Our first day on LANDSCAPING JOB

So, after moving in our beautiful and happy new home nearly 3 months, on Friday Feb 15 we have started our landscaping job with Shane crew.

Shane and Jay have just arrived to start their first "date" with us

 

Shane had many texts due to post Valentine !!!!

Shane is very skillful

Jay worked very hard and did very good cleaning up job for us.

We have been very happy with the job commencements:

@ Shane had done what he had said and particularly they have rented the new machine and have used very quality landscaping tools which have made me a good impression. 

@ Also, I was so much surprised that they did locate their machine at the corner ( more effort to drive the machine into the corner) and did clean up everything at the end of their working. After almost 1 year getting familiar with very messy contractors, I have been  patient to accept wherever they have located their tools on their convenience and  put their left over rubbish into the bins.

Machine is sitting at the corner on the clean site

However, we continue to have nightmare for the third time  from our removed Sydney Blue Gum tree.

On the day of the tree removal, the tree people said they did grind the stump but it was cheated.

We did organize the second service to grind the tree stump.

The following pictures of root will be needed to grind by tree people which cost us a lot of course. Now, I just want to find out the good third grinding tree to do the job on Monday Feb 20.

close look of the first set of root

close look of the second set of root

close look of the third set of root

a mountain of soil which I hope we will use a half to fillback on the North side of the Rear Yard. Also the soil is to mix with the garden soil to put back on all garden bed to Rear Yard

9 th Oct suspense job issue

We have been suffering uneasy building with Fowler Homes starting our tender on Sept 2010 . However, this morning issue has become beyond the limit.

1) The  Workplace Health & Safety Manager wrote this morning


" Hi K (they wrote down my name wrong again)

Please find attached photographs taken by you, it is evident these photographs were taken within the boundary of Fowler Homes Construction site

You must not enter site without Fowler Homes Representative, as per prior warnings On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 1:38 PM, visitor/client induction on site at 1:30pm on 4/10/12 (attached) and several verbal warnings from the Site Supervisor.

Due to breach of Fowler Homes safety policy works on site are now suspended until further notice"

2) I wrote back:

"Dear ,

We demand apology from you. I ensure you that the photos have been taken from the outside of the site.

Your highly unprofessional attitude is unacceptable and illegal. It is very outrageous that Fowler Homes hires you to offend its customers in that way. It is very outrageous that the Site Supervisor is justifying his work defects in that way.

We will have a meeting with the Fowler Construction Manager this Friday and we will protest all these unprofessional attitudes.

Sincerely,"

3) What is going on here?

a) Is it an issue between Fowler Homes and us?

===> Does it looks like "You complain us, we don't work" ?

b) Is it an issue between us and SS

===> Does it looks like ""You complain us, we don't work" ?

c) Is it action notified and carried out legal?

===> No, it is wrong way

Our post on the PCI issue with the SS and Foweler Homes response from Product Review

The  summary of what had happened on our build:

1) The entry 24th Sept  about our daughter and her friend was also posted at the same day on the Product Review Page at http://www.productreview.com.au/r/fowler-homes/295669.html

2) On 6th Oct, I have posted the below message on the Product Review Page

"Dear Fowler Homes

We  wish to report the latest laughable  update with our build. The Site Supervisor wrote emails 2 times (together with verbal talk at least 2 times) to confirm our PCI date on Oct 4 and we made an appointment with the independent building inspector at 11am on 4th Oct.

On 1st  Oct, we wrote him email expressing our concern with  a long list of outstanding jobs and none movement on our site over the past 3 days. Site Supervisor wrote back: "I completely got my dates mixed up and apologies for canceling the PCI and will push to get the works ready and will advise to re schedule PCI".

3) Fowler Home Responded as below:

 Shame - we dont write responses to ignorant remarks and childish beahour. Shame how about you contact our office 9757 2300 and organise a meeting with our senior management team and show your face, in a face to face meeting so we can address any issues you may have. its easy to hide behind a faceless remark. I urge you to contact us and i will make sure our management are available to meet with you use the refrence Shame so we know who you are. I am sure you have the time as you have posted coments on every review so put the effort into coming to see us!!

Kiko - In response to you obserd remarks above "your 10 year old daughter being subject to a protest against Fowler with her friends" - firstly we will not be further responding to this as it is border line child abuse who in their right mind would write these comments and support their 10 YEAR OLD INNOCENT daughter to protesting??? we are talking about a child a child who is not legally allowed to vote or understand what a protest is - People reading these comments can now understand what type of person we are dealing with here because who would allow there child to protest - We were shocked at reading this!! We will not comment any further as it is clear we cannot come to a resolution with you. Kiko please remember you checked your plans for over 4 months we did over 20 revisions and you marked every niche, nook and dimension so i think you missed the above items not Fowler.

