Name: R A Builders Ltd
Telephone: 0211602247
Rating: 91

Ratings

95%

"Ralph responded quickly to our job, which was to shore up some stairs attached to a deck which were slipping down. He did a great job and we are planning to use him again for a different job. Thanks Ralph!"
Rating by: Margaret | Rating posted: 3rd Jan | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Dec, 2019
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 80% | Value: 100%
Margaret•3rd Jan•More details…
100%

"I was very happy with the job Ali did for me. Two people erected two pergolas in two days. The communication with Ali was very good, and the job was done fast and competently."
Ralph Ali responded:
"Thank you Zorka you were the best client to deal with it was a pleasure working for you. Merry Christmas from the team here at R a builders.! "
Rating by: Zorka | Rating posted: 11th Dec, 2019 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Dec, 2019
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Zorka•11th Dec, 2019•More details, one reply…
100%

"Renovation completed without any issues. Easy to deal with Ralph communication was great and perfect pricing to suit my budget. Great service "
Rating by: Akash | Rating posted: 6th Oct, 2019 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Oct, 2019
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Akash •6th Oct, 2019•More details…
95%

"great service provided by ralph. Highly recommend "
Rating by: pamela | Rating posted: 29th Apr, 2019 | Contact: ralph | Job date: Mar, 2019
Communication: 90% | Quality: 90% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
pamela•29th Apr, 2019•More details…
100%

"Hired Ralph for exterior painting he did a very good job we ended up hiring him for more projects around our property he’s a honest reliable builder and also gave us good pricing. Will not hesitate to hire him again "
Rating by: Gabriel | Rating posted: 27th Mar, 2019 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Mar, 2019
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Gabriel •27th Mar, 2019•More details…
100%

"Excellent job!!! Really lovely and friendly guy. We hired Ralph to do our interior painting, bathroom renovation, and kitchen flooring in December. He did a great job and delivered it on time right before Christmas. Would highly recommend "
Rating by: Jade | Rating posted: 27th Mar, 2019 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Dec, 2018
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Jade •27th Mar, 2019•More details…
13%

"DO NOT USE THIS "BUILDER" - he is a complete cowboy!
Like the previous rating suggests, we too were also sold the "dream". We engaged with Ralph to break down and rebuild a single car garage for us. Exactly the same as what was on site previously, but with new materials, and one that wouldn't leak.
Ralph came over almost straight away after we advertised the job. He promised the world, and he seemed like he could deliver. The garage was going to be the best looking… garage you'd ever seen, and all dismantled and rebuilt within 3 weeks. Perfect! Quote came through - it seemed very reasonable. We paid the 40% deposit and awaited the start date.

Start date arrived. By 11am, Ralph still hadn't shown up. We hadn't received a phone call or text message to say there was going to be a delay. Eventually that day he showed up.

Within a day the old garage was dismantled and the materials left beside it. We were told he couldn't find a "proper" skip bin, (which I find hard to believe given there are so many companies in Auckland with skip bins for hire), so Ralph used a Flexi bin to discard all materials, which quickly overflowed.

Ralph didn't show up for the rest of that week, and there was no communication about this either.

Eventually Ralph came back to the site the following week (after having to chase him like a child!). He started putting the wooden frame up. After engaging with a number of builders asking why the concrete pad hadn't been laid first, Ralph said it was just the way he was going to do it. I'm no expert but that didn't seem right, but I preferred not to force the issue.

When the old garage was dismantled, a few old weather boards were exposed. Ralph said he'd put new ones up. Upon a visit to the site, we see that he'd used old, recycled weather boards to cut costs (a discount we still are yet to see). When we accepted the quote, we had paid for a metal channel drain to be used. Upon visiting the site, I see a plastic one was used. Ralph said metal drains cost $300, but this cost $90. Again, a discount we are yet to see.

