Is This Paint Work Acceptable for a Newly Built Home?

peppet on 03/05/2022 - 17:39
Last edited 06/05/2022 - 09:53

We just had a new home built from ground up by a certain Home Building Company. The general workmanship is ok, but the paintwork doesn't look up to scratch.

Photos: https://imgur.com/gallery/DKYQo27

We recently got stains and unfinished bits patched up and this is their "finished" product. We're still under the warranty period so we can ask for more to be done.

Is this the best it's going to get and I should just suck it up? Or is it actually unacceptable?

Also, would I be being too unreasonable if I asked them to re-paint the whole house? (the entire house is like the photos above)

Edit: thank you guys so much for all the tips and advice. I am now very stressed but I'm going back in with way more insight and conviction than before. Consensus is that it's a bad job and needs more than a painter to fix as AH suggested. They've responded saying they're going in for a more "thorough" check, and I'm going in with an independent building inspector. I am very much looking forward to getting this fixed and uncovering (preferably not) any other issues. If you are constructing, definitely get legal advice all the way through regardless of the cost (would've saved us a bunch of money) and as everyone said below, an inspector at each stage.

We're still working with AH who are being helpful, though the process is long and tedious. This initial post was to say I was unhappy with what they deemed finished/their best work, will update with the fixed finish product.

Poll Options

  • 9
    Acceptable
  • 577
    Unacceptable
Home & Garden

Comments

  • Hybroid on 03/05/2022 - 17:46
    +20

    No way that's acceptable quality for a brand new home. Nice to hear you've got another potential option from the poo-riddled lawn apartment though.

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 17:48

      The apartment is my partner's and I'm living with him while this place is built. Sadly he owns it so he can't be rid of poop lawn, yet… I got this house built so he can hopefully move in with me but judging by the 3-year process so far it'll never be done

    • drfuzzy on 06/05/2022 - 13:40

      Maybe the builder is pooping on the lawn

  • djones145 on 03/05/2022 - 17:50
    +38

    paint job is the last of your worries
    thats easy to fix

    check for leaks, build quality, whether you got what u paid for, everything works and built to plans

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 17:58
      +3

      We wanted to get an independent inspector in to assess the house once it was finished on AH's end but that hasn't happened yet.

      I'd like to get one in ASAP since they've said it's "finished", and then again.

      • djones145 on 03/05/2022 - 18:27
        +19

        is that the bathroom?
        get a bucket of water and make sure the water flows towards the drain

        check the tap work, drains and all the seals. leaking bathroom is more important than some dodgy paint job

        • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 18:42
          +7

          Thankfully I'm only a few mins away, just drove over to check. Wobbly tap in the kitchen that I didn't notice before, thanks for the advice!

          Drains are working well. Shower, bathtub and sinks don't leak after having the water on for 2 mins and filling sinks half way (do I need to do it longer)? Other taps are all good, no leaks or wobbles. Checked under the sink cabinets too. Toilets also look ok, no leaks in/around the actual toilets or taps.

          Thankfully this torrential rain has confirmed that there are no major structural leaks anywhere.

          Is there anything else I should look out for?

          • djones145 on 03/05/2022 - 18:49
            +11

            @peppet: main thing with bathrooms is the water drains towards the drain (learnt from the block)

            check kitchens, any gas stoves or joints? use dish washing, get some bubbles and place on joints and check if it moves (leaks) check on the roof see if any leaks (shouldn't be any since it rained)

            check all power points are working
            doors and floors are level (bring a tennis ball and see if it rolls) check of the doors all close properly and can be locked. check windows are aligned.

            that's about all I can't hint of

            • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 18:54
              +2

              @djones145: This is fantastic advice, thank you! I'm returning tomorrow to do a better check in the daylight.

      • SBOB on 03/05/2022 - 18:50
        +11

        We wanted to get an independent inspector in to assess the house once it was finished on AH's end but that hasn't happened yet.

        I would do this asap as they would give you a good quality report to go back to the builder with as a defects list, including paint work, before any initial defects reporting time period elapses.
        Find one with good wraps on homebuilder forums.

