Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Simonds Homes problems 243Sep 03, 2009 6:05 pm After reading most of these threads, I am glad I am not building a new home these days...especially with Simmonds...how can they even present homes like this...absolutely disgraceful...keep up the fight...I will stick with my 60 year old weatherboard. Re: Simonds Homes problems 244Sep 04, 2009 9:49 am Thanks Leeton for your support! I don't think anyone understands how houses of the quality we've seen on this thread can be passed as standard. Hence myself and many others have put up a fight to get them rectified! Don't worry - we all will be fighting for what we are rightfully entitled to!! Re: Simonds Homes problems 246Sep 06, 2009 7:53 pm SherWin Thanks also from us Leeton in relation to the support of the substandard building works. We have now reached the maintenance stage, and even the trades calling for this are unbearable. We had one attend yesterday who proceeded to pull his muddy gritty wheelie toolbox over our tiled floor and then over the carpeted area of the master bedroom ..................give me strength .......................you have to supervise everything they do. Do these people not have the intelligence to appreciate another's belongings. Looks as though the saga is bound to continue SherWin, How has everything been with the maintenance? I am still awaiting an update on the defect fixes from last week's 2nd PCI. hoping to hear something this week and potentially a date for handover!! Hoping everything is going well on your end! keep us updated!! Re: Simonds Homes problems 248Sep 08, 2009 4:29 pm amyife amyife Hi guys, This is my story with Si*monds. We have paid deposit in Jun,building modified Parkside3500(alfresco&dinning&study room added) in point cook, which is quoted approxi 240,000 with adding a small study room and all the upgraded inclustions.When I received the first drawing in Aug.(which took a long time don't know why), the ground floorplan was completely different from what we have agreed on the sales advice .Of course, the price was going up high as well. And my sales consultant have explained lots of seemingly professional architectural advice So, because of this , and due to the budget, I decided not to add study room. and from now on, our nightmare began. In order to comply with Almanda building guideline, we have to upgrade the facade, but simonds facade is too expensive from $3000 to $18000 and each of them is still not very good. (excepet you pay $18000, you got a paramount facade which include a balcony and feature wall, awning windows, rendering ). So I thought only to add a rendered feature wall and change to some awnning windows so that to get a better , cheaper facade. But after a few days, my sales called me said that the rendered feature wall was gonna be $3500 and each awnning window costs $1000 !!OMG!! The price is just crazy ! later, we got more problems about upgrading windows, overhead cupboard besides rangehood, upgrading ensuite benchtop,...things always not going smoothly. Now I understood that when caming to upgrading, Si*monds either charge much or did wrong drawing. I'm really fed up with this. I cannot see any hope if moving on to final contract and construction. So now I decided to give up S*monds. (besides, I haven't done color selection yet ) Anyone end up with them in the same way ? In my case, any hope to get my 1500 deposit back ? almost two weeks later, still haven't got any positive news from simonds about 1500 deposit refund, everyone was kicking the ball. Today, sales told me the detailed break down list of how much our deposit has been spent will be provided within this week. My question is : do we only have to accept whatever the costs gonna be they calculated ? If they told me the 1500 nearly run out , what I'm gonna do ? Re: Simonds Homes problems 249Sep 11, 2009 10:18 am Hi Guys, update from the last week or so.. Apparently the defects that were raised in last weeks PCI have been rectified, as of today (Friday).. but they will get back to me to make sure its the case.. I'm still getting correspondence from the assistant - who obviously doesn't go out to the houses herself to check. Hence I find it difficult to take what she says seriously. I get nothing from my CSO and my SS... yes.. really in it together as they say. I'm hoping that it has all been attended to - and to a satisfactory standard. 1 Item that i'm mulling over is the crooked tiling. The builder is saying that with all the walls slightly out, but within tolerance of course, that the tiling will inevitably be crooked! It's glad to see that mediocrity is tolerable at 'S'. They've come back and stated that they have had the 'National Building Manager' walk through the house and he said it is within tolerances. Funny that... as far as I or the building commission know, there are no tolerances for how crooked tiles can be. But yes hopefully will be heading in early next week for another inspection to confirm everything has been done. Then onto handover/settlement! one hopes!! haha. Amyife, sorry to hear about your troubles! I think whats important is that you get this breakdown from them. If it includes the site survey and soil tests, you receive a copy of these also as you have paid for them. If they can't substantiate anything with proof (documents etc) then question them about it and see where it takes you. They will obviously try and squeeze every last cent out of you.. but make then accountable and provide you with the proof of work they claimed to have already done! Good luck with it all..! Re: Simonds Homes problems 252Sep 11, 2009 1:52 pm amyife hi bunky, now I got it , Thanks for your advice.. No worries! Hope it works out well and u get most of ur money back! SherWin Hi bunky.....have