Hotondo Homes Questions & Answers (page 2 of 5)

Bruce and Katina from Hotondo is the best and most honest builders we have ever dealt with, nothing is a problem, they are always willing to go the extra mile to satisfy a client! Even after we moved in they came back and fitted a door to an area underneath a room to create a storage basement, this was done without us requesting this and at no cost! We recommend them highly! Carl & Johanna Botha, 0408403177

Thanks Hantie for your response, much appreciated.

Josh have you had a resolution to your problem and which area were you building with can i ask?

I would also like to know this too about a refund??

Hi there. My partner and I built with Hotondo Homes in 2015 and could not have been happier. They helped us find a block and the display home was really what we got in our house, no guess work. The price was genuine and fixed with no nasty surprises. We got cheaper prices from other builders but found hidden things or under allowed for that would add to the cost. We definitely appreciated their honesty and integrity, not just giving us a cheap price to win us over. Maintenance was carried out about 3 months after we moved in and they even touched up the marks in the wall that happened when we moved furniture in :) The supervisor kept us informed during the build and was happy to show us through when ever we wanted to take a look. Could not speak higher of the whole team, everyone cared about us, our house and made the process so much fun.

We took delivery of our brand new Hume 263 last week, and are 110% satisfied customers. The builder is long established in Albury Wodonga and have long term links and trust of all their trades. Their level of workmanship and pride in their work is exemplary and the service provided by all team members - management, sales, admin and trades, was brilliant.

We were located in Canberra during the build, so only got to inspect progress on site 3 or 4 times. We were constantly updated with photos and phone calls from the supervisor, so there was no guess work as to where the build was up to. As potential issues were identified we were consulted with recommendations, and the solution was implemented without ever becoming a problem. We are now reaping the benefits!

We would not hesitate to recommend Jim, Julie and the team - We won’t go past them if we are looking to build again in the future.

Yes I have!... I just moved into my New Home at Easter. My husband and I are very happy with our home and the service Stephen and his team provided us. We built a complete custom design home and from the very beginning they answered all our questions and made sure we got exactly what we wanted. Would totally recommend them!

We have built at the Beaches Estate at Catherine Hill Bay with Hotondo (Cherry Road Constructions at Gateshead), My husband and I were having terrible trouble trying to find a builder who would be able to give us something out of the box, something different. At Hotondo we discovered people who listened, were invested in helping us achieve our Dream Home within our budget. We dealt directly with the builder Stephen and his site manager Scott. We felt that they knew our expectations, they communicated effectively throughout the process, they were on hand to answer our questions and take us through on site inspections. There were no problems that Scott could not deal with quickly without any hassle which made the building process very comfortable. From the first sit down with Ashley, in the office, we were confident that this builder was the one we were looking for. We have built in the past and we knew that it is not always the easiest thing to do. But with Stephen and the team we found a small company that offered a personalised approach, and they built what we wanted. Our new home is just what we imagined only better. Having talked to other residents who have built at the estate with big companies, we heard many stories that would turn anyone away from building ever - and we are thankful that was not our experience. We would thoroughly recommend Hotondo but especially Cherry Road Constructions, we could not be happier with their service and expertize. Their phone number is 0249207211 - call them now, it will be the best decision you will make!

Thanks Alyson and Kathleen

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Aldo did you decide to build with Hotondo Thornton?

Sorry, no. I built with Hotondo Homes Central Coast in NSW. Good luck!

Hi, we built with Mark Uzzell, Hotondo Logan. Moved in just on 6 mths ago now, was a brand new build on our land at Grange. The house is beautiful, we are very pleased with the outcome. We found Mark to be easy to deal with, suggested some good ideas, focussed on the detail and as such have referred his work to a couple of locals also.

Hi BJH,
We built with Hotondo Homes Sunshine Coast (Matira Dev.) in 2017. I am about to post a full-review so watch this space!

