SJD Homes

We had a great experience building our home with this builder. From the initial planning stage through to handover, the team was professional, responsive, and easy to work with. They kept us informed throughout the process, delivered high-quality workmanship, and paid attention to the details that mattered most to us. Any questions or concerns we… Read more

had were addressed promptly, and the finished home met our expectations. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of everyone involved and would happily recommend this builder to anyone looking to build a new home.

Everything was very smooth from the very start. Andrew really helped us a lot with selecting and modifying everything the way we wanted. He offered great suggestions throughout the process and helped us think through our options. Once construction began, we were assigned Kyle as our supervisor, and he was exceptional in taking care of everything.… Read more

He shared photos and information throughout the build and kept us updated on dates and progress, monthly if not fortnightly. There was never a dull moment with him, and we always felt informed.

The construction quality was exceptional, and the home was built very carefully according to our needs. The overall workmanship and performance were of a very high standard, and we are really happy with the final result.

The only drawback was the delay in obtaining the building permit. We had finalised everything in January and settled the loan, but the permit was not received until the end of April. We requested updates every fortnight, but unfortunately, we could not get a clear answer during those three months. We lost around four months overall, which meant we could have finished and moved into our home earlier and avoided paying extra rent.

Apart from that delay, the overall experience was very positive, and we really appreciate the support from Andrew and Kyle.

The workmanship of our home is outstanding, and the communication throughout the entire process was excellent. From the initial planning stage through to construction, everything was clearly explained, making the journey smooth and stress-free. We were kept informed every step of the way, always receiving updates on progress and knowing exactly… Read more

what to expect regarding the final cost of our home.

A special thank you to Maddison Ryan, our Building Consultant, for her patience, professionalism, and support throughout the process. She was always willing to answer our questions and guide us whenever we needed assistance.

We would also like to thank Kyle Estigarribia, our Site Supervisor, and his team for their dedication and hard work. Kyle consistently kept us updated on each stage of the build and ensured that everything progressed smoothly right through to handover.

To all the other SJD team members who contributed to building our home, we sincerely appreciate your efforts and commitment. Thank you for helping turn our dream home into a reality. We are extremely happy with the final result and would highly recommend SJD Homes to anyone looking to build their home.

Highly recommend SJD Homes! As a first-time home builder, we went into this process feeling pretty nervous but the team at SJD made the entire journey incredibly smooth and positive. From the start, our sales consultant (Maddison Ryan) was amazing. She took the time to listen to our needs and patiently answered our endless questions. She was very… Read more

knowledgeable and suggested many things to consider during the planning stage which we would have otherwise missed.

Once construction started, we were handed over to a fantastic site supervisor (Kyle Estigarribia) who made us feel at ease. He was very friendly and approachable. His communication was top-tier and we were kept in the loop at every single stage with regular updates and reports. He responded to our private inspection reports in a clear and detailed manner. Special kudos to Kyle for dropping by to inspect and resolve a minor rain gutter overflow issue we noticed after handover.

The quality of the build has been excellent and any queries we had along the way were sorted out in a timely manner. If you are looking to build, especially for the first time, you are in safe hands with SJD!

Now that we've been in the home for 6 months we reflect fondly on the whole process with SJD. From the first moment we saw the land (the amazing view on the hill) and met with SJD; it just felt right and it was meant to be. You hear a lot about the negative and heart-breaking experiences with building a home but our experience has been nothing… Read more

but pleasurable. We loved the color selection process and being involved as much as we were, the back and forth was always encouraged which gave us comfort that we weren't rushed to get it right first time (and we didn't :)). Fast forward to the laying of the slab and the framework, we were kept in the loop at regular intervals and had all explained to us along in a way we understood. We're happy to say we didn't even get independent inspections, we were so comfortable with the site manager and SJD that we comfortably trusted their process, communication style and experience. Once we had the home hand over, this was an amazing culmination of the period we worked hand in hand with SJD (cannot use names but wish we could, you two know who you are) and what a pleasure it was. The finish of the home from fireplace, tiles, cabinets, doors, windows, fittings and lovely outdoor area were spot on. I would build again in generally, and specifically through SJD such was the overwhelming experience. We had our 3 month follow up and the cosmetic things needed to be touched up were done in full communication with us and within a realistic timeframe. We've not had any reason to have SJD back. We cannot thank you enough for the memories through the process and the ones we will now make in our lovely home.

Our building journey has been incredibly positive thanks to Andrew and Kyle. Andrew was amazing during pre‑construction he helped us finalise a design that matched everything we were looking for, and he made sure every detail was considered. Kyle was equally fantastic throughout construction. His communication was excellent, he kept us updated at… Read more

every stage, and we always felt confident that things were progressing well.

Even after handover, the team dealt with minor issues quickly and without any hassle.

We’re very grateful for the support and professionalism shown throughout the process.

