Hi all,

Thank goodness for this forum, I'm glad I've found it.

Well here we are at the VERY start of looking into building our very first home and my goodness it's very daughting.

We have had an emotional rollarcoaster ride already just getting our finance organised and the construction hasn't even started yet...eeekkkk

How am I going to cope???

So we finally, after 2 weeks, have got out PRE-approval and are expecting full approval by Thursday the 29th 2009.

We "think" we have decided on NBG to build our home and have selected the Sandhurst 300E with major changes.

Look forward to being able to share this journey with you all and get to know some of you on a personal basis, if possible.

Anyone else building with NBG???

Cheers PFM

Hi

yes we found it very daunting too, although we've been looking for a while, it's still scary at the end because so much money is at stake, not to mention the disruption to your life etc... so glad you finally did it tho. We looked at NBG but didn't go with them because we didn't find them value for $$$ for what we wanted... good luck!

I'm like you PFM, just started organising finance and looking at land and house plans now and I already feel VERY overwhelmed and I also feel like I am on a roller coaster and already having sleepless nights about it all! I almost wish I had a partner to bounce all my thoughts and questions off!

trust me lisanne, even if you had a partner, you'd be using this forum for any REAL assistance... I'm referring to my fella of course!

haha

Hey I too am in the same position... we are waiting for our broker to come back from holidays next week to apply for our construction loan. We have been looking at houses since June last year when we bought our land and let me just say omg i am so overwhelmed... we have finally decided to build with Henley! It such a daughnting experience...

Lisanne even with a partner im in the same boat!

Hahah ok, so it's no easier, but at least you guys can talk to them! I can already tell my friends and family are going to get over me building a house really quickly heheh

haha yeh alot of my friends got over it very quickly but have a friend also about to start building down the road in South Morang so we will never get sick of talking about it!

don't mean to bragg and I'm sure I'm not the only one in this position but try doing a KDR with 14 month old Twins and both parents working fulltime in the mix. ...then you know you are alive.......

Good luck with your build.

lisanne lisanne lisanne, if only it were that easy - marry him, and he'll listen to your talk about building your dream home. I think he has come to a display with me maybe twice!! and colours - he doesn't know how to spell it. He just wants the cricket, to play chasey with my 1.5yo and eat/sleep. New home, oh, he just dozes off, even when my voice is somewhat raised due to his reluctance to listen!

But friends, yes, you have to catch up with someone building just like you, it makes a world of difference!

Annie

Being able to make all your own decisions sounds pretty good to me. DH is completely uninterested when I try and discuss any ideas but then as soon as I make a decision on what I like and finally manage to drag him to a store he announces he doesn't like it! Thank God we managed to get through colour appointments etc and it's only furniture and finishing touches to go!

hahaha Ok so maybe it isn't such a bad thing!

None of my friends are building BUT my Dad is and his wife came around to all the display homes last weekend with me - that is going to be a great resource and she is a lot of fun to be with and of course I now have my great new friends in all of you to ask questions of and to prattle too about the newest changes

OMG I am feely awfully overwhelmed already! LOL

Annietom: Value for money is the main reason we are
going with NBG, although, we are also in a very small
country town, so compared to other builders here they
are great value for money and have a great inclusions list
and bonus pack going ATM.

Lisanne: Don't be mistaken for thinking that just because
we have partners that this makes this any easier, hahahaah
because in my case it makes it harder I think,
everything we decide we second guess, we both
over anailyze things and always change our minds,
it's so confusing...LOL There are just too many decisions
to make. I'm also with you on the sleepless nights ALREADY,
I'm off to the chemist for some Insomnex I think.

Yes, being able to make all the decisions is good, but then what if I make the wrong decision, I can't blame someone! heheh

Good luck with the sleeping!

The great thing is that everyone on this forum is about to build/renovate, is currently building/renovating or has just finished building/renovating. It's just great. You have hundreds of support people that you have never seen, it's the weirdest (but fantastic) thing.
Lisanne, you'll be fine, there are plenty of people here to bounce off any ideas you may have, answer all your questions, and guess what? it's all 'no strings attached'! Good luck with it all.
-------------------------------------
themax
building with the big C. Plans done. Exterior colours a mess, no idea.
Started packing.

this forum is a god-send for us, because we don't know anyone who has just built (or within last 10yrs!) so we wanted to know how others went - now we do!

pinkfairymagic, you asked how will you cope?

It's the same question I have been asking myself quite a lot lately.
I say the answer is; one decision at a time.

themax

Hi mate, I'm a newbie here as well.. We've also got our land, selected a builder and have been struggling with the builder finalising plans for DA... Finance was not a problem -- the broker has been quite good.

I believe it is too easy to get overwhelmed -- in my example, I have no idea about building -- I can express in simplistic words what I want but fail on giving precise technical details to the vendor... Unfortunately, builders do not take a consultative approach -- too little of explanation and consulting and this results in lots of misunderstanding and frustration... The science of "getting the customers' requirements right from the first time" does not seem to be mastered in this industry.

I found that being directive, demanding and micro-managing the builder worked well.

Good luck with your process, take it easy and enjoy the fun!

Just went around to a couple's house today that have just built near our block and they also built with NBG and have sternly reccommened us NOT to go with them, as the builder who builds the houses here (very rural) has not got a good reputation, hence not caring much about his work. He hates traveling to our town (1hr) to work, so it's like pulling teeth to get him here in the first place. This couple's house took 18months from first site scrap to handover...eeekkkkk

BUT...

It pretty much comes down to we either build with NBG or not at all, as the other local private builders are way to $$$, tough decision...

What would do in this situation??/

Budget is queit tight with only one FT income and 4 children.

Hi,

Personally I would not go with NBG - just too many hassles that could occur.

Can you buy an existing house or just no suitable ones about?

Dale.

Hi again,

I forgot to add - the one thing that might make NBG work is their current offer/promotion of no progress payments being required.

If the builder gets no money until finished and you are happy with the work then he may have the incentive required to finish the job properly.

Dale.