McDonald Jones Homes
- mcdonaldjoneshomes.com.au
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1,730 reviews · Statistics
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- Pre-Construction (1,027)
- Mid-Construction (199)
- Post-Construction (419)
Reviews
Terrible, extremely unhappy and it’s only the start
NSW, Baulkham Hills (Sydney Office)Only at the beginning of construction and already extremely unhappy with the level of customer service.
Admins made in multiple changes in plans, never knew which plan we were building until submitted and approved by council.
Water connection, apparently owners responsibility to follow up with Sydney Water even though each time I contact Sydney Water they ask why I’m calling and not the builder as the builder should be the one calling/organising.
Originally chose a front door, and now a whole different style of door has been installed. Ne
... Read morever once communicated that the whole style had changed even when asked via email and now apparently it’s too late to change the door because the door has been installed. I didn’t know that front doors are permanent fixtures on a house and can never be changed? Extremely unhappy with this level of service considering we are the paying customers.
Fantastic experience at selections with Lorraine
NSW, Baulkham Hills (Sydney Office)We have recently completed our internal selections at Norwest, with the very knowledgable and friendly consultant, Lorraine. She guided us through each step of the selection process, providing valuable information and options for us as we made decisions about all aspects of the internal colours, fittings and inclusions. Lorraine was incredibly helpful and patient and recommended selections in keeping with our preferred style and colour palette. We are thrilled with our choices and can't wait for the next stage of our build. We highly recommend Lorraine at Norwest. She is brilliant!
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Fantastic service, very helpful throughout Preconstruction
NSW, Thornton (Newcastle Office)We have been very happy with our experience in the preconstruction phase. Our project coordinator Kayla Stephenson was extremely helpful, friendly and quick to respond to any requests or questions we had. She is knowledgeable and helped guide us through preconstruction comfortably.
The process so far has been pleasant and nearly completely hassle free - any issues that cropped up were able to be quickly sorted without difficulty.
Additionally, MJH has been very considerate in regards to design changes, internal/external selections. In particula
Not good to recommend
NSW, Port MacquarieWe begun our journey 2021 from sales team Port Macquarie and [Name Removed] is very helpful and amazing ..Our land registered a bit late due to rain but after a year of waiting finally it was registered and start of our saga to MJH. Construction started April 24,2023 . Same as others here slab for 3 months , another 3 months for frame completed. Why it takes too long? mJH accepted a lot of job in this area but they are struggling!!!
MJH can’t built double story home within the time frame .. I am terribly upset because my place here is in stag
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... Read more Thank you.
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Worst Building Experience Ever!
NSW, Port MacquarieWe have built several homes and this build with McDonald Jones Homes Mid North Coast NSW has been the worst experience from start of build onwards. Sadly, after sales and colour which was a good experience, the construction stage has been riddled with constant ongoing errors and huge delays each time to the point that the build is nowhere near lock up stage after 16 months and little and poor communication that always ends in a conversation of ‘next week we will start’, or ‘next week we hope to have it fixed’, or ‘next week the materials will a
... Read morerrive’, but next weeks turns to weeks and months. The worst part is the errors are not simple and could have easily been avoided. How can a company that continuously tells its customers and advertises building quality homes get it so wrong? Too many issues to mention but here are just a few: concrete slab laid whilst 3 days of torrential rain occurred that was well reported in all weather reports prior and other concreters cancelled their jobs, windows and stacker doors delivered before the frame was delivered and erected leaving the reveals exposed to weather for well over 6 months with some of them in direct contact with the sodden ground, the frame took many months to be erected which some of it has been damaged but still erected, some of the windows and doors which we paid to be double glazed due to fire ratings were not double glazed and need replacing, the protective plastic on the windows and doors as they sat in the weather for so long has been baked on so this glass needs to be replaced, some window frames are damaged and need to be replaced, brick work laid poorly with some areas not plumb or level, expansion joints not in the right place, some brick piers bowing, inside bricks mortar not scraped so big chunks of mortar that can cause moisture issues later down the track, cavities full of mortar some areas to the level of the slab and blocking weeper holes so water/moisture can't escape (cleaning of these cavities is usually done as the bricklayer goes each day but not in my