CS
This is my personal opinion and review on GJ Gardner Christchurch South (JNF construction), and might not reflect their code of practice.
Pro
1) The sales consultant I deal with is good and awesome and able to answer most if not all questions that I have.
Cons
1) Feel a bit pushy in signing ATP and build contract
2) They try to sell the standard floor plan as they have agreement with supplier to get materials for 20 – 30 builds per year per standard floor plan they have (I was told so). If you decide to go with custom floor plan, it costs at least 20k higher for the similar floor area.
3) The build price per square metre is really based on very low spec;
for example,
a) the kitchen appliance in express spec is based on Haier kitchen appliances, which is usually 2k less than fisher and paykel kitcken appliance, or 4 k less than Bosch kitcken appliance by most building companies
b) approximately 4% of build price is to HQ, and 2.5% sales commission, and overhead cost for QS, color consultant, sales consultant, which is over 30k on non-building related cost for a 400k build.
c) The standard build price doesn’t include heat pump, patio, landscaping, vehicle crossing and only include 22oz carpet (most building companies offer 33oz and above with good quality underlay)
d) Hip roof (no gable) to minimize build cost
e) I was constantly told that they got the materials in bulk from supplier, hence the cheaper price. I agreed that they got good price from supplier but unfortunately I personally don’t think the saving is passed to the client. The saving is contributed to their profit margin.
f) no joinery for wardrobe or shelving
When I use the same floor plan and compare it to other building companies (apple-to-apple) for each item in specification list, the quote for a standard floor plan (4bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 living) using express spec by GJ costs approximately 30-70k higher compared to other building companies (GJ quotes me 385k but other companies can do 330k-340k yet the spec from other company is higher).
When I first decided to use GJ, the main reason is the Halo insurance backed by Lloyd to cover company insolvency. However, this cover is now removed by Halo insurance.
If you are looking to build a very basic house with a low spec and above average build price, I would say GJ is the one to go with. Otherwise, I would recommend the following in Christchurch: Jennian, Onyx, Quinn Homes, Faye Homes, Master Ace, or other local builders.