We will not be responding to any further comments from these two people - Potential Clients you can see above who Fowler Homes are dealing with and the type of characters we are dealing with! Fowler Homes are commited to customer service and giving our clients a wonderful home which is of prestige quality and finishes and this shows throughout our homes and reputation in the industry. This wee in a HIA media release Fowler Homes was published as the 14th larget builder in NSW thats a great acheivement in a time when the economy is not doing so well we have had a rapid growth and that is thanks to our wonderful staff, clients, contractors and suppliers we have a great team and great homes! thank you to all of you. Fowler Homes posted on Oct 6, 2012 

4) We responded as below on Oct 6 

To Fowler Home Respondent,

Please note:

1) We are one of the 2 reviewer here showing clearly our job number which mean we open our identity with Fowler Homes . You should be smarter to realize this instead of advising how we should go face to face with the Fowler Homes Office

2) You also need to educate yourself more about our case before advising us that we should call the Fowler Homes Office to make an appointment. You should know that:

# Before putting our review here on Sept 24, we had written this contents emailing on Sept 24 to the Construction Manager RC, Operation Manager RM, Office Manager JV, our Sale Consultant HO and the Site Supervisor. Do you want us to specify their names?

# Before sending that Sept 24 Email to Construction Manager RC, Operation Manager RM, Office Manager JV, our Sale Consultant HO and the Site Supervisor, we had series of 6 emails and 3 phone call from Sept 10-14 discussing about the issue and we were finally advised (Sept 14) there was no resolution for the issues

# Right after the final email from the Operation Manager on Sept 14 in this regard, we have advised on Sept 14 the Construction Manager RC, Operation Manager RM, Office Manager JV, our Sale Consultant HO and the Site Supervisor that we will log our complaint in the NSW Department of Fair Trading to seek for the resolution

3) As you did admit that Fowler Homes provide none resolution for our issue , we just wonder why you still advise us to make an appointment for nothing ?

4) Do you have kids? Do you know that kids can’t be tell the untruth? So, we hope you are more careful to use the terms of “kid abuse”. You are right kids don’t have a right to vote for election but they have a plenty rights to ask the questions and voice their idea……

5) Thank for your honesty to say you are shocking to read our story about 10 year old girl and her friends ….We are sure not only you but all readers including the NSW Department of Fair Trading, the Councillors of the Ku-rin-gai Council and our family members who are lawyers and the parents of our daughters friends who are also lawyers have been very interested in reading the letters which I can't upload here but I also attached on our Sept 24 email to the Fowler management.

6) Regarding our referred to the so-called 20 revisions, please do more home work to know how many percentage of our revisions came from Fowler own mistakes and missing items. We will provide all written evidence that over 50% of revisions came from Fowler side to the NSW Department of Fair Trading to request their investigation. You know very well how these concerned people at Fowler Homes were impotent. 

5) Fowler Home responded on 7th Oct as below:

Kikichan sorry you misunderstood us the meeting we were referring to was for shame. You are correct we already have your items of discussion and we don't require a meeting. In regards to your daughter yes I have kids abs that's what disturbed me because I would never let them be exposed to protesting maybe pore choice of words. Fair trading is a great way to go as its an independent body who inspects and provides an outcome when mediation is required so we will await their response. I'm sure you will love your home once you move in very shortly. Be advised Kikichans home is customized and a large impressive design which does take extra time to build due to the size and detail and it will look amazing. Building is not easy and one of the most stressful times in our lives as it is the dream and the moment where you save to achieve this milestone and wonderful home for your family to enjoy and we understand that but people do get emotional and angry but at the end is when it counts as houses arnt made in factories they are onsite by people and yes there will be mistakes but they will be rectified. We take pride in our houses and despite what you think our customers are the first priority for fowler. Remember in the world there are 100s of millions of different personalities and we cannot make everyone happy all the time although we try. Again I'm sure you home will be beautiful.   

Our 10 years old girl and her 5 best friends protest against Fowler Homes

Over a  week ago (Sept 14)  Fowler responded no mirror slider for our daughter ‘s WIR and no further action for our Niches next to Fireplace, our daughter and ourselves were so much disappointed. We feel we can’t stand anymore to wait for our turn to express our appreciation for Fowler building our dream house …The following is highlights of our difficult building journey with Fowler:

·          

*   a)  Our tender acceptance was Sept 2, 2010

*   b)  We were patient  to wait for 6 months (excluding 1 month Xmas break) for our building contract on Apr 1, 2011
     c)  We were more patience to wait other 2,5 month for Fowler to log on our application with the Council on Jun 10, 2011 and continued to wait another 4,5months  to get our final development approval on Oct 21, 2011

      d)  We were much more patient  to wait another 2.5 months (excluding 1 month Xmas break) to get our Construction Certificate on Feb 7, 2012   
       e)  Since our site finally started on Feb 17, there was a number of hiccup particularly we suffered the loss of our beloved plant, unnecessary huge cost ($27,3k) for our underground water tank and long defect list on our frame inspection…However, we have never voiced our problem in the public forum and we still hope for our happy ending with Fowler …..

