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PJ Burns
See the Best Home Builders in 2019 as rated by Australians on ProductReview.com.au.
TGBSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 2 reviews
- 6 likes
- Verified customer
Problems from start to finish with appalling customer service
PJ Burns were contracted to design and build our new home in Brisbane. During the build we had so many issues it will be hard to list all, so I will focus on only a few. You will get the idea as to how much of a nightmare this company was to deal with....and still is.
A change of site manager. Our site (exposed frame and chip board floor on the second level) sat untouched and exposed to the weather for a month while our first site manager left PJB. We were not notified by the company until we continually contacted them asking why nothing...Read more
was happening on site. The original site trades were all affiliated with the first site manager. Our new site manager then just blamed the previous manager for all issues for work done to date and didn't want to take responsibility for work done prior to his arrival. The quality of works was so bad I had to attend site at least once a week to catch bad workmanship. For example, they were going to lay carpet over the warped chipboard flooring in the bedrooms and not sand down the raised joints. This would have resulted in uneven wearing of the carpet and uneven floor. I was present when the carpet installer took the call from the site manager and was directed to "lay it anyway". I then called the site manager directly. Most probably this would not have been evident until after the warranty period. One example of trying to do a quick and cheap job. I have many more.... PJ Burns designed the house. All plans were done by the builder and their team. So one would wonder why when we get to construction they tell us there are issues with the plans and they can't build exactly as per the plan (and our contract). We now have bulkheads in our outdoor alfresco areas as they didn't allow for plumbing above. They also wanted to put another bulkhead in our entry at the front door as again, they forgot that a toilet would need plumbing. The bulkhead was obviously the cheapest way for them to solve the problem. We pushed back hard on this and they found another way to fix albeit with a smaller pipe. So fixed for now assuming the smaller pipe doesn't give us issues in the future. We assumed that because they designed it they should have been able to build it to their plans, wrong. The quality of their trades. There is a saying that if you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Our house site felt like a zoo. The inside of our house was painted the wrong colour. The outside of the house they used the wrong paint (textured). It was only after we pointed it out at handover that they came to repaint. But it was a rush job and there are inconsistencies in the final appearance. The tilers layed patterned tiles not in random manners but the patterns side by side. We had to insist the tiles were ripped up and changed. Our induction cooktop was not installed correctly and was only picked up by our Neff representative. Incorrect venting meant it was a fire hazard. I could continue.... Rectification and warranty. I am jumping to this or my review will be too long. We have had 4 maintenance managers/contacts since handover. Staff turnover is very high (you can draw your own conclusions as to why). Our maintenance managers leave, emails are unmonitored as are mobile phones. You leave multiple messages and send multiple emails and they go unanswered. Out of frustration you call the office and they give you the contact details of your next maintenance manager. They then want to attend your house again to reassess the work that has previously been reassessed. Each one then agrees they will fix and rectify the problems (we have emails to verify) but then they leave and we start the process again. But now a new twist... we received an email this week where they have wiped their hands of the outstanding issues saying they are "within tolerances". Our list of issues was supplied to PJB in March 2019 and in the last week of August 2019 this is the email we get. Appalling customer service.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
- Verified customer
Exceptional Build
We would like to thank the owners, staff and contractors at Hervey Bay for their professionalism and friendliness. We were always made to feel very welcome. Their assistance in helping 'first time builders in 40 years' was invaluable. We had so many positive comments from different people regarding how quick and diligently the contractors worked. The site was always left clean and tidy. The build was well organised and progressed very quickly. We were always informed what was happening next. We are especially pleased with the brickwork. Thank you PJ Burns for our wonderful home! We are thrilled!
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KristyCoorparoo
- Verified customer
Quality build with efficient service
If you’re thinking of building on the Sunshine Coast then call PJ Burns. From start to finish the service was excellent. In particular, Sarah Burns made life so so easy. She is efficient and always so happy to help. The quality of our new home is fantastic. Even after the build they were happy to come back and fix little things as I noticed them. I would highly recommend PJ Burns if you want quality and amazing service.
