*SIGH* Almost Week 26

Well I'm sorry I haven't written a blog post for so long, but once again there is not much to report.

For some reason unbeknown to me my house is now running about 6th in the race of who will be first to be complete. Strange considering it was the second slab to be laid in the street together with my next door neighbours slab.

I am so annoyed it is not funny anymore. Not only has the modest 15 Sq 2 bedroom room already taken 25 full weeks to not be at lock-up, but the brickwork that was supposed to be fixed and finished has not been completed!! I was sent an invoice to pay for work that was bellow par and was in the process of being repaired. I am still waiting for the brickwork under my double lounge room door and my front door. Stupid me paid the invoice. THAT’S IT!! NEVER AGAIN!! Unless all work is complete, I won't pay.

Things that have been done since my last post 9 ½ weeks ago:

• Repair of brickwork is complete, still waiting on missing brickwork.
• Lower roof installed.
• Piping for solar hot water.
• Roughly cleaned inside.
• Site was cleaned of rubbish for scaffolding to be installed.
• Part of the Lock-up carpentry has been done.
• Hob for my shower.

Here is a list of things that someone in my street has even though they started 6-8 weeks after mine did. If there was a reason why I would be happy to hear it, but there has been no communication. So much for a fortnightly call:

• Insulation
• Exterior colorbond and mini orb cladding
• The brickwork that is missing from mine.
• Plaster almost finished

And lastly, Here is a list of things that have been brought to my SS's attention or other things that have not yet been fixed:

• Shower head height
• Dishwasher point not moved
• A/C point not moved
• Front window still broken after 4 weeks
• I discovered that my frame has timber from pallets in it? WTF?

On the plus side, what little communication I have had with my SS and CA has been great! No sarcasm, they have been really nice and I have appreciated the help.

Well there is just under 7 weeks to go until they want the street complete. HA, yer right, ill believe it when I see it.

Current View inside my house

Current View inside my house

The begining of my huge shower

Current View inside my house






Current View from front door




Broken window, sill now fixed and complete





About 30% of this wall was repaired





"Timber" from a pallet







Lintel not inset far enough, now fixed







More Brickwork that was repaired

How much work in a whole week?

Because hardly any work has taken place the last few weeks besides the brick work, (more below) I thought it was time for another blog post.

Well I have not mentioned this before specifically, but seriously, how long does it take to build a house? A small house mind you! It is absolutely ridiculous and pathetic that my house is still at the stage that it is considering that the house across the road is further ahead than mine and it started weeks after!

All they have done this past week is add the aircon piping which I hate! It’s in the wrong spot!! I was shown the display and it was on another wall. What the hell is it doing over the kitchen bench?? Think I will have to call sometime this week to ask about it. While I’m on the phone about that maybe I should also ask about the wonky wall.

In regards to the brickwork, the wall to the second bedroom in the kitchen courtyard tapers up and inwards. Very crappy workmanship!

What else is there?

For example: (and I’m sure that some of these will be fixed in time but it would be nice to be told)

• I still don’t have a roof over the lower part of my house!

• My electrical work has been in the elements for weeks

• My neighbours windows and doors have been on my garage floor (off the ground by and inch) for ages

• My dishwasher point has not been changed even though it was mentioned to my SS

• My shower head height has still not moved, (as per a conversation with my SS in regards to the mixer for the shower mixer being in the wrong spot, as a compromise I asked for my shower head height to be raised as I am 185cm or so tall)

• I still have concerns about general workmanship with the frame that I hope will be fixed as work progresses (I have similar concerns about other places in the street)

• My front tap is still leaking

• I can’t remember the name of it, but there is a sign that should be at the front of every property with contact details? The company originally supplied it. Every time I put it up it gets taken down. If it’s not up I get a $1000 fine. Well if I get one I know where to send it.




And just to add to the list for something to do:

• I, (as far am I’m concerned) was bullied into paying an invoice despite the fact that work had not taken place as discussed. I paid it in the end in good faith and it still took around a week after that for some things to be fixed. I’m sure if I had gotten an independent inspection or two then things may have been different. I may still get them as the build progresses. I have family and friends that are qualified to do them and it just so happens that they also work for several different councils.

• I have been called pedantic by my SS

• I have been told that “Everyone is an expert” by someone in the company in a position to know better. Meanwhile this was against advice I took from someone who was a chippy for 50+ years up until last year.

