I'm wondering if others have had similar experiences with builders like me. Would like to hear your experiences…
I've been working with a builder, with a clean QBCC license, on a detailed quote containing provisional sums and prime costs to renovate a property involving the replacement of the kitchen and laundry, raising the sunken living room floor and adding an ensuite and bedroom wardrobe. The builder had originally priced a very high quote but we've been working with him to cost down the quote and land on a contract price of over $110k since I had purchased some of the prime cost items myself. The builder had even showed us a property that he said he was finishing for a couple, which was renovated inside and out.
However, once finalising the quote and moving onto the contract, I have found working with the builder quite challenging. The builder originally presented me the detailed quote as a contract for signing and asked for a 20% deposit to secure trades. However, I insisted that I be presented a proper contract since the contract price was over $20,000 and to reduce the deposit to 5%, which he did.
Unfortunately, when I was presented a MBQ contract he didn't specify a start and end date nor how these dates would be determined. Furthermore, my partner and I realised he never advised us of his margin either. Eventually he ticked the options for how these dates would be determined, though I've still yet to sign due to some reservations I have.
One day I was driving past the property the builder had showed us and noticed that it was on sale not long after he had showed us. I called the real estate agent as I was interested in why the couple was selling and whether there was any issues with the property. However, to my surprise the agent advised me that the builders were actually the owners and had originally purchased the property as their head office, but needed to sell it to boost their business's cashflow and at a price where they wouldn't make too much loss.
I'm currently contemplating of moving onto another builder. But I'm just wondering, is my experience going back and forth with the builder regarding our contract normal or am I getting the rough end of the stick….
The cashflow issue is a bit of a problem for me too…
Builders dodgy? Yep, it's a thing. A big thing. It's almost impossible to do proper due diligence these days because it's a self regulated industry, which is capitalist code for wild west.
Many if not most contracts turn the building site over to the builder, and clauses allow them to walk away if the future owner pisses them off. An 'reputable' independent builder inspector paid by you is the best option. People get so traumatised during the building process (because disasters and grief is common) they rarely talk about it because it triggers them. That's why when you explain drams you are having the silent sometimes say, "yeah we had heaps of drams when we built, too."
TLDR
Self regulation is a rort.