A couple of weeks later we received another invoice for a bit of extra work Ralph had done, including painting and the roof of the garage. Ralph text saying we needed to make payment immediately as the roof of the garage was now on. I checked the site before paying to see there was absolutely no roof on the garage whatsoever. Yes, some painting had been done to the sides and the back of the new framed garage, but there were entire panels missing from the garage that would need painting, and also pieces of hardy board which weren't even nailed in to the stud.

Then, the concrete arrived. To put it mildly, the concrete apparently laid by civil engineers is possibly the worst concrete job you will ever see. Not only did the concreters close in our channel drain, but they also built such a big slope going in to the garage that the frame can't even fit an SUV underneath it. The finish of the concrete was so rough that it looked like someone had just used a tiling trowel to "smooth" the surface over, yet it was far from smooth!

We questioned Ralph on the quality of the concrete to which he said it was really good, and we must go back and see it. We went back a week later, and nothing had changed. It was shocking! Not to mention concrete up against a wooden frame.

To make matters worse, the whole idea of building a garage next to the house was to have indoor access straight through from the garage. That would be ideal if the concrete next to the doorway was laid correctly. Now, for any person of normal height must duck underneath the doorframe to get in to the house. Disaster!

Throughout this time, communication between Ralph and I was pretty sporadic. He only text when he wanted to be paid. Other than that he was and still is virtually impossible to get hold of.

Now we are stuck with the most terrible frame work to a garage you will ever see, with which a standard car can't even fit inside.

My advice is to use someone that is qualified. Ralph is not a qualified builder, and is possibly the worst tradesperson you will ever encounter!"
Rating by: Cathryn | Rating posted: 15th May, 2018 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Mar, 2018
Communication: 0% | Quality: 0% | Reliability: 0% | Value: 50%
Cathryn•15th May, 2018•More details…
63%

"Ralph did a reasonably good job on our shed, although managed to not complete a few basic building tasks such as plumbing in the side of a wall and putting struts in. I would have thought this was a basic building expectation.
This reflected the quality of work. Mostly done well, although a few odd bits and pieces that look like a bit of a \"make-shift\" job.
Reasonably priced, however the extra tasks invoiced for later on made the job more expensive than anticipated.
Ralph… ultimately sells you the dream - will do lots of extra bits and pieces to make the job look even better, which I was more than happy with and to pay for, but then there is very little follow-through, along with every excuse under the sun as to why the job still isn\'t finished.

Communication was definitely lacking. There were times when Ralph wouldn\'t show up for days at a time with no explanation or text message explaining that he won\'t be in. Although we were flexible with the timeframe of the job (my daughter wanted to use him for a building job straight after), this fairly basic job still took 2 months to complete, and even then isn\'t completely finished."
Rating by: Richard | Rating posted: 15th Mar, 2018 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Mar, 2018
Communication: 50% | Quality: 70% | Reliability: 50% | Value: 80%
Richard•15th Mar, 2018•More details…
98%

"Ralph did some gib and plastering work at our home. From the very beginning I was impressed with his communication. He was punctual, thorough, tidy and a pleasure to have around. He seemed to take real pride in the work he was doing for us and we couldn't fault it. We felt he went the extra mile to do additional aspects of the job that we had not expected that resulted in an excellent job. "
Rating by: Sara | Rating posted: 16th Jan, 2018 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Jan, 2018
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 90% | Value: 100%
Sara•16th Jan, 2018•More details…
100%

"Ralph arrived on time and finished the work within 3 hours as promised. The job is nicely done. Highly recommended. A+++++"
Rating by: Cecilia | Rating posted: 20th Dec, 2017 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Dec, 2017
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Cecilia•20th Dec, 2017•More details…
100%

"Quick response and great job. Honest and reliable. Highly recommended."
Rating by: Shijun | Rating posted: 14th Dec, 2015 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Dec, 2015
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Shijun•14th Dec, 2015•More details…
35%