Hi BJH
We have just moved into our new home that was built with Hotondo... I cannot say a bad word about them! We made the move from Sydney to Sunshine Coast & Alyssa & the team at Hotondo made the whole experience very easy! For such a huge move & also building a new home we didn’t feel any stress at all, they helped us make decisions with ease & were always quick to answer any questions we had...
Now that we have moved in we are also very happy with the finished product & love our new home!
It was also a very quick build which helped us get here before Xmas & settle in

Hi BJH
We are currently completing our build with Hotondo Homes (Matira Developments). We are extremely pleased with our choice of builder. The entire process from design to build has been seamless. Alyssa is very knowledgable and consistently goes over and above. We are interstate also and Alyssa has always kept us updated. The quality of the workmanship and fittings is excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them, and will definitely be building with them in the future.

I built with Darvale Homes (Hotondo) 3 years ago.
The process was one of the easiest to go through. Darren and Vesna run the business flawlessly. From the initial consultation with Darren, he stepped us through all aspects of the build and also linked us to a mortgage broker. The build itself was extremely smooth with only 1 minor issue that was corrected early on. Darren ensured that all the products used were of a very high standard and overall, we were ecstatic with the result. During the build at frame stage, I requested a change, which was readily accepted and I was able to add my own details as applicable with no issue from Darren. Any and all communication initiated by me was promptly answered to my satisfaction.

I then returned to Darvale 5 months ago to have an addition/modification completed as their quote came under an initial quote from another company. Once again, Darren excelled in delivering a fabulous product.

I have recommended Darvale to a number of colleagues and friends, and will continue to do so. I don't intend on moving any time soon, but if I was, I would definitely be choosing Darvale to build with again. And again!

I moved in to my new Hotondo home built by Darvale Homes in July 2017 ( 3 months ago) I have included my initial review completed after handover. Since moving in I have no reason to change my anything in the review but would like to add that the "after sales service" is also excellent. I did not put an Exhaust Fan in the Butlers Pantry, first time I burnt the toast off goes the smoke detector. Contacted Rob who put me in touch with the Electrician who wired the house, job complete and matched to the existing exhaust fans in the house.

I have never written a review before but believe poor service should be condemned, good service expected and excellent service praised.
The people at Darvale Homes may believe they are in the house building business but in reality, they are in the customer service business and in this instance the service has been second to none.,
I have just moved into my new Hotondo home built by Darvale Homes Melton and the journey through the process from pre contract negotiation to completion has been great.
Anna Maria who understood what I was looking for, found a plan to suit my needs and the block of land to suit the plan. She then put up with me as I altered bits and pieces here and there, offering her suggestions along the way, many thanks Anna Maria.
Darren who is straight up and easy to work with, offering professional advice along the way on many things and going beyond the call of duty to in helping to sort out items I had not considered at contract stage. But most remembered fort the following (Ron if you mix this you will not like the result, referring to my initial plan for the butler’s pantry and he was right the finished product is excellent)
Vesna, quietly in the background, getting progress payments squared away and always willing to take a call when others were not available.
Then these was Rob, Rob the building Supervisor, always willing to take my calls, meet me on site, explain the progress or answer my concerns (I resided 1.2 k from the construction site so was on site just about every week.)
Rob picked up on things I did not see, explained them and had them rectified, I would not like to be the Tradie who tried to short change Rob. How good was Rob, on day of handover at 5pm he would not sign off until the muddy footprints had been cleaned off the driveway so went and got a pressure washer and at 6pm was cleaning my driveway. Thank You Rob!!

Hey Fon,

Really appreciate your time in writing some details.

I have made up mind to go with them. See I go with them and will share my experience later.

Hafiz

Do not build with Hotondo in the Blue Mountains - abhorrent!

Hi Schaff

My husband and I are in the same boat and truly apppalling. Our dream has become a nightmare and wish we could pull it down and walk away.

Good luck!