It was the first time I were into  tears  in the middle of re-tell the story of mirror slider and Niche basement to our SS (I was grateful for SS  to organize  our house jobs  after 5pm on Friday, Sept 14) . On the next day,  I have clearly recognized that  the issue is  NOT rarely  happened  but very much “matching” with all our over 2 years  painful  journey with Fowler  so that I shouldn’t  allow Fowler take our normal and happy life away anymore …. 

But our 10 years old daughter took this issue on her way….She talked the issue to her school friends and her friends wrote the below letters  and  planned to ask their parents to drop them at our building site to protest against Fowler   ….

    Sorry we can't upload document of kid protest letter here as it is not in type of  photo image

      

Those kid viewpoints on  this 14th Sept, 2012  problem have alarmed us....because  the issue directly involved with the love and lights of our life _ our 10 years old daughter and we need to hear our kid voice. It is not  a dispute anymore, it is a justice. Yes, it is a justice for our next generation.   Hence, we have the following summary which we will log on the complaint to the NSW Department of Fair Trading as Fowler complete building our house and for this stage we put our story on the Product Review Page  

1)      Recently, we found a missing mirror slider for WIR (our daughter bedroom) and Niche basement next to Fireplace. I thought Fowler again forgot these 2 items and mentioned to SS to add these 2 items into our house. However,  Fowler’s Operation Manager responded that we did not pay for these 2 items so that we won't get them.

2)      I tried to scan all emails (on the tender stage) between me and the Sale Consultant in which I clearly requested to have those 2 items and then Sale Consultant clearly accepted to freely provide those 2 items which were  included in our modified design.

3)      Regarding the Niche basement next to the Fireplace as per Modena display home, I wrote request to the Sale Consultant, she wrote back the acceptance (See the attached files).  All normal builders must send the approved construction plan to their clients BEFORE the site start, but we never have it!!!  Therefore, we were unable to  check if there is that Niche basement next to the Fireplace and our Fireplace dimension as per the Modena display home. Actually, Fowler have completely forgot that Niche and Fireplace. 

We have requested exact fireplace and the niche frame on the both sides of the fireplace as per Modena display home.  Fowler did provide header for the Niche but not basement and said we did not pay for that basement

4)      However, Operation Manager said  Fowler only added Fireplace for us as we paid $10 k for that and they provided the header of the Niches but not the basement as we didn’t pay for that which meant the Manager refused to act on the legal written acceptance by Fowler Sale Consultant and the Manager refuse to understand that Fowler forgetting providing /drawing that Niche basement (together with Fireplace) for us. In addition, it is so much ironical for having "head" without "leg" for such Niche. Is there some one WHO is proud of their job can be able to provide such incomplete product? No further comment, isn't it?

          Sorry we can't upload document for the Sale Consultant's acceptance email on our Niche request as the document is not in photo image.

5)      Regarding mirror sliders, actually, there was free 3 mirror sliders included in our modified design. All 3 mirror sliders have the same indication on the plan so that I have only recognized at the time the Operation Manager said we could not get the mirror slider to WIR (our daughter bedroom) that there were only 2 mirror sliders (to our bedroom)  which were noted  in the variation. 

6)      The Manager initially said that mirror slider to our daughter bedroom was impossibly manufactured  and even our Sale Consultant also re-confirmed in this regards!  After we proved that the Sale Consultant memory was wrong by Fowler’s note that such kind of mirror slider has already manufactured for our bedroom. Then, the Manager said we still couldn’t get the mirror slider without paying ($300 for admission fee and $520 for supply and painting the door). 

    Sorry we can't upload document for the Fowler Variation Note and Sale Consultant's emails on our Mirror slider (Bed 2) request as the document is not in photo image.

7)      The Manager arguments over the 3 emails regarding these 2 issues are really “cheap” which should not be expressed  at his managing level.  He has tried to make his job supper convenience (for himself)   by simply referred to the quotes and variation. Yes, we need to live by principle and comply the legal document. However, written acceptance by Sale Consultant and display homes description are of  equally legal value. His business judgement  should not be different from the written commitment and display home description by Fowler Homes' Sale Consultant.   $ 820 ($300 for admission fee and $520 for supply and painting the door) is not small money but this amount of money won’t make us poorer. We are happy to pay such amount of money if necessary.  Certainly,  that amount of money won’t make much more profit for Fowler

8)      The issue is why we have been provided  2 mirror sliders in our bedroom but there is none mirror slider in our daughter bedroom ? why we need to pay that money to get the mirror slider included in our tender? why we couldn't get the Niche basement that Fowler has accepted to provide?

Yes, we live and we learn. And we live our life and raise our kids by what we have believed in are  legal document, principle, commitment and trust. We should reserve judgment until the whole process is over, but at the moment it is unlikely that I would recommend Fowler to anybody else.

Note: I have edited on red color due to English expression.