Building frustrations

[brays]

Hi

Just wanted to post this about our experience with Stylemaster homes for those looking at building in Brisbane.

We are currently building a house in on the northside of Brisbane with Stylemaster Homes. The process started back in June (authorising soil tests, contract to be done up etc) and we signed a contract in July. Throughout this process and even until August we were told by the sales consultant that the whole process from soil test to completion would take 6 mths and we could expect the project to be completed by December 07. As it turned out this was completely untrue - the site was only cut on Thursday and the slab will not be laid until 14 November (we were even told in September that we could expect the slab to be poured early Oct). Basically, their timeframe is still within the terms of the building contract as their interpretation of events that trigger different stages in the contract has changed several times.

What has made us more annoyed with the company is that the same Sales Consultant is currently building with Stylemaster also in North Brisbane, his project lagged ours (ie our soil tests were conducted before his land was sealed, ours went to Council first etc), but construction on his property has already commenced.

So overall the process is now taking longer than other builders would and costing us more (one of the main reasons we chose Stylemaster was the short completion time as this is an IP).

 

[sue78]

most builders can't make the 6 mths timeframe. It takes around 4 mths just to get onsite. Once onsite , it's usually quick and takes raound 14 to 16 weeks for a lowset.

Sounds pretty normal to me...apart from why does it take so long from ground works to pouring slab?

On average it takes 8 mths to completion. I though this was fairly quick compared to interstate builders for houses 26 sq+.

 

[brays]

Hi Sue

We realise that most builders take around 9-10 months. All other builders we spoke to where up front and told us that. Our issue is that the Sales Consultant was dishonest with us telling us their process took 6mths not 9-10months. If he had been honest with us (we clarified many many times the timeframe with him - even when signing the contract) and told us that the process in fact would take longer we would have chosen a different builder (ie Coral etc). In his defence maybe the process does only take 6 mths if you are an employee of the company???

 

[sue78]

I agree your sales consultant was dishonest. I wouldn't believe anyone that told me it would only take 6 mths.

It's out of the consultants hands now. Speak to the project manager...just be nice..you never know.

 

[The Y-man]

...telling us their process took 6mths...

Do you have it in writing?

Cheers,

The Y-man

 

[wealthyjay]

Sounds like a familiar story

 

[letiha]

I'm Building with Stylemaster/Alliance homes in Warner and I've found the opposite. The time is 6 months from when they are able to start menaing after council approval etc. For example three of our blocks in carseldine got delayed by lack of Staff in main roads so took 2 1/2 months instead of 4 weekes for building approvals. Ours were meant to start back in August but now the end of October.

One the Warner lakes block my slab was layed on the 30th of August, the site cute 2 weeks before with 1 weeks delay because of really bad rain - 7 weeks later I have a kitchen in and tiles almost done. i'm hoping to be in before xmas, i have a thread going with pictures so you can see the up dates and how quick it was progressing. I've been told that they are actually getting them done in 4-5 months at the moment. Obviously there will be a delay over xmas.

My other 3 blocks came out of council/main roads yesterday and I have a start day for in a few weeks. The contract allows for 180 days from the date that they have building approval. Who are you liasing with in head office, why don't you give Jayne a call and find out what the delay is or get the number of your site supervisor, I have the number for mine and he is very helpful.

 

[letiha]

Hi Brays.

Back again, was just looking at some of your previous posts.

On the 27th of June you posted saying there was an issue with survey pegs - how long did this take to resolve??

Also do you know what date your building application went in and out of council - I know of another person (a girl from work) they were building with another builder - one you have mentioned they stuffed up the plans 3 times, took 6 months and 2 times rejected from the council. If yours took 4-6 weeks you are doing ok.

When was your soil test done?
When did a surveyor fix your pegs?
When did you have finance?

Has there been any other hiccups....just seems very very strange

 

[super_sam]

Similar thing happened to us. Literally the day after we handed over the 5% deposit (~$15K) which was far too much to walk away from, completion date blew out by 3-4 months

 

[letiha]

Super sam.

what did your contract say! mine has a specific number of days, that is why I fins it very strange, and to pay so much money before they are ready to start. I have paid $3k on each of mine until they were through Council. But on the contract its basically 180 days from then including wet days and holidays.