Great to deal with from the start to end - special thanks to Maddison who helped us with everything from the beginning - nothing was too much trouble - absolutely wonderful and Kyle the supervisor who completed to hand over - another terrific person to deal with - we love our SJD home Mark and Lee Show details

We are very happy with the quality of our build. There were a few moments of stress on our behalf, but our site manager Matt Miller was very reassuring & helpful. The whole process was well taken care of & we are very happy with the end result. Show details

Review – Disappointed Despite Earlier Praise We built our home with SJD Homes in 2023 and have previously recognised their work during the build. Daniel, the Site Supervisor, was attentive and supportive throughout the build and post-construction. Over the past two years, we have put up with several post-construction inconveniences because SJD… Read more

addressed them—for example, they never connected our water tank to the house during handover, which required retrofitting, pulling out toilets, replastering, and repainting. While inconvenient, we accepted it because the problems were fixed. The last remaining issue is rainwater entering the garage and leaving large puddles.

I now dread every rainstorm because large puddles form in our garage. From day one, rainwater has entered the space. SJD acknowledged the fault and attempted fixes, but none worked. I believe the cause is a broken seal at the bottom of the door, which I identified over months by observing the leaks and comparing with other doors. In July, SJD emailed stating it wasn’t their fault and called it a service issue. After trying and failing, SJD turned their back on the problem. What finally prompted me to write this review was slipping in one of the puddles the other day—fortunately I didn’t hurt myself, but it made me realise I could no longer stay silent about this issue.

This water threatens wooden door frames and is a serious slip hazard—I have nearly fallen several times. A new home should never have this issue.

Potential buyers should know SJD may not follow through on post-construction problems, even when faults are acknowledged.

Yours, Frustrated and Disappointed, Peter O’Donnell

From day one meeting our designer through to working with our building/site supervisor during the build and getting the keys to our new home the journey has been seamless and positive. I can't thank everyone we dealt with enough. Our constant questions on the major journey to build were answered promptly and without complaint. We have a unique… Read more

home that was designed for our specific needs, and it is perfect! There were only minor issues post construction which were handled in a timely manner.

We are very happy with our experience building with SJD, and would highly recommend them to anyone considering their first home or a new build. Our journey began when we first met our sales consultant, Mark Whitney. From the very start, he stood out for his patience, warmth, and genuine commitment to helping us get exactly what we wanted. It took… Read more

nearly two years from our first conversation to signing the contract — and through every twist and turn, Mark never made us feel rushed or pressured. He answered our questions thoroughly, no matter how many times we asked, and redrew our design plans time and again until everything felt right. His dedication during that pre-build phase truly set the tone for the whole experience.

Once construction began, our site supervisor, James Unthank, took the reins and kept everything running smoothly. He provided regular, clear updates so we always knew where things stood, and he delivered the build on schedule — which, as anyone who has built before knows, is no small feat. The communication was consistently professional throughout.

We have only recently received our keys, so it's early days in terms of assessing long-term quality — but so far everything looks excellent. The finish is clean, the workmanship appears solid, and we couldn't be more excited to settle in. Based on the process from start to finish, we have every confidence SJD will continue to impress.

Long story short: An absolutely amazing building experience. Just a small note before the review; we wanted to write this review after the build but unfortunately didn't have the time to get around to it. Now with 6 months post-build, we can also provide details about the post-build experience as well. Our build was a very complex custom… Read more

double story in Doncaster East, and we started with SJD back in March 2024. The goal was to build our forever home but also include two individual separated living spaces for our parents who are getting older. We had purchased a very old house which we knocked down through a private contractor and at the time of engagement with SJD, had a clean land for them to commence building on. The whole process took just shy of 2 years, with most being spent on getting the design right for us. Crazily, the build was even quicker than the design.

We had taken the time to see many builders' open homes like Metricon, Henley, Carlisle, Boutique, Simonds etc and had a good idea of the sort of floor plan and layouts we wanted. Interestingly, none of these builders would do significant modifications to their designs which was disappointing. Additionally, there was about 3 meters of elevation change throughout our land which many of the builders said made it impossible to build on. Not an issue for SJD though who were more than happy to modify their designs to our needs.

Our building consultant Andrew S, was amazing. He is the most patient, diligent, helpful and knowledgeable person we have come across in all our dealings with consultants. It took a full year to go from the base floorplan of the Hepburn to what we ended up landing on which was a fully customised, double story, multi-generational home. We would have sent over 100 individual change files with multiple changes each and Andrew administered every single one with the utmost care. Unbelievably, this was at no extra cost and not a single hint of botherance. There's gold standard service and then there's this. Astounding. The design on paper ended up translating beautifully in real life. Andrew's expert guidance and recommendations on the more subtle things like number of lights, position of windows, width of hallways, size of rooms made such a significant impact in maximising the aesthetic and utility of our design. We have no regrets.

The other important thing to note is budget. When it was all said and done, even with over $50k of colour upgrades, the per square cost of our build was significantly cheaper than the equivalents from other builders. And this includes the full customisation of the design. Andrew worked the cost and I don't understand how, was able to get things within our budget. As part of the build, we benefitted from several free upgrade packages which made such a difference like higher ceilings for both storeys. There were many provisional sums allocated to cover expenses we could estimate and these ended up being very accurate. All in all, there was complete transparency around the costs, what items they were allocated to and what the options were to decrease costs. Both the price of the build and the transparency was excellent.