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LivSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 10 reviews
- 3 likes
- Verified customer
"We can't imagine building with anyone else"
We first approached PJ Burns before we had even purchased our block of land! They offered advise and great customer service from the very first day.
Though our block was not an easy block to build on, they always kept us up to date with the progress of the build and answered any questions we had.
The house is beautiful and the attention to detail is incredible.
We can't imagine building with any another company after this amazing experience we have had with them.
A massive thank you to Courtney, Swanny, Chris, Amanda, Sarah, Lynda and your team for all of your hard work!
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BrightseaBrisbane
- Verified customer
Glad to get PJ Burns onto our Home Build Project
My wife and I decided to buy a piece of land in Mango Hill , QLD and initially looked at several builders and was almost going to go for a different builder to start looking at our home build plans. We had our ideas in our minds and the existing designs of some of the builders had to be modified. Needless to say, some of the bigger builders in the region were not prepared to change their plans and when the one that did, didn't give us much options.
I finally got to know from a friend of mine that built with PJ Burns and he was very happy wi...Read more
th PJ. Introductions were made (Greg Morris, thanks for that) and from the start, I found Courtney Burns to be so very likeable and easy to talk with in regards to our ideas and designs in mind. They gave us plenty of options to re-design their exiting plans and we finally decided on one plan that I would be modifying to no end each time. I must have changed my mind for the internal designs countless of times but Courtney was very patient and accommodating to my changes. I live and work overseas and the communication could be difficult at times but Courtney made it easy. ( Thanks Courtney ) We have now locked in our plans and will be doing our Studio Selections for the interior and the other people in the PJ Burns team, ( Sarah Burns, Amanda Pickering, Jodi Cole, Megan and the rest ) have been great with regards to communication, as I'm on a different time zone of 6 hrs difference. So far it has been a great journey and we are looking forward to the build now that will start at the end of May 2018. Again we will be hoping for a smooth flow when it comes to the build stages of the house build and from what I hear , they are excellent....lets hope your reputation precedes you PJ BURNS. Look forward to our build.. Chris DankerSimilar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
House of bricksHervey Bay
- Verified customer
Planning & preparation are everything
Getting close to finalising my plans & contract. PJBurns team have been responsive to my ideas, needs & wants, are great communicators & their experience & expertise shows. No question goes unanswered, documents are clear and modifications are accurately recorded. And they put the client and quality right up front. Design options, building & product advice, costings, colour selections & materials detailing all receive careful attention & I have been backed up all the way with great advice. The management systems behind the front line inspire c...Read more
onfidence. I'm truly looking forward to the next steps of my build process. October 10th 2017 Update: Now at slab stage With council building approval, trees on the building footprint were cleared away & the site was assessed, leveled & pegged out. Plumbing & power access set out & termite barrier installed. Now, with the slab poured, the house is appearing out of the ground & looks settled in the location already. Each step has followed through logically with clear updates and communications about the steady progress. The building site is tidy & safe. Looking forward to the frame appearing soon. I am very happy with the build progress, its quality and the personal communications from the whole PJB team.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
- Verified customer
This is Great
The build was very professionally managed, the customer support was above and beyond what I expected and the workmanship and build quality was exceptional. I was treated with complete respect through out a very long design process and this attitude from PJ Burns staff made the whole process of designing and planning a new home as exciting as a new home build should be.
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Review collected in partnership with PJ Burns
T and S EdmondstoneCurramore, QLD
Our country dream home!!
