I usually don’t post questions like this to public forums, but I read this forum whenever a good heading shows up, and usually find myself aligned with many of the views expressed. So figured I’d post this issue I am having with my house builder, maybe I am in the wrong and can’t see it.
I am building in Perth through what I was led to believe was one of the better builders. They have been in business for 40 years, surely that must account for something?
My first indication that I made the wrong choice was after putting my deposit down in mid June 2019 I was constantly having to chase the sales person about estimates for the changes we wanted to make to the house, his excuse about repeated delays was that management had higher priority clients. I can’t believe he said this to me, it still puts a sour taste in my mouth.
This cat and mouse went on for months trying to get contract papers and working drawings for finance approval. A few months later we saw our house laid out on the block in a cad drawing for the first time, not the sales person scrapbooking (literally uhu stick and scissors). Which was all wrong, we had chosen a larger block, and a house design that would give us the space to put a pool in. This was a hard requirement up front when we put the deposit down, that the backyard have ample space. But on the plans, the house was pushed all the way back… The response was, the house does not fit further forward (tapered corner block). So that night I spent hours and hours trying to shrink the house without compromising the living areas. I was almost ready to quit out of sheer anxiety and frustration, when I realised that the numbers didn't add up on the plans. In the morning, I spoke to the sales guy who initially didn't believe me, but after proving to him (simple maths) they came back with new drawings of the house pushed so far forward that I would not be able to fit a car on the driveway… another hard requirement… How does this even happen? I would assume CAD software auto calculates everything?, it's like the numbers were manually entered
I could go on and on with issues, like the tile sales people noticing our ensuite shower’s drain not under the shower. Or them coming back to me telling me I put light switches in the shower which is against regulations…. I am no architect, but I am pretty sure I would not have asked for a light switch in the shower.
Anyways, the slab got laid in February, and I am still waiting for completion. If the government didn’t extend the grants I would have missed out… I do appreciate the delays COVID has caused, and have been quick to approve their request to extend the build time. But a friend in the office started building a similar spec house in the same area after me, and they moved in a few months back… And seeing the speed other houses got completed on the street… It is frustrating to say the least.
But now we get to the current issue, which I am sure will not be the last. But it's the straw that has finally broken my back… A month or so back we were informed the tiles we had selected for the kitchen splashback were no longer available. We went to the listed tile suppliers, and none of them had what we wanted. So we ended up asking to replace that tile with black glass. They quoted $1040, I didn't question it and signed the variation.
They very nicely informed me that they would not charge me a $1000 variation fee… I don't know if that was a joke or not.
Now they have come back asking for either $800 or $1200 more to put that glass as replacement for the tile in the scullery (which is half the area, the $800 only gets it 30cm high, height wise that's ok, as that's what the tile was going to be).
I instantly replied and said, hold on, I already picked a replacement for the tile.
But they keep insisting that I need to pay again. Their argument is that on the contract, the tiles in the scullery are not associated with any selection. As far as I see it though, we sat with their consultant to make the selections, they are the experts, and we are paying them a lot of money to hold our hands through the process, so that all the details are taken care of, and nothing is missed. But obviously they failed us.
The scullery has the same benchtop, the same cupboards, why would the tile selected be any different? It's just common sense that it's all the same, it is part of the kitchen.
I would imagine they have some sort of QA process to make sure all selections, etc are done so that they have everything to complete construction, and this omission should have been picked up earlier… but alas from my experience, I believe their QA is just that, imaginary.
So essentially they are 100% at fault for not reviewing the completeness of the selections recorded by their consultant. And now they are penalising me, and charging me a premium at the same time.
ARggg, am I wrong to hold my ground on this?
*UPDATE:
Today I talked with the operations manager, which without a doubt, just soured my experience more. But with some good pointers from this forum, I asked them for a full breakdown of all the costs which I got, and I also got a few quotes to get it installed after.
The quotes I got were between $400 to $450 m2 supplied and installed. Also quotes for the kitchen splashback were on average $1440, which lines up almost perfectly with what I paid the builders, ($1040 + refund from tiles which they informed me today was $380).
The builders breakdown, basically said they undercharged me for the kitchen, which should have been $2215 (minus the $380). It was at this point that I realised, no matter what I say, they can just give me any number and without any prior quoted figures I have no recourse, lesson learned.
And the high cost for the scullery glass, is because they are charging me $935.48 m2 supplied and installed, a premium because it's a small job, and a $70 refund for the tiles. This extra cost for a small job was the penalty awarded to me for the missed selection slipping through the system.
End of the day, I decided to get my $70 refund and get it done afterwards, as it's just cheaper, and I can push this bitter feeling away sooner.
Just want to say thanks to everyone who responded, I am not a confrontational person, and really wasn't sure if I was just being a dick. Also thanks to some pointers, I was able to come to a decision that I was comfortable with, and quickly.
Thanks!
This situation sounds like incompetence multiplied by apathy.
Looks like they underquoted you on the glass replacement.
What I would consider is if that amount of money is worth the delay it would cause ? If yes then go for it, if not bite the bullet and pay it.