Boutique Homes

A very disappointing experience after signing the contract I’m writing this review because my experience with Boutique Homes has been extremely disappointing, particularly in relation to the way my project has been handled after signing the contract. From the beginning, I provided Boutique Homes with the information and documentation they… Read more

requested, including the land plans, council plans and other relevant information relating to my block. I provided these in a timely manner and did everything I could to make sure they had the information required to properly assess and design the home.

However, almost three months after signing the contract, and after my deposit had been paid and a significant amount of my time had already been invested in the project, I was informed that the house design apparently did not fit the site because of an existing easement.

I was then told that the proposed solution was to reduce the length of the house by approximately 1,440mm, or alternatively change the design. I did not accept the 1,440mm reduction because this is not a minor adjustment. It would materially change the layout, proportions and functionality of the home I originally selected.

What makes this particularly frustrating is that the easement and relevant site information were not new. The documentation relating to the land had already been provided to Boutique Homes well before this issue was identified. From a customer’s perspective, it is very difficult to understand how such a significant site/design conflict could only be identified almost three months after the contract was signed.

There is also an inconsistency that I found particularly frustrating. During the design discussions, I had previously asked whether a bedroom could be made slightly smaller so that some of that space could be added to the living area, and this was not accepted. Yet later I was being asked to remove 1,440mm from the overall length of the house because the original design had not been properly accommodated on the site.

As a result, I have now lost a significant amount of time, the project has effectively gone backwards, and I am still waiting for a clear explanation of what happens next.

What has made the experience even more frustrating is the difference in communication before and after signing. Before I signed the contract, I received very frequent calls and follow-ups from the sales team. After signing and paying the deposit, getting clear communication has become much more difficult.

The project has now been sent back to the Sales team, and as of writing this review, three days have passed without anyone from Sales contacting me to explain the current status, what options are available, or what I am supposed to do next. I have had to follow up myself while simply being left waiting.

I understand that building on a block with an easement can involve design and planning challenges. What I find difficult to accept is that the relevant site information was provided from the beginning, yet such a significant issue was only identified months after the contract was signed.

I chose Boutique Homes because I expected a professional building process with proper coordination between the sales, drafting and construction teams. At this stage, my experience has instead been characterised by delays, repeated follow-ups, uncertainty and a lack of clear communication.

I hope Boutique Homes takes this feedback seriously and reviews how site constraints are assessed before customers sign contracts, as well as how customers are communicated with when significant issues are discovered.

I am still waiting for a clear resolution and a proper explanation of how this situation occurred in the first place.

We are existing Boutique home customers living in a Boutique town house, and we were looking for a house that was on one level. We had a great experience with Boutique with our town house so we decided to build with Boutique We were looking for a house that we could knock down and rebuild in Thomastown, We found Chris Irving at a display home and… Read more ·  1

Chris explained the whole process and what we need to look for as an ideal property for a knock down rebuild. Over the months we kept sending Chris property's that we thought would work and Chris worked with us letting us know if the house we selected would fit and so on. We found the prefect address and Chris confirmed that our house would fit on the block and the rest is history! The whole process was amazing and focused on our needs and what we wanted, everyone from the start to the end was amazing and went above and beyond.

Chris was very patient at all the potential property's we sent to him asking if our house would fit, and Chris was great at explaining when options would suit us for our new home.

Annalyse & Jenna were amazing to deal with during the start of construction, they were able to answer all our crazy questions!

At the colour selections appointment Lana understood who we are as people and what we liked and did not like and tailored the appointment for us and suggested exactly what we wanted (Even though we did not know what we wanted) We were extremity grateful for Lana's experience and guidance on the day and we felt heard and were happy with what we selected

At our Lifestyle appointment Jade was amazing and understood that we wanted power points everywhere!!! together we created an amazing home with the right amount of lighting, power points and data points.

When we started construction we net Dean, Deans excitement and enthusiasm for building homes is great. Dean kept us updated throughout the build process and listened to us and keep us updated through every single stage. We completely enjoyed the whole experience building our new home with Boutique, all of our new neighbours commented that the build was quick, clean and quiet, even compared to other builds in the area, our house was faster, cleaner and quieter and the neighbours appreciated that!

I would recommend Boutique Homes to anyone, the are professional, have the customer in mind and in my opinion the best builder we have come across, compared to other builders there is a lot that is included in a Boutique Home, and Boutiques after sales support is better than any other builder.

We have recently built our second home with Boutique and once again are very pleased with how smooth the build was and how our beautiful home was finished. We had a wonderful site supervisor whose attention to detail was second to none! Our single story, 4 bed home took roughly 5 months to build and there was no skipping on the quality of work.… Read more ·  1

Communication from the get go was excellent, with both the administrative team and our SS responding very promptly to any questions or queries we had. Even after completion, we have had a few minor issues arise and they have all been dealt with in a timely manner. We would definitely recommend Boutique Homes!