If that does happen you are entitled to compensation, i think the standard rate is about $15 a day..not much but something

 

[brays]

Hi Letiha

Found out about the survey pegs when the soil test/survey was done around the end of June. The builder told us that we would just need to get the pegs in before they started building. We arranged for a surveyor to do this, which he did around mid July (advised them once it was done).

We had finance arranged in July and Westpac sent the builders pack to Stylemaster around end July beginning of August.

The plans went to Council in July (can't remember the exact date - the doco is at home). On the 8 Aug the Council advised the certifiers who in turn advised the builder that there was now a low bush fire hazard overlay on the property, so we had to sign a form. There was a delay here as it took the builder over a month to contact us (12 Sept) about the overlay and form we needed to sign for the plans to go through. Decision notice came back from Council on 19 Sept.

Maybe it comes down to the sales consultants - we dealt with a different guy to you. I know of other people that have built with Alliance and had nothing but wonderful things to say. We must just be the unlucky ones

 

[super_sam]

Super sam.

what did your contract say! mine has a specific number of days, that is why I fins it very strange, and to pay so much money before they are ready to start. I have paid $3k on each of mine until they were through Council. But on the contract its basically 180 days from then including wet days and holidays.

If that does happen you are entitled to compensation, i think the standard rate is about $15 a day..not much but something

It was still well within the contract dates. Completion could have blown out by another 2 months or so until breach of contract. We just felt like we were being told one thing in order to get us to sign up then told another once we had handed over too much money to walk away from. But what do u do? At the end of the day we have a house we love and will be here for a few years yet. Being put out by a few months, whilst frustrating at the time as you obviously just want to move into the bloody thing, isnt the end of the world and is soon forgotton once all is said and done

 

[letiha]

Sam I understand how frustrating it is. Out bank changed there mind about finance the weeke we settled on the land and we had to refiance everything. The one of the titles was lost by the old banks Solictors so we had to wait till it was registered in our name.

Then we had crappy main roads who had 1 person doing all approvals for S.E Queensland.

I'm glad that you love your house, thats what is important.

Bray,

Just wondering I noticed in an earlier post you said you were overseas for about 6 weeks, is this when the builder was trying to contact you, I knwo how difficult it is sometimes with my clients when I need urgent instructions or documenst signed and I can't contact them. Then they complain it has taken so long for their matter to settle. I always thing hhhmmmm would have been 6 months earliier if they had given us all the things when we asked.

 

[brays]

We had my husbands mobile with us (what they eventually contacted us on) which we turned on every day also had email which we checked regularly. Before we left we gave them all of our contact details and my dads contact details who was a backup contact with the builder and the bank. Even had our mail redirected which my Dad opened for us. Mobile and email were definitely working - everyone else managed to contact us while we were away

 

[Gringos]

Hi,

We too would like to warn people of Stylemaster. Although all projects are different, this may not apply to everyone. Our case is unique, as we are building the Baybreeze 27 with a granny flat and after months and months of waiting (the whole time no one spoke to us) it was finally approved by council.

I can elaborate if required, but all I can say is we got sucked in by the nice sales staff with the whole free ducted aircon, but wished we didnt. The sales staff were great, but once you handed over to head office in Milton, everything went sour... no attention to detail, too many people working our project and very little communication and collaboration.

We currently seeking legal advise regarding a problem with our sewage system which they overlooked in one of the many documents going backwards and forwards... We really wished we never signed up with them and we are only at frame stage.

 

[craigb]

i am by no means defending them, as a builder i have had nothing but issues with trades that fail to deliver on time and fail to complete the work promised, i also think that builders facing cash flow issues jump and run with the next payment due, ie property stage.
i had waited , called every week for 4 months to get the layer i wanted, and have next week for the last 12, so i found another, he failed and i had to pull down the work, so i hired another, paid him 1k as his $$ was tight, and then realised the Guage was not corrisponding with the original part of the home, i spoke nicely, and asked him to fix it, he refused and left the job acted like a baby, ....
other job, heights don't work, had to re-do them, its taking 4 wks for each stage payment and the owner asked for the entire floor to be tiled so we lost another month their too! its been now 8 months, its allmost done? but geez their is no let up on his guys attitude.

 

[Piston Broke]

All I can add is that of the many people i know who built many many homes/units etc, not one single project did not have a drama.

The sales staff's job is to get the signature & deposit. Just like an REA, they have no interest or care in the technicalities.
They then move one to the next commission.
Everyone's nice to you when they want your money.