Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jul 10, 2016 9:39 pm Once upon a time... just over two years ago, a young family secured a piece of land in Melbourne's Northern Suburbs.
They were lucky enough to get, what these days is considered a "big" block, of 16m x 32m (512 sq m). They wanted to make good use of the width of block, so it was important to find a home that was wide but wasn't too long because, with then, two children, a good size backyard was important to them. They stumbled across a plan from a project builder which had exactly what they were after: 4 bedrooms Study Theatre (kids rumpus for now) Kitchen that overlooked the backyard And only 21.88m long! Anyway, enough of talking in the third person.... So we did our walk thorough, put in our wish list and came out WAY over budget!! One thing that really pushed us over is that we wanted to make the bathroom 1/2m wider (which meant the whole house would be 1/2m longer) - I have two girls and feel they will need the space when they're older. This was going to cost so much because they "have to move the plumbing", uuummm what plumbing? You haven't built the house yet?? Anyway, I took the plan and my wish list and started to look at custom builders. Everyone says that they're really expensive but then we came across Ashford Homes. The thing that initially drew me to them was their standard inclusions. They are really good!!! Things like flyscreens to windows AND sliding doors!! Colorbond roof R4 insulation to ceiling and R2 to walls Eaves!! White Mortar Obscure Glazing and privacy locks to bathroom, ensuite and WC Anyway, I could go on because there is so much more but you can just see for yourself http://www.ashfordhomes.com.au/files/72 ... cation.pdf Anyway, we fell in love with our Sales Consultant from day 1! He was so accommodating, even coming to our own home a few times for meetings! Having come in under budget with everything that we wanted, we signed with Ashford Homes in April 2014. Let's now fast forward two years later. Our land was delayed 18mths and because of this we incurred not one, not two but THREE price increases with the builder. About $15k all up pushing us about $10k over what we were wanting to spend. The admin process hasn't been too bad. We are up to our third admin person but we have had her for almost 18mths and she's great! We have had A LOT of time to go over our plan to make sure everything is how we want it to be but I guarantee there will be something I've missed. So anyway, without further ado, here is our plan: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We will have just under 6 metres of backyard. Perfect for a set of swings, a cubby house and a trampoline! And maybe a slip n slide in summer!! And this is what our facade will look like. I wanted something with character and a little different to the cookie cutter homes that are out there Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ So this post seemed long enough. I will write up my colour selections etc in my next post. Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 2Jul 12, 2016 7:28 am Our land finally titled in December 2015 (15 mths late). Just in time for builders to shut down for the Christmas period. We would have to wait until the new year.
Early February rolls around and imagine my excitement when one day I drove past our block and saw these... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ we had our site scraped end March Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ But then for 5 weeks nothing! Ashford we're very bad at communicating regarding the delay. They never called us to let us know what was going on and we were always the one calling them. To the point when the receptionist would say "oh yes, I remember you". Finally at the end of May this happened... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ And then not even a week later our frame started to go up. Finally, the build was getting some traction and the house was starting to take shape. Then the windows went in and then, the trusses started to go up and then... What do you know, ANOTHER delay!!! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ So, the house has been sitting idle for a month now. Apparently we are waiting on steel so they can complete the trusses. Again, it is never Ashford contacting us with an update. We are calling them, leaving messages and calling again and leaving messages and maybe a week later getting a phone call back. Oh and then just to top it off, I get a water bill for the block for $350!! So I rang Yarra Valley Water who said, this was an estimate and to go and read the meter and call them back, so I go to the block to read the meter and... It's gone!!! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I rang Yarra Valley Water and they were great. Saying that it happened a lot more than they would like to admit. So they waived the usage off the bill and are replacing the meters and taps at no cost to me. So that is our build to date... Hopefully things start up again soon. This process has been SO long and now that it's started I just want to be in our new home and out of the rental we are in!! Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 3Jul 14, 2016 3:22 pm We had our colour selection appointment in September 2013. Surprisingly, it only took us a couple of hours. We went in with the mentality that if we could upgrade it ourselves later on then we will. Our main money focus was to get the structure and floor plan right. Tiles were done at National Tiles and took us under an hour! The only upgrade here for us was a feature tile in the bathroom. Items with a $$$ indicate an upgrade. Externals: Bricks: Austral Indulgence Truffle Mortar: Off White Roof: Colorbond Monument Gutters & Downpipes: Monument Fascia: Surfmist Window Frames: White Garage Door: Madison Profile in Surfmist Back roller door: monument Posts: Surfmist Gable: Surfmist $$$ 5565mm wide sectional garage door in lieu of standard 4800mm wide. $507 Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Front Door: Corinthian Cambridge Urban PURB 02 with Align Trilock in bright chrome Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Internals: Doors: Corinthian Doors Cambridge with Elena Door Handles in Bright Chrome Skirting boards: 67mm lambs tongue profile $$$ Architraves: 42mm lambs tongue profile $$$ Walls: Taubmans Ageless Ceilings: Builders White Cornices: Builders White Arcs & Skirtings: White Doors: White Tiles: Colorado Grey Gloss 450x450 - to WHOLE house $$$ upgraded heