Clarendon Homes

My wife and I are first home buyers with little to no knowledge of the building process. From our first experience with Clarendon via the show homes in Calderwood and the display centre in Parklea, through to commencing the build, the experience has been a very smooth process. We found that the pricing that was available online and in-store was invaluable to us as there are typically a lot of hidden costs when you do your own build. This helped immensely for budgeting purposes. Our first consultant, explained the initial stage and helped guide us through the contract stage and was flexible when we had questions and always found a solution for us.

We have felt extremely well informed, up-dated on a regular basis and have had each step clearly identified and explained to us. We really appreciated the personalised service that we received from our PreConstruction Customer Service Consultant, as she was always very quick to help us out and was always available to answer our questions. She was very quick to send through amendments to our schedule and kept us well informed of the progress of our council application.

We organised our finance for the build through a smaller lender and they required adjustments be made to the progress payment schedule as they were more risk-adverse compared to major lenders. We explained this to our PreConstruction Customer Service Consultant and she was quick to have our schedule adjusted via Clarendon's finance team to ensure that we could have this accepted by our lender in a timely fashion.

Clarendon promised the moon but failed to deliver. We are well into our 5th month after handover and still feels like the construction phase. The standard (more like substandard) of work delivered is downright poor even after upgrading to their "Sapphire Inclusions".
Clarendon couldn't even get the foundation correct. The slab in the garage has so many cracks and dents and Clarendon claims this is expected, and they can't do anything about it. The subcontractor wiggled his way out but saying that he can only patch up with a thin layer of epoxy which would not even be of the same colour and would look even worse.
The installation of the masonry course is defective because it is projecting over the slab edge or footing by more than 15 mm. This exceeds the allowable Standards and Tolerances. Upon bringing this to the notice of the Warranty Officer his reply was "So, what do want me to do with this!!!”
There are several window panels that have been scratched. Window glass were supplied by Stegbar. However, Clarendon does not replace them with original Stegbar but through a third-party glass repair contractor.
Paint finish throughout the house has been extremely substandard level. Painting does not reflect three coats of paint as per contract. We have uneven paint patches, bubbles in multiple rooms on both levels. It is evident Clarendon used unskilled and unqualified painters. The gyprock throughout the house has been setting and it needs plastering and sanding and painting. It has created so much dust and after repeatedly informing Clarendon that it is hazardous for my 4-month baby there is no care factor in cleaning and finishing the job. Numerous cracks on the wood and architraves have to be repainted. Door edges haven't been sealed. Windows frames have cracked corners.
The house was handed over untidy. Elements such as windows, floors, sink baths and cabinetry were not cleaned for use after handover.
Site drainage was inadequate. This is a potential for subsequent water damage to building elements. After raising this with Clarendon, the site manager acknowledged that Clarendon has erred.
During the Construction phase, the site was constantly left in a disgusting state with not just building materials but leftover food and empty bottles. Internal and external lights were left on all the time. At least on 3 different occasions I reported entry fence gate unlocked and wide open.
The ward robe installed in Bed 2 is medieval and has been painted with 2 different shades.
We keep finding many new issues around the house. Their contractors must be blind. They cannot even install a kitchen tower straight. Clarendon managed to stuff up feature wall paint in our main bedroom, cracked all the concrete on the footpath for which they accept no responsibility. Our entry feature door was left with acid marks, fence around the house has paint marks. Doors keep squeaking even after oiling. We were given our Bath 2 without an option for exhaust and told to keep the windows open for the moist. Toilets are rusting within months of usage and we were told the rusting is due to acid in urine!!! Defective showers, we were told they have it in their own homes and we should clean it with vinegar.

The list is endless. Even the Clarendon Warranty Officer claims this is uncommon. Clarendon Site Manager & their ''Independent Inspectors" are a joke. I asked my site manager number of times "are you happy with the job" & every time he claimed yes. Goes to show how well he knows his job & who Clarendon hires. The selection of hiring sub-contractors in all areas is most likely to cut costs rather than having experienced and licensed as can be seen from the finished product. Our house is still full of blue tape on every defect which me and my wife have spent hours placing.

Clarendon is not just more expensive but BIG disappointment as well

Our customer service consultant was amazing she was very informative and such a great help really appreciate everything she did for us. Looking forward to the next stage. Thank you

[name removed] was our Customer Service Consultant for PreConstruction. She was great, kept us informed of progress of council application process, changes due to our amendments and selections and of updated plans. She was easy to converse with and straight up. Great work!