It's been a 12 month journey from when my hubby and and I decided to put our home on the market and resign from our well paid careers in North Qld. We chose to return home to raise our children in the country on my husbands family farm in beautiful Curramore Qld. Our first initial experience with PJ Burns started off a little hectic as our initial sales manager quite frankly annoyed the crap out of us as he was a little impatient and not transparent with pricing our quote. However this sales person no longer works with PJ Burns and our new sale...Read more
s person Megan Gail was the best thing that happened for us as well as PJ Burns I believe. I was determined to stay with PJ Burns because of their reputation and quality workmanship! We are currently at lock up stage with our dream home and I just couldn't be happier with the progress of our build and the staff have been awesome, I would recommend to build with PJ Burns if you are after a quality and professional building team and an affordable option with standard inclusions that are really nice and some are even upgrades with other building company's. What you see is what you get with the team at PJ Burns, my family and I couldn't be happier so far. I can't wait to get my keys to my new home in a few weeks as its been a bit of a journey getting here but it's well worth it for us.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
MarieBrisbane
- 12 reviews
- 12 likes
It doesn't get better than that!
Scouring the internet to find a construction company for our new home, we were struck by PJ Burns' Product Review ratings. They were so impressive that once we learned that they also build in Brisbane, we didn't consider anyone else. Now we have added our 5 stars to their tally - we would have added 6 if we could. In a nutshell, our beautiful custom-designed house was completed well ahead of schedule (much appreciated, because we are in our seventies and were living in our caravan for the duration of the project); it was built for a fixed price...Read more
; the quality throughout is excellent; any problems were resolved quickly and to our entire satisfaction. We have a home which exceeds our expectations - and they were high to start with. Many thanks to PJ Burns' staff, in particular to their salesperson, architect, building supervisor, and colour consultant. Innovative design, completed ahead of time, on budget, excellent quality.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
J ClarkFerny Hills
- 5 reviews
- 9 likes
Good build, but soured by their refusal to fix a problem
PJ Burns designed and built our home. With careful supervision they did a good job. However, when reinstating the roadside kerb their sub contractors placed backing concrete too close to the surface . Now the grass won't grow over this area of insufficient soil cover. Burns denies this is any responsibility of theirs, although the defective work was done by their contractors.
1 comment
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Very Happy
We've just built with PJ Burns in Hervey Bay and they're very good!! We live in Brisbane and couldn't always get up to the Bay for regular checks on the progress.
From day one, [Personal Name Removed] our sales consultant who we spent much time with us, often via phone or even email, couldn't help us enough. Very professional and approachable and she really cares about the customer!! We looked through many plans with [Personal Name Removed] to get the right one for us and also our block. Of course, there is the budget also to think about a...Read more
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BjMaroochydore
Easy process and really nice and supporting staffs
This is our first 3 bedroom home built by pj burns. Wouldnt have built if we had not met [name removed] , who was so supportive and encouraging that we made our mind to build. The process was smooth apart from the color selection day.. Where we only had one day but we asked for one more day which we were given but still wish now that we did not get enough time to make our selections.. All the process was made easy by pj burns.. We had really helpful supervisor [name removed] who helped and answered phone calls at any time..had lot of patience ...Read more
to answer our stupid questions.. Eventhough the final look of the house is not as we thought.. We have got to consider that the block was narrow .. But, we could have worked a bit more on the outlook of the house like the angle and length of the roof.. Working with experienced architects. we expected and assumed it would look nice and high but when compared to the neighbours.. realised could have been higher and much better..We had few problems like leaking taps and sinks which were fixed eventually.. Thanks to [name removed]! This house is definitely not our dream house but we wish we had spent more time on planing of the house.. As first time building.. We put everything on pj burns..and ive got to admit that they did the best they could.. Friendly and supportive staffs.. Easy process.. Retaining wall was not put up high enough which caused our back yard to be very steep.. Ended up putting another retaining wall increasing our cost.. If only we knew that would be the case, we would have made changes before we signed the contract.. Bit costly compare to other builders.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
Jayne MSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 2 reviews
- 2 likes
Love my New house, Easy build
We built with PJ Burns at Peregian Springs, they provided us with a custom built home which suits our needs very well. We have built 4 times before and this was the most stress free build we have had. They custom designed the home and it was all done with the Designer and myself over Skype and keeping costs reasonable was also part of the plan. They were very accommodating and any upgrades that we requested & costs were advised prior so we could make an informed decision. Nothing was to much trouble and all I can say is many thanks to [name...Read more
s removed] for a home that looks great and we love it. Would certainly build again with them if we have the chance. Organisation skills, people who knew what we were talking about and considerate of our needs.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
Clinton UebergangMaroochydore
Stress Free
I have built several homes now and this experience was the best by far.
