11 reviews about Ashford Homes

verified email - 16 Sep 2016

They have the best sales person in the industry! Promise things and say things just to get you to sign a contract which is one sided.

When you ask them how's the house going or why isn't there any movement on house for 2 months they will reply you with a pre-typed template which goes something along the lines on this (surmised my way);

"...we can build your house today or tomorrow and there is nothing you can do about it for 310 days (increased to 465 days by local laws). there is nothing in the contract that says we have to update you weekly or monthly or yearly. And if we go over the build time we pay you $1 per week..."

I am not the only family that has been affected by this scammer. A lot of Victorian family around the state has been affected by the same issue - NO MOVEMENT FOR MONTHS. LIES LIES LIES.Why? easy, they haven't paid their tradies, suppliers and other services (court case for winding up). They may have paid them now, but who would want to work/supply them after late late late payments? A smart business owner would know that working/supplying Ashford comes with a HIGH risk factor.

Well done Ashford. You have destroyed many Victorian family's dream home experience. First home owner's experience. This should be the happiest day of our lives because it is the absolute biggest purchase of our lives.

I will do what i can to demote you. Share stories about my experience with you. Share all the knowledge i have about you.

Best regards
A

Approximate cost: $240

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anon375 22 Sep 2016

I just read the article. What a load of BS from Bob Day blaming the weather. Every other builder in my area seems to be managing getting their houses up!

Zoirde - you probably don't want to hear this but get out of the contract! Or at least get them to change the $1 week compensation to at least $250! It may motivate them to actually complete your house on time!

barbarac487 05 Oct 2016

Hey , we too are in the same situation ...
We started building March and are still waiting since the start of August to have the place bricked... I'm persistent, so I email most days . I eventually resieve a response.. But it's just more horse shit... We have a meeting with Brett this Friday , let's see how we go ...
We just wished that we had read these reviews before we signed that contract...

anony489 11 Oct 2016

there is a facebook page going on and there are quite a number of clients in there facing the same problem. If you wish to be part of the group join "Bob Day - Stop the Building Nightmare

verified email - 22 Aug 2016

If you want a dishonest builder, Ashford Homes is your go to builder! Incalculable delays, rude staff, and sales people who will promise you everything you want just to get you to sign and then disappear completely, never to be heard from again, is what you will get.

Delays span not just in days, regardless of what the builder says. Delays are in months and no communication as to the cause of the delay. It takes them months to get to site, then months again during the build where nothing gets done. If you are looking for this, Ashford is your builder!

Communication is sporadic at best and when they do communicate, it is to collect money. All other times: rudeness, incompetence and plain disrespect from the staff at all levels in the company. But if that's what you are looking for in a builder, this is the builder for you!

If you like your dream home build to be sold to you by a clever, cunning and dishonest sales staff, you can do no better than Ashford's. Be prepared to be sold on $1/week compensation if they go over the build period, a short build period that never materialises, and the promise of regular contact with your site supervisor which also (surprise!) never materialises (see the trend?).

If you like your build price to increase after you've signed your contract, this builder is really good at doing that. The price never stays the same and if you are looking for volatility through no fault of your own, Ashford is the one for you!

If this is what you are looking for in a builder, go with Ashford!

verified email - 31 Jul 2016

similar experience to others, lack of communication and processes delayed - 2 site supervisors left with no supervisor replaced at the moment. Almost 8 months build been at lock up since April . Made to feel like an inconvenience and absolutely non existant return of ph calls. errors upon errors in organisation , fridge space 2 smaller than what we asked for (1m space) only 870mm , door opening wrong way and although tradies have been good the company itself cannot even get their act together to finish our painting/ tiling so we can move in - we are renting AND paying a mortgage but the staff and bosses seem to just not care about us as a paying customer- would NEVER build with them if i had known the way they treat people !

Add on to previous review- if you can get out of your contract now do yourself a favour! Huxley homes, Nsw and a number of other building companies are all under the one owner- Bob Day- including Ashford homes - many families built with Huxley are going to court for houses not finished and defects- I repeat DO NOT build with Ashford homes- it will be a major nightmare!!

The latest - we are going to their office to face them directly - contact me if you are having somilar issues we should form a group and I have an article which will blow the lid off this companies so call reputation

Approximate cost: $255

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anon375 02 Oct 2016

Has anyone gotten out of their contract yet? We are seriously considering it. I was reading over it and it says you need to pay 20% of the contract price. We have already paid $80k of $270k, so we are over the 20%, does anyone know if there will be any other financial penalties?

