Porter Davis homes

inglewood · Feb 25, 2014 10:23 pm

bramsy

Did anyone have their curtains and blinds measured by a third party before handover? We're thinking of having the curtain measurements done during one of the inspections.

Also did anyone manage to get heating points into the downstairs ensuite and laundry (to dry clothes in winter)?

We have our contact appointment in a couple of days.

We're not building a double story, but upgraded our heater and have had extra ducts put in in the laundry (for clothes drying), ensuite and bathrooms.

sliick · Feb 26, 2014 12:24 pm

Has anyone got the fly screen adapter for their stacker / bifolds?

Was told that PD don't do them... but I confirmed separately with Stegbar and they do have it as an option.

MummaDJ · Feb 26, 2014 2:14 pm

sliick

Has anyone got the fly screen adapter for their stacker / bifolds?

Was told that PD don't do them... but I confirmed separately with Stegbar and they do have it as an option.

I know of someone else who did get them put it for their bi-folds. It is often easier for PD to say "No" to something out of the ordinary. If you really want it, then let them know that you have spoken with Stegbar and you do know they make them. In fact, you can check the specs, I believe they may even be built into the same frame as the door???? So can't be too different to install. Get all your info first though. Ask Stegbar if it is all in one piece. I got some pricing to install after handover for our bi-folds and it is around $1800-$2000. We have no flyscreen at present, the flies seem to be our friends!!!!! We are planning on putting an external fan outside the bi-folds - we have a batten light there ready to change over. Hoping that will limit some flies!

Advice - with your bifolds, check your plans to see how they open. We don't like ours at all. It doesn't have a single door that opens first, when we open the door, 2 leaves of the bifold pull back. Because of the way it opens, there is no handle on the outside to get in. Very bad design by Stegbar.

clairemumto5 · Feb 26, 2014 2:49 pm

we are very very very close - cant wait...

MummaDJ · Feb 26, 2014 2:53 pm

Looks amazing CL - fun times ahead. Enjoy

ajd78 · Feb 26, 2014 4:25 pm

How exciting Claire! Im very jealous.. We seem to be getting one setback after another :-/

It is extremely frustrating.

The latest setback is the internal hinged doors. They cut the hole too big to fit the handles we have chosen - so we can either reselect the handles (choice of 4 - of which two option is chrome or satin chrome - so 2 really) OR have to order new doors, wait for them to be painted etc etc.

So frustrating!

ondrej09 · Feb 26, 2014 6:36 pm

just a questions for those who just have the gas ducted heating, what is the size of the outlet vent that PD uses?

Back Pocket · Feb 26, 2014 7:51 pm

clairemumto5

we are very very very close - cant wait...

Love your flooring Claire, looks like it is coming together for you now. So jealous you managed to get inside.

Ajd, I felt like "OMG what else can go wrong" :::

when I read your post. Fingers crossed that is the last drama you have. You must be getting so close!

Our fences are due to start Monday, a big thank you to our SS who moved our bricks off the boundary so we can actually get them put up. So hard with 4 neighbours getting everyone to agree.

Sambogirl81 · Feb 26, 2014 9:12 pm

Claire your house looks fantastic, I especially love your bath in the ensuite.

We have PCI booked for Monday but will be very surprised if it goes ahead! We had the painters out to render the outside ( we built in hebel - so whole house) and they have rendered in feature colour with feature in the colour we chose for the whole house. So needless to say they are repainting. Different details in plans to construction drawings it seems. Our SS is amazing on top of everything, just seems Porter Davis really let everything down in the paperwork side of thing. We had the driveway laid today and has been done not according to plans???? I guess another thing to chase up tomorrow. Its almost concerning about what I can't see and understand.

Good luck everyone for a productive week everyone

Scott2233 · Feb 27, 2014 10:14 am

clairemumto5

we are very very very close - cant wait...

hi Claire

it looks great when everthing comes together

BTW, which floorboards you have used? we like the greyish tone of it

Jackula · Feb 27, 2014 1:20 pm

We've just run into our first dispute with PD. Can someone here offer some advice?

Last year when we had our PD electrical consultation, we wanted to discuss electrical load balancing and running of dedicated circuits. We were told they don't put load balancing information onto the clipsec and it's something we would talk to our site supervisor about and he/she would relay the information onto the electrician.

We just spoke to our site supervisor, he says unless there's been a variation raised BEFORE site start (for us that was three weeks ago) then unfortunately he can't do anything.

We've purchased $25k worth of equipment under the pretense that dedicated electrical circuits would be put in as long as we requested this from our site supervisor. So we can't accept a handover that doesn't include dedicated circuits in locations that we desire.

What is the best way for us to proceed? Many thanks in advance!!

MummaDJ · Feb 27, 2014 1:50 pm

Jackula - suggest you contact Helen from PD via this forum and see if she can assist in anyway.

Jackula · Feb 27, 2014 4:27 pm

Thanks, I will try to contact Helen tomorrow. I've been trying to reach our BC for most of the day without much luck.

ajd78 · Feb 27, 2014 4:47 pm

Sambogirl - I hear you! I think unfortunately for PD they work as individuals. Hence one person does one job and its passed on to the next person without much thought and care. We have had so many issues with plans and communication its not funny! Good luck moving forward.

Jackula - also hope you get a good outcome - did you have it in writing? or was it a verbal thing?