[name removed] was extremely helpful and informative. She guided me through the whole process and I felt supported and informed. While it’s been a long process to get to this stage, this was in no way do to [name removed], but rather the circumstances surrounding the time frame. Eg. Christmas etc. All in all l am very pleased with Clarendon at this stage.

Was a long process, but that was expected when buying off plans pre land registration. Customer Service was excellent from the very start to the very end, thanks [name removed], [name removed], [name removed] (in drafting) & [name removed], Always contacted and addressed and solved any questions we may have had. A few hiccups on the way but these are being rectified and I am sure will all be completed shortly as we have only just moved in. We went with Clarendon for quality and are overall very happy. Thanks for putting up with us!

Although the start of the journey took a bit longer than was set upon due to communication and document problems, all stages of the build was met with excellent customer service. All the appointments (contract signing, color, and electrical) were done with professional individuals who catered to our needs and wants. Overall pricing with the additional variations made the house a bit more expensive than was advertised. However, you do get what you paid for so we were satisfied with the outcome. The site contractor assigned to our house was very professional, helpful, and patient during site visits, work, non-work hours, and post construction. We could not have asked for someone better to guide us through our very first home. The bonus part was the construction was done 3 weeks earlier than was written in the contract so we got to enjoy our house earlier than expected and was able to settle in before school started. This was a major plus for us since kids had to adjust to the new surroundings. Everybody in the family were very happy and if we would build another, we would choose Clarendon again.

The customer service experience during the sale and pre-build phases has been exceptional. Friendly and knowledgeable staff quick to respond to every question and willing to support the nuances of my situation when it came to the selection process. A standout in this process was [name removed], who maintained a professional and calm head at all times, maintained regular communications and managed a relatively seamless and quick end to end pre-construction to release process, all done in 49 days.

With construction now underway, this has set a high bar for ongoing customer service expectations.

There was exceptional care towards us their client. The accomplishment is earlier than the time frame given with such satisfaction is guaranteed to us. Staff and building supervisor were approachable.

Our whole building experience with Clarendon homes was faultless from start to finish. Our Customer Service Consultant, [name removed], was outstanding. Every question we had was answered almost immediately every time, paperwork was always processed in a timely manner and [name removed] was always so knowledgeable and helpful. It really was a pleasure working with [name removed] throughout our build period. Because of [name removed] impeccable customer service skills, we will always recommend Clarendon Homes. Thanks [name removed]!

We could not be happier with our Clarendon Home. Our house was handed to us a week ago (with currently zero defects!) and we could not fault our experience. Our supervisor, [name removed], was very precise and organised his trades so well and because of this, our build period was a dream. He is very knowledgeable and made sure at every stage, that our home was perfect. [name removed] always kept us updated and always strived to keep us happy (even though our BAL40 requirements would have been a huge headache for him.) We would really like to thank [name removed] for his outstanding work during our build, and will always recommend Clarendon Homes because of this.

I am happy about the way issues and problems were solved. Although time taken to start the construction was long. And final cost was little higher than my estimated cost.

Hi Clarendon homes, thank you for giving us a smooth, hassle free pre construction experience building in Newcastle.

Each and every one of the staff that we have dealt with at Clarendon is exceptionally professional, friendly and caring.
After our first meeting with sales agent [name removed] at Thornton display homes, we decided to go ahead with Clarendon as he was very accommodating to our needs and willing to change the designs around to suit our requirements. We picked Madison 37 to be the one for us with a few modifications.

Since the house we are building is in Newcastle, we had to travel to Sydney to do our selections at Clarendon studio. We originally had so many concerns as to whether we would be able to make all our selections in the limited appointment time. However, when we went to Clarendon showroom we found the process was well organised and the team were very professional and knowledgeable. They gave us perfect advice to meet all our requirements, designed a kitchenette for our upstairs leisure area (thank you Melanie for being a great designer and having so much patience), and made the selections process enjoyable and exciting. Special mention to [name removed] for taking us through selections thoroughly, staying past your home time for us to finish and also for following up on our floor tiles issue. We also had a very good experience with [name removed] at EHI, and [name removed] at Zurcorp.

Extremely happy with our customer service consultant [name removed], she always had time to answer our queries and was very prompt in answering my emails. We felt comfortable to ring her straight away if any questions came up. She would patiently talk us through the answer and would make us feel like we are the only client she has. Some days her phone call would come first thing in the morning with updates on drawings, approvals or something relating to the house. She has efficiently coordinated the building approval process, selections and finalisation of the house plan drawings all at once to speed up the pre construction process.

You are an asset to Clarendon, [name removed]. Thank you so much for the care and professionalism you have shown us. Also thank you for your perseverance in sorting our floor tiles issue and liaising with Newcastle tile direct people and their head office in Sydney.