We have only just completed frame stage in Aug. but it has been sitting there in the weather since it started at the start of June. We want to get the frame inspected again and if it is ok and doesn't need to be replaced we will demand to get out and try to finish it ourselves.

sharonc260 03 Oct 2016

hi Anon 375,
have you read the latest articles from the Australian newspaper? this will answer a lot of questions on why your house is at a standstill- send me a friend request on my facebook page and i will link you in with our bob day stop the building nightmare group

anon375 03 Oct 2016

Hey SharonC, yes I've seen the articles in the Australian. I know they haven't being paying their trades and suppliers which is why no ones house is being touched. Unfortunately I am one of the many few who don't have FB, so I can't get on to the group. Thanks for the reply though

verified email - 04 Jul 2015

I built with Ashford homes a few years back and apart from their 1$ a week compensation if the build was not completed by contract time, among other shifty things in the contract you needed to plead you case whenever you come across poor workmanship or mistakes which was common throughout the build! I had major headaches after the completed sign off due to them not installing correct upsized drainage which I paid extra for, I had to battle through consumer affairs to get something back from Ashford, when I ended up actually exposing the undersized drainage myself, I found the piping had not even been glued together in the first place leaking water behind my rather expensive retaining wall and pushing it forward. I would not bother building or contacting them again for the repairs! better off fixing it myself and doing a good job rather than what Hacks of builders and trades I had do it in the first place! expensive home put together by cheap trades and even cheaper components! with verrryyy poor complaints resolution!

verified email - 26 Nov 2009

We signed a contract in December 2008. Our home is not currently at lockup and does not even have a roof. It is a double story home and the frame has been exposed to the elements for the past 12 months. There have been numerous site supervisors and errors that have been made re the building of our home. Major errors including using two different types of mortar on our home!! Extremely dissapointing and frustrating experience. Excuses after excuses regarding the delays and still no definite time frame for completion.My dream home has become an absolute nightmare. I dread when friends ask me how my home is progressing. No good communication channels. Based on the above, you can judge for yourself as to whether you would want your home built with this company. Would I do it again-NEVER!!
Just an update to this review. Yes, I am now in my home after waiting 2 years and 3 months to get it finished. It was a long journey but a terribly stressful experience to go through.

Anonymous
verified email - 29 Sep 2009

i was "lucky" enough to select Ashford to build my new house. one of the worst things was having to deal with arrogant staff from reception all the way to Construction managers who treat you like you are an inconvenience rather than a client spending ALOT of money. Returned phone calls are non-existent. all communication is having to be done by Registered Post (legally admissable). close to 2 years and still it feels the house is not any kind of priority. stressful and disappointing. DO NOT BUILD WITH ASHFORD HOMES. if only i had read all of these posts before building with them. we are real people who are passing on true experiences in the hope that others wont fall into the same pitfalls. please read all of them!!

Approximate cost: $500K

verified email - 20 Aug 2009

I also agree, with all other comments. We built a house off the plan with small modifications. "Building lasting Relationships" is there motto! the reason for this is because you will never have to stop contacting them, to get things done...that's why it is lasting. Did not follow through on anything, and we have now been in the house for 4 months and still waiting for items to be completed from hand over..... 3 month maintenance... apparently they have no one at the moment. DO NOT BUILD WITH THEM ! The only good thing was they delivered 2 months early - but now paying for it , trying to get outstanding items completed.

Anonymous
verified email - 11 Aug 2009

I totally agree with the other raters here about this company. This is by far THE worst and MOST stress experience of my life. The are the worst builder I have ever come across for all the reasons already mentioned - poor quality work, no supervision, no communication (actually ignore emails and phone calls), rude arrogant staff.

Approximate cost: $too much

verified email - 01 Aug 2009

Double Storey House part-custom built in SE suburbs Melbourne. Process was more than 2 years from start to finish & VERY frustrating. We had 4 site managers from start to finish. There was no communication & contract stuff 8 months after handover has not been finished. Would not build with them again & would not recommend anyone else too. There are 6 Ashford Homes in our estate & everyone has had a bad experience & no-one would build with them again.

Approximate cost: $280000

NicholasM1 01 Aug 2009

Hi there , you are far from alone. I have posted on the WOMOW as well. I am currently trying to get in contact with as many people as possible who have outstanding issues with Ashford. I can be contacted on [email protected]

verified email - 12 Jul 2009

Single story new residence. Custom designed to suit block dimensions. Owner designed and had plan professionally drafted. Builder modified and redrew plans.

Approximate cost: $250000

KristaL1 01 Aug 2009

We too built with Ashford & have had no positive experiences. We are 8 months are handover & there is still contract stuff that has not been done- let alone 3 month maintenance.
I'd like to know they how they can make in on the list as an Australian approved builder, I would of thought their standards would of been higher.

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