After receiving two unhelpful quotes for her new pergola, Gippsland region homeowner Carolyn was third time lucky with her local LYSAGHT LIVING® dealer. After working with Darren Santon at Ultrabuild Gippsland, Carolyn and her family are “rapt” with their soaring pergola. With its classic flat and gable roof combination, this haven for entertaining is the heart of family get-togethers and late-night games of pool. For Carolyn, achieving this dream result was largely a result of one key factor: good communication with her builder.

“We learned a lot by having the first two quotes done,” Carolyn says. “When the builders came to the house, they did a lot of jotting down on paper but there wasn’t a lot of talk happening.” But Darren Santon at Ultrabuild Gippsland proved an instant hit with the family. “We couldn’t be happier with the finished product, and I’d recommend Darren to anybody.” Here, Carolyn shares three things to look out for in your builder to ensure you’re always on the same page.

Nothing Is Out Of The Question

“My biggest piece of advice is to go with someone you feel comfortable to ask questions,” Carolyn says. “But they have to show they value your time, by actually explaining their answer and making sure you understand.” Carolyn also stresses your builder should be asking you key questions, or maybe highlight certain factors you hadn’t thought of. “We simply didn’t get that type of communication with the other two companies and we were left confused.”

They Offer Clever and Creative Solutions

By constructing a pergola to the side of her home, Carolyn’s biggest fear was losing northern sunlight. Her immediate solution? “I was adamant about getting an open-close style roof to keep the light,” she says. But instead of this costly project, Darren was able to reassure Carolyn’s concerns about light through several design tweaks including well-placed polycarbonate sheeting and a sufficient gap between the fence line and the roof. “At the end of the day, it meant not having to go out and spend all that money on a roof that opened.”

Full Disclosure is their Forte

“Our first two quotes just weren’t clear, and the final amount always seemed to contain surprise additional costings,” Carolyn says. “Throughout everything, Darren warned me in advance of any potential extra charges like permits, that didn’t even eventuate. He was honest, kept in regular contact and delivered a great finished product, just as he promised.”