Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Home Owners Warranty 16Sep 11, 2006 10:38 am Ouch! I know there's some sharks out there, but I had never realised so many people had been so severely affected by * builders!
I promise we're not all bad First off: Yes - Home Warranty Insurance is a joke. It offers very little protection for consumers, and it is a MASSIVE headache for builders - to the extent that some have gotten out of the industry for good. Secondly, there is a simple way to find out if a builder is worth his salt. SPEAK to his previous clients - don't accept written references. I would ask for the builder's 3 most recent clients, that way he can't pick and choose the 'good' jobs. Even with the best builder, not every job is good. Finally, I think one of the biggest issues to be addressed is the systems (or lack thereof) that builders have in place. Most problems in construction occur because of inadequate planning, and particularly estimation. I cringe when I hear of builders applying a square meter rate to a one off architectural home, then following up with no cost or time control. One day, it's going to end in tears - probably the client's AND the builder's. I think I might write up a more detailed checklist for procuring a builder. The one on the fairtrading site leaves a lot to be desired. Andrew Re: Home Owners Warranty 18Sep 12, 2006 9:04 am Hi burned,
You and I are not the first to think that the Home Warranty system needs to be reformed. Check out http://www.builderscollective.org.au to read some of the stories from my side of the fence. I'd like to hear your full story, similar to how rada wrote at the start of this post. I'm sure the rest of the forum may benefit too. However, please don't tar all builders with the same brush. There are some that are genuinely good businesspeople, and are deeply concerned for the welfare of their clients. For example, when we had a massive hailstorm on the Coast here nearly 2 years ago, the first thing I did (when I felt safe to come out from under the table ), was to send a couple of my guys around to each of the houses we had built in the area to do a damage inspection and make any emergency repairs. This enabled the owners to get their insurance claims (if needed) in fast, and we could repair the works before any further damage was done. There are many other builders that extend this level of service - and despite what people think, our profit margins are no more spectacular than other builders, or even small businesses. Often we will not have the cheapest tender price, because we have the experience in place to make sure we don't miss anything. Problems arise if a builder gets halfway through a job and realises that he's forgotten to allow for, say, the cladding (it happens ) Engaging a builder is not a process to be taken lightly. You wouldn't buy a car without spending weeks scouring the Internet for articles. It's a lot harder to do the same for builders. Andrew Re: Home Owners Warranty 20Sep 13, 2006 11:33 am Hi burned,
Please don't get me wrong, as it's very difficult to convey emotion through an online forum - I don't think you're having a go at me personally. Would you be able to private message me the name of the builder, and maybe a brief rundown of your story? I really would be interested to hear. I do have a very strong interest in promoting reform in the residential building industry warranty scheme. Sure, I can trawl AUSTLII and read some of the horror cases to see what goes on, but nothing beats speaking with people who have painfully been through the process. If I was building a house with a contractor, my biggest concerns would be as follows: 1. Is the builder going to do the work to the quality I expect, and within the contract conditions agreed to? 2. Is the builder going to remain solvent thoughout the job? 3. What will happen if the builder can't finish the job, eg. death, disability, etc? If anyone feels that they can add anything to this list, please do. Now, under the Home Building Act, and the associated Home Warranty Scheme (in NSW I'm talking) these are the issues they are trying to protect you, the purchaser from. The problem, in my opinion, ****** in the execution, not the principals that the Home Warranty Scheme is based upon. Put simply, there NEEDS to be a better insurance policy for residential building. One that: 1. Protects the consumer for the FULL value of their construction, not the ridiculously low $200k cap. 2. Is more detailed in its policy wording, so that consumers know exactly what they are protected from, and for how long. There is an insurer in the states whom I respect - see: http://www.qbwc.com/Builder/Liability_and_Coverage.asp - note how it is THE BUILDER who must warrant everything for the first two years. This is fair enough, and encourages quality workmanship - although some liability must also be borne by the consulting engineer. The biggest problem, is that insurance Companies will refrain from paying out wherever they can - until this changes, home wrranty 'protection' will remain a joke. I'd love if Australian Standards could develop a standard along the lines of ISO9000 for builders, who are only then able to obtain good insurance cover. I'd invest the money to meet it in a second. Andrew We already paid for somfy motors for the blinds. The quote above was purely for “pre-wiring” so the blinds company can install the motors and blinds. That’s why we… 5 16288 From what I know about water tanks (I've been working with a client on them for a few years now) is this - The concrete can last a lifetime if they don't crack for some… 2 10639 go upvc window frames ensure insulation under colorbond. not just sarking, lighter color roof also not sure if you have seen this viewtopic.php?t=5823 last couple of pages… 4 110576 |