Frustration

Jac08 · Mar 04, 2008 12:15 pm

Ohhhhh the frustration of trying to get the builder to come out and FIX issues after handover!! Its amazing how far down the food chain you are once you hand over that final payment!! Unbelievable. We moved in Dec 07 and we are STILL waiting, waiting, waiting.........

PhoenixStar · Mar 04, 2008 12:19 pm

jac08 i think Matt would agree with you on that topic!!!

What issues do you still have that need resolution????

Are they delaying it for your 3 month maintenance appt???? It seems to be the common thing these days.....

jamiet · Mar 04, 2008 1:01 pm

I've found builders will delay fixing minor issues until the 3-month period so they aren't sending tradespeople out over and over again as people find each fault.

However, if there is a major issue like leaking plumbing or electrical faults, they should be out there ASAP.

ahuang · Mar 04, 2008 3:46 pm

That's one of the main reasons we are delaying our handover...
We don't want to fall into that trap after hearing so many bad stories...
Once you gave them your last payment, you lost control...

mattwalker · Mar 04, 2008 4:28 pm

**Phoenix**

jac08 i think Matt would agree with you on that topic!!!

What issues do you still have that need resolution????

Are they delaying it for your 3 month maintenance appt???? It seems to be the common thing these days.....

Jac,

I would (after having experienced it first hand) rather have held back my handover than go through what we have put up with over the last 3 months.

Trades attending, re-attending because of errors or omissions and mistakes, the constant flow of mess. It all adds up.

I have said it before and here it is again:

"DO NOT TAKE POSSESSION OF YOUR HOUSE UNTIL IT IS 100% FINISHED"

It really is that simple.

Our builder, Carlisle Homes, have been good at getting things fixed up (although the owner had to get involved in 100% of the cases) but the tradesmen they use leave a lot to be desired.

These guys are used to working in a "construction" environment and dont understand the concept of cleanliness or cleaning or wiping etc.

The maintenance crew are supposedly the "A" team and I look forward to having all the items in my house (that I paid for 3 months ago) fixed and working and looking the way the should.

We will wait and see...

I understand your frustration!

joaninhac · Mar 12, 2008 1:04 pm

that's what we'll be doing... not paying until all finished and we are 100% happy with the house, otherwise the future moths ahead would be a nightmare... especially with our builder!

mek · Mar 12, 2008 1:16 pm

Me too!!

Still waiting for things to be fixed after moving into the house in October last year.

As to delaying handover, I think I've read somewhere that it's actually illegal to withold payment once the builder decides it's handover time.?

joaninhac · Mar 12, 2008 1:17 pm

if the house contains defects, then i don't think it would be illegal to hold off on payment....

epiphany · Mar 12, 2008 4:03 pm

We're still waiting after nearly 11 months!!!!!

No problems with the maintenance people...just the original site supervisor (I have a separate thread about it further down the forum).

My #1 top tip to new home builders would be a reiteration of what mattwalker said: don't sign those papers until it is 100% finished.

For those in this position already, a suggestion of lodging a formal complaint with Consumer Affairs Vic might make things move on a bit. I'm just finishing up the final draft of my letter to PD. They have a week. Then we take it further.

Tam · Mar 12, 2008 4:35 pm

Can anyone help me with this:

I had a 3 month inspection and they said okay to fix things like big squeak in floor, shower glue needs cleaning, leak coming into garage and a door needs adjusting as it was touching my flooboards.

It has now been 4 months after this inspection and still no action. I have called them and apparantly the "fixer guy" left towm so they have a huge build up of jobs to do.

The door that needed fixing has scratched the flooring. The shower screen hardly closes and there are more things happened since the report.

Because they have not been out to fix these things, can I add to the list? Or can I say due to negligence of fixing the issues have excalated to ..... needing to be fixed now.

Thanks for any help.
Tam

Mrs B · Mar 12, 2008 5:48 pm

I waited 7 years for them to come back and fix everything they promised. We ended up selling the house. Do they really come back and fix things or is it just an urban myth?

Mrs B

ahuang · Mar 13, 2008 9:27 am

Mrs B

I waited 7 years for them to come back and fix everything they promised. We ended up selling the house. Do they really come back and fix things or is it just an urban myth?

Mrs B

7 years?! You must be joking!

Do you mean by selling the house, you sort of got it "fixed"? Or did they actually return to fix it before you sell the house due to warranty??

sammy · Mar 13, 2008 3:42 pm

i think that once you have accepted the keys- you've agreed that the house is almost completed. Perhaps writing a letter to the builder? or call the Fairtrading?

Mrs B · Mar 13, 2008 8:10 pm

ahuang

7 years?! You must be joking!

Do you mean by selling the house, you sort of got it "fixed"? Or did they actually return to fix it before you sell the house due to warranty??

Hi Ahuang,

They never came back at all :evil:

Mr B rang several times but the staff were extremerly rude and arrognant. No 3 month check or anything. We fixed everything our selves and contacted the appliance manufactuers ourselves. You just get on with it I suppose. Our neighbours with held 20k from the same builder for them to fix problems, dispute almost went to court...the builder never came back.

We sold the house after 7 years in order to fund our new one.

Mrs B