Which builder to go with?

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  Looking4Bargians on 07/12/2016 - 21:37

  how big you going to built. I am going with Henley next year SE Melbourne.

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  thechemist on 07/12/2016 - 22:35

  Depends on your site manager with the big boys (a bit of a lottery), You need to keep an eye on them and bring things to their attention during the build. They are all very similar but some let you modify designs e.g. Simmonds and others don't e.g. Carlyle.

  In regards to quality tradies none of the big guys can deliver consistently from what I have seen (All use subbies and often a lot of tradies are sourced off gum tree)

  These volume builders are cheaper though as a good local builder who has a core number of tradies that he works with would usually cost at least 20% more but it is definitely worth it.

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  Oz80085 on 08/12/2016 - 17:38

  Thanks for the advice. I am planning on building a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 living area home. Single story, about 25-30 squares. I looked at Henley as they do seem to be good value and have good inclusions. I made some enquiries with Carlisle and have been really disappointed by their service. I was told someone would give me a call about pricing and someone from their finance team called me and tried to get me to talk about financing with them. Dicks.

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  Zippie90 on 24/12/2016 - 23:09

  Hi there. I would say the same thing stay well away from Metricon I signed i contract on my 21st birthday and before hand over had slab heave due to there negligence after a 5 year battle and having to move out while they finally agreed to repair damages resulting in upto 9cm difference from the back to front of my house in July this year movement and damp carpet and lose tiles also causes mold which leads to health issues. The slab heave has caused a thing called salting. Where a white foam starts where ur roller door in the garage shuts it goes to around the whole internal walls and underneath and rots timber,attracts termites,and breaks down adhesive,morter and bricks which I have have bricks fall also aswell as twisting in walls my ceiling was that bowed it they discovered most of my ceiling was only held up with the cornes in feb this year I have had a mental breakdown and attempted suicide from this I'm 26 this should be the best time of my life but I'm trapped paying this defective house off unable to work due to anxiety and panic attacks I have developed from this i avoid leaving the house and looking at walls and have to be admitted to hospital so my mum doesn't have to keep watching me 24/7 worring ill succeed in ending my life. Metricon has destroyed my life and my health we are speaking with lawyers now to get another Metriconartist defective house off the streets every story is the same they never admit liability it's always blaming the same things

  I would not wish this pain my worst nightmare, I use to always have 3 jobs be healthy and active and now I get anxiety while food shopping or leaving home cus it is all I can think about and all I ever wanted I had been saving since I was 12 and got my first job and now I can't work all I can do is watch everythjng I have worked so hard for as a single guy fall apart literally on and around me.

  So please please choose wisely i was to trusting and it cost me thousands extra to make preventive measures with retaining walls that I had down as part of my contract. They dug 1.8m into a flat block that was meant to have no more then 400mm I have to do that and concrete around my house they places my house 6.4m back instead of 5m as per res code and a block with extremely highly reactive clay that gets dug into slab poured within 2 days and the keys 3 months later will do that they cut corners and blame everyone but them self

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  Oz80085 on 27/12/2016 - 21:28

  Woah, I'm really sorry to hear that Zippie90. I have heard a few horror stories from Metricon (but also other builders). I have budgeted a few thousand dollars to have independent building inspections at all of the key building stages. I also know several tradies in the area that said they're happy to look over the progress of the build on my behalf. So hopfeully I can avoid any issues with the build. It really is criminal what some builders have gotten away with. There have been several cases against Metricon that have gone in favour of the home owner. The cost of legal proceedings against that sort of company makes it very difficult for most to take them on. I hope everything works out for you mate.

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  Tj000 on 13/07/2018 - 13:43

  Hi BTaylor,
  I saw your post about another person asking to keep their PPOR and rent another place and I agree with you regarding what you said. Can I ask if you have had experience with renting instead of buying a PPOR? I could see with your comment that you have a similar thought process to myself and my husband.

  We are considering selling our PPOR to rent and potentially invest.

  Thanks for your thoughts,

  TJ :)