BP - I am so jealous - it sounds like your SS is amazing. I think ours is just over it!

inglewood · Feb 27, 2014 6:15 pm

Oh no! Bummer about your PCI being put off adj. Ours is set for next Tuesday - Should be safe (only things left to do are install the spa and the splash back and just the little touch ups they'll do after PCI)

Yep, sometimes PD's left hand doesn't seem to know what its right hand is doing.... And I agree with the writing thing. Get everything in writing. Even if it's just a text message. Our SS asked us if we wanted the left over bricks that were still stacked up (they get rid of the loose ones). We said yes. No bricks were left behind when the brickies left (and there had been plenty!). SS asked us if we wanted the left over colourbond roofing, we said yes. It was taken away when they did the site clean. Neither of these things we had in writing because it was a verbal question when we were with him, we should have sent him a text afterwards to confirm it

Pity, because we have paid for the bricks and the colourbond. We had thought a brick letterbox would be nice, it's just handy to have some spare bricks laying around, hubby was planning on using the colourbond when he makes the aviary. Our SS has been great, don't get me wrong - this is the only complaint we can make about him (and site clean was done just over he had handed over to another SS who will see out our build - not sure why the change, maybe he is going on holidays).

Jackula · Feb 27, 2014 7:29 pm

ajd78

Jackula - also hope you get a good outcome - did you have it in writing? or was it a verbal thing?

Verbal.

Fact - PD don't put load balancing information on their electrical contract. So if it did end up in court, it would just be one person's word against another.

Fact - since we're only at frame stage, there's no reason they can't do a PCV.

Back Pocket · Feb 27, 2014 7:37 pm

Jackula

ajd78

Jackula - also hope you get a good outcome - did you have it in writing? or was it a verbal thing?

Verbal.

Fact - PD don't put load balancing information on their electrical contract. So if it did end up in court, it would just be one person's word against another.

Fact - since we're only at frame stage, there's no reason they can't do a PCV.

Do yourself a favour and email PD every time you talk to them with a précis of what was said, or buy a book and note times, dates, people when you speak to them. I have notes of every discussion with anyone from PD along with texts and emails. There are so many people involved at PD, you have to manage the process. Especially as you could get a change in BC or SS.

PD used to have 24/7 which you could login and see everything, all calls, emails, letters etc but for some reason canned it. It was brilliant.

Team PD · Feb 27, 2014 7:50 pm

Jackula

We've just run into our first dispute with PD. Can someone here offer some advice?

Last year when we had our PD electrical consultation, we wanted to discuss electrical load balancing and running of dedicated circuits. We were told they don't put load balancing information onto the clipsec and it's something we would talk to our site supervisor about and he/she would relay the information onto the electrician.

We just spoke to our site supervisor, he says unless there's been a variation raised BEFORE site start (for us that was three weeks ago) then unfortunately he can't do anything.

We've purchased $25k worth of equipment under the pretense that dedicated electrical circuits would be put in as long as we requested this from our site supervisor. So we can't accept a handover that doesn't include dedicated circuits in locations that we desire.

What is the best way for us to proceed? Many thanks in advance!!

Hi Jackula,
I have received your PM and this has been forwarded to the Regional Business Manager. Someone will be in touch with you ASAP regarding your concerns.
Regards, Helen

Wateman · Feb 28, 2014 7:18 pm

Hey everyone,
How picky were/are/will you be with faults in the house? Eg a small dent in the gutter?

I'm still early days, I just reached lockup, but I've notice a couple of small things such as a scratch on a sliding door frame and a dent in the gutter..
I can love with these if it's normal to live with them, but if I should expect it in perfect condition then that's what I want.

hagar · Mar 01, 2014 9:04 am

Well I am approx 2 weeks from hand over and I have finally had enough of our BC I am emailing to their manager on Monday requesting a new BC be assigned and an official letter of apology be given by PD.

This BC is either over worked or incompetent! Emails are not responded to within a timely fashion, a and not once have we had an email preempting anything it has all been driven by us asking when will this happen etc.

And this is despite one more than two occasions their manager being complained to. If this BC worked for me they should have been already given 3 warnings and fired for not coordinating anything!

Example: we receive a letter from PD accounts to say house was nearly at PCI and to start arranging the bank to do their thing, it also said the BC would be I contact shortly to arrange the PCI inspection, over a week went by and nothing from the BC so again I initiated contact to ask when the PCI inspection would be, requesting as much notice as possible as both myself and my partner work full time. On Friday at 3:40pm I received a reply to my email sent over 24 hours earlier to advise that the PCI would be on the following Monday, with not time only the BS would contact us to advise the exact time. I called the BS who advised that the PCI would not be Monday so the BC again didn't bother to coordinate anything and call the BS to confirm that Monday was still scheduled and to get a time.

Now I'm not sure what PD flexible work arrangements are like but if giving you boss less than an hours notice that you are not coming in on Monday especially when there are meetings already booked but for me that is not enough notice especially when I requested it.

What makes this worse is the sIte supervisor is excellent at his job and other PD customers that I have talked to have not had a bad thing to say about their BC. From our current experience I would be advising anyone considering building with PD to think again, which is a shame because this is all because of one person.

Can PD please respond to myself with contact details for PD complaints email address and also details for the regional manager for north Vic so I can send a full detailed report to.

I am also currently writing a full good bad and ugly after build review detailing all good and bad points through out the whole process, more than happy to give PD the first right of review before it is posted here

Hagar - annoyed with my BC. More than happy with my SS
Looking forward to PD's reply