build), bricks for the second floor above stacker doors with gaps between mortar and not laid in a brick pattern which means it needs fixing to ensure integrity, so many chipped bricks have been laid after paying for new bricks the build looks terrible, sarking is damaged and requires replacing and has compromised the moisture barrier. Even though 7 months earlier they had agreed to replace all the window and door reveals they went ahead and fitted the stacker doors and windows that had rotted reveals and mould on them and now 10 months later they are pulling them out along with bricks to put on new reveals and will also have to be bricked up again. McDonald Jones talked about using silicone to put the flashing back in which is not to Relevant Australian Standards. I have had to get an independent Building Inspector’s report due to so many issues and poor practices and am still waiting for how they intend to fix my house and on top of that when they plan to finish the build. The undue stress and strain this has had on my wife and I cannot be stressed enough as well as the financial stress which should not be endured by anyone. The only thing living in our shell of a ‘house’ that looks like something out of a ghost town, is birds, rats and mice and green mould on some of the bricks. It’s so embarrassing when neighbours comment on the ‘chaotic’ and rubbish laden state of the build site and the way the house just sits there with no work being done. This does not only affect us which is horrendous enough, but neighbours are impacted too which is not how you want to start in your new community.Hi Jed,
We are disappointed to hear about your Construction experience so far, and would like to investigate this further. We have sent you a private message to obtain further information, please feel free to respond at your earliest convenience.
We are requesting that this complaint outlined in our review be escalated to the CEO of McDonald Jones Homes asap. Whilst your private message advises you will send it to senior management to have a
... Read morelook at, these people (senior management) after a month have still not provided us in writing the resolution to each of the many, many issues outlined in the Independent Builders Inspection Report or the timeframe for fixing these issues even though senior management advised us they have no problem putting the resolutions in writing. In the last 16 months of all the errors and issues they have not provided anything in writing and only respond on the phone many days/weeks later even though they keep saying they have no problem putting things in writing. None of the issues have been rectified and we are seeking the CEO of McDonald Jones Homes to intervene and have our issues addressed in a timely manner and to Australian Building Standards. We will respond to your private message with our job number for you to escalate this to the CEO of McDonald Jones Homes.
Definitely give them five star
NSW, HuntleeRobert and Kurt have specialised knowledge of the requirements needed to build a house on the land. I highly recommend people who want to build a house to visit them. They recommend a number of options for a limited budget and kindly explains the realistic rates for building a house. I definitely give them five star.
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Preliminary Agreement
NSW, HomeWorld Marsden ParkI worked with Joseph Schifilliti of Homeworld Marsden Park through the early stages of our build. The process was explained carefully and Jo was always there to help. Great experience!
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Worst customer service ever
ACT, FyshwickSo much drama post construction be very careful if your thinking about purchasing with these cowboys. Dodgy workmanship no ownership from mjh and im still waiting on a response from 4 different managers all who said they will get back to me about one of many issues with our home (10 weeks ago). My front and back yard flooded which ruined our driveway preparation and backyard landscaping and got told it wasn’t there problem. After investigating for weeks and no help from mjh I finally find out they connected to the wrong storm water tie. This is
... Read more one of many issues with no response no help and no care. I haven’t had a fan in my master bathroom since we moved in 3 months ago I’ve had 5 visits from there sub contractor on every occasion the wrong part was ordered and the last visit your subcontractors comment was this is the dodgiest thing I have ever seen in relation to the ducted works connect to the fan which was tapped up with duct tape. I have supplied photos videos to mjh on at least 6 occasions now it’s seems no care is given after and during construction.Be very very careful these people will take your money and leave you hanging dry. Thanks Mjh for ruining our experience
Hi Todd,
Thank you for taking the time to share your review with us. We have sent you a private message, if you could please respond at your earliest convenience.
One week on and no reply from mjh. Unbelievable
Fabulous Progress
NSW, Thornton (Newcastle Office)We have reached plastering and fit out exceptional workmanship we are due to do a pre tiling inspection soon and looking forward to it with great anticipation. Luke has been a champion. We can't wait to March when it will be finished.
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Very slow, no contact or updates.