Yes we have built with Hotondo in Port Macquarie and found them outstanding. What can be a very stressful experience was made easy. We had absolutely no issues at all in the build. Fiona and Andrew were great to work with. They were on top of everything from day 1. They communicated thoroughly with us at every step. The contractors were excellent. Very polite, on schedule and great standard. We are more than happy to recommend Hotondo Port Macquarie to anyone. In fact our experience was so positive our son is building a new home with them.
Peter and Julie Jones

I second this answer. There are no negatives when dealing with Fiona and Andrew at Hotondo!

Sorry, I can't help with this one as we built a duplex and had outside hold ups. So can't really give a proper time frame

Hi Beth and Brodie
I think Beth has built with Hotondo South Coast not Mid North coast (Port Macquarie)
Please see another link to a review for Hotondo Port Macquarie
/p/hotondo-homes/3.html

Hi we built our first two storey house with Darren and his team and we are very happy with the final outcome. He's very responsive and reasonable during the planning stage. He brought in Rob as a new supervisor towards the end of the project and that made a significant difference and left a good impression and high note from us. We been living in the house for more than 10 months and the post turnover support and experience is great. Rob is very switch on and responsive with the minor issues we pick-up and further clarification or advise we need. We started looking at big builders initially but later pulled out. We have couple of friends who build with big known builders in the same area and almost the same time if we compare the value and final outcome of our project to theirs, we can only look back and grateful with our final decision to build with Darvale (Hotondo). It was not all smooth and there were issues at the earlier stage of the construction mainly some delays but Darren is mature and open to hear my displeasure with the progress and he demonstrated his commitment to make up on some of the delays by working on some weekends. Overall we are happy with our experienced and final outcome. Cheers Albert

We built in Tura Beach with Hotondo in 2016. Looked at opposition but very happy that we went with Hotondo. Build started within a week of getting council approval and finished about 5 months later. Mark and Paul could not have been more helpful before, during and after! We were granted access to site for pool installation, landscaping quotes etc. during the build which we know isn't common. Quality of work is very good. Local tradesman used which makes it even better. Karen and Ash at Mirador office also made the whole process easy. We would highly recommend Mirador Hontondo to anyone.
Comment that stuck from Mark - We are building a home for you not a house for us!

We are currently building with Hotondo from Mirador.
This is a first time for us so the idea at first was daunting to say the least but the guys at Hotondo have been brilliant, Karen & Ash were bombarded with questions constantly & always replied with assurance. Mark & Paul have also been great to work along side of and I say this because this is how it is
From the get go you are included, updated every step of the way.
The build started straight away once council approved.
Local trades & businesses are used.
I would recommend Hotondo from Mirodor to anyone wanting to build.
We can't wait for the next few weeks to go by.

My Husband & I built our first home with Hotondo Homes in 2015, it was such a smooth, hassle free process. I would recommend anyone looking to build in the bega valley area, contact Hotondo Homes Sapphire coast. The team at merimbula are phenomenal & are always going out of their way to assist you in any way possible. They are a one stop shop, you wont be disappointed!

The builder will not budge is it fair to ask for 1/2 the money when only 35% will be completed by Frame ?

Hi there,

I recently just built with Hotondo Homes and the contract progress payments were as follows:

Deposit on signing contract - 5%
Bulk excavation - 10%
Concrete slab and footings - 10%
Frames and trusses - 15%
Brickwork complete and roof installed - 20%
Plasterboard complete - 15%
Lock up and fix out complete - 10%
Painting and tiling complete - 10%
Practical completion - 5%

I hope this helps.

