Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Nov 18, 2011 10:04 pm Hi everyone. I just want to share a building experience that I had with Metri*con since the beginning until its almost end (its not finish yet) I build designer series home with Metri*con which is the 2nd from their top of the range options (top of the range option is only for 42sq +) and here is the experience that I went through: 1. Sales person – very good customer service, sweet talker and millions of promise; He said to me that you pay more because they have high quality standard. Metri*con studio M also has a latest technology and many different options that you can pick. 2. Studio M appointment The color selection staff was helpful in giving me advise in terms of color mix and match. It cost a fortune to upgrade with them, but unfortunately some is unavoidable because it have to be done during the construction period. Electrical appointment staff was not a good customer service and just write what you want. She give me a high tone after I asked too many question and I feel like she looked down on me from they way she talk because I didn’t include many upgrades. 3. Contract signing – was a good experience and very accommodating for changes until at later stage, I just realize that there were a catch. Penalty rate They charge me 15% pa interest rate if I make a late payment, but they only pay me late penalty of $250 pw (min) if they late in building completion. While the building and land cost around 600k. As a first time I signed a building contract, she went through this very quickly and she said to me that that rate is there just in case its late. We are not likely to be late because they allocate 52weeks and normally it takes about 40 weeks to complete double storey house. 4. Tiles appointment The staff at Beaumont tiles was helpful, but the problem here is that even if you pick the heavily discounted tiles but it’s not in the Metri*con standard category, you will get charge full price for the upgrade. It makes our decision making hard because you have to do through them for the wet area. 5. Construction - the nightmare starts here. During construction period (we suppose to get weekly update, but only get update every time they are about to issue the invoice to me advising that the job has completed): 1. Construction was start back in 5 Nov 2010. I was happy to see the concrete has been poured, frame up then bricks, window and doors. Before it locked, I was able to visit the house during the weekend and see all the progress work. 2. end of March 2011 – lock up has been completed (they pretty quick aren’t they?) 90% building cost has been paid. 3. June - organize a site visit to see inside of the house and notice that they install wrong post on the stairs. They happy to rectify this. 4. July - another site visit, the post has been replaced. And ask when can I expected to the hand over. They said end of July or early August. 5. August - received the phone call from them (was very happy I thought they are almost ready to settle) to advise me that the site manager has changed. I organize the site visit with to look at the site and meet the new site manager and he said that It will be finish by end of august/early sep. no progress has been made compare to July site visit. 6. Told my parents this and they book a ticket from overseas. Come September I call them and they said that it hasn’t finish. So I can only do a site visit. I went there, but no progress has been made since the July site visit. His reason was he was busy with the other project and just able to get his guy to start working only house. I saw people in there doing some work. He advised me that it’s likely to be hand over in end of Sep / Early Oct. 7. 19-Oct got an email from them to book time for presentation as building is ready t be presented. 8. 26-Oct went there with Theo from new home inspection. Notice couple of major defects mainly with bricks and mortar. Also after Theo left, I went through with the SS to find some defects in paint, window and doors. Every time we found a defect he put a sticker and said “His QA guy will pick this” after he said it about 3 times, he said to me “We just doing the QA person job”. Then I stopped going through the house. How can you present the house to me even before your QA person finish his work???? 9. 2 -Nov. another email for final inspection and I got a new site manager 10. 8-Nov site visit with Theo again and new site manager. Still have problem with bricks, other damage in list has been fixed. All paints and glass defects still there. When I want to go through the house with him to pick these, he said that in the next 1-2 days, he will get a coffee and spend hours to pick all of those issue. I trust him (Metri*con again). 11. 15-Nov supposed to be a settlement date. I went there on 14th and have a look that there is still a problem with bricks and mortar. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=52533 I emailed them on 15th demanding for statement from them. They only give me statement that they will wash the brick at 90days maintenance period. I refuse the statement and ask them to change it to state that it’s a know issue and they have to fix it even if occur after 90 days maintenance period. All I got is letter from them stating that the house has complete and have to pay within 7 days. After email back an forth we cancel the settlement. Asked them to withdrawn the completion letter but didn’t heard anything from them. (they have to pay penalty to me since 5th of Nov) 12. Today I finally settle the house: - Still found couple of defects in painting. - Nails and Joins for some part of ceiling is not covered nicely. - Don’t have a key to some of the door (locked and cant be opened). - Baluster steel on stairs hasn’t been cleaned properly. - Ducted heating doest have zoning (while I did upgrade for zoning) - Kitchen tap is not installed properly - Leaking from the toilet upstairs. - Some part of items in our contract variation wasn’t installed. Its already dark and I am in a very down state. I will go through the house again tomorrow and take some picture of it to complaints to them. Please give me some advises on how should I deal with them? Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading. Re: Metri*con - lots of promise - overcharge - under delive 3Feb 06, 2012 2:43 pm Hi All, I build with m3tr1c0n, there is 2 options, - Fixed site cost - $13000, including any rocks removal - Not fixed - $9500 based on Geosite program. after that I told them to use Not Fixed as my land in williams landing potentially flat. but a bit risk though Suddenly m3tr1c0n said to me that I can get rebate if the site cost is lesser. Should I believe them and choose fixed site cost? Here is what he said... " now we can offer fixed site costs, if the actual costs come lower, m3tr1c0n will refund you the balance, if higher, we will pay it, not you. So you get total peace of mind " Any experience ? Thanks Re: Metri*con - lots of promise - overcharge - under delive 4Feb 06, 2012 4:09 pm We are building with them and have not had any major problems so far. I suppose it depends on the staff you get to handle your build. You have to get lucky. http://lindeman28.blogspot.com - Our building blog Re: Metri*con - lots of promise - overcharge - under delive 5Feb 10, 2012 1:15 pm ndutzy, the maintenance department are totally different people from the construction department. You may have a better (or worse) experience with them. 90 days after settlement you go over to the maintenance department. But the important thing is - make sure you get everything in writing. If something is agreed over the phone or in person, then either write it down or email it and ask them to reply to the email confirming it. The reason for this is that if you have no record of it, then they will say it didn't happen. Metricon Riva 33 - http://herlihy-riva.blogspot.com Site start 15/03/2010 - Handover 23/12/2010 9 months and 8 days (284 calendar days) from site start to handover My land is 260m2 (10m x 26m) located in claymore NSW. Under campbelltown council. 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