"We employed the services of R A Builders to paint 9 exterior windows, exterior of one side of the house, small amount of gib stopping and one bedroom. We found this company to be completely unprofessional, unreliable and the work very unsatisfactory. A job that was meant to take 3-4 days took 3 weeks. The first day of work, one painter arrived and started sanding the windows. Day 2 and 2 painters arrived and were instructed to paint the windows in the pouring rain. The work did not cease… until we contacted Ralph and requested that the painters move inside rather than painting in the rain. Day 3 and no painters arrived and no contact was made. The painter returned the following day and worked for a day and a half. When we checked the quality of the work on the Friday, the workmanship was terrible. The exterior windows had all bubbled due to being painted in the rain, the gib stopping looked worse than when they had started the job. There was paint on the ceiling and the window frames, none of which were supposed to be painted and the floor. Ralph had visited the property and seen the workmanship and said nothing. When we contacted him regarding this, he arranged to meet with us on site and fired the painter whilst at our property. Not only was this unprofessional but it turned out this was the first job this painter had done for this company. The nightmare continued for another 2 weeks with a builder and gib stopper painting before finally Ralph said he would send his proper painters. I thought this was what we were paying for! Things seemed to finally be on track however after the supposed completion of the job we realised the nightmare was still not over. The exterior windows had been painted whilst closed so, when we finally got them open, the paint chipped off. One of the exterior walls that was painted was all patchy due to incorrect rolling so this will need to be redone. They had to repaint 2 internal windows to cover all the paint that was accidentally put on however this was done in damp weather and the windows closed not long after so the paint has come off. We discovered that they had helped themselves to all our sanding equipment and tools without asking then proceeded to remove them along with all their gear. They were using power in our garage, they removed power connected to a freezer and never put it back resulting in all the food defrosting and having to be thrown out. Ralph asked us to make final payment immediately after the job had been completed which we did. We contacted him the next day to say we were not happy with the final result and we wanted the issues rectified. He agreed to meet and then never showed up. Once payment was made he did not want to know. We would not recommend this company!"
Rating by: Taran | Rating posted: 28th Jul, 2015 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: May, 2015
Communication: 20% | Quality: 30% | Reliability: 40% | Value: 50%
Taran•28th Jul, 2015•More details…
100%

"Ralph came to my assistance at short notice and did a great job. He finished the gib stopping beautifully and was great with communications and turned up on time and when her said he would, plus completed other odd jobs I needed doing at really reasonable rates. Highly recommended, and a lovely guy.
"
Rating by: Lauren | Rating posted: 17th Dec, 2014 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Dec, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Lauren•17th Dec, 2014•More details…
100%

"Ralph was fantastic. His communication was awesome and he delivered on all his promises to us; Ralph turned up exactly when he said he would and the job that he did for us was first rate. I was also impressed with the fact that Ralph didn't quote us for aspects of the job that didn't need doing and, moreover, he is a thoroughly nice guy. Ralph is to be highly recommended and we will certainly contact him again when we have other jobs that need doing."
Rating by: Tony | Rating posted: 30th Nov, 2014 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Nov, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Tony•30th Nov, 2014•More details…
95%

"Thanks to Ralph for a job well done and for a good price. The work done has achieved just what I wanted - a satisfactory repair to some concrete work by a local tradesman at a reasonable price. And, all of the job took only the one day to complete. Only delays in getting the work done were caused by rain storms on days previously booked. However, nothing can be done by anyone to control the weather. Job was worth the wait! Regards Graham O'Dea"
Rating by: Graham | Rating posted: 23rd Oct, 2014 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Oct, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 90% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 90%
Graham•23rd Oct, 2014•More details…
100%

"Ralph did some work on my bathroom and really happy with the outcome. Skim coating, painting and finishing a shower surround. Really nice guy, great communication and will definitely be using again"
Rating by: Angela | Rating posted: 8th Oct, 2014 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Sep, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Angela•8th Oct, 2014•More details…
98%