NSW, Port MacquarieExtremely disappointed with MJH, 12 months on and we are still waiting on plaster, I have had neighbours calling me about insulation blowing all over our site, I have tried to call 23 times with no answer, I have left messages etc very poor.
Sick to death of seeing add every night saying (homes built how they should be) this is our 3rd build and we will never build again.
Hi Grant,
We are of understanding that after your last review, you were contacted by your Area Manager. Did you want us to organise for him to give you a call back again?
Yes had contact, still no progress or updates.
Outstanding customer service
NSW, HomeWorld Marsden ParkWe went to see Joseph Schfilliti at Marsden Park, he was extremely accomodating and made us feel like nothing was to much trouble. He went above and beyond in assisting us the best he could. We are absolutely thrilled with his attitude, attention to detail and positive input giving us realistic ideas and solutions. We highly recommend speaking to Joe if your looking at building a new home.
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Good design for my small size land
NSW, HomeWorld Marsden ParkThanks to McDonald Jones for 2023 Summer Saver Offer which is a great help on my budget. Mr Joseph S in Marsden Park office did a lot of research work and found me a good solution to meet my needs on a small size land. He patiently explained different choices and showed me in the display buildings. I am happy my simple ideas on my new home were converted to be an operatable draft plan.
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Pre Construction Phase - Homeworld Marsden Park
NSW, HomeWorld Marsden ParkWe first met Joseph Schifilliti at McDonald Jones Homes, Homeworld, Marsden Park. His knowledge on the build process was immediately apparent, as he easily answered our many enquiries. He assisted with drafting the initial floor plan, and did not hesitate to amend the plans to suit our requirements. We requested many additional items to be added to our tender, and none of these were overlooked. Responses to our emails were virtually immediate, and any questions we held in relation to how the build would progress were answered without hesitation
... Read more. We could not offer Joseph any suggestions on how he could have improved his customer service. He made us feel that we were important, and addressed any concerns we held in relation to the build. We are currently in the Pre Construction Phase and are looking forward to the next steps. Thank you Joseph for your time and dedication.
Pre Construction Stage - So far Satisfying
NSW, Port MacquarieThe journey with the MCD Jones Homes pre-construction team was very satisfying. Our journey started with Amelia from the sales team at Port Macquarie. Amelia was always welcoming, and she quickly understood our needs with our plan and design of the house. The crew at my choice studio were very professional, and finally A big shout to Jedda Crawford from the Port Macquire office, who efficiently handled all approvals. Jedda was also constantly in touch with us about the progress of the file.
We are looking forward to the next stage of the build, hoping we will receive excellent service from the build team.
Grateful for the time and service we received
NSW, Box HillTim Bowman and Alison Smith made our experience very pleasant throughout the whole process. My husband and I had just cancelled our initial contract with MJH, and had to start from the beginning. I had found the Salamanca floorplan and it was very similar to our initial floorplan (Anchorage 4). Tim and Alison showed us compassion towards our situation. Tim spent many hours helping us Tweek the floorplan to suit our ideas. Tim helped us in our situation to be able to maximise our floor plan and budget to suit our developer guidelines. He really turned out experience around to make it a positive outcome. We are very grateful for all his time and expertise.
Show detailsQuestions & Answers
I have just been told by Eden Brae homes who have informed us that they won’t build on our block because of “access issues” - there is a no standing sign over half the front of our block and nothing else. Clear access, empty block, council ground parking across the road.
I am now worried that McDonald Jones might be the same. We have picked our design (Bayswater Grande or. Miami Grande) and want to get started ASAP. There is parking across half of the 17.1m frontage.
I find that difficult to understand.
This is my 2nd build with MJH and apart from understandable delays due to trade shortages you will find them very accommodating.
Hi Steven!
We are happy to connect you to our experienced team of Building and Design Consultants who will be able to best assist with your enquiry.
We have sent you a Private Message to obtain a few more details about your property, please feel free to respond at your earliest convenience.