        • trapper on 04/05/2022 - 11:03
          +2

          Yeah this is what OP needs to do.

      • Silent-zai on 04/05/2022 - 00:21
        +3

        too late now but you should always have at least a 3 stage inspection done, cost money but will ensure everything is good before the final hand over of the keys.

      • ruddiger7 on 04/05/2022 - 09:42
        +14

        Make sure you attend with the independent inspector. I was unable to due to work and later found out that he didnt check many of the things he was meant to. He told us that he lets all showers run for 4 minutes straight on all new homes. If he actually had've done that 3 of the bathrooms would have flooded due to the drains being installed incorrectly. That and various other things which went unchecked, he ghosted us too when we complained.

        • DoctorCalculon on 05/05/2022 - 00:06
          +3

          Ouch! Sounds like you need to pay another professional - Inspector Overwatch to make sure the Independent Inspector does their job properly.

    • striker5950 on 05/05/2022 - 13:37

      THIS^^^ i wish paint was the only problem with our granny flat build

  • AndyC1 on 03/05/2022 - 17:51
    +6

    Ask them if their home has this quality finish or better?

  • MS Paint on 03/05/2022 - 17:54
    +29

    Do they have display homes?

    If yes, visit one, take photos of the finishes and compare.

    I bet they are different. Take this further. The paint subby they used is super amateur.

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 17:59
      +7

      Great idea. It's only a 45 min drive, we're absolutely going there

      • knasty on 03/05/2022 - 18:06
        +7

        Yeah that is a great idea. Would help with any potential tribunal dispute where you can compare advertised and actual product.

      • trapper on 04/05/2022 - 11:05
        +7

        A waste of your time imho.

        Just get an independent inspection done professionally.

    • drfuzzy on 06/05/2022 - 13:43

      You need independent inspector report for tribunal. Will it cost you more than you'll get back? That's my question.

  • iNeed2Pee on 03/05/2022 - 18:02
    +21

    That is unacceptable. Disgustingly bad, I would be ripping them a new one.

    • drfuzzy on 06/05/2022 - 13:44

      Won't help you.

  • Harold Halfprice on 03/05/2022 - 18:23
    +6

    That second pic of the wall in particular, and the last pic are both completely atrocious and I wouldn't even deem them acceptable if you specifically had a cheap painter redo an old house. That's below the standard you'd expect even from a cheap painter.

    Regardless, the builders have clearly tried cutting costs and gone with a cheap and inexperienced painter - I'd be concerned about what else they've cut costs on. Paint you can see, but unfortunately there's a lot of things you can't.

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 18:46

      I am now very worried about the other things. On sight, everything looks ok, but not entirely sure how to make sure.

      I've done a quick check for leaks thanks to djones145 above and it looks ok so far.

      I'm too inexperienced in general to know what to look for, even with google and friends, so I'm getting an inspector in who will hopefully do a good job

  • boomramada on 03/05/2022 - 18:26
    +1

    Don't you have a 90 day grace period? Made any complaints? Is that the only issue you having? Then you are one of the lucky one.

    Document all the defects and complaint to the builder via your convincer.

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 18:59

      Yep. Looking at reviews for home builders in general, people have had some horrible experiences. I'm stressed about something happening after our 90 days, since some people have had collapses etc. months into living there.

      Currently have a very detailed list with photos of all our grievances, it's a long list. Most have been fixed but this paint issue is neverending.

      • Ulysses31 on 04/05/2022 - 17:54

        90 day maintenance period is useless. Once they have your money, and you’re trying to live there.
        Get a highly regarded independent inspector NOW. Most are garbage.

  • thatonethere on 03/05/2022 - 19:05
    +12

    Just get a building inspector. They will be about 500 or 800 but give you a report in defects in a language the builder should accept.

    If you do see if you can price in a remediation inspection

  • [Deactivated] on 03/05/2022 - 19:21

    No way

  • godofpizza on 03/05/2022 - 19:38
    +5

    if the paintwork and wall are crap i would be checking everything else around the house with a fine tooth comb and submit a fix list for maintaince to deal with.