Cheers, Gray

Do not deal with this franchise. While the good reports are good, the bad ones are really bad. Our experience is still ongoing so have not written about it...yet. They accept little/no responsibility for wayward builders (see platitudes offered in the reviews) enabled by the separation between themselves and the builder by this type of business model. As they say in business, 'the fish rots from the head'. They are all about strategy and sales, sales and more sales, with too little attention afforded operations by way of best practice in relation to communications, processes and procedures (which would mitigate much of the issues raised by those poor souls above). Sadly, our experience has been similar to these. The builder has behaved unprofessionally, is disorganised and dishonest (e.g. refusing to disclose their margin/mark-up, not providing invoices when requested where items exceeded base price, blaming delays on others, the weather and even us! e.g.delay of kitchen install blamed on the weather! go figure? along with many other 'tricks' and 'concealments' aimed at shifting costs or increasing their margin (thank heavens for the internet in providing the information needed to alert us to these deceits!). Mistakes were made due to the builder working beyond their capacity in the presence of poor process and limited skills in project management. We are not done yet and our experience pales next to those above. However, even as we near completion, what I find completely unacceptable is the reckless disregard for the truth and the fact that the builder seems to have forgotten that it is someone else's money and well-being that they are messing with.This alone is why I would say stay clear from this franchise and it franchis-ies who conspire in culture of concealment and deceit to procure a profit. The building industry is a crowded place with plenty of players. Take the advice of one of those poor people above. Shop around for a company knows how to make a profit and do so honestly.

Do not deal with this franchise. While the good reports are good, the bad ones are really bad. Our experience is still ongoing so have not written about it...yet. They accept little/no responsibility for wayward builders (see platitudes offered in the reviews) enabled by the separation between themselves and the builder by this type of business model. As they say in business, 'the fish rots from the head'. They are all about strategy and sales, sales and more sales, with too little attention afforded operations by way of best practice in relation to communications, processes and procedures (which would mitigate much of the issues raised by those poor souls above). Sadly, our experience has been similar to these. The builder has behaved unprofessionally, is disorganised and dishonest (e.g. refusing to disclose their margin/mark-up, not providing invoices when requested where items exceeded base price, blaming delays on others, the weather and even us! e.g.delay of kitchen install blamed on the weather! go figure? along with many other 'tricks' and 'concealments' aimed at shifting costs or increasing their margin (thank heavens for the internet in providing the information needed to alert us to these deceits!). Mistakes were made due to the builder working beyond their capacity in the presence of poor process and limited skills in project management. We are not done yet and our experience pales next to those above. However, even as we near completion, what I find completely unacceptable is the reckless disregard for the truth and the fact that the builder seems to have forgotten that it is someone else's money and well-being that they are messing with.This alone is why I would say stay clear from this franchise and it franchis-ies who conspire in culture of concealment and deceit to procure a profit. The building industry is a crowded place with plenty of players. Take the advice of one of those poor people above. Shop around for a company knows how to make a profit and does so honestly.

We have started to proceed with our own design and whilst things were going ok the initial price based on square m2 increased buy approx $100,000 . Seems like a bit of a suck in to get us to start the process and spend some money. Luckily enough its $1600 for geotechnical reports which are ours to keep anyway and $3000 for initial plans. Getting in contact with them though after christmas has been really bad and they are very slow to even reply to an email.
Not really sure now whether to continue or find another builder.
Hope this helps

Thanks for reply Roger63, I decided not to go with them and follow a completely different path to build. Good luck with your venture.

My fiance and I built with Hotondo Homes Lilydale and they were fabulous!! They even still answer any questions I have now (and we moved in 7 months ago). There was always someone to answer any questions we may have had and nothing was a silly question to them. Organising to go in and meet with them was easy and they worked around us as much as they could as I worked about an hour away from the office. Planning meetings, colour selection, house selection, amending the plans - nothing was a problem. The team there is wonderful down to earth people and we felt comfortable with them straight away. They were upfront about costs and worked with us to keep our budget on track. We were kept informed through the whole process and even finished early!! We love our Hotondo built home and if we were had our time over we would choose Hotondo Homes Lilydale every day of the week. Their workmanship and quality is a very high level also and we are VERY happy! In our subdivision of 8 blocks of land 3 of the homes are built by hotondo lilydale! As well as that our neighbours did not have any complaints while our house was getting built and they are very respectful of their surroundings. If you are looking at building please do yourself a favour and go and speak to the team at Hotondo Homes Lilydale. Brad, Janet and the team are fantastic and will help you every step of the way. You will not be disappointed!! Hope this helps! :)

Thank you very much for your response to this. It is comforting to read such a positive review and appreciate rapid response. Regards