Right from the beginning to the end I was kept in the loop at all stages.
The house was built in a very timely fashion and I am very happy with the build quality.
A friend of mine was building at the same time (with a major builder on the Sunshine Coast) and it took significantly longer to complete than my home and at the hand over my friend had an A4 page full of issues that needed to be fixed.
When I build my next home I will only deal with PJ Burns and highly re...Read more
commend them to anyone who needs a competitive reliable builder. It is easy to see why PJ Burns were named 'The Best Value For Money Builder In Queensland'. Offered great advice to make clever and inexpensive changesSimilar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
arothMooloolaba, Queensland
- 2 reviews
- 7 likes
- Selected Review
A Mixed Bag
-- Update: November 2016 --
After not quite 4 years in our home, I've decided that unfortunately I need to come and update this review for a couple of reasons. The first is that we've encountered some issues with the property, such as:
1. A burst water pipe.
2. A sink drain that became stuck in the 'closed' position.
3. Shower taps that fail to stop the flow of water.
And the second is that actually getting PJ Burns to tend to any of these problems has been a nightmare. I could forgive and forget if they'd actually fix these problems promptly when we report them.
...Read more
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A wonderful building company that are accommodating to all needs requested for that perfect home!
This is our 2nd home built by P.J.Burns with our first home of our own design in Twin Waters to our present home being a Currimundi 215 (extended to a 227 that we required to suit our needs.)
The most important requirements was to have....
a) Their homes are built in a realistic time frame (not a drawn out 12 month contract)
b) Termite resistant frames and trusses (As a few building companies cut out the cost of this treatment in their price) for a few more dollars and peace of mind is a must!
c) Being flexible in client requests, from the house plan adjustments and internal features requests
...Read more
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L GrayGladstone Q
A Beautiful Home
We have just received the keys to our beautiful new PJ Burns home in the Hervey Bay area and we couldn't be happier. The home is a credit to the very professional team that make up this buiding company. From the moment we stepped into the display home in Hervey Bay we knew we had choosen the right builder.
We had previously researched the house plans on PJ Burns website so we knew the design we liked but wanted to change a couple of things to suit our needs. This was absolutely no problem and any questions we had were answered promptly and ...Read more
efficiently. At all times we knew exactly the cost of any extras or changes and were kept informed of the progress every step of the way. Our salesperson, [name removed], was excellent and always available when we needed to ask about something. We were very impressed with her wealth of knowledge and helpful suggestions. Our building supervisors, [names removed], were brilliant with their organisational skills and attention to detail. Their professionalism is reflected by all the tradespersons PJ Burns employs and we cant speak highly enough of their standard of work. Rest assured, anyone working for PJ Burns Builders has to deliver a high standard of workmanship. Not once were we worried about sub-standard work being carried out. This was especially appreciated as we do not live in the Hervey Bay area therefor not able to regularly check on the progress of the house. Our supervisors were even good enough to email us photos of various stages to keep us informed. Really great to get! Overall, we thoroughly recommend PJ Burns and would definitely build with them again if we ever need to. Our beautiful home was built within 3 months without any problems or unexpected expenses. Everything about this company is 5 star! A very easy building experience. All phone calls promptly returned. Open and honest communication.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
Nanjan10AU
- 9 reviews
- 10 likes
Stress free building
An in-house architect to assist in designing a home for a slope was great. Not as cheap as some project home builders but the satisfaction of having someone who goes through from start to end and keeps you informed all the way was quite a change. You still need to be aware of what is included and what is not included but they seem to have most bases covered. My only regret is that I did not pick up two things in the house which in hindsight I would have had altered.
