Browse Forums Building A New House Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 2May 04, 2011 7:43 am We are looking to put a deposit on a block in The Heath soon. Finding it had to confirm some information about the block with Harcourts, but it is coming through. We're expecting site costs to be high considering the amount of sand around the area. Are you also building in the Heath? Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 3May 04, 2011 8:41 pm Hi Vegimite Toast, I am glad to finally find someone else looking at this estate. We paid a deposit for Lot 3 late last year. We are happy to finally see some work has started! I also find it difficult to get much information from Harcourts. We are looking to build with Porter Davis and have our first Tender appointment with them tomorrow. That should give us an initial idea about the site costs. I wasn't aware that it was sand in that estate. Thankfully I have the promo that gives me free slab upgrade. Might help save some site costs! Which Lot are you looking at and what are Harcourts saying about expected settlement. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 4May 06, 2011 7:27 am Hi tcorn, Hi tcorn, We're looking at lot 36, which is at the opposite end of the estate from you. All we are waiting for now is confirmation that we can change the cross over. Harcourts have advised that the target completion date is December, but they have warned us that the developer is a bit optimistic; more like early next year. What have been advising you re when the estate will title? We haven't decided on the builder; maybe we should push for a slab upgrade too. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 5May 06, 2011 8:15 am Vegimite Toast Hi tcorn, Hi tcorn, We're looking at lot 36, which is at the opposite end of the estate from you. All we are waiting for now is confirmation that we can change the cross over. Harcourts have advised that the target completion date is December, but they have warned us that the developer is a bit optimistic; more like early next year. What have been advising you re when the estate will title? We haven't decided on the builder; maybe we should push for a slab upgrade too. Well, It seems you were right about the soil in the estate. Our initial site costs came in at $43,000!!!!! That was with PD and way above our budget. They explained why and although it did make sense, it also puts a downer on things. We were told completion is expected by the end of the year however I assume that will blow out til next year. For your info I also changed my crossover. I sent a letter directly to the developer and received a written reply confirming my request had been approved. If you want any of those details, let me know. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 6May 07, 2011 8:45 pm Wow, 43k seems a bit excessive. Is that above 43k above their provision or in total? What were the reasons for the blow out? I'm really interested be to find out. Cheers for the info on the cross over. That's a relief. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 7May 08, 2011 6:35 pm That $43K is the amount I have to pay!!! That is after the free provisions and the free slab upgrade! Because I didn't sign the Tender and pay 3% I couldn't get a copy of it but basically the costs were.... Excavation $2561 Services $2244 Retaining wall $8418 Concrete pierings $30000 Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 8May 18, 2011 7:16 am Thanks for the break down. We've decided to go for a different block. I guess we'll be budgeting for the same site costs, although a different block could be more or less. Fingers crossed for the latter. Did they say why you need so many peerings? Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 9Sep 02, 2011 3:04 pm Vegimite Toast Thanks for the break down. We've decided to go for a different block. I guess we'll be budgeting for the same site costs, although a different block could be more or less. Fingers crossed for the latter. Did they say why you need so many peerings? Hi Vegemite Toast - just noticed you on the internet and we have bought a block in The Heath and i am going to put a spanner in the works as the whole estate could be up for Bushfire Alert Levels which impacts on the cost of your building. Due to the Heath being surrounded in shrub the level could be higher than normal. I guess we all wont know much until title release. Cheers busymum Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 10Sep 28, 2011 9:46 pm Thanks Lainie. We contacted the council a few months ago and are aware of the BAL requirements. We’re not right against the scrub, so fingers crossed we don’t have the highest BAL, but we’ll have to wait until titles. We’ve put a deposit on lot 34. What lot number is yours? We’re having trouble getting much information from Harcoutts. Have you experienced this as well? Do you have any idea on when it will title? Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 11Oct 01, 2011 11:57 am Hi all, Its nice to find another person going to be building in The Heath. It seems they have the roads pegged and hopefully get going with it soon. I cant get any updates at all from Harcourts in relation to it. When sold the land was due to title this month!!!!! Can someone please tell me more about the Bushfire Alert Levels and what exactly this can mean to the cost of building. Any information that can be provided would be great. Thanks. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 12Oct 02, 2011 9:20 am Hi tcorn, Here’s a link to a useful document for assessing your Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) - http://www.murrindindi.vic.gov.au/Files ... _Guide.pdf . From an assessment point of view, it depends largely on how the scrub will be categorised (e.g. Forest / Woodland / Grassland / Shrubland / Scrub / Rainforest / Mallee) and how close your house will be to the vegetation. Personally, I would think that the vegetation would be classified as ‘Woodland’, but this is open to assessment. From a cost point of view, it depends on what BAL rating results from your assessment. Here a link to a chart detailing the extra requirements http://www.bal.net.au/BAL-Chart.pdf . I hope this helps! Good luck with you assessment. Luke Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 13Oct 02, 2011 12:29 pm Thanks Luke, Im having trouble getting into the costing website but will keep trying it. The current builder that I'm talking to is giving an indication of around $5000 to $6000? Not sure how accurate that is. Have you seen the land lately, any progress down there? Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 14Oct 03, 2011 7:45 am The last time I stopped by, which was a couple of weeks ago, it still looked a long way off. I might be wrong and it looks like a lot of work is going on, but the absence of roads and/or services can't be a good sign. An update from Harcourts or the developer would be helpful. Re the BAL Assessment: I have heard lots varying stories on costs resulting from BAL assessments and, from what I understand, it depends largely on your BAL assessment outcome and the materials that you are planning to build with (e.g. aluminium windows and screens better than wood windows and nylon screens). $5k - 6k sounds good, but I wouldn't rely too much on estimates at this stage because we need to do a BAL assessment before we have an accurate idea of costs. When you changed your crossover, did you send the request direct to the developer? If so, what address did you use? Harcourts have said that we cannot contact the developer or engineers directly, which is making things hard because the ‘sales consultant’ we are dealing with knows little about the Plan of Sub Division. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 15Oct 05, 2011 9:39 pm I went direct but I sent my request in writing to the solicitor of the vendor. They are called W.J.Gilbert & Co. at 221 Glen Huntly Road, Elsternwick. I got that from the correspondence they sent me with changes to the subdivision. I used ref P & A Burdett Enterprises and then my lot No. I requested the change of crossover for my Lot and my reasons. I received a reply stating my request had been approved within about 2 weeks. I hope this helps. I might write to them again soon requesting an update? All I get told from Harcourts is that they still plan to settle by the end of the year. I can't see that happening! Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 16Oct 13, 2011 11:43 am Good Afternoon, I came across your forum and would like to say Hi to our new neighbours, me and my husband have purchased Lot 38, just waiting to hear how much the BAL is going to be as the builder thinks it will roughly cost around $5,000. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 17Oct 15, 2011 3:04 pm Hi Cblorac. Great to hear from you! Who are you looking to build with (if you don't mind me asking)? We're planning to build with Rawdon Hill. Very excited...even if titles seems a long way away. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 18Oct 17, 2011 5:57 am Good Morning Vegimite toast, love your name by the way...lol we are building with parkgate homes, We have sold our house in berwick and now having to find rental, thinking of renting in langwarrin so that I can get used to traveling to work and getting used to where things are in that area. Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 19Nov 28, 2011 5:25 pm Hi again Vegimite Toast, I have actually just noticed that you say you are going to build with Rawdon Hill. We are also looking at building with Rawdon Hill. Who are you dealing with and which home are you going to build? I know two others that have previously built with them and they were both very happy. It looks like a bit has happened recently down there. I'm not sure if I updated you both but the most recent update I received from the developer was that settlement is not expected before March 2012!! Grrrrrrrr! tcorn Re: 'The Heath' - Langwarrin. 20Nov 29, 2011 5:16 pm Hi Tcorn, We are planning to build the Hawthorn. Our sales consultant is Ros (Cascades on Clyde Displays), who has been great. Which Rawdon Hill home are you planning to build? We were told March too, but I’m not holding my breath. Looks like lots is going on at the moment though. Can’t wait to get started! Cheers, Luke |