How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

Hi,

Do anybody know how to find whether a home builder(in Sydney) is good or bad ? I googled to find whether any ranking is there, but couldn't find it. Because i heard there are doggy builders who use bad fitting etc for the homes.

Re: How to find the whether a builder is good ?
 

Word of mouth and personal recommendations.... ?

What are you having done?

Put it about your mates and see what comes back....

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

Recommendations are usually best, but you could try searching for "reputable builders Sydney".

Which returned this for me.

http://www.building-contractor.com.a...FYhfpQodoTIAJA

Whoever you find, it would be good to check them out first etc...

Good luck. :fingerscrossed:

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

http://hia.com.au/ is a general website for useful info.

All builders are licensed so you can check with the licensing authority to see if they have a good record, or otherwise.

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Ab...nce_check.html

Also take every opportunity to visit display homes - you'll get an idea of the styles of building. Always ask what the cost of the display home is 'as it is', ie including all the non-standard extras they used. One of the biggest differences is 'inclusions' in the basic price.

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

Have them build whatever you're getting built. If it falls down quicker than it should, or is otherwise unsafe, then you can probably determine they're not a good builder.

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

The HIA is an organisation that represents builders, ie a lobby group, or 'union'-type of organisation. There's no way you would get any accurate information from them about whether a builder is good or not - are they going to criticise their paid-up members that they represent?

Just because a builder is a member of HIA or MBA (Master Builders Association), just not mean that they are good, or a master builder. Each year the HIA and MBA award prizes to their members - are customers included in any voting?

Just because a builder has a building licence, it doesn't mean that he/she is a good builder, or that they have happy customers. Unhappy customers might not have registered a complaint, or perhaps not all the complaints have been listed on the online website http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Te..._disputes.html. What qualifications or experience does someone actually need to get a building licence?

Also be aware that even minor changes, such as moving a wall slightly, can result in huge price increases. You need to do a lot more homework and get lots of feedback from others who can give personal recommendations, or horror stories about who to avoid.

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

If you go to www.paintingaustralia.com.au - all the tradies listed there are recommended by Painting Australia (it's not just painters). The guy who runs this company is on 2GB every weekend answering DIY questions.

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

"...as featured on Today Tonight" is never a good sign!

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

If you can get them to turn up this side of hell freezing over, and their cost isn't eye wateringly expensive; they are no good.

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

Quite so, but it's revealing just how many complaints are listed. It certainly helped us to eliminate a few builders right from the start.

Both times we have built here (WA years ago and QLD 7 years ago) we chose small to medium outfits. Just chatting to the salespeople at the display houses can be quite revealing. Go on a slow day and talk about the other companies - sometimes you get a common theme emerging.

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

The best is a recommendation I work in in construction and must admit I have been quite
Shocked at some of the standards here.From what I have seen just because they have a liecence will not mean you get a top job,had a run in with a bricklayer who held a bricklaying and builders liecence who did not know the building code requirments worst brickwork I have seen in last 20 years he could not understand when I pointed out to him the work was not to the building code why I was a being so fussy

Re: How to find out whether a builder is good?
 

Something else we did - if you see a new house you like the look of the try asking the owner who built it. A knock on the door or a note in the letter box with you phone number is all it takes. We found people were usually happy to talk, and we've had prospective customers knocking at our door.