been wondering how things were going with your rectifications! National Building Manager heh!!!!!!! ................be extremely wary of this one ................... Yes i was a little wary of this too SherWin. Whenever 'S' say that its within tolerances, or it's within policy, my ears prick up and on alert! I am waiting to hear back from them regarding the tiling issue. I raised a point that I was made aware of by Kevin, he had done an inspection for another house in the same area, same problem, tiles were crooked. It was raised and Simonds consequently lifted all the tiles and re-laid them. So for this situation it constituted a defect and worth rectifying, but for mine it isn't in the same category for some reason? I'm seeking clarification from them on this point. I have a feeling that they just want to get us off their books. Hence coming up with all this hog wash to avoid rectifying something they would normally have to do! it's not really something I can notice, but its something that Kevin raised. will need to decide for the sake of progression.. whether i should chase this further or leave it be. decisions..decisions..... Re: Simonds Homes problems 253Sep 11, 2009 2:42 pm hi , s*monds just sent me the break down list, only $74 left, here it is :
estimator contractor : $315 property information : $429 drafting costs : $682 so total is $1426 anyone has comment? I doubt what's the difference between estimator contractor and drafting costs? and what's included in property information? this list is too rough, not detailed at all how can I reply this ? Re: Simonds Homes problems 255Sep 11, 2009 3:08 pm amyife hi , s*monds just sent me the break down list, only $74 left, here it is : estimator contractor : $315 property information : $429 drafting costs : $682 so total is $1426 anyone has comment? I doubt what's the difference between estimator contractor and drafting costs? and what's included in property information? this list is too rough, not detailed at all how can I reply this ? anyone help me out ? Re: Simonds Homes problems 256Sep 11, 2009 3:38 pm Not sure Amy - can they be any more detailed that that? What does the property information consist of. Perhaps ask for evidence that this is indeed the cost of the ite,s. I'm sure there will be an invoice for the estimator contractor. I'm not sure if they use internal draftpersons - but you can ask nonetheless. just make sure you are 100% sure what they're quoting is correct. Ask for receipts/invoices. whats the harm? Re: Simonds Homes problems 257Sep 11, 2009 3:48 pm amyife amyife hi , s*monds just sent me the break down list, only $74 left, here it is : estimator contractor : $315 property information : $429 drafting costs : $682 so total is $1426 anyone has comment? I doubt what's the difference between estimator contractor and drafting costs? and what's included in property information? this list is too rough, not detailed at all how can I reply this ? anyone help me out ? Demand proof of all these works. Certificates, drafts, etc. Also what is the reason you puled out? We pulled out with Sim0nds due to the lack of ability to have things correct in the final contract and them not allowing us to look over the contrcat before signing it!! Which included $470 worth of drafting they refuse to refund so I have now lodged the complaint with BACV who think im in the position to receive the money back. Why should I pay for incorrect drawings and incompetence?? NO EXPECTATIONS, NO DISAPPOINTMENTS! Build Thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=27441 Landscaping Thread: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=43969 Re: Simonds Homes problems 258Sep 11, 2009 4:40 pm Many thanks for all !! yes, I'm going to ask for more details, like invoice, or relevant documents...this break down list is just too vague to be convinced Re: Simonds Homes problems 259Sep 14, 2009 10:05 am boiselfish amyife amyife hi , s*monds just sent me the break down list, only $74 left, here it is : estimator contractor : $315 property information : $429 drafting costs : $682 so total is $1426 anyone has comment? I doubt what's the difference between estimator contractor and drafting costs? and what's included in property information? this list is too rough, not detailed at all how can I reply this ? anyone help me out ? Demand proof of all these works. Certificates, drafts, etc. Also what is the reason you puled out? We pulled out with Sim0nds due to the lack of ability to have things correct in the final contract and them not allowing us to look over the contrcat before signing it!! Which included $470 worth of drafting they refuse to refund so I have now lodged the complaint with BACV who think im in the position to receive the money back. Why should I pay for incorrect drawings and incompetence?? Today, s*monds only provided the soil test report to me, which regards to the "property information : $429", but for other costs of "estimatior contracotor" & "drafting costs ", they did not want to break down to me in the email , s*monds said that " it is stipulated they can only provide the soil tests".. what can I do ? To boiselfish, I gave up s*monds because of the repeatedly incorrect drawings. Re: Simonds Homes problems 260Sep 14, 2009 10:37 am just called BACV as well... I was told I can get all refund in my case ... I am not a brick expert, but rendering would be 1 option, it would be costly to do the entire house though.... 2 6679 Hi all, has anyone been ask to do the weeds in their property while in the middle of build? We are under the impression that they are in control of the site while they… 0 2771 Have had a few issues with out recently done bathroom floor. Probably around 18 months old First there has been been a crack running through a grout line which I put… 0 2178 |