Excellent customer service, friendly helpful and informative staff,
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PJ Burns provided everything we expected!
Having moved into our PJ. Burns built house some three months ago, we decided it was time to express our thanks to all the staff at PJ. Burns in the various departments.
We initially dealt with [name removed] in the selection of which house we felt suited our needs and although [name removed] is no longer with you she showed great patience with our deliberations.
Once the decision was made we met with [name removed] who took us through our colour selections and final choices, what a great help she was to us.
Once the building of the ho...Read more
use got under way we were allocated [name removed] as our site Supervisor. We were kept informed by [name removed] each week as to the progress of the build. Of course there were times when we pointed out small anomolies during the build but, [name removed[ would follow any query through and ensure it was overcome to our satisfaction or explained. After hand over we realised that we had a problem with access to the garage. This was resolved by PJ Burns and Stockland pursuing a remedy to the problem. Many thanks [name removed]! Our completed house was handed over to us within time scales and even more important “within budget” with no final demand surprises! Once again a big “thank you” to all staff we dealt with at PJ. Burns, we have no hesitation in recommending any friends to build with yourselves.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
BJ VA ChristianSYDNEY
An Ideal Build
From start to finish our build was easy. The beauty with this firm is that they are extremely well organised and their communication skills across all fields, exemplary. Our questions were always answered quickly and if the answer was not readily available a call to say they were on to it. It started with our salesman in Bundaberg, can't say enough good things there, and just continued on. Another thing we liked was that all the tradesmen thought outside the circle, didn't just come in an do their job, They seemed to put that little extra...Read more
effort in and make suggestions or offer ideas one may not have thought of. Another thing our site was always immaculate, don't know how they did but did it they did. We cannot say enough good things about this company and their staff and tradesmen. We could wax lyrical for quite a bit but the fact that we would build with them again is surely a recommendation. We have a fine home and have recommended our builder to whoever will listen. Organisation, communication and good tradesmen and staff.Similar opinion? Write a review on ProductReview.com.au!
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Questions & Answers
TGBasked
Is anyone else having issues getting their 12 month rectification works completed? Every maintenance manager seems to leave PJs before our house issues are rectified leaving us with unmonitored emails (black holes) and lots of hand balling in their office.
2 answers
Thought it worth providing an update... the latest excuse from their maintenance manager is they are too busy and don't have enough resources. He also blames his trades and/or lack of people available to complete the jobs. Not sure how this helps me. They spruked wanting to build more custom designs when they signed us up but it would appear anything outside their standard range is a problem for them.
Hey TGB..... yes i am having issues with PJ myself.... not happy with the bully boys in the office at all.
TGBasked
Is anyone else having issues getting their 12 month rectification works completed? Every maintenance manager seems to leave PJs before our house issues are rectified leaving us with unmonitored emails (black holes) and lots of hand balling in their office.
2 answers
Hey ..... like to know more about PJs as i am almost at handover but things not built to plan or specs
We have had numerous maintenance managers as their staff turnover is high. Each new manager wants to start the investigations from scratch. The latest tactic is telling us that they dont believe it is a warranty issue despite all previous maintenance staff agreeing it is. They are now saying they are getting another opinion on our issues. From who..... another stall perhaps....
PLMasked
Hi.
My mother wants to build a big single story house (around 400-500 sqm) which has a parent retreat with kitchenette.
Would you do a custom design/building?
Cheers,
Boram.
1 answer
PJ Burns B.PJ Burns
Hi Boram,
Thanks sincerely for your enquiry.
Of course we can help out with a custom design. Would you like to contact me at hello@pjburns.com and I can chat to you further about your requirements and location of the build?
Also check out the Gemini 378 on our website. It might have some of the features you are looking for.
Kind regards,
Courtney Burns
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J Clark
As a result of my review, PJs have reconsidered and have now rectified the concrete defect.