Stroud Homes SA, Adelaide Hills

Fantastic service – Very happy with our experience. Good communication and they always available to answer our questions. We met with other builders prior to build on our our tricky site, and they all turned their backs when it got too hard. Stroud on the other hand were more than happy to find a suitable solution and work with us to just get it done. Highly recommend Show details ·  1

Started strong, still dealing with issues 1 year+ later – Original Review: 5 Stars, Positive: Punctuality, Quality, Responsiveness, Value Amendmant to original review: This is a 1 year post handover review. Original review was posted after contracts were signed but building was not completely underway. As of end of September I have been in my house 13 months, located in Echunga. The initial building… Read more

process with Stroud was great. I wanted a completely custom build as I had my own plans designed to suit my style and the challenges (slope etc) of the block. No other building companies offered me the freedom to completely bring my own design so this was a huge draw to build with Stroud. I believe mine was the first house that Stroud – Adelaide Hills built on stilts to work with a sloping site, I was a little wary here as (being from Tasmania originally) I am aware of how difficult sloping sites can be and the extra care needed when building on them. They were really prompt on answers and helped a lot with any (and many) questions I had. Pricing was really good, competitive, not the cheapest but the inclusions are good with Stroud so this balances out, in my opinion. It was a quick process to get to submission of plans to council stage.

The building process was mostly straight forward – there was a few issues along the way (incorrect windows, septic floating up) possibly due to communication etc. Also there were issues with workmanship on balustrade and interpretation of BCA / steepness of the entrance stairs however this was remedied after I asked them to be changed. The overall build is good and the house looks how I imagined it would, I am generally happy with how my design has been executed and I feel the build works with the block and it’s surrounds. I am however still having issues getting defects addressed. 3 months after handover you produce a defects list of anything that needs to be addressed/isn’t done correctly/has become a defect. 10 months on from doing this I am still waiting for things to be fixed and it has come to a point where I have had to involve the council on some of these.

A few issues (that could pose serious problems) like my concerns the bracing was not extensive enough and not correctly installed to prevent the house moving were addressed quickly, with engineers apparently coming around to reinspect and confirm it was adequate. Others that were not big issues have taken way too long to remedy, like a year to install extra shelves, fix some painting on doors, fix a bowed French door. Others (like my entire floor having to get replaced, stormwater disposal issues) are still not remedied and are not acceptable. I’m not very happy with this part of the process and for a company that was so quick to respond to my every email initially, I have got many, many excuses saying the delays is nothing to do with Stroud but the trades responsible for the defects, waiting for a copy of communication/engineering decisions which are simply an email but are never produced, and arguing BCA and council conditions which to me feels like a lot of blame shifting and avoidance. As of 1/10/21 issues are still unresolved.

I am happy with the house I live in but the fact that this process to remedy simple building issues is dragging out over a year and Stroud is reluctant/of the opinion they don’t have to fix certain issues would make me think twice before building with Stroud – Adelaide Hills again.

Fantastic Service – After purchasing a sloped block, we did the usual thing and went to the mass builders, had a look at their homes and talked to the salespeople. Unfortunately for us, no one was interested in our block as it was not a flat level block (8m fall from front to back) and didn’t fit in with the number of homes they wanted to build. A few even asked if… Read more ·  1

we had already purchased the block and if not to get out of it. This obviously left us worried about what we had done and what were going to do. We looked up custom builders online and liked a few designs that Stroud had. We popped in to see Garry, Rachelle and the team at Adelaide Hills Stroud. From the moment we walked in we felt welcome and at ease. There was no sales pitch and assured there would be no issue in building on our block. We decided to design a custom home that suits us and our block. They were realistic regarding what could and couldn’t be done with our budget and helped keep us on track during the design stage. Communication was great and nothing was ever too hard to change. With limited time before flying back to work, they priced up and got the contract ready in exceptional time with little warning on our behalf. Looking forward to the next chapter of the building stage and couldn’t recommend The team any higher

Outstanding Builders! – Like others before us, we did the rounds of the display villages, talked to sales people at the various homes and had decided to use a volume builder who did custome builds... then got talking to a local real estate agent who recommended Stroud (we will be honest, we had not heard of them)... so called in to chat and the rest is history! They are… Read more ·  1

very upfront in telling you what things are going to cost so no nasty surprises along the way. Their fully loaded inclusions were at the highest standard of other builders we compared them to and had a huge selection to choose from... they will do anything you ask (as long as it is doable!) even up to landscaping. Gary, Rachelle and the team are very friendly and approachable and we have had many a laugh over plans...we did struggle with our design but they came to the block, mulled over ideas etc. and helped make our design perfect for our block. Looking forward to the building stage as at Council Approval currently. We cannot recommend Stroud highly enough to anyone who is looking to build in the Adelaide Hills area

Home Building Made Easy – On starting the journey of building our 5th home, we felt apprehensive about having to go down the road of facing builders again as we owner built our last home with which we achieved great satisfaction. In the last six months we have engaged with countless builders, all virtually treating us as if we were just another number. One Saturday… Read more ·  1

afternoon we visited Stroud Homes in Mt . Barker. Upon meeting Rachelle with whom we spent a few hours chatting about not only home building, but life in general as it has been a pretty challenging 18 months for both of us. Rachelle immediately struck a cord with us both, with her empathy, her building knowledge and her desire to help the community in which they work. Many months passed and many builders visited, we returned to Stroud Homes where we knew in our hearts that Gary and Rachelle were the builders for us. We could not be happier with the initial planning of our home and the selection process as Gary, Rachelle and the team have been so approachable. We are so looking forward to the next stage of our building journey. Highly recommend anybody contemplating building to call in on Gary and Rachelle of Stroud Homes Mt. Barker you will not be disappointed.