Rifa and the Boutique Homes team were exceptional. They presented a well-curated selection of properties that met all of my criteria, and they supported me throughout the entire process. Their guidance and professionalism made the experience seamless. Show details ·  1

Excellent quality, service and support from start to finish We had an excellent experience building our home with Boutique Homes. From the early planning stages through to completion, the entire process was well organised and professionally managed. The team communicated clearly, kept us informed throughout the build and was always helpful… Read more ·  1

whenever we had questions or needed clarification.

We are very happy with the overall quality of our home. The workmanship, finishes and attention to detail met our expectations, and the completed home feels well built. Any minor concerns were handled professionally and without unnecessary delays.

What impressed us most was the service after construction. Boutique Homes continued to follow up after handover and provided reliable support with warranty matters. Their team was responsive, approachable and committed to resolving the items we raised, which gave us confidence that their service did not simply end once the home was completed.

Overall, we are extremely satisfied with the quality of our home, the customer service, the post-construction follow-up and the warranty support. Based on our experience, we would confidently recommend Boutique Homes to anyone considering building a new home.

“Great experience with Rifa from Mt Atkinson display" It was a real pleasure working with Rifa from beginning to end. She made the time to understand our vision, walked us through each stage of the building process, and came up with practical solutions whenever issues came up. Her attention to detail and genuine care gave us a strong sense of… Read more ·  1

confidence and support.

When we decided to relocate interstate from Tasmania to Victoria, I began looking into House and Land packages. The first thing that stood out to me was the excellent reviews for Boutique Homes. We engaged Rifa as our home-building consultant, and the experience went beyond expectations. From our first phone conversation through to the day, we travelled to Melbourne to visit the display homes and meet her. She provided clear timelines, transparent cost breakdowns, and valuable design recommendations that fit our budget. Communication was always prompt and professional. As parents with a young kid and full-time working couple, we were concerned about scheduling our team meetings to discuss the design, as they were mostly after work hours. She never hesitated, always put us first, and did late night meetings every other day. As someone in the construction industry, I also had a few design questions and concerns, and she explained everything in detail. The biggest challenge was finding the right land to suit the Pasadena design, with the minimum required lot sizes and width, while staying within our budget. We had initially chosen another block, but it was slightly over budget, and she quickly found a better option that still met our requirement. She gave it to her 100%, and we could not have asked for anything better.

Fantastic service so far. Rifa from Boutique Homes has made the Pre-construction building process stress-free, kept us updated, and made sure every detail was perfect. For anyone planning to build, we would strongly recommend consulting her!

Excellent experience with Rifa from Mount Atkinson —————————————————————————— We had an outstanding experience working with Rifa throughout our home-building journey. From our very first conversation, Rifa was professional, knowledgeable, approachable, and genuinely committed to helping us find the right plan. She was always available to answer… Read more ·  1

our questions, kept us informed at every stage of the process, and made what could have been a stressful experience feel smooth and enjoyable. Her honesty, attention to detail, and excellent communication gave us complete confidence from start to finish.

Rifa went above and beyond to ensure everything was handled efficiently, and her friendly attitude made us feel valued as clients. We truly appreciate her dedication and exceptional customer service.

We highly recommend Rifa to anyone looking for a reliable, trustworthy, and hardworking new home building consultant. Thank you for making our experience such a positive and memorable one!

From the very first meeting, Bill made us feel welcome and took the time to understand exactly what we were trying to achieve. Throughout the preliminary stages of our build he has been professional, transparent and incredibly supportive. What really stood out was his communication. He regularly kept us updated, often outside normal business… Read more ·  1

hours when something was time sensitive, and always took the time to answer our questions thoroughly. We never felt rushed or like we were just another client.

Bill has also been very honest about where we could save money without compromising the home we wanted. He made sure we were aware of every available promotion, rebate and incentive, and genuinely looked for ways to maximise value for us rather than simply selling upgrades.

Our project had a few challenges, particularly with our block, but Bill worked closely with the developer and kept us informed every step of the way. His knowledge, transparency and willingness to advocate for us gave us a lot of confidence throughout the process.

We’re extremely grateful for everything Bill has done so far and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to anyone considering building with Boutique Homes.