I am Currently at the 11th hour to decide to cancel build on a $900k home or lodge DA, this will cost us $10k to forfeit build, but we are at the stage that the $10k is worth it to avoid possible issues moving forward, constant mess ups, goal post keeps moving, inconsistent information, we have zero faith that the next stages wont be anything but stress, we would like to speak to someone in upper management regarding this tho Everyones always busy or on annual leave when we try to call or you receive emails back at 4:58 on a Friday, always having to chase up pre construction admin. We were warned using Mac Jones and hoped things would be better as i read these reviews but unfortunately it has not been the case. Mitchell who signed us up was fantastic, everything down hill since then.
Hi Kristy,
We have sent you a private message to get some additional information, please respond at your earliest convenience.
Thank you!
Run while you can. We had the same experience and were convinced to stay. Now 21 months later we still do not have a house. Constant staff turnovers and inadequate supervision of sub contractors mean sections of the house need to be pulled down. Site supervisors are rude and unaccountable. There are some great individuals along the way but it does not make up for the poor product, unkept promises and changing goal posts along the way.
What area are you in Megan?
Gundaroo near Canberra
Hi how come it takes so long for trades to turn up on any site in Taree. At Forster they put the houses up fairly quickly as I went out to foster display house choose a house paid a deposit in 2021. There were a lot of vacant blocks in that street up for sale . They are all completed and lived in . The next stage is Well under way. We are still waiting for our house to be completed. They stated trades will turn up. The trades get emails sent out and they still don't turn up. We are waiting for four jobs to be completed. It would take four trades to turn up and three days to complete. We in Taree are paying customers just like any one else.the founder and previous ceo states in his book a quote which obviously doesn't get followed threw. McDonald Jones is obviously a sponsor and supporter of the block they can build four to five house in 12 weeks why am I still waiting for two years . I drive around Taree there are trades on others sites and not on McDonald Jones site. What is the go.
Hey Mon,
We are sorry you feel let down by us, I can assure you that we are moving jobs equally. Would you like to send us a private message with your job number so that we can investigate further.
Thank you in advance!
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Details
About McDonald Jones Homes
- Display homes are available for viewing in Sydney, Newcastle, Mid North Coast, Coffs Harbour, South Coast, Southern Highlands and Canberra. Building and Design Consultants assist you at the physical display homes, and there are also virtual Display Homes for viewing.
- A variety of Home Collections let you pick the right home for your finances and tastes. Homes in the GenOne collection are made for smaller blocks and first home owners; NextGen offers contemporary homes and more inclusions, while the most premium of the collections are Country Living and Stuart Everitt Collections. These higher-end homes are usually suitable for second and third-time home buyers.
- House and Land Packages are available in Sydney, the Hunter Valley, Newcastle, the Mid-North Coast, Coffs Harbour, the South Coast, Goulburn and Canberra.
- McDonald Jones Homes partners with MyChoice Design Studio, allowing home buyers to enlist the help of professional interior designers when styling their new home. MyChoice Home Loans links home buyers with a suitable home loan.
Points of praise
Reviewers reported that attentive staff members go out of their way to make sure that new home buyers are satisfied. Staff are well informed and professional when providing information and advice, along with being friendly and patient.
Those home buyers in the pre and mid-construction stages of their build expressed confidence that they would have a favourable outcome in terms of their dream home. The source of this confidence was their trust in the staff members. Whether it was sales consultants or site managers, staff were trusted to look after clients needs with a high level of professionalism.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Project Home Builders | Project Home Builders | Project Home Builders | Project Home Builders |
| Types of Homes Available | Granny Flat, One-Storey and Two-Storey | Granny Flat, One-Storey and Two-Storey | Granny Flat, One-Storey and Two-Storey | Granny Flat, One-Storey and Two-Storey |
| Major Defects Warranty | 25 years | 25 years | 25 years | 25 years |
| Sustainable Building | No | No | No | No |
| Knockdown & Rebuild | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Build Areas | Sydney | Hunter region | South Coast region | Canberra region |
Contact info for McDonald Jones Homes
| Mon | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Tue | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Wed | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Thu | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Fri | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Sat | Closed |
| Sun | Closed |
- ABN: 82003687232
Extra Information
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Hey Jessica,
We are disappointed to hear about your Construction experience so far and would like to investigate this further. We have sent you a private message to obtain further information, please feel free to respond at your earliest convenience.