Flooring issues resolved

I had a lovely long discussion with the Acting General Manager yesterday afternoon, which was an excellent demonstration by senior Allworth mangement to identify customer service problems and focus on moving forward rather than apportioning blame.

It gave me an opportunity to raise a nubmer of issues particularly relating to communication and some poor incidents where the team could have made an effort to be more approachable and resolve matters early. The Acting GM did clearly indicate that he was concerned about word-of-mouth damaging their reputation, for which no one can blame him, and so I greatly appreciate him giving me the time to simply put it to someone who can do something about it, but even if he doesn't I at least felt someone has had the decency to listen to what I have said.

In summary:

• the work by the company is covered by the builders insurance for seven years, if work is completed by the owner before handover this can void the warranty or lead to a dispute about liability, and it is a risk they are not willing to take.
• to change the contract now would involve a variation to contract, which may impact on eligibility for FHOG, and be pointless as it would push out completion needlessly.
• the contractors can not be controlled or policed but they can be asked to refrain from smoking inside and collecting their butts before leaving.
• a schedule is avaliable but not set in stone and the SS should be able to say what is coming up in the near future.
• the company does not have a policy about regular contact between the SS and the client, but SS should be available or return calls and the CM should be prepared to take a message and communicate it to the SS if the client cannot get onto the SS.
• any leftover bricks or damaged bricks do not belong to the client, but the client can negotiate to collect those bricks and put them out of the way as this will also save the company some money on tip fees.
• the build is tracked on a computer system and events are checked off as they are completed, but if an event is not checked off in time a trigger may be activated and generate a notice that does not apply.
• the site should be left clean of rubbish and recently run over by a bobcat - it will not be as perfect as landscaping but should reasonably level out any variation around the site.

He also managed to negotiate a further discount on the floor tiles and carpet with Lockwood, so I appreciate the assistance all round (quote frankly if they've covered part of the bill it wouldn't surprise me but at least either way he has tried to make ammends).

As painting is scheduled to start today a drive out tonight will soothe my frayed nerves, and because the screen doors and blinds guy from Wynstan has a cancellation today he is going to go and see if he can measure up.

See I wasn't being unreasonable at all.

Timeline update from CA to Commencement

Yesterday afternoon my solicitor called to say that had the report that Mirvac said we would need and have faxed it to Allworth.

This afternoon I called my CSO and yes, Allworth has received it, it is the right document and now it is with Drafting before it goes to the Engineering contractor.

OK I say, then what?

She hesitates, but finally responds. That will take a week or so, unless there are further requests, which may then clock up another 4 weeks.

Then once everything is back with the Service Department we go in for final sign-off.

It will then take up to 14 working days to get the letter of commencement from the Bank.

Thereafter Allworth have 20 days to commence building.

So we received approval on 30 March, and now it is almost a month later and we still have about a month before we break ground, then a 15 week minimum build time.

As I count it they won't start until at least 4 June and no later than 2 July, so finishing will be anywhere between 17 September to 1 October. Awesome, 1 year after we bought the land we might have a house, I just hope it's by 29 September, otherwise we will be in breach of our land contract - great.

Geotech report requested

Last week, just to make things a little more muddy, I received a call from the CSO, apparently considering she's never sent an email or snail mail before. This woman advised me that according to some condition on the title that DA was received subject to compliance with this condition. This condition is that the foundation be built according to a Geotech Report.

What's a Geotech Report? Well buggered if she could tell me except to say that its an assessment of the local conditions and determines how the foundations are prepared. What I found out from the WWW is 'the geotechnical report is the tool used to communicate the site conditions and design and construction recommendations'. So now with both explanations in hand I understand better what she meant. And the only thing I can gather is the reason why it is needed is because that is what is said on the conditions of title.

What the CSO did say is that Council will probably allow access to read only but that makes it difficult as the Engineer won't have it on hand when designing the foundations. Council will apparently claim something under the privacy legislation to prevent a photocopy being taken, as the GR is submitted with the application for subdivision but it has something to do with limiting their liability if the GR is relied upon. And yes well of course it will be relied upon, that is the whole point of this exercise.

So I decided not to call Council and just circumvent the middleman as much as possible and I call Mirvac. Mirvac is happy to give us one, when they receive a written request from my Solicitor to theirs. Right, so I get to fork out probably another $50 for my Solicitor's assistant to write up something to the effect of "My client purchased land from you and in order to commence building needs the Geotech Report as submitted to council and referred to under Condition 3 of the title. My client has been unable to procure a copy of said report from Council. We request that you please forward said report urgently. Regards, etc."

Genius, couldn't be happier. So another week has passed since DA received and now we are waiting on the GR, and then it will still be a week or so to the Engineer's report is ready then another week for the Construction Certificate. Awesome...

4 more weeks before building commences!!!

How silly of me to get my hopes up, when the fools at Allworth Homes are involved.

I rang just a moment ago and spoke to the CSO to clarify what happens now, next, etc. So here goes.

Council DA was received on 1 April 2010. Good work Australia Post, up to usual standard. Top effort award goes to Allworth who got the Admin Assistant to check the PO Box that day, unlike other times.

The signed off revised tender was received today. Same remarks to Australia Post and Allworth as above.

Now we are waiting on a revised engineering plan. Then it goes to the certifier who gives a construction certificate, then we get you to come in and sign contracts... Hang on! WTF!

The contract, the standard HBA piece of work, initial at the bottom of these next few hundred pages, plus all the bleeding schedules that were attached, they were signed, I paid the bloody solicitor to sit there, it was signed you stupid idiots, it was signed on 29 September 2009, you know when we were scrambling for the FHOG because you morons took so long to get your act in gear in the first place.

So how long will this all take then, I begrudgingly ask...? Well, 2 weeks for the amended engineering plan then about a week for construction certificate.

You can't be serious? 3 more weeks? 3 more weeks! But wait there's more - my Mum who is co-owner is currently on a month long holiday, and guess what - she'll be back 8 May, so what you are saying is 4 weeks until we sign, and then you'll think about... oh I don't know, ordering landmoving equipment, building supplies, bookings trades...?!?!?!

I mean seriously, you bastards want another 2 weeks to get an amended engineering plan done? You've had since January with the same friggin house design to work that shit out, and now you want another 2 weeks. 

And lets just make it absolutely clear, when I asked those morons last week what needed to be signed before we could get things rolling, what did they say? Oh, just the revised tender. So we won't need a Power of Attorney from my mother because she will be away, overseas, out of this country until May? No, no they said, just the revised tender. 

I swear, I'm having conniptions as I type. I've got goose bumps, I can feel the blood draining from my head.

I shit you not I am going to speak to my Solicitor about this. For f*** sake, this is getting beyond a joke.