G.J. Gardner Homes VIC, Geelong

Thanks Gardner Homes!! – I've just finished my first home build, and the journey is complete after a long wait! Gardner Homes have been amazing throughout, right from the initial custom concept and drawing phase, demo, subdivision through to handover. It was quite extended due to securing the right financing but it all worked out in the end. It was managed very… Read more ·  1

meticulously throughout and communication has been great (loved the weekly progress updates!) and the hiccups have been minimal. The workmanship and quality is beyond other new builds that I've seen and great care has been taken into a build that I will live to love. The crazy horrible rude neighbours were also managed very well by the building supervisor which I really appreciated!

There were variations throughout the build due to product obsolescence mainly (others were my own changes and Gardner was very accommodating for these). A note on this for future homebuilders, be aware of any changed product codes and finish. Not Gardner's fault at all, but Suppliers are continually changing product and sometimes things get lost in translation. In my case I had bathroom tiles spec'd as gloss with Beaumonts but after install, found out it was a matt tile that was supplied without anyone realising unfortunately. Gardner were able to provide compensation, and the end result wasn't actually too bad. To that extent, Gardner was proactive in rectifying things as best as possible which is great.

Loving the home!!

The best building experience – We have recently completed a knockdown and rebuild with GJ Gardener in Newtown Geelong. The team at GJ Gardener homes were nothing but exceptional. Given my parents didn't speak great English, they were extremely patient in explaining every step of the way. Simon did a custom floor plan to suit our needs and was very accommodating. Big thanks to… Read more ·  1

Carly for being so lovely, helpful, informative and gave quick responses to all our inquiries. Thanks to Renee for helping us through colour selection with great suggestions, as the process can be quite stressful with so many options. Finally a huge thanks to Darren our site supervisor. He was so helpful in every step of the construction process. So patient in answering all my parents queries despite the language barrier. My parents could not thank him enough. The quality of the build is excellent and we have no issues with the home thus far.

Thank you so much to the team at GJ Gardener and helping my parents build their forever dream home. We could not have asked for anything more from these guys. I would not hesitate in recommending GJ Gardener Homes Geelong to anyone who wants to build.

Stress free build – We're not regular review posters but felt compelled to share our fantastic experience with GJ Gardner Geelong. From the design phase with Ron, to contracts with Maddie and the build with Peter we found the team responsive, honest and knowledgeable. And importantly, friendly and enjoyable to talk to. Despite all the challenges of building through… Read more ·  1

the covid period, our fantastic new home was remarkably on time and on budget. This is clearly a testament to the combination of the national scale that GJ enjoys, combined with the local can do customer focus of the Geelong team. And our amazing new home looks uniquely ours, given the flexibility of inclusions and alterations to standard designs that was allowed. I appreciate that this review sounds overwhelming positive but given that we selected GJ based partly on the strength of their reviews, we wanted to share our experience so a reader making a final selection enjoys the same benefit. One of the most satisfying customer service experiences that we have enjoyed.

A HUGE thank you to the entire G.J. Gardner Homes Geelong team! This is the third home we’ve built with G.J. Gardner, and once again, they’ve absolutely delivered. The entire journey — from planning to handover — was handled with professionalism, care, and genuine pride in their work. Every member of the team went above and beyond to make the… Read more ·  1

process smooth and stress-free. The communication was clear, the quality was outstanding, and the attention to detail shows in every corner of our beautiful new home.

We truly couldn’t be happier. If we were to decide to build again (though it would be hard to leave this stunning place!), we would 100% choose G.J. Gardner Home Geelong without hesitation.

Thank you from our whole family — Steve, Megs, Jack, Milie, Indi, & Bonnie

From the very beginning, our experience with GJ Gardner was positive thanks to the support from Aarti our new home consultant. She was knowledgeable, approachable, and always followed through on what she promised, which gave us real peace of mind throughout the journey. Building a home can feel overwhelming, but her professionalism and personal… Read more ·  1

approach made the process smooth and reassuring. She spoke highly of her team, and it showed in the way things were handled right through to the end. If you’re looking for someone who truly listens and makes you feel confident about one of life’s biggest decisions, I would highly recommend reaching out to GJ Gardner.

A really smooth and positive experience throughout the process of my building project. Special shout out to Project Manager Chris Niblett who was incredibly efficient, knew and managed all the moving parts with great care and consideration, was prompt and helpful in responding and ensuring my questions were answered. Supportive team, easy to… Read more ·  1

contact and communicate with. Really friendly staff, willing to help when needed with timing and admin. Grateful to have had this experience led by Chris and this GJ Gardner team.