We entered the construction phase just last week and we are hoping for wonderful building experience with Clarendon.

CDC: 8042161
Job: 29913435

[name removed] was extremely helpful throughout our colour appointment and showed detailed knowledge in the areas of interior design and colour palette selection. [name removed] was also able to draw on personal experiences in these areas which assisted us in our decision making process. [name removed] was warm and friendly which made our experience comfortable and productive.

We are only in pre construction and although it took longer than expected our Consultant Joedee was excellent in keeping us informed every step of the way. There were some unexpected issues that delayed us and at times frustrating, but Joedee was always available and explained the process to us every time I needed help. You must go into this doing your research and expecting delays and issues you may not be prepared for otherwise you will be dissapointed. So far so good! Let's hope the customer service going forward is just as good and the build itself as well!! Fingers crossed.

The whole experience was quite straight forward and any issues were resolved quickly and efficiently. Our sales guy was great as well as our SS.
We are loving our new house
Only time communication lacked was between signing the contract and then attending the colours studio. It was told to us we need finance in place before visiting the colour studio yet you really have no choice but to add more variations after colours which cost $$$. That was probably the most disappointing part of our journey from the csc.

Pre-construction stage was pretty horrendous. Customer service was pretty much non- Existent and if you complained you were totally ignored for weeks!! Construction stage pretty good only due to the fact we scored a great site manger... post - construction another matter.
1. Forgot to put solar in
2. Air con doesn’t work properly. We upgraded to 10 zones but if you have one zone on downstairs is still pumps air upstairs. No one seems to know how to fix this???
3. We were asked by carpet call if we wanted Scotia in our kitchen. We advised NO. The guy from carpet call said he would let kitchens know.... this never happened!!! No we have this awful scotia around the kitchen... see pictures. Looks awful. We choose one of the most expensive builders for a reason... and it sure wasn’t to get this ugly ( not even matching) scotia in the kitchen.
4. Stairs are already splitting. We paid $13k to upgrade these

Post construction = they have already been paid so don’t expect them to fix any issues properly.

I would look elsewhere. Save the money as Clarendon are one of the most expensive ones but act like a cheap builder in the end. So many other smaller issues than just above. Can’t say we are completely happy with the whole process. They turn over staff very quickly so expect to have numerous CS contacts.

Big thumbs down Clarendon

My issues with Clarendon began with having to deal with different staff with the tender process. Costs were quoted at a certain price and then all of a sudden I was dealing with another staff member and the costs were higher? Made some noise, and got this refunded.

The lady who went through the colour studio etc. with us was an absolute piece of work. She was too lazy to get up from her desk and we had to constantly ask her to show us the displays so we could make the correct selections. Several sections were skipped and she definitely made selections without asking us so that she could finish her day quicker.

Dealt with [name removed] as our customer service consultant. Constantly out of office with no notice. I'd sign documents and send them back in with no reply. All the delays eventually culminated in my contract expiring before they had submitted the plans to council for approval. This was clearly [name removed] fault for delaying everything with incompetence and unavailability. Clarendon's answer was to charge me $9000 to renew my contract. Trust me, there was no delay in this charge being sent to us.

Overall, Clarendon's office is very poor. If you contract these people, go over each piece of documentation carefully as their business model is to stick you with charge upon charge unknowingly. At one point, work on my house ceased and all workers were allocated to other houses to work. The contract is completely written up in their favour. Avoid these people, buy a house that's already built. All the positive reviews here are absolute nonsense. The fool giving 5 stars before the house has even started building.

Having received the house, there are numerous areas where the work is substandard and downright poorly completed. A whole section of the wall has not been filled and sanded to hide the gap between boards. Many areas have been painted once and the finish is rough and poorly done. A gas connection has been left unfinished with no connection attached at the end, just capped off. Clarendon broke all the concrete on the footpath and have in their contract that they expect no responsibilty. Never again, use smaller private companies who have more to lose and therefore value your business. Would give a zero if possible. AVOID

From the beginning of our journey with our sales consultant, through to the customer service team to the excellent Site Manager we could not be more happy with the end result.

We found the workmanship was to the professional standard we expected and our site Manager went above and beyond to make sure any imperfection was taken care of.

In regards to cost it actually came in a little cheaper than first estimated.

Would have no hesitation in building again with the team.

We had a wonderful experience working with Katerina Spasenovska, having her on our journey building our dream house was so much easier. Very professional and I can highly recommend her service. It was such a perfect decision building with Clarendon.