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After numerous requests from the Chinese community we are pleased to announce that we are now also able to offer majority of our services in Chinese. We have experienced building industry specialists who will review construction documents and provide consultations and detailed reports in Chinese. Please feel free to visit our website www.cdrsglobal.com.

As we slowly start winding down to enjoy the Christmas break I'm sure it's the busiest time of the year for most domestic builders. In many cases the builders will want to complete the home and hand over to customers before the holidays. This is a great initiative by builders as this is not only a huge benefit to customers but also a huge benefit to the builder as this avoids the builder wearing the costs associated with theft and vandalism on site during the holidays. Avoid disappointment and start liaising with your builder asap if you're of the opinion you're moving into your new home before Christmas. The last thing you want is inviting your family and friends to your new home for Christmas dinner, only to find out last minute that your home will not be ready. It is also very common in the industry for some builders to short circuit the process and compromise quality in order to "get you in" before Christmas. It's basically a conditional settlement which simply means that you are happy to accept the home with issues, pay for it and have the issues sorted out later. It's in your best interest not to accept this. It's really not worth it as any outstanding works may get done as part of the 3 months defects list a few months later. Could possibly take much longer, after losing your hair from all the phone calls. Important to note that unfinished work is not the same as defective work! Please engage in discussions with your builder asap to avoid disappointment.

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Would you buy a car from a car dealership that gave you a list of their mechanics, technicians or parts suppliers to call if something went wrong within the warranty period? Surely not! You most probably will jump back into the old wagon, drive off at 200kmh and not bother looking back. So why make the mistake with the biggest purchase of your life? Most people get so excited when starting off their journey in search of a builder, they take into consideration almost everything from designs, specifications and pricing all the way to the construction duration. Very impressive final decisions are made which culminates into really positive post-build outcomes. Then there are those who do the same due diligence and have a not so fortunate post-build experience. Ever wondered why? At a recent function I attended, I was fortunate enough to speak to many home owners who built homes in the last two years and it was incredible that the people that had unsavoury experiences said a similar thing ie. poor service after handover. I was surprised because as far as I know, once you receive your keys, you should be focusing on turning your house into a home full of warmth and happiness. Not wondering whether you made the right move and if you should sell up! Sadly, it seems that at handover these homeowners were simply given a list of the builders' trades and suppliers and told to contact them directly should they have any issues. And once an issue did occur it was up to the home owner to call up and coordinate those trades and suppliers to rectify the issue. There were all sorts of dramas such as the owner having to continually chase up trades etc., owners lack of building knowledge leading to ineffective communication with the trades, owner having to take more days off work than required, and a big concern raised was the safety associated with strangers entering the home without the presence of the builder. I can't even begin to imagine what these people where going through. Most builders are great at providing an outstanding post-build experience as this is a form of strengthening, promoting and protecting their brand. They have strict guidelines in place and understandably only essential services such as (but not limited to) electricians, lift companies and plumbers are to be contacted directly by the home owner. Unfortunately not all builders have grasped this concept as yet so what you save initially could be miniscule compared to the costs and stress that could possibly arise down the track. Before you sign a building contract, make sure you are fully aware of the builders processes after handover and that you have a firm commitment from the builder that the builder will be completely liable for facilitating any maintenance during the maintenance period. Builders offering longer term maintenance periods are providing exceptional value only if they have the proper systems in place to back it up.

Statement by Philip Lowe, Governor: Monetary Policy Decision | Media Releases | RBA

Great news for home buyers. The RBA has kept interest rates on hold again. http://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2016/mr-16-26.html

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Building your dream home? We are not builders but we know building! We take away the stress and provide you with peace of mind all the way. Call now or visit us at www.cdrsglobal.com

When comparing home prices between various builders there are a few important things to consider other than just the size of the home and the price. One of the main documents to review is the standard inclusions ie. what's included in the base price of the home. Some builders may have a high base price and offer stone benchtops, dishwashers, floor coverings, window furnishings etc. at no extra charge while other builders may have a lower base price and are unable to offer these items free of charge. You have to compare "like for like". Once you do this comparison you may find, at the end of the day there's very marginal difference between some builders. This is when the builders' service and quality becomes the decider. Sometimes builders have very low margins on the standard home design however customers might find that the cost of the upgrades have a substantially higher markup. Some builders know that if customers really want certain upgrades, they will be willing to pay the high price because they know that that same high price will be cheaper than the cost if customers had to do this upgrade on their own after taking occupation of the home. An example of this is provisioning for home automation or a security system. Builders may charge customers a fortune, but imagine if the customer had to do this after they moved in - This cost could be significantly higher due to patching damaged plaster walls and re-painting etc. Not to mention the inconvenience caused. Some builders are fully aware of this and see this as a massive opportunity to overcharge customers. There are many similar examples which customers may not be aware of. Should you require any assistance with quote comparisons, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our staff are more than happy to guide you through this process and provide the necessary advice. Please note: We do not provide recommendations to customers in regards to which builder to use and who no to use. The accuracy, transparency and quality of the builders documentation together with their reputation should be your guide.

Building a home is an incredibly exciting time in your life, however in all that excitement don't lose sight of the contractual obligations. A conclusive building contract is just as important as the plans and specifications. Before signing a building contract, all parties need to be clear (in writing) on items such as: - Scope of the work to be undertaken -The agreed value of the works to be undertaken -The process if variations (changes to the contract) are required -Payments to the builder -What happens in the event of delays caused by either party? -And any other items in the contract that could be misleading or has the potential to lead to a dispute. Another important point to remember is that no matter what the builder or sales person may promise you, if that promise is not reflected in the contract, don't expect to receive it. Some "non contractual" expectations could lead to disappointments and result in an unpleasant journey to the end.

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Are you looking at building a new home? Do you fully understand building contracts and their content? We offer an end to end contract review service with detailed reports. For more information visit http://www.cdrsglobal.com/service.html

AMENDED HIA STANDARD CONTRACTS On 1 September 2016 further changes to Victorian building legislation will commence. These changes include the prohibition on builders appointing private building surveyors for domestic building work. Owners will have to make the appointment of the private building surveyor. A new Domestic Building Consumer Guide has also been introduced which must be provided to the owner before a major domestic building contract is signed. The Consumer Affairs Victoria checklist at the front of contracts also has been updated. HIA has amended its standard contracts to ensure compliance with the new legislation and the new forms. Amended contracts HIA has prepared amended versions of its standard contracts. The only exception is the Victorian Kit Homes contract as a new version is being prepared. Contracts Online and printed versions of the contracts will be available from early September 2016. Members are urged to use these new contracts. More information about the amendments to the HIA standard contracts can be found on the HIA website. Existing contracts Since the critical standard contract changes are not detailed, it is possible for members to use existing printed contracts by following simple instructions to include additional pages and insert some special conditions. The instructions for modifying the existing standard contracts can be found on the HIA website. Future changes The new domestic building dispute conciliation process is not expected to commence until early 2017. This reform will include powers for dispute resolution orders to be given by a government official to resolve the dispute.

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