  • Puglife on 03/05/2022 - 19:46
    +16

    I've lived in multiple "brand new homes" whilst renting over the last 10 years…as a result I decided to buy an established older build as opposed to building a new home.
    The general competency of tradesman these days is a joke. Ranging from shoddy paintwork, stains on the rendering, doors not lining up, even door handles on upside down and hot water service hot/cold connections done backwards…in all honesty this paintwork doesn't even surprise me.
    If you are going to build make sure to check every step of the way because the workman will constantly be cutting corners!

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 19:58
      +2

      I feel the same. Older homes were built really solid. I can't believe the blatant shoddy work I've seen in new construction, like they're hoping by the time they're done the customer will be too exhausted to check or complain, or the problems won't show until months or years later.

      Unfortunately I could only afford a place buying with my younger brother, and my parents wanted to build a new house as their passion project using our mortgages so we agreed. They started the process and bailed on us completely out of nowhere, so here's us in our early 20s barely adulting and trying to just get it finished. We break even in the end but it's been an absolute nightmare. I do not recommend it to anyone unless you have plenty of time and experience, especially with this company.

    • bigbadboogieman on 04/05/2022 - 15:33

      Define older homes… Around year 2000, around 1980s, around 1960s?

      Just need an insight as we will soon be on the market to buy a home.

      • Puglife on 04/05/2022 - 15:40
        +1

        It depends where you live. Personally I just avoided anything built in the last 10 years as i live in a reasonably new area. I also wanted a modern home and was looking for "open plan living". My house I think was built in 2005 so it's not old but at least I could see what I was getting rather than look at a well finished display home and end up with a sloppy representation.

        • bigbadboogieman on 04/05/2022 - 15:41

          I do believe there was a time when building inspection was done by independent inspectors throughout the build and not done by the builders themselves. Somewhere along the way, this law was changed. I am unsure when did this change occur.

          • Puglife on 04/05/2022 - 15:44

            @bigbadboogieman: I was present for two "building inspections" after the build as two of the houses were brand new that we rented. This was about 5 years ago and both were done by the build supervisor about 3 months after the build. He just kept saying " don't worry about that"…I figured it wasn't my house so why bother, but if it was my house I would have been devastated by this lack of responsibility.
            I'm sure quality builders still exist but few are around and most will cost more money for the quality finish. Too many cowboys around doing cheap prices targeted at first home buyers.

        • drprox on 05/05/2022 - 13:56

          I just bought the same era after owning plenty of older places. This one is built well for what would've been nothing too extravagant from a big builder. The one thing that I'd a letdown though given the era is the walls have no insulation!

      • JonnyCookieDough on 06/05/2022 - 09:12

        This is important. Many "solid" older homes are well built but the building standards at the time might not have required insulation or vapour barriers, won't be up to scratch with modern wind load requirements or provide the indoor air quality possible in new homes. There were cowboy builders in every generation, too.
        New homes aren't automatically bad. Cheap homes usually are though. Indeed, by cheap I still mean the 5 bed volume home with a cinema room and "multi purpose space". It might cost you a lot to build it but it is cheap for what you're supposedly getting in terms of area. That price comes at compromise. Build small, build well.

  • bmerigan on 03/05/2022 - 20:06
    +3

    Check the fan/rangehood above the stove actually vents somewhere. Ideally to outside.
    I discovered after 15 years that our kitchen fan had a dead-end behind it. Always thought it didn't work very well…
    I installed a duct up through the roof.

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 20:53

      Another think I hadn't thought of, I'll add it to the list, thank you!

      • godofpizza on 03/05/2022 - 22:01
        +1

        The venting into the roof space has changed recently. It's now mandatory to vent to outside the roof (Vic AFAIK)

        • 0FoxGiven on 04/05/2022 - 23:20
          +1

          Thats kind of misleading. The clause is that the roof space needs to be ventilated. So builders have whirlybirds for that.

          What bmerigan was saying was to have the rangehood vent directly outside (costs extra). Almost all builders vent the kitchen rangehood into the roof space. So cooking smells stay in the house for longer. Especially if you have ducts in your ceiling.