Worst experience ever! – We built with GJ Gardner homes Geelong in 2016. Should have realised there would be problems from the start as the draftsman continually made errors and the sales staff were required to continuously amend the plans by hand. The window specifications and locations were incorrect and constantly being changed. This led to us having to download the… Read more

A&L Product Catalogue and amend the window specifications accordingly with the assistance of the sales staff. Through the initial design process we opted for hydronic slab heating and louvre windows to maximise energy efficiency with heating and cooling. This is where the fun really began. The day before the house slab was to be poured we had noticed the hydronic heating manifold was in the wrong location and had to rectified before the concrete was poured. Once the house frame was erected I visited the site to inspect the progress and noticed two walls had been erected in the wrong location. The carpenter advised me this was an easy fix and it was, but we had a "Do not mark or damage clause" in relation to the slab as we were to have an exposed concrete floor. This resulted in large holes in the floor surface as a result of the nails being pulled from the floor to enable the walls to be relocated to the correct locations. Further to this, had this not been detected, it would have caused major issues later on to the entry linen cupboard, study, kitchen and laundry. The windows in the minor bedrooms and bathroom wing of the house were fixed at a height of 2100mm whilst all other windows and doors throughout the house were at 2340mm height. We were then hit with a variation fee and labour costs for a carpenter to rectify this issue. The A&L windows where delivered to site with all but three being damaged from scratches in the powder coat finish to gouges and dents in the framework and badly dented timber reveals. I noticed on delivery of the windows that they had all been stacked flat on top of each other on a flat bed truck and not on a truck with an A frame designed for window deliveries. When this was pointed out to GJ Gardner and I later received a call from management of A&L windows and found myself being interrogated and had to prove that the windows were delivered incorrectly and had to justify myself. I felt I was being accused of lying. This created a 6 week delay in the build. A&L Windows had offered to repair some of the windows by touching up the paint finish by brush/hand. I refused this option as being in a coastal area I believe the powder coating was comprised and touching them up by hand would not suffice. All but 3 windows had to be either replaced or repaired. As our house was a custom build it consisted of a combination of light weight cladding products consisting of James Hardie Axon cladding, Scyon Weather Boards and brick veneer. We have a combination of large fixed panel windows, louvre windows and standard awning windows. GJ Gardner and the draftsman failed to accommodate the various building products and windows throughout the planning and design process. Window reveals to be fitted into external walls utilising light weight construction materials such as James Hardie products require a smaller reveal, whilst windows fitted into brick veneer walls have larger reveals. This then led to further delays as GJ Gardner were unsure as to how to fit the louvre windows into the walls utilising the light weight cladding. It was up to us to come up with a solution and after considerable consultation, these windows were boxed/framed utilising Structural Primed Radiata Pine. GJ Gardner decided to rip down the remaining windows. Prior to installing these windows, the carpenter ripped the reveals down using a circular saw. This has left a poor finish on the window reveals with steps on the corners as they weren't cut true and square. Once the windows fittedwere to the frame, the brickwork commenced. A parraparap wall was constructed above the garage roller door and I noticed that it was extremely low. When questioning the brick layers, I was advised that it was a standard 2100mm high as per our house plans. This was very odd as the front door was at 2340mm high and made the front façade look out of proportion. I also noticed there were two gutter overflows on the front feature wall of our house. One being in the fixed rain head and the other being a hole drilled through the brick work. I questioned GJ Gardner as to the necessity and requirement for two overflows within 550mm of each other on the front feature wall, near the front door. I was advised this was required to comply with plumbing codes. After much discussions with GJ Gardner the paraparap wall above the garage roller door was pulled down and reconstructed to a height of 2340 to correlate with the front façade, but this was at a cost of $2000 to me. During this process the brick layer had removed the overflow from the brick work, only to be instructed it was to be replaced. When this brick was replaced it was ill fitting and an eyesore. The mortar joints were required to be flush with the brick work, but when the brick was relaced, it appeared as though the mortar around this brick had been raked out with a finger ant the actual brick protruded forward of the surrounding bricks. It was replaced twice and still remains that way today. Once the house got to lock up stage we noticed numerous large stains on the bedroom floor. The brick layers had been using the master bedroom as their lunch room and we observed empty tuna cans, a sandwich maker and other rubbish on the floor. We have been left with an exposed concrete floor with large stains that we are unable to remove and are extremely unsightly. This was brought to the attention of GJ Gardner and we were advised the brick layers had been spoken to about this exact situation on previous job sites, but no action was taken or offered to rectify the matter. Just prior to completion of the build we noticed that one of the main hydronic heating pipes was exposed under the laundry door, the brick work had been removed from this area and one of the main hydronic pipes was exposed on the outer edge of the house slab. We were advised the pipe had been ruptured and it was now rerouted up the external wall from the boiler unit, through the ceiling and down an internal wall back to the manifold. This has now left the fitting of the external boiler unit as an unsightly mess as there is PVC capping fixed to the brick wall, leading up into the eaves and into the roof cavity. Inside were the pipe was cut from the slab the concrete had to be filled. Once the James Hardie Axon cladding had been installed we then noticed that an unsightly base board with metal capping had been installed. We questioned why it was used as we were building a modern and contemporary home only to be rudely advised that it was to meet building codes as the cladding had to be 50mm from any ground surface. We have inspected numerous other houses built in our area by other major builders that use James Hardie Axon cladding and none have used a base board. We believe this is an old fashion building system that was utilised in days of weatherboard homes. Prior to final inspection of the property we observed numerous faults. The front door was not double glazed and tinted and laundry door was not double glazed as per the building plans. We then had further conflict with A&L windows, being advised the front door could not support double glazing because of it's size. This then led to an onsite meeting where A&L Windows denied any such statement. This issue was eventually rectified with the replacement of correct glazing. We also notice that there were large bows in the entry hall walls. During the build process, we had several on site meetings with the construction manager to address issues. At one time, I believe it was during the A&L Windows issue, I advised this needed to be rectified ASAP as it was causing us financial hardship, paying high rent prices and a mortgage at the same time. I was bluntly reminded that the contract allowed them a further 4 months until completion and that they could use every minute of that time. I felt I was threatened by this remark and through other remarks and statements I was virtually advised to back off. Had he followed through with this threat, I may not have been able to see the build through to its completion as it had placed additional costs of $1,000's to an already stretched budget. On the 13th of May, 2016 I received the keys to our new house. I had a meeting at the Geelong GJ Gardener Office with the construction Manager and felt like I had walked into a school yard fight. He was aggressive and rude towards me. He called me into his office told me to sit in a chair. He then sat on the opposite side of the desk with his arms folded in an aggressive manner and stated "Have you got something to say to me". I had the Australian Building Standards thrown across the desk towards me. During the unpleasant meeting, I was told had I not kept such a close eye on the build that the issues would have been rectified prior to completion. I questioned, "How can you fix a heating manifold in the wrong location and walls in the wrong location after the build is completed?" To rectify the heating manifold they would have had to jack hammer the slab and completely relocate the manifold, so I believe they were lucky that I had been observant. The windows and garage doors being at the wrong height would have required extensive demolishing and rebuilding and more than likely, I would have burdened the costs. After this humiliating meeting and taking possession of our keys we finally moved in only to find many more faults. Moving into our new house was not a joyous occasion as you would expect. The entire build process was frustrating and unpleasant. We have built new homes in the past and never experienced anything like this. On our first night in our new home we noticed all downpipes fitted on the cladding walls were making a loud dripping sound. After investigation it was revealed that the downpipes were constructed with a bend in the lower section to facilitate the protruding baseboard causing the rain or even dew to make this constant dripping sound. This took considerable negotiations for action to be taken which led to a less than a satisfactory resolution. The down pipes have been removed so many times which has resulted in multiple fixing holes, some of which are no longer capable of supporting the fixings. We also noticed that two of our large fixed panel windows where not tinted as per the building plans. There were also faults with the front door. The door is fitted with a Multiple Locking System which allows for an additional Dead Bolt at top and bottom to be engaged when the door is locked. This is activated by lifting the handle once the door is locked. However, due to the door being misaligned and poorly fitted, to activate this Multiple Locking System, you need to push hard on the lower frame of the door with your foot, whilst pushing on the upper frame with your hand and then trying to push hard and inwards on the door handle whislt trying to turn it in an upwards direction. There was also an imperfection in the glass of the door. There was a visible mark at about eye height, between the double glazing and as a result unable to be cleaned. During a lengthy period of lodging complaints and extreme frustration I was advised that "if I had ordered an paid for tinted double glazed windows, I would have received them". It took approximately 9 months for someone to acknowledge that the windows where not in fact tinted and they were finally replaced. The front door glazing was also relaced. During the installation of the replacement glazing, I heard the installers questioning each other as to how the windows were to be correctly fitted. After the installation of the replacement glazing, the glass was left very unclean. When the front door was cleaned, we noticed the replacement glazing had about 5-6 marks and scratches on both the inside and outside of the glass. This glazing was again replaced, however the locking system remains unsatisfactory and the fitment of the glazing has left internal frame work exposed to the outside of the door. Since the replacement of the glazing to the large fixed panel windows we have noticed extreme temperatures radiating through the glass. The glass is extremely hot on mild temperature days on the inside, but cool on the outside, yet an adjacent window only about 900 mm from this window is cool to the touch. This window is of the same construction, being tinted and double glazed. We have investigated this situation and made enquries with other window manufacturers. As a result, we believe the windows have been incorrectly installed. This was brought to the attention of GJ Gardner only to find the response being, the Australian Glazing Standards forwarded to me. This issue continues to this date. I have also noticed that the mortar on the brick work is very soft and crumbly. I can run my finger tip along the mortar joints and find the mortar falls out. On the east side of the house it is extremely poor. On the lower 2-3 rows of bricks, the mortar appears to swell, then crumble and fall out, The original mortar was a flush finish, however some areas has the mortar joint about 10-15 mm deep. There appears to be constant moisture in the ground along this side of the house, even throughout the summer period. This issue was brought to the attention of GJ Gardener and after much negotiations they offered to seal the mortar and brick work to prevent further deterioration. It has taken until February 2018 for the brick layer to make contact in order to address this issue. In the short time in my new home, I have also noticed the James Hardie Axon cladding has been pulling away from the walls, nails protruding and joints pulling apart. This was also brought to the attention of GJ Gardner. I was advised that it was my fault as I had painted the cladding in a dark colour on the west side of the house, yet this cladding is also fitted to the east side and is showing the same faults. I contacted James Hardie in relation to this matter and was advised this form of cladding was suitable for painting in either a dark or light colour. This issue continues to be unsolved. As we had moved into our new house in May during the cooler period, the hydronic heating was utilised only to be overwhelmed with excessive gas bills. My gas bills varied between $600-$700 per 2 month period. In fact my first gas bill was for a 3 week period and in excess of $300. I questioned this bill with the gas supplier and confirmed the gas meter readings. I was advised I needed to have a gas plumber inspect all the gas fittings as I must have a gas leak to use this amount of gas. I brought this to the attention of GJ Gardner and all gas fittings were inspected and found to be correct. I was then provided with various excuses from, Hydronic Heating is expensive to run, I had the temperature set too high, I was loosing heat through the exposed concrete slab. I had noticed hot and cold spots in the floor and had issues with the boiler unit shutting down and displaying error messages. I then had to contact Bosch directly the address the boiler unit issues. It got to the point that I had to almost shut down the hydronic heating unit and have the family wrap themselves in blankets at night to keep warm. After spending approximately $9,500 on what I believed to be one of the most efficient forms of heating, we were left feeling devastated. After almost 12 months of arguing and begging, the boiler unit was addressed with parts being replaced, one of the thermostats were relocated and portions of the heating zones were rezoned. This then led to a dramatic reduction in my gas bills, but was only after we incurred further $1,000's of unnecessary costs in gas bills. I still believe my gas bills are excessive as the only gas appliances fitted to the house are the hydronic heater and infinity hot water service. I believe this is due to one of the main hydronic pipes being rerouted through the roof cavity and walls. This pipe is now exposed in the roof cavity and not running through the slab where it would been insulated in the concrete, assuring a more constant temperature. As a result the exposed pipe allows the water to cool during the circulation process, causing the boiler unit to work harder to maintain the slab temperature. We also discovered the free standing bath was not secured or siliconed to the floor. When leaning on the bath to clean the tiles, the entire bath tipped up lifting one entire side off the floor, almost causing me personal injury. The vanity basins were also only partially siliconed in, not provided an adequate wet seal. During the colder months, there is excessive condensation and moisture, mainly on the windows to the south side of the house. This has led to us having to constantly clean and treat black mould from the window sills and fly screens. When this was raised with GJ Gardner, we were advised it was the building materials drying out??? We have found the aluminium doors to the front entry and laundry have poorly designed treads. They are not actual treads, but a protrusion in the walk way and are a tripping hazard as many people have discovered. The treads are approximately 50mm high by 100mm wide and there is a narrow raised centre section about 30mm wide, not designed tonstand on or be used as a tread/step. It is like having a piece of 4x2 sitting across the door. It almost appears as though these treads should have been recessed into the slab. I have inspected many other new homes fitted with aluminium external doors and they all have a low profile tread, similar to that of a timber construction. We feel the A&L Windows are of poor and substandard quality. Further to the hydronic slab heating, there are obvious faults that will never be rectified. There is insufficient heating in the ensuite floor. On a cold morning or evening, you have to stand about 400mm back from the vanity as any closer the floor is ice cold. It is obvious the heating coil was not situated near the base of the vanity. We also appear to have constant moisture along the east side of the house. We have become so frustrated and annoyed with the lack of cooperation and inaction by GJ Gardner, that we have had to resort to employing the services of an independent building inspector, again at further cost to us. Upon inspection of our home he has concurred with the faults described. We have been advised not to have the mortar sealed until a written guarantee can be provided. Proof of the fixing method for the Axon cladding was requested. It was also noted that the clad walls were on the border line for being within tolerances as the cladding bowed in and out at the joints. A glazing report was also requested as it was obvious the windows are not fitted correctly. He also questioned the reasoning for the use of base boards under the Axon cladding as he felt it could promote termites/ white ants. The Building Inspection Report was forwarded to GJ Gardner for attention, and surprise, surprise, I have not had a satisfactory response. I forwarded the report directly to the GJ Gardner Manager, got no response. I contacted the Geelong Office and spoke the receptionist. She unable to confirm whether or not the report was received and I was unable to speak to the manager, so I then forwarded a copy directly to her for transmission to the manager. A week later I still hadn't received any reply or acknowledgement, so I again contacted GJ Gardner. I again was unable to speak to the manager, so I left a message and was advised he would contact me. Several days later, the receptionist contacts me and advises the manager has received the report and would contact me after he has had a meeting with the construction manager. Weeks have passed and still I await any official contact or acknowledgement and no closer to achieving any results. This house build has cost me $1,000's and $1,000's more than it should have and I still appear to be no closer to resolving these issues. It has caused us extreme hardships, not only financially, but emotionally and psychologically. We have thought back so many times wishing we had chosen a different builder. Whilst waiting for a response from GJ Gardner, we have had some warmer weather so I decided to investigate the glazing issues further. I obtained a thermometer and recorded some temperature readings. The first day was a mild day, expected top temperature of 22 degrees. I took a screen shot of my weather zone app, showing the current temperature to be 20.9 degrees. At this same time the temperature recorded on the inside of the dining room window was approx. 33 degrees. I then recorded the temperature of the adjacent fixed panel window positioned about 900mm to the left of the large window and found it to be approx. 24.5 degrees. I then recorded the temperature of the louvre windows which are directly adjacent the first large window, fixed within the same frame to the right, and it was approx 24 degrees. I then recorded the temperature on the outside of the large fixed panel window and observed it to be approx. 25.5 degrees in the direct sunlight. These readings clearly indicate that there is something very wrong with these windows. There is one clear and obvious item that stands out. The water marks on the large window are on the lower left corners and on the other windows they are on the lower right corners. It is clear that the large fixed panel window has been fitted incorrectly causing the double glazing to work opposite to what it was designed for. Another sad thing to point out is that the louvre windows recorded a lower temperature than the other fixed panel window. The louvre windows appear to have a better energy efficiency, yet we lost energy rating points on our house build for having them. Several days later I decided to take further temperature readings from other windows, this time from the theatre room window on the east side and the master bedroom on the north side. It was around lunch time and the sun was shining directly on both these windows. A screen shot of my weather zone app showed the expected top temperature to be 27 degrees, with current temperature being 24.6 degrees. I recorded the temperature of the theatre room window to be 24 degrees. This window is a large fixed panel being double glazed, but of clear glass, not tinted. I then recorded the temperature of the master bedroom window and observed it to be 34 degrees. Again there was an obvious difference with the clear glass appearing to be for more efficient than the tinted glass. Again the one noticeable difference is the water markings being on the lower left corner as per the dining window and opposite to all other windows. To a normal person this would appear to be an obvious fix, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to be the case with GJ Gardner's we cannot speak to anyone, let alone convince them. It is apparent that the materials, goods and workmanship in our home is of poor quality and substandard. I have read some of the other GJ Gardner reviews from other offices and states where people are extremely happy with the build quality and support that they had received. I so wish I could have been one of these people, but unfortunately I am not and appear destined to have to continue my fight. We put so much thought and planning into our build and our home as we thought this was going to be our forever home, but now we don't know if it can be. I know I am only one person that appears to be very disgruntled and I have only posted this review after much consideration and thought as all other avenues have been fruitless at this time. For all those that have been satisfied with your build with GJ Gardner, I am happy for you and congratulate you on your success. For those contemplating building with GJ Gardner or any other builder, please take note of my tale and be aware of any early warnings signs as we should have. It is always easier to change builders than it is to spend years of your life fighting for what you believe is right and entitled to.