Cannot recommend enough!! – Absolutely cannot fault Stroud Homes Adelaide Hills. My partner and I are building our first home which seemed very overwhelming at first however they have made the process so much better than we expected. They are always happy to help and answer any questions, in a very timely manner. There has been no information or costs hidden from us and the… Read more ·  1

staff are all so friendly. The standard inclusions top all of the other builders we had looked into. Everyone goes above and beyond to make sure my partner and I are building a perfect first home.

5 stars is not enough! – When we started to research building our first home we were told so many horror stories.. "prepare for lack of communication, lack of choice, "just another number" attitude" but how wrong they were!! All these people clearly hadn't built with Stroud Homes, Adelaide Hills as they are the complete opposite! Gary, Rachelle and the team's… Read more ·  1

communication is second to none, they're so accommodating of all your ideas and goals yet are completely realistic and up front with costs along the way. Nothing is too hard, there is no such thing as empty promises and they truly want the best outcome for all.

If you're looking to build, do yourself a favour and speak to them first! I promise you won't regret it. Gary knows the industry inside out and will make sure everything is of the highest standard and Rachelle and the team will make sure the whole process is seamless and your dream will soon be a reality!

I promise your build will be something you're proud of and the envy of the street!

Outstanding customer service and professionalism – Rachelle is incredibly knowledgeable and professional, she is honest and thorough so that customer expectations are well informed and accurate. Building is a very daunting process that is generally a once in a lifetime experience and the customer service from Rachelle certainly goes a long way to alleviate the stress. Show details ·  1

Professional and local builder! – Having only ever bought existing homes and never built before my wife and I decided to build a new house in the Adelaide Hills. We initially started with a volume builder who was full of promises, specials and cheap deals. However as time moved on they became resistant to changes, hard to contact and not interested in the customer. We moved on and… Read more ·  1

began to look for a more personal and local builder to really make our dream home come true. That’s when we found Stroud Homes! Gary and Rachelle have so far ticked all of the boxes to help us with our build. They are local and therefore understand the local requirements, they are a family business and in the industry to build for families also. We have found them to be flexible, contactable (at almost anytime via an app) and extremely professional. They take their time to explain as much of each process as possible, make you a coffee over a chat and nothing ever seems to much for them. Even before the build has begun we are aware that they use high quality and trusted brands and their inclusions are amazing. I was further impressed over the Christmas break when Rachelle and Gary opened up their office and gave their time to collect and make donations to people who had been affected by the Adelaide Hills bushfire. Their community spirit is outstanding! We are definitely looking forward to the next chapter where we build the house. We couldn’t trust Gary and Rachelle more!

Outstanding team – We have found the team at Mount Barker (Gary and Rachelle) to be the friendliest, most helpful, and very informative and the communication is second to none. We are only up to design and council approval. So far it has been a smooth process. Any queries or problems we have had, have been sorted out, without a drama. So looking forward to seeing the end result and continuing the rapport we have with Stroud. Show details ·  1

Loving our experience – The team at Stroud in Mount Barker are friendly, professional, creative and supportive. Gary and Rachelle have been amazing to work with. We are loving the level of communication and reassurance. They have a great team behind them and their passion and experience really shine through. We would not build with anyone else now that we have found Stroud. Show details ·  3

Hard working and great communication – We have nothing but confidence in Gary , Rachelle and their team as they work tirelessly with us to ensure no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of designing our new home. The communication has been great as we move through the council approval phase while Gary and Rachelle go out of their way to ensure we have no surprises and a seamless … Read more ·  1

build is in the making. Nothing is too hard as the design is modified to ensure it fit's in our footprint without losing that Stroud elevation and quality that we believe is a cut above the competitors. Very excited to move to the next phase.

Couldn’t ask for more – From the very first call we made to Gary and Rachelle our experience has been of a level that we’ve never experienced before. Gary responded to an email enquiry within the day and from the first conversation we knew that we wanted them to build our home. We are second time builders and after having to leave our first home which we loved to move… Read more ·  1

interstate have very specific ideas about what we do and don’t like. Going onto the Stroud website was like finding houses designed specifically for us, Gary and Rachelle have encouraged our ideas and while our house may appear similar to the base design it’s anything but. They have helped us to take our ideas and turn them into a home that is going to be absolutely stunning, listening to us and involving us in every decision along the way. Nothing has been too diffficult, not adding a split level, a pool, or changing things along the way. One of the most surprising things is no surprises, the cost is exactly what they told us from day one, there’s no hidden gems waiting to throw you and while they are not the cheapest nor most expensive builders they are as far as we are concerned the best. We can’t wait to continue this build with Gary and Rachelle and trust them completely to make our house a family home.