"When our plasterer in Piha let us down, I came to NoCowboys and picked Ralph to call. He was so nice on the phone and said he would come that afternoon to start the job. I was amazed and very grateful. He worked quickly and neatly and did a wonderfully smooth job for us. We are thrilled with the results. Most importantly though , Ralph is honest and very thorough. He did say he would be here at 6.30 on the Sunday morning and so I had to get out of bed very early, but he didnt come until… 8am!!!! Haha, silly me. We do live over a very windy road and it was pouring. He is a very hard worker and I wish him well for his future."
Rating by: Julia | Rating posted: 26th Jun, 2014 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Jun, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 90% | Value: 100%
Julia•26th Jun, 2014•More details…
95%

"Great job! Ralph did a great job replacing our old windows with new aluminium windows. He kept me informed throughout the project to ensure complete customer satisfaction. He also liaised with suppliers to ensure we get the right windows, which took pressure off me. I recommend Ralph for further work, and would use him again, if the need arises. "
Rating by: Tani | Rating posted: 28th May, 2014 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: May, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 80% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Tani•28th May, 2014•More details…
100%

"Ralph did such an EXCELLENT job with fixing things around my house. He is a nice, honest and reliable guy. Good value for money. His workmanship is excellent and i highly recommend him. We will be using him again for future jobs."
Rating by: Anne Poasa | Rating posted: 21st May, 2014 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: May, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Anne Poasa•21st May, 2014•More details…
98%

"Very happy with work completed. Ralph turned up on time as arranged. Left everything clean and tidy and took all the old material away with him. Would use again. "
Rating by: Colleen | Rating posted: 14th Apr, 2014 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Apr, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 90%
Colleen•14th Apr, 2014•More details…
95%

"Ralph was easy to communicate with, arrived on time and was happy to tackle all the small jobs I needed doing. He is also researching how to do a job that has baffled others so far. Pleasant, professional and I would recommend as a handyman, especially if you need something done promptly."
Rating by: Sarah | Rating posted: 18th Mar, 2014 | Contact: Sarah Crooks | Job date: Mar, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 90% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 90%
Sarah•18th Mar, 2014•More details…
100%

"Have used R.A BUILDERS LIMITED for a number jobs.Exceptional work always prompt on time very reliable and customer focused.Excellent and professional work standard.No complains.Will definitely be using them again"
Rating by: Aiyub Khan | Rating posted: 17th Mar, 2014 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Feb, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Aiyub Khan•17th Mar, 2014•More details…
100%

"Excellent work very reliable and professional"
Rating by: Aiyub Khan | Rating posted: 16th Mar, 2014 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Jan, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Aiyub Khan•16th Mar, 2014•More details…
100%

"First class service, excellent workmanship and a nice guy. Would highly recommend. "
Rating by: Craig | Rating posted: 14th Mar, 2014 | Contact: Ralph | Job date: Mar, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Craig•14th Mar, 2014•More details…
100%

"RA Builders Limited have just finished our fencing and did a fantastic job. Excellent workmanship, Quick to communicate and completely reliable and trustworthy. We will definitely be using them again. "
Rating by: Rochelle | Rating posted: 11th Mar, 2014 | Contact: Rochelle | Job date: Jan, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Rochelle•11th Mar, 2014•More details…
100%

"Has done painting and building work for me. The work he has done for me has been of an excellent standard and I recommend him highly."
Rating by: Wayne | Rating posted: 8th Mar, 2014 | Contact: Ralph Ali | Job date: Jan, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 100% | Value: 100%
Wayne•8th Mar, 2014•More details…
90%

"Excellent quality and completion on time."
Rating by: Charles | Rating posted: 5th Mar, 2014 | Contact: Charles Yu | Job date: Feb, 2014
Communication: 100% | Quality: 100% | Reliability: 80% | Value: 80%
Charles•5th Mar, 2014•More details…

R A Builders Ltd / Building Maintenance in Te Atatu