Outstanding Sales Experience - Aarti has been amazing to deal with. From the first phone call to discuss build options, to the planning stage, Aarti has gone over and above to draft a plan that will optimize what is a complicated block design with a restrictive design overlay. I have also met with the entire team, pre-build, and feel assured that… Read more

my build will be brilliant. GJ Gardner allowed me the time to hash out all of the design and build elements until I was completely comfortable to move to the next stage. GJ Gardner have been incredibly transparent and easy to work with. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a custom build.

My wife and I built this house with G.J. Gardner Geelong. The house is our transition to retirement. Smaller home low maintenance. Our last stop in our lives except for aged care. We got more than a house. We got a beautiful home that feels just right. It is filled with natural light and quality. Thank you to all at G.J.Gardner Geelong for the… Read more ·  1

home you built us in Mount Duneed. Everyone of you played a part. Our dedicated team were Ron, Carly, Renee and Chris. Ron who is just a gentleman. You listened carefully to what we wanted for our home and provided very knowledgeable and wise advice on our plan and inclusions. You along with the rest of the team really cared about how we felt and what we wanted. Carly who is a such a caring person and extremely knowledgeable prepared our contracts and talked us through the coming processes. She was excellent and gave us a very clear picture of a complex process. Renee is such a joy to deal with. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. She gave us great guidance during our selection process and made a task that seemed overwhelming very easy. She was ably assisted by Carly too. Chris our Site Supervisor is fantastic good all round bloke. Easy to work with and who provided good timely advice. Our relationship during the build became a friendship. We solved many problems together and not all of them related to our build. Loved having our site meetings. From day one when we walked in the door of G.J. Gardner Geelong it felt like we were welcomed into a family. We were introduced to all the staff and treated with respect and dignity. A special thanks to Darryn and Jared as well for the part they played in our build. I would like to make mention of the exceptional tradies that worked on our home. Many local tradesmen and local businesses were involved in this build which I believed was important. Nearly four weeks living in our home now and not once have I thought anything in the design does not work. Everything flows and I can see the quality in our home.

We have been dealing with Aarti and I can't believe how good she has been, going above and beyond the call of duty. All the team have been so good to work with from Rohan, Carly, Renee and David. Show details ·  1

We are very happy with GJ Gardner Geelong. They were easy to deal with and very professional, efficient and helpful throughout planning, build and post construction. Chris our construction manager did an outstanding job throughout the build and paid great attention to detail. This resulted in a great building experience and brilliantly finished… Read more ·  2

home in a beautiful location. Remarkably This was achieved on a sloping block of land and all done whilst we were overseas. Highly recommend GJ Gardner Geelong, Chris, Jarryd, Renee and the entire team to build with.

We have been involved with many builds and with GJ Gardner homes in Geelong were outstanding. From start to the handover the communication and workmanship has been excellent. Our site supervisor was brilliant. His communication, attention to detail and honesty is a credit to him and G J Gardner homes are lucky to have him as an employee. We are extremely pleased with our new home and would recommned G J Gardner homes. Show details ·  1

GJ gardener homes geelong – We can't speak highly enough of the team at GJ gardener homes geelong. Every step of our journey has been easy. Incredibly helpful team, from helping us find our block of land, selecting our home, tweaking it to be exactly what we wanted within our budget and answering all our questions along the way, even the silly ones, and any minor delays or… Read more ·  1

hiccups were always solved quickly. We love our home and would do it all again with the team at Geelong. Special thanks to Darren, Carly, Renee and Leigh ❤️

GJ Gardner Homes Geelong – From beginning to end, GJ Gardner Homes Geelong have provided us with exceptional service and a quality home. The custom design process was stress free and we were ably guided and supported at each stage by the whole team. We also had frequent access to the site and they worked alongside our own building inspector. We love living in our new home. We experienced joy building with GJ! Show details ·  1

GJ Gardner Homes Geelong – Knowledgeable and honest staff who want the best for your house outcome (from start to finish). Supervision of the build was high standard with consistent communication throughout the process. Every step of the way from planning to building was quality and information provided both verbally and written to help guide decision making. Being able to… Read more ·  1

customise the plans makes it feel more like your home. The quality of our build is of high standard, we have had limited issues throughout the build and any minor things were discussed with us. All costing and pricing was communicated and we never felt there were any surprises with invoicing. We love our home!