Thank you again to our sales consultant Luisa for all her hard work with our home, we are truly grateful for everything she has done for us. We had a strict criteria and a short timeframe to work with and Luisa took the challenge by the horns... and nailed it! Luisa put in dozens and dozens of after hours meetings and phone calls to get us… Read more ·  1

exactly what we wanted. Other builders told us our requirements were too difficult, or seemed more interested in getting a contract signed than understanding our needs. Boutique were the only builder that truly took the time to understand us and to find a solution to our unique situation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We recently signed with Boutique Homes, and we couldn’t be happier with our experience so far, especially with Shaun guiding us through the journey. From the moment we walked into the display home in Aintree, VIC, we were impressed. The home was absolutely beautiful, it honestly felt like stepping into our dream home. Every detail was… Read more ·  1

well thought out, and it helped us clearly picture what our future home could look like.

Shaun has been incredible from day one. He is kind, approachable, and genuinely easy to talk to. What really stood out to us is that he doesn’t use flowery sales talk. He’s straight to the point, transparent, and explains everything clearly. At no point did we feel like we were being “sold” to. Instead, it felt like we had someone on our side, guiding us, reassuring us, and helping us make informed decisions.

He loves a challenge. No matter what ideas or design changes we brought up, even the ones that seemed difficult, he always found a way to explore options and make things work within our budget. From design ideas, imagination, and pricing concerns, he consistently worked with us to find practical solutions.

Building a home can be overwhelming, but Shaun made the process feel smooth and exciting. His professionalism, honesty, and dedication gave us confidence in choosing Boutique Homes.

If you’re looking for someone who will genuinely listen, guide you like family, and help turn your vision into reality, we highly recommend Shaun and Boutique Homes.

We’re excited for the next stage of our build journey! ✨

I purposely waited until my home was fully completed before writing this because a lot of reviews I read online only covered part of the home building journey, specifically the very preliminary stages. I wanted to share my experience from start to finish as a FHB. All in all from when I signed the HIA end of March 2025, it took 11 months until… Read more ·  1

handover. 6 months was roughly Pre - Construction but this varies from person to person.

Overall, I will say my experience with Boutique Homes was really smooth and positive. There were no major issues or disruptions during the build, which honestly made the whole process much less stressful than I expected. You hear a lot of horror stories from home building but I didn’t really experience any of it outside of the normalcy of questioning every decision I made during the process and contemplating later whether it was the right choice. I won't lie, pre-construction would probably feel like the most stressful and overwhelming if you set your expectations too high. You will be drowning in making decisions and signing paperwork; some weeks you'll receive a lot of emails and get updates, then others you won't hear nothing for a while. It will be the longest stage for sure for a good reason to ensure everything is good to go once they handover to the construction team.

The staff at Boutique are really incredible at their jobs. From someone who knew nothing about the home building, each step I took was provided with ample guidance and reassurance from the staffing team and any questions I had were replied, never ignored. I never felt brushed off and always got clear answers. But what really surprised me was the speed of construction. From the time construction started and my slab went down, my single-storey home was completed in about 4.5 months — I was genuinely blown away by how fast everything got put together especially as I thought it would take on average 6-8 months.

Please know, like any volume builder, they use a lot of different contractors for each stage of construction, and naturally skill levels can vary between trades. That’s not a Boutique Homes issue — I’ve learnt that’s how the building industry works. Because of that, I’d recommend getting an independent building inspector at every stage even it’s might be a bit out of budget or specifically, the earlier stages before the plaster is up if its too expensive. I didn't regret it and it’ll save you in the long run from all the headaches post handover, especially if its going to be your PPOR. It will gives you peace of mind and makes the process much more stress free that every stage is being completed to industry standard. It became the norm, that every report I received were pages long with items that needed rectifying. However, Boutique were receptive and cooperative whenever these items were raised, which I appreciated. They welcome the reports and actioned them every time without hesitation. I want to shout out my site supervisor, Michael, he really went above and beyond to address any concerns I had during construction, coordinating all the contractors and keeping me up to date and informed.

Be aware that once you sign off on your selections, they are basically final unless states otherwise. It may become very stressful and costly to change them afterwards and that's another trap I've seen people fall under. So make sure you're extra careful and think about you going to live in the space.

Overall, I’m really happy with how everything turned out and excited to have successfully made it to the end without any problems.

Professional and friendly staff: Some reviews note good communication, helpful consultants, and attentive service throughout the building process. Working through my home was a absolute a pleasure no dust everywhere was a clean and tidy job I’m happy with the end result Show details ·  1

Our KDRB process with Boutique Homes has been quite smooth so far thanks to the thorough and experienced team. Our New Homes Consultant Bill H was easy to deal with and made us feel well looked after. We also had a wonderful experience with interior designer Alicia M who we managed to get in touch with even prior to our Interior Design appointment. Show details ·  1

2nd Follow Up……Fixing & Waterproofing. I continue to give 4 stars, simply because there are ongoing little issues with the build. Overall, the build is going well. Josh is outstanding Site Manager, and the trades have been excellent. Darbecca’s Fixing & Waterproofing Report is 56 pages long ….. most of which is standard form information, but… Read more ·  1

they have identified more than 20 items for attention….. some more concerning than others. I am 100% confidant that these items will be addressed, if possible, but it is clear that the “volume build” process is to get things done, quite quickly, and then fix any identified issues.

