Griffner Coillte Homes - anyone any experience with them?

mayobob said:
I'm planning to build with Griffner. Are the problems you're experienceing with the irish built houses or the ones that are now being built in Austria? I've seen a few of their houses now and all have seemed lovely with no obvious problems. I'd be interested in any tips/hints for using these guys.
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Try www.marles-hise.si It's a similar system from Slovenia
 
I saw that episode of "About the House" -very impressive indeed. I only wish we came from a well know family and had the camera crew present during construction. The outcome might have been different....
 
We have had the full turnkey house from Griffner, it was then Griffner Coillte but same product, more or less. We felt the idea to get a turnkey would leave us with little management and hassle and also get a good quality house in terms of structure and finish. I estimate it cost close to €100k more with GC than a traditional build but the finish is a lot better as is the quality. HOWEVER I would not do it again. I had to be on site every day, mistakes made on a continuous basis. The build took 1 year not 10-12 weeks quoted. the house was a dormer, 170 square metres. The snags are not addressed, seems like similar picture with all the people I know that have used Griffner. The more serious issues is we still do ot have the premier bond cert. we have leaking shower due to poor (very very poor quality tiling) that has not been addressed, so we have had no shower in main bathroom for 9 months now. tiles fall off, damaged our car, Griffner took responsibility which was good buit then failed to pay (€2k damage to a brand new car). Note the crew had been to anohter house same day (no wind on any of the days) with same issues. ridge tiles just not nailed. the wall and the roof do not meeproperly so we have holes/gaps there. birds now using these for nesting. the list goes on and on. Main advise is:
1. you need a project manager even with a full turnkey
2. make sure to have a full snag list done, using acredited architect
3. use your solicitor to make sure all is well documented
4. do not move into the house before you are 100% complete with it- this is hard but worth it
5. when you do move in document everything, let nobody in without writing their name and issue down. (we have had issues with leaks been denied after they were inspected and confimred, door locks not working and then denied etc etc.
6. do not buy from any company unless you have witnessed at least as many positive owners/buyers than negative. i have found no positive Griffner owners yet.
7. do not fall for the finish, many look great, the process to get their can be a nighmare.
We also built a house in Sweden, took half the time and no hassle, it is possible.
 
Reading this post I am so relieved I have chased this company over a number of years wanting them to build a house for me and I just could not get past first base with them.
On 3 different occasions I made contact with Griffner looking to advance a project and they never came back to me. I first met them at Plan Expo and went through their designs and was impressed, they were to call me back a few days later but never did. A year later again I met them at Plan Expo this time I owned the site and had the hard cash to build but had not yet submitted planning and wanted a Classic designed home but bigger. Again they never made contact or call me back which at the time they promised.
The last time I spoke to them I traveled specifically to a self build show to see them I think it was Galway (but it could have been Millstreet) I gave them my information told them what I wanted and they were to call me within a few days. Again they never came back to me and I phoned the office a few times but to no avail.
Eventually I took this lack of response and interest as the way they treat their clients and imagined if I had problems with the house how I would be treated.
I think Griffner is all just show with nice glossy catalogues, a big marketing budget and a few well known architects on board but lacking substance and care for their clients.
 
If only I had read some of these comments before ordering....
We are now thirteen months into our "turnkey" "estimated finish within four months" build.
We found the Austrian team to be excellent, swarming like a bunch of pirates or acrobats over our build. Then they left. And reality set in. Or inertia.
The house delivered was not to plan. Exterior finish was incorrect on one third of building.Windows were not to plan ( and took 11 month to correct, still not to spec. ordered). We have front double doors which only can be opened from inside. Windows mysteriously moved between plans and delivery. Some sub-contractors were excellent, some seem to have been chosed with a blindfold and a stick with a pin from the Golden pages.
Griffner failed to finish the interior, preferring to have us do so as we were not happy with their skirtings, doors, etc. This was not what we had been led to expect during the honeymoon sales period. There are presently (13 months since building arrived and counting) further snagging problems- a severe leak though a ceiling being the latest issue, so house still is unoccupied.
The build quality of wall is superb.The house is easily heated. Creaking floors, springing floor tiles, wrong specifiation delivery, being able to enter the building from the outside of a front door tends to take the edge off something which was promised as turnkey albeit at a premium price.
I'll be happy to talk to or show anyone who wishes the details of all this.
 
yeahh - marketing is everything!! Look here:

http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/new_homes/article5008180.ece

Griffner is a cheap choice in Germany - nothing against Austrian houses - but:

WHAT????!!! Mercedes?