Best build ever! – I would highly recommend GJ Gardner to anyone looking for a builder that will make the entire build experience enjoyable and stress-free. Our land had issues before we even started working with GJ. GJ took on our challenge and made it seamless to manage. We were extremely pleased with our design to work with our tricky block whilst highlighting… Read more ·  1

the features it presented. There were no hidden costs and everything was upfront. After our design and colours selection, the estimated cost was spot on with our final cost. Our manager Darren took wonderful care of us, eagerly responding to every need and communicating transparency at each stage. We can't recommend Darren highly enough. Our home was built with the highest quality and the finish is just outstanding. We love our home and would build with GJ again and again!

Quality and reliable building experience – Excellent build experience with G.J.Garner Homes. Communication throughout the whole process was clear, and the build exactly as expected with no hold ups or hidden costs. Our supervisor, Leigh, could not have been more helpful and kept us up to date with all works being carried out. The quality of the finished product was far superior to other builders we have used. I would definitely recommend the company. Show details ·  1

What a great new home build experience – From start to finish the process was made painless with the help of the staff at GJ Garners from sales, design to customize to our needs, right through the quality build to handover. The few minor issues after handover were fixed within days. Nothing was too hard for them. All initial costs and variations were upfront and on budget. Show details ·  1

GJ Gardner Homes Geelong - Exceptional Build – GJ Gardner Geelong was excellent from start (drawing and design of our custom built home) to finish. We had a great experience with the whole build. Our supervisor Bernie kept us informed throughout the process and was exceptional. It was a pleasure to deal with the whole team at GJ Gardner and we recommend building with the team in Geelong. Show details ·  1

Home builder with exceptional build quality – We built a double storey home with GJ Gardner homes at Grovedale, Geelong. The team at GJ Gardner homes were excellent right from initial sales meetings with David Graham till handover. David made a custom floor plan to suit our needs and was very accommodating to meet virtually especially around Covid restrictions. Special thanks to Maddie Davies… Read more ·  1

for her attention to details and quick responses to all my questions. We had a virtual colour appointment with Renee, who was very well prepared and showed us all the options very clearly so it was easy to make our choices. Darren, our site supervisor was very patient with my queries and would always keep me informed on the build progress, inspite of challenges faced due to Covid. Above all the quality of the house is excellent. We have been living in our home since Nov'21 and so far have not got any major issues. All minor issues were resolved within the 3 month warranty period very quickly. So I would definitely recommend to build with GJ Gardner team in Geelong.

Excellent build and excellent project management – Our house was very well built and management by Supervisor was excellent. Chris was always approachable and extremely easy to deal with. Any issues were taken up by him straight away and always resolved to our satisfaction. He is a credit to the company for the way he deals with clients. Workmanship was always good and when we had a few issues… Read more ·  1

about door handles and drawer pulls caused by input of wrong codes, while we could compromise on our selection, we were able to resolve to our satisfaction without any issues from him. Final cost came in as expected, however I believe company could be more accommodating on variation costs where changes were required due to minor company errors and/or insufficient clarity on plans for opening direction (arrows) of sliding doors. While drainage was done by a company recommended drainage company and was not part of the Contract with GJ Gardner, the drainage company could have performed better as one of the driveway pits was not centred in the driveway (so the pit is ineffective in collecting surface water) and the pit lids do not match. One lid has concrete within the sections such that the concrete breaks up. Electrical contractor's "timeliness" was an issue in that while the electrical conduit should have been installed within the slab for both the new house and new freestanding garage, their lateness resulted in conduit being installed in the corner of garages and is visible, rather than hidden within the slab and walls. We now - 3 months after handover - have an issue with the safety switch tripping for the freestanding garage.