We have zero complaints and the house is looking good. My hope is that, at the end of this process, I can give a 5 star rating.

The sales consultant is friendly and efficient, and gives us a lot of good ideas when doing the siting plan. There are small mistakes administration wise but that is acceptable. All the team members are easy to approach and open to discussion to all questions. The site manager is also keen to communicate and can get most of the issue solved even… Read more ·  1

though some could not be corrected at last. The quality is overall satisfying except some small defects. The time frame from PWC is approximately two years. I also recommended to keep an eye on every stage of the build with the team. Overall, my experience with Boutique Homes has been pleasant. Looking forward to seeing the warranty team in 12 months time.

We are now at Pre Completion stage. We are definitely at 4 1/2 stars, and we continue to rate our Site Manager Josh as 5 stars (maybe 6!). Things keep moving forward at great pace....we thought that there would be a shutdown over Xmas, but work… Read more ·  1

was being done right up until Xmas, and then back again on 5 January. Amazing.

The Fixing & Waterproofing Review from Darbecca was 56 pages long ..... lots of stuff to fix / attend to, but we have no realised that Boutique works closely with these reviews to ensure that they provide a better final product. Whereas we had anticipated an adversarial relationship between the Building Inspector we hired and Boutique, it has been quite the opposite ....Boutique uses the reports to get the trades back to fix any issues.

There is so much happening .... external rendering (which looks great!), external electrical, security cameras, internal electrical (a huge 4 days task, undertaken during the 40 plus degree days....with outstanding results), internal painting, all the internal doors, the marble bench tops etc. It is fun to turn all the lights on..... our electrical plan has come to life!

Two items that people might find helpful:

1. Internal insulation. At the advice of a friend, we opted to install additional internal insulation...in every internal cavity. This is not usual, and you have to organise and pay additionally. Our excellent Site Manager had never undertaken it before, and during the installation it was obviously a bit unusual for everyone (the plasterers started plastering over non-insulated cavities until I stopped them!). It cost an extra few thousand dollars, but we think it is worth it....already there is a dramatic difference inside compared to outside in relation to temperature and noise (all our research showed full internal insulation adds another 20% or so sound and temperature insulation). It added 1 1/2 days to the schedule to install.

2. Fencing. We are getting ready for the fences (asap after Completion so that we can move in). We have 4 neighbours (2 at the back and 1 at each each). Both back neighbours engaged cheap fencers without talking to us (both moonlighters who have other jobs during the week). One fence has already partly collapsed after 6 weeks, and the other fence is terribly buckled. There is a lot of competition amongst fencers ..... they achieve cheap pricing by using shallow footings, as little concrete as possible and cheap materials. Be diligent, and insist on understanding what you are getting. Our house is in a windy area. As various people have advised us, once you and your neighbours have moved in, it is a huge problem to try to fix fencing issues. We are now working wth our neighbours both sides on a sturdier fence (about 40% more expensive), but we think it is a worthwhile investment.....which we had never really thought about until now.

One thing that people might find interesting / helpful concerns the Completion stage. As I have mentioned several times, having an independent Building Surveyor is critically important to the success of a build. We have used Darbecca and they have been fantastic. But we have reached something of a “chicken and egg” situation leading into Final Completion. Darbecca’s Waterproofing report was 56 pages long, with lots of defects to be remedied. Prior to Final Completion, they do a Completion Inspection. But the trades refuse to attend to outstanding issues pending their final report…… the trades don’t want to come back twice (this is of course not a problem if the trades did the work 100% correctly in the first place, but that is not always the case). So we have a standoff. We have commissioned the Final Darbecca Report, which we received this afternoon and which is 73 pages long. Plus a comment that they are disappointed that a lot of the previous defects have not been corrected. So now we have to manage the remediation process, and then get Darbecca back to do a Final Reinspection Report to certify that everything has been attended to. I suspect that it will be a balancing act over the next few weeks. My “gut” tells me that if we can get this final stage done correctly then it will save us a lot of hassles down the road. We shall see …….

We still have smiles on our faces, we still visit the site nearly every day, and there is still lots to be finalised. But we remain very happy with the build and all parties involved. Fingers crossed we get to the Finish Line without any major issues.