• I have specifically been told “No” by my client liaison, (not her real title)

• My first experience with my sales consultant was fantastic, and they were flexible because of issues with my bank. After that it went downhill except for a few Client liaison people that were fantastic. Unfortunately they no longer do that role I think.

I’d just like to say this:

I have worked in customer service and client liaison roles before and overall I am disappointed with the company I am building with. I know, and understand that it can be the contractors that they use that create this disappointment, but it is the responsibility of the company to control this and manage it in an effective manner. To this end, I am concerned that the people that have been working on my house and those of the people in my street have a long way to go before I would employ them in any role.

If I was offered a role with the company I know for a fact that I could improve their perceived lack of customer service within a year. I have done it for other companies in the past and I could do it again. I have taken a local company store from a dissatisfaction rate of 90% in a survey to only 4%. It’s not that hard, just common sense.

Customer service 101:

Lesson one:
Never, ever say no!

Lesson two:
The customer may not always be right, but they have a right to think they are. They pay your wages.

Lesson three:
Customer contact and support is paramount to the success of any business. Without it you lose in the long run.

More lessons to follow if they don’t improve!

August update

Well I suppose it's time for an update:

For the very few of you that read this, you will most likely know that I have had a battle on my hands trying to make sure certain things were fixed prior to them being able to be hidden. Almost 4 weeks after the frame stage invoice was sent out to me, they have rectified a majority of the issues with the build so far. So far I am at week 13 of my build. There is a house round the corner that started at the same time. He moved in last week!

So here we go:

The beam at the front of the house here was installed with too much checked out of it and was not up to "code" and would maybe collapse if a crow landed on it. It was strengthened with another beam attached to it that was checked out correctly.

I asked about this bit of frame and was told that it should be completed before I pay my invoice. Well I got the request to pay the invoice and it still was not completed. After a trying few days it was completed.

Seriously, how hard is it when you are a carpenter to nail things properly? This noggin wasn't even nailed in at all before, now fixed.

Too lazy to install a noggin, my taps were too far apart. Now been corrected, as shown.

Something new, but I wont mention it. Check braces should never have their structural integrity reduced by cutting them.

Time for some funny stuff:

Hrmmm, plan says put it at this height but elevations say half way up? Oh well, it can be fixed.

My neighbours door was sitting like this for about a month. My other neighbours doors and windows are sitting in my uncovered garage as well.

Very funny considering they have this printed on them!

I definitely want to do something like this at some stage. Suits the place and adds something to the front.

Hopefully I will be able to show you all more pics soon!

Construction Pics so far.

Over the last few months I have been taking pics here and there. Now its time to share:
Shown from most recent.


Yay, Bricks have started in the Garage!:



Frame started:

Frame:

Slab:

Slab:

Slab prep:

Slab prep:

All the piping been done ready for the slab prep:

Site scape:

Mine!:

Colours

Now for some colours:

Timber floors are Spotted Gum for Open space and Halls:

Carpets in Bedrooms only:

Bavarian Chocolate for the feature walls in Hallway and Open space:

Light Coffee for Skirting, Doors and all other Timber:

Chalk Beige for Walls:

Darker Tile for Laundry, Bathroom and Powderroom Floors, Lighter tile for walls in those areas and also for the Kitchen splashback and inset is the feature tiles in the 1m x 1.4m Shower done in a waterfall style from showerhead along the floor to just past the drain:

Wall and floor tiles again:

Cabnets and cabnet doors Nocturne Oak Laminex:

Sand pebble Laminex for all benchtops:

The Begining, Plans & A few pics of exsisting 4.1's

The Begining:

Ok. So most of you know already that I am building a house of my very own.

I thought it was about time that I started a blog instead of posting little bits and pieces everywhere.

Well let's start with a bit of a timeline:

29/10/08: I put my deposit on my own block of dirt.

05/12/08: I signed my house contracts.

12/12/08: I signed my Land contracts.

20/02/09: I settled on my land.

28/05/09: My slab was poured.

Plans:

What it should look like thanks to my new neighbour Paul:

Few Pic of Existing 4.1's:

Kitchen:

Looking from Hall to Kitchen/Lounge area:

Looking outside, you can also

see the 4.2m ceiling:

Street view of one of the display homes:

Well thats that done. Next up is colours and then construction pics