Good Quality Home Builder – First time and having no knowledge of building a home, GJ Gardner Geelong helped me throughout the process with ease.From the manager, Admin to Site supervisor communication was not a problem and things are dealt with professionally.I appreciate the hard work you all have done for helping me to have a lovely home without any stress. Show details ·  1

Very happy with our build with G.J.Gardner Homes – Once the preliminaries were completed and the actual build started, I had to concentrate hard as it all flowed seamlessly. As soon as 1 trade was complete, the next one was right in there. The quality was excellent throughout too. Paint quality is second to none and is one of the first thing visitors notice. Show details ·  1

Quality home builder! – Building our first home with G.J. Gardner Homes was a great experience and they were amazing from start to finish! With the amount of questions we asked during the entire process it was credit to the staff that we didn't break anyone. From the sales and design person, to our contract admin and then our site supervisor, they were all great to deal… Read more ·  1

with and extremely helpful. Of course the build is when any issues can occur but our supervisor was very meticulous which helped avoid any potential issues later on. Having a great site supervisor is very important and we were stoked with ours who looked after us and got us into our new home!

Beautiful home , done on time and on budget – We have been provided with a beautiful home , with a few minor issues are to be to be corrected in maintenance period. The staff have all been very helpful , built on time before the COVID problems, The overall quality of the home is outstanding , thanks to site supervisor Chris Niblett. Show details ·  1

A fantastic experience from start to finish – If you're researching potential builders to use for your new build you need to look no further - honestly I would recommend GJ Gardner Geelong in a heartbeat. They are an amazing, caring and lovely team who take the stress out of the whole process. Everything is explained, all questions are answered and they truly want to build you the best home… Read more ·  1

they can for you within your budget. Shout out to Maddie in the office who was amazing to correspond with and the biggest shout out goes to our building supervisor Chris who is an absolute legend. He put his heart and soul into the job - please note GJ Gardner - he deserves a pay rise for the effort he puts into the job!! (and no he didn't tell me to write that!)

Thanks to everyone involved in building our beautiful new home. We're truly grateful.

Our dream house is completed in style! – We cannot thank G.J Gardner enough for the exceptional job that was done in completing our home. As first home builders, we undertook an assessment of all the different builders in time. What drew us to GJ Gardner were three things - which I hope to explain in detail 1. A thorough understanding of building delivery and performance We first… Read more ·  1

approached G J Gardner in July 2019 while we were looking around for a builder. Although the prices of G J Gardner seemed a bit dear, but we met with the sales representative who provided an excellent opportunity to alter the space and customised the building to our taste. Each feature was priced fairly and structural solutions were highlighted. In addition, there was a deep understanding of building systems. One of the features that remain outstanding in our house has been our water toilet in which the wash-hand basin sits on top of the cistern such that used water is used to fill the cistern. Furthermore, we have lived in the house for two months now and regardless of the outside temperature, the inside temperature is rarely lesser than 17 degree Celsius - which has enhanced our comfort levels and also helped our electricity and gas bills. Each possibility was explored with an open mind with the sales representatives and although a long-winded process, we believe we achieved a design that optimised space and performed brilliantly.

2. A determination to use optimum material (not just the cheapest) One of the issues we also enjoyed was the use of materials and components that were not quite the cheapest available on the market. We have seen many houses and right from the fly screen to door handles, it is clear that the builders were just keen to provide some cheap fittings that will clearly not stand the test of time. To our delight, G J Gardner used materials that were top quality and our follow on installation of home gadgets have been pretty smooth. For us, utilising materials and components that have enduring qualities will minimise the incidence of re-work and this is especially valuable in a covid-era - where there are massive complications with undertaking repairs. Having received our keys approximately 2 months ago - we have loved the oven, light fittings, fly screens, kitchen handles, wardrobe fittings and all the facilities are in excellent condition

3. A personalized home building reflective of the aspiration of their client Lastly, it was valuable to receive a personalised home building service. Right from the sales representative, to the contract administrator, to colour-selection expert, and to the project and site manager, there was concerted effort to achieve a personalised home. I remember the site manager asking us of what height we would like our TV stand to be during framing and also kindly implemented this (at no additional cost), as the original one we specified at contract stage was rather low. Also, during the build stage, we were invited for several walk-throughs (about 6 -7) - which provided an early planning for us when we had to move. Also, effort was made for us to ensure that we moved into the house in good time, despite some of the delays during COVID. This goodwill definitely allowed a seamless close-out from our rented house and aided our settling down in our house. Lastly, the General manager also provided some concession to us due to the delay in commencing our building due to delayed titling of the land, as we had signed the contract over 6 months ago. Each of these initiatives at different levels of the building process, made our experience with G J Gardner, pleasant and pleasurable.

Massive thanks for building our home. We will recommend G J Gardner to other aspiring home owners.