Griffner uses similar factory technology to the German Huf Haus, but Prosser says the Austrians come out on top in the flexibility of their offer. While many homebuilders maintain a rigid control over what is erected in their name, Griffner creates bespoke solutions — and so if you want an extra bedroom, storage or office, that can be factored in.
Prosser explains that the sector’s business model is analogous to the luxury car market. “If Huf Haus are the Rolls-Royce, then Griffner are the Mercedes-Benz. Both co-exist together happily and appeal to markedly different tastes,” he says.....
 
WesC - I would be very interested to get the details of your experience if you are happy to talk. would really appreciate it.
 
I am surprised at all the negative comment about Griffner Coillte. I suppose people tend to write about negative experiences rather than positive ones! We built a Griffner Coillte house a few years ago and are completely satisified with the finish. We used our own house design and used Griffner for the build. We did not avail of the turnkey package due to the extra cost involved and instead project managed the various jobs ourselves. While there was some hassle at various stages along the way - delays, pricing etc - the end result is so impressive and well worth any inconveniences along the way. Our snag list was dealt with in full. We held back a portion of final payment until we had lived in the house for six months. I would highly recommend griffner if you want a unique high quality home.
 
Thanks HappyCamper - that balances things out a bit....
 
Just reading the comments on Griffner Coillte Homes, not very inviting! i was wondering if any one knows how energy efficient they are? what rating would they get for BER cert?
 
For those of you who may be still interested in building, i have come across a company who can produce better then a A1 rated house, wow, which means in effect the u values and insulation has to be top class, they are German Passive Houses check them out for yourself www.passive.ie, i have a meeting with them next week to see if its for real!
 
Hi Tommy B, 3 or your 4 posts to date push this company, please disclose any association?
Leo
 
Think the company has a lot of internal problems, their system does not work as well in Ireland as it does in Sweden/Denmark whereever they are from.
 
I know they built a garage for a client, when the site manager went out to snag the site he noticed that their was no door for a car (just 4 walls)! Think that gives you an idea how bad they are/can be!
 
Hi Leo,

No I am not associated with this company, I am only wanting to share my experience of finding a good company in Ireland that offers turn key with super quality, Is this not what this site is about? However I will refrain from posting any more on this topic, if I decide to build with them I may come back and share it with you, as for Jack2009 the way in which he has put this company down can only say he is a competitor, a garage with no car door!!!!!!!!! Please.
 
Tommy B said:
Hi Leo,

No I am not associated with this company, I am only wanting to share my experience of finding a good company in Ireland that offers turn key with super quality, Is this not what this site is about? However I will refrain from posting any more on this topic, if I decide to build with them I may come back and share it with you, as for Jack2009 the way in which he has put this company down can only say he is a competitor, a garage with no car door!!!!!!!!! Please.
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Thanks Tommy. It is indeed part of what AAM is about. We occasionally get posters touting for business by pretending to be satisfied customers of their own services in the past, so we regularly check recommendations, particularly those from new members.
Leo
 
hi
am hoping to build some form of passive\low energy house-about 190 sq metres
can anyone advise me on the price of diff options per sq foot?
particularly griffner/german passive [think 165 per sq ft]?
thanks
d
 
I always find that the kit houses look wrong in the irish landscape, not as wrong as the ugly mock Georgian McMansions but similarly incongruous. Passive houses with high spec Architect designed finishes are being delivered turnkey for €2,100 per meter square turnkey including fittings and VAT in the Greater Dublin Area. Lower end finishes and simple compact forms can be delivered for €1,650 per meter square incl VAT. With near passive wide cavity masonery solutions being delivered down the country using local trades to finish for €1350 turnkey including Vat. (well most of the Vat anyway).

Simple forms suit the irish landscape and because of our climate we have a unique relationship between our inside and outside spaces, because of our grey rainy skies, we need large rooms which allow you to draw daylight into the building and allow you to feel engaged with the outside while enjoying indoor comfort. Architects are cheap as chips at the moment and will design what you want, not what they want, or more importantly what you thought you wanted before you knew better.

Irish timber frame companies are providing high quality I-Beam or twin wall stud solutions, with render board or timber rainscreens. EPS formwork raft foundations now offer cheap out of the ground solutions which offer a cold bridge free ground connection. The Irish kit solution offers a cheaper and better quality build. Provided of course you have a competent person to supervise the build.
 
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