The building process itself also was phenomenal. Our building supervisor was James U and he was able to get the whole double story custom done in 7.5 months. We started approximately in April / May (2025) with the slab being poured mid May and was able to get the house just before Christmas. We do not understand how he pulled it off, but we aren't complaining! We used a building inspector at most of the stages for peace of mind but there weren't many things which got pulled up, all of which were addressed promptly by James. The quality of the build is fantastic and after living for 6 months, we haven't really had any issues. There were some small aesthetic items which we asked James to address topically and these were all able to be taken care of within a month of getting the keys and moving in. If anything, James picked up more faults and issues than we did, all of which he got the contractors to address. Now after 6 months, there's nothing to really go back to SJD about other than to say what a fantastic job they did. During the build, we would come to the property almost daily to watch the progress. This is technically something we shouldn't have done for liability reasons but I doubt anyone is able to manage the excitement of a new build and refrain from doing so. Almost all of SJD's contractors are really friendly and easy to talk to. You get a real sense of the pride they have in their work when you speak to them. We ended up buying most of the contractors coffees when we visited, maybe that's why the house got done so quickly...

Our experience with SJD from top to bottom has been excellent. At every step of the way, they showed that they care and truly deliver such a fantastic product. It's no surprise at all to us when we found out they won best builder in Australia. In terms of quality, price, experience and speed, we've simply got to give them a 5/5 across the board.

The experience with SJD was excellent from start to finish. SJD was able to help create a custom-designed house for our usual block at a cost comparable to bulk builders. The design consultant, Kevin, provided excellent support throughout the pre-build process. The site supervisor, James, provided regular communications throughout the build… Read more

process on exactly when each stage was to be completed. The build was completed in around 6 months, and the quality of the finish was excellent. There were no issues with the build at all. As such, I would highly recommend to SJD to anyone considering building.

We recently built our home with SJD Homes and honestly, the whole experience has been such a positive one for us. From the very beginning, our sales consultant Michelle was incredibly helpful, patient, and transparent. She really took the time to understand what we wanted and worked with us to make it achievable within our budget, which we truly… Read more

appreciated.

During construction, Brendan, our site supervisor, was fantastic to deal with. He kept things running smoothly, communicated well, and made sure everything stayed on track. We always felt reassured knowing our home was in good hands.

The quality of the build and overall finish exceeded our expectations. We had a very thorough private inspector go through the property, and they didn’t find any major defects, which really speaks to the high standard of SJD’s workmanship.

Our house was handed over just this Monday, and so far everything has been great. We’re really enjoying settling into our new home and hope things continue this way with no issues.

We’re very grateful and happy with our experience. Thank you to the whole SJD Homes team, especially Michelle and Brendan, for helping us bring our home to life.

-Jennifer&Sherwin

SJD were fantastic from the start to the finish of our house. We dealt with Leigh at the Wonthaggi Display. He gave us great advice and made us very comfortable with our first build. Daniel was our building supervisor and he kept us up to date all through the build. He was so efficient with organising the trades people. The build was efficiently… Read more

completed in very good time and Daniel’s communication was amazing. We weren’t able to see the site unless we travelled from Melbourne but Daniel made us feel as though we were a part of the process. We love our new house so much. It is everything we hoped for. Can’t recommend SJD high enough.

We love our new SJD home! From the very first building consult with Mark, right the way through the building process with our supervisor, Matt. We’ve had an amazing experience. Mark was a fantastic consultant who listened to our sometimes crazy ideas and helped create a home, not just a new house! He was very friendly, approachable and listened… Read more

carefully coming up with some fantastic house design ideas. Next we met our colour selection consultant, Fiorella, who we couldn’t fault, she stuck to our budget and gave flawless suggestions for every room. Listen to her colour ideas, she knows what works! Next was Matt, our site supervisor, despite being so busy with other builds, he still remembered our needs. He was committed to SJDs high standards and didn’t ignore our concerns, even the minor annoying ones! He was approachable and followed up on all our private inspectors requests, he even found a few that the private inspector missed! Any issues were quickly resolved, and they were only minor. The overall attention to detail and quality workmanship is what sets SJD apart from the rest.

Couldn’t have asked for a smoother experience with Matt, he went above and beyond for us in making sure we were 100% happy with everything. The work, the time taken for our home was everything we could have wished for. Show details

We love our SJD home! From the very first building consult right the way through the building process with our supervisor. They have been professional, listened carefully, and been approachable with any questions or concerns. Any issues were quickly resolved (not that there were many) and the overall quality of the workmanship has been great. They… Read more

listened to and nailed the build within budget even with upgrades. Could not be happier with the team at SJD

From start to finish, my partner and I had a truly pleasant experience. Our supervisor was professional, approachable and always willing to answer any questions we had along the way. He made the entire process smooth and stress-free. We are extremely happy with our build and would happily recommend SJD. Show details

Had a great experience with sjd homes. From start to finish no issues great communication from Daniel our site supervisor and Rachel was fantastic in getting the project up and running. Highly recommend Show details