Again, depending on how much this fee is determines how it is justified I suppose. Although the $6000 fee does seem incredible. I presume they will argue that it is your choice to agree and pay - it all comes down to how much you personally value having those choices. As I have said in other places on this forum, if you go the project home route then do it and don't add or change anything and you will get the cheapest home that could possibly be built. They work on wafer margins, hence why we call them volume builders because they survive on volume. Not very personal, but that is the business model - you get their choice, not yours. Builders are people too.... Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 15Apr 27, 2008 9:39 pm Quote: That is, as soon as you choose a different tile then they simply cannot make the markup on the new tiles to cover the loss of profit so they load up the 'laying' fee. I must say there were a few thing like this that arose that ultimately steered us away from big builders. It was certainly a learning experience. We went down the track of getting a custom builder and were very happy until DH found and established house we fell in love with and all our plans went out the window! Paula Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 17Apr 27, 2008 11:06 pm Thanks everyone
I was pretty sure there would be a day or two it wasn't open to the general public, weekdays suit me better so that's good I am definatly hoping to get a standard tile, no more upgrades 4 me!! Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 18Apr 28, 2008 11:06 am hi P aula just read your post about being charged extra for the niche tile, i did a ** when i saw the tiler i asked him to change the tile in my niche.. he did .. site super didnt notice.didnt charge anything maybe thats an option for you. Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 19Apr 28, 2008 11:12 am Quote: hi P aula just read your post about being charged extra for the niche tile, i did a ** when i saw the tiler i asked him to change the tile in my niche.. he did .. site super didnt notice.didnt charge anything Very clever of you!! Quote: maybe thats an option for you. Doesnt matter now we went down a different track. Paula Re: Porter Davis - Tiles 20Apr 28, 2008 12:22 pm Quote: I am definatly hoping to get a standard tile, no more upgrades 4 me!! Hi Haywgl, we said exactly the same thing - and it cost us an extra $3,700 Good luck with that. Cheers, Tim -------------------------------------------------------- Built 'Cremorne 41' with PD - Handover took place in Nov '08 http://homeforourcherubs.blogspot.com/ Three options 1 Ask the liquidator 2 Find another PD customer and ask the source of their report 3 Pay for new report 3 12337 Firstly the ableflex that has been installed needs (manufactures specification) a sealant cap over the top, preventing water draining down between the slab and the… 3 7780 Our house was completed 8 years ago. Builder did not leave any spare roof tiles behind. Just found out that one tile is cracked. Wanted to replace the tile but most… 0 2781 |