Like most people in Chch today building a home, the most cost effective option in terms of time and money is to go through an established building company that can also project manage the process for us. We decided to get quotes from three companies that appealed to us and then select the one that fit best with what we believe is right for us.
We went through the initial consultation process to gauge if they would be suitable, a standard practice when selecting the right company I believe:
Peter Ray Homes was the first company we approached. Based on the selection of homes in their catalogues and their show homes (which we have visited several times over the last 5 or so years), we saw this company as being a very suitable company to go with. I still believe they would be able to provide us with a house we were happy with. The design and customising they provided us were very good. We almost went with them but unfortunately at the time we were making the decision we couldn’t get a clear picture on how insurance was going to work. This was not Peter Ray’s fault so overall we wouldn’t fault them or their product. You can guess though, we didn’t select them as our building company.
Benchmark Homes. One word. Disappointed. Actually, two words – hugely disappointed. We loved their show homes, their standard of finish and overall product so were very keen to go with this company. We went through the initial consultation, spent time in the meeting discussing our wants and needs and then told they would process our info and get back to us within the fortnight to set up the overall proposal…… we’re still waiting……… 6 months later. I guess they were too busy for us but an email or phone call would have really helped. Not the best way to promote your company that provides a service though.
Mike Greer Homes. We decided on Mike Greer Homes based on the fact they could provide insurance once the build was complete and we liked their final design for us. Their standard inclusions were slightly higher spec than others and even though the price was pretty similar to other companies once they had added ‘upgrades’ to the same level, we found it easier to understand the pricing as a result. They appear to have a lot of construction in progress and the homes they have undertaken look nice with subtle touches that in our opinion give them an appealing modern character.
Overall the selection process was quite intense but we are happy to have selected Mike Greer and so far, we have been very pleased with their level of service and the way they have approached our wants and needs during the build process. I am sure Peter Ray would have been able offer something similar but as for Benchmark Homes, well, you can probably guess we weren’t that happy at their service which is a shame.
Hyde Place Build 