  • xtremehell on 03/05/2022 - 20:20
    +14

    of course there's some imgur idiot commenting in linked pic without context 🤦

  • Quantumcat on 03/05/2022 - 21:06
    +1

    Have a look inside the roof, if there are leaks it could take a couple of storms before the water comes through the ceiling somewhere.

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 21:13
      +1

      Shoot…. i will have to buy a taller ladder. I very much hope it's bone dry, I so do not want to deal with any more issues from this company

      • Bren20 on 04/05/2022 - 11:08
        +2

        you'll need to go up there in heavy rain with a good flashlight (not your phone)
        If you go up after rain you won't see minor leaks that show only when its raining heavily.

        • WhyAmICommenting on 04/05/2022 - 17:21

          Brisbane roofs got found out recently :P

  • Pelicannn on 03/05/2022 - 21:21
    +5

    Make sure they painted the top of the doors too… normally they cheap out on that spot as it can't be seen easily.

    • peppet on 03/05/2022 - 21:31
      +2

      The list of things I didn't think of never ends! I would have never checked this, thanks!

      • ego22 on 03/05/2022 - 23:00
        +6

        Top and bottom of the doors**

        • elgrande on 04/05/2022 - 08:26
          +4

          Don't forget inside the doors. Need to make a hole to check.

          • dasher86 on 04/05/2022 - 08:35

            @elgrande: How do I fix the hole now?

            • Pelicannn on 04/05/2022 - 10:50
              +2

              @dasher86: Tell the painter they left it… Along with the top, bottom and apparently, inside of the door.

          • Bren20 on 04/05/2022 - 11:09
            +1

            @elgrande: this isn't the worst bit of advice, you could remove the handle and make sure the hole is primed

            • elgrande on 04/05/2022 - 12:17

              @Bren20: Also underneath the hinges..

            • WhyAmICommenting on 04/05/2022 - 17:22

              @Bren20: Would they really bother? I’d be surprised if they did. Should they?

              Edit: answered below

    • Bren20 on 04/05/2022 - 11:08
      +1

      does this really matter? definitely for external for weather seal, but internal i wouldn't bother?

      • Pelicannn on 04/05/2022 - 16:28
        +7

        Naar, it kinda does, moisture from a bathroom or even high humidity can seep into the wood so I’d recommend all surfaces painted.

    • peppet on 06/05/2022 - 10:48

      You were right. The tops and bottoms of the doors look like they only have a single coat, you can see the wood through the paint.

      I have no words.

      • Pelicannn on 06/05/2022 - 10:54

        Standard mate. I’ve recently built a new house and had the exact same problems. It’s a bit of an overused saying, but they really just don’t build them like they used to unfortunately.

        • peppet on 06/05/2022 - 11:38

          Hmm.. so many people having the same issues over and over again, yet no tighter regulation.

          Why is the standard so low

          • ankor on 06/05/2022 - 21:34

            @peppet: Greed is the answer.

          • Daz91 on 06/05/2022 - 22:02

            @peppet: You know how tradies run you off the road in the Ford Rangers because they think they can do whatever the (profanity) they like and nobody’s going to do anything about it? Yeah it extends to their workmanship too.

  • Savas on 03/05/2022 - 21:48
    -6

    I don't see the problem. My house is 100 years old and rat infested.

  • askme69 on 03/05/2022 - 22:01
    +2

    That's horrendous.

  • morse on 03/05/2022 - 22:10
    +2

    Not sure if it’s the paint or what’s under the paint, but it definitely doesn’t look right. Sorry that this has happened to you. Some good point above. Also see if there’s any Facebook groups for people using the same developer/builder, it’s possible others have has similar issues if it’s a larger company.

    • Some Human on 04/05/2022 - 01:07
      +6

      It looks like they got silicone on the wall and couldn’t be bothered cutting it off, so they just painted it.
      Dodgy af

  • altomic on 03/05/2022 - 22:11
    +1

    Earl of Lemongrab

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 03/05/2022 - 22:25
    +2

    for brand new that is no even close to acceptable

  • squirrel14 on 03/05/2022 - 22:53
    +1

    Oh dear god no thats not ok. we just recently took hand over of a brand new home and even our site supervisor picked on the tiniest of cosmetic mistakes. Youre buying a brand new home so that's what you should expect, Brand New

    do you also know which building association the builder is part of? (HIA etc) because you might even be able to ask them if its acceptable

  • Archi on 03/05/2022 - 23:56

    For paint..

    Walk around in the dark and shine a torch on an angle to the wall once you see the imperfection you will notice it normal light

    Start sticking sticker dots everywhere there is a defect record all the defects via photo and on a numbered spreadsheet

    Tick off ones that ate complete or you accept by the builder.

    • mrhanky71 on 04/05/2022 - 17:08
      +1

      you cant look for painting defects in the dark with a torch.

      Paintwork is defective only if it can be identified from a normal viewing position 1.5 metres directly in front of the surface in natural light.

      • Archi on 04/05/2022 - 21:28
        +1

        Yes that's right.. but once you've seen the defect in the dark under torch light… you will be able to pick it in normal lighting conditions.

  • mini2 on 04/05/2022 - 08:52
    +2

    Worse than the cashies painter I've used last year and I had to accept some of their faults because they were couple of grand cheaper than everyone else.

  • Porker on 04/05/2022 - 09:07

    Did you do a final inspection or any inspection before handover?

  • cashless on 04/05/2022 - 09:27

    Is this Sydney Opal Tower?

  • dharmesht on 04/05/2022 - 09:44
    +2

    Looks more like DIY job.

  • slow on 04/05/2022 - 09:56
    +2

    That is shocking. The timber work is bad too, not to mention that crack. If they are prepared to leave stuff like that that you can see I would hate to think what there is that you can't see.

    I know it is too late but another advertisement for getting inspections during the build to check all the stuff that will end up being covered (foundation, framing, plumbing, waterproofing, drainage etc)

    I would definitely get an inspection now though - if this is an indication pretty sure they will find other stuff as well. Most important is checking that water doesn't get anywhere it shouldn't

  • Blackadda on 04/05/2022 - 09:57

    Minor issue, but certainly a defect they should come and clean up… Don't lose too much sleep over it though.
    repainting house is not an option but messy finishing like that really isn't Ok.

  • goms on 04/05/2022 - 11:10
    +1

    oh no.. the patched up paint on the wall (Did they knock the wall after it's painted?) and the different shade of white just above the skirting… that is so amateur! They will need to repaint the whole wall.

  • Logical on 04/05/2022 - 11:18
    +5

    1st photo: not just painting - frame needs a scrape, patch, paint, silicone…. other trades involved than a painter. True, painter could spend more time and make it right on behalf of other trades, however not commonly done
    2nd photo: patch on wall… definitely re paint whole wall
    3rd photo: patch on skirting…. definitely re paint the whole skirting
    4th photo: stair stringer… appears to have a stuck paintbrush bristle. Gap between stringer and wall needs a carpenter to fill in with a timber trim to stop bugs etc, after which it is to be painted.
    5th photo: architrave damage and hairline cracking. Not painters fault. Who bumped into the architrave? Did this bump move it and caused the hairline cracking or has there been settlement/movement resulting in this hairline crack?

    • peppet on 04/05/2022 - 11:34
      +1

      Jeez, the maintenance team said it's just a paint job and that'll fix everything. Thank you for all these details. Clearly they're bs-ing me if it needs more than a painter to fix.

      The current painter "fixed" the patches we pointed put by panting over them with a larger area creating a larger patch. I think I'll be requesting a new painter, or forward your post details to make sure he knows what he's doing

      Mod: company name removed

    • peppet on 04/05/2022 - 13:44

      Actually re the frame needing scraping and silicone etc. Is that something the tiler was meant to do when doing the bathrooms? Our tiler was really great and charged a tonne

      • Logical on 04/05/2022 - 15:39
        +4

        Here is the thing… there are still some trade contractors out there who will go above and beyond their 'scope' to ensure that their work is tip top… this includes preparing the area/fixing up others work. Now I know that some tradies have had enough of fixing up other tradies work as they are not paid for that and/or it will set a bad precedent allowing all trades to half complete their work as the next guy will fix it.

        It appears that some tile adhesive may have ended up on the frame… and the painter painted over it. So who is to blame…. the tiler for not cleaning properly after his work or painter for not cleaning before he starts?

  • sauxliu on 04/05/2022 - 12:24
    +1

    Wow I thought Porter Davis was quite average with their quality of finish.

    Yours is basically unfinished.

  • Dabbler68 on 04/05/2022 - 12:30
    +2

    I will join others and say you really need a house inspection by someone who knows what they are doing. You may need a report from a licensed inspector as sufficient evidence force the builder to cooperate. Otherwise they will continue to pass it off as minor. The cost in comparison to what may actually be wrong is small. Think of it as insurance.

    You are being duped.

  • johnno07 on 04/05/2022 - 12:39
    +1

    Does the building company fit into the "very cheap off the plan" type homes (i.e. Coral)? This sort of workmanship and laziness when it comes to extremely visible portions of the house terrifies me about what they are doing structurally/behind the scenes.

    Mod: company name removed

    • peppet on 04/05/2022 - 13:47
      +4

      It seems like they didn't have a duplex design and we were the first, so it was built off one of their narrow home designs and mirrored. My parents chose the company and in hindsight it may not have been the best choice but I still feel their product should match the finish quality of their display homes, or at least be of "new home" quality

      I have learned through this thread that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing and have made many bad decisions, so we are getting an inspector in ASAP

      Edit: to say I do not recommend them. They were a pain to deal with and the customer liason officer we got was very rude to me the entire way through.

      • Herbse on 04/05/2022 - 15:08
        +6

        If you ever build again. Get an inspector to inspect the building at every stage. Slab, Frame, roof, interior etc.

        It costs a couple of grand but the checks are invaluable and the builders have to fix the problems because what the inspectors find are building code violations.
        Most builders hate them and only want an inspector at the end of the build when all the faults are hidden and can't be seen by any inspection.

      • johnno07 on 04/05/2022 - 21:45
        +2

        I have learned through this thread that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing and have made many bad decisions

        Learning what you don't know is honestly extremely valuable - so that's a good take away if nothing else. Don't beat yourself up too much. It's rough when your mistake is trusting someone to do the job you're paying them to do. Best wishes for getting everything resolved!

  • Brick Tamland on 04/05/2022 - 13:49
    +1

    The quality standard for paint is quite low. There is an actual test which I cant remember now but my builder told me about it as I was self-assessing my own poor DIY paint job. My builder told me that there is a distance to stand away from the wall (straight on) to assess any issues. He did this for mine and he said it would pass. Your paint work is much worse than mine and I seriously doubt it would pass.

    • peppet on 04/05/2022 - 13:51
      +2

      I wonder what I've looked at with my inexperienced eyes and brushed off as acceptable because the stuff pictured stood out very clearly. Someone suggested going in with a bright torch, and I've noticed more when we've had proper sunlight reflecting off everything.

      I'm guessing our painter and the company's QA team didn't spend more than a few seconds glancing over everything if they're professionals and missed what I saw.

      I think I'll go in there with a bunch of friends for fresh eyes and sticky everything we can see before the inspector arrives so we can ask about it

      Mod: company name removed
      Very stressed at the moment, thank you very much for all the advice

      • Brick Tamland on 04/05/2022 - 13:53
        +2

        I am pretty sure it has to be assessed in natural light and straight on. So you cant shine a torch at it and you cant look at it on an angle with glancing light.

      • drfuzzy on 06/05/2022 - 13:50

        At least your learning on a single home. I learnt this building an apartment block.

  • Herbse on 04/05/2022 - 15:04
    +1

    Looks like a fairly new building company with limited reviews. That's the risk when you try to save some money by not going with the bigger companies unfortunately.

    You can definitely tell them you're not happy with it. But who knows what they'll say. I would definitely complain.

    Did you get a building inspector to check their work during the building stages?
    If this is how they treat the areas the customer can see, I would hate to know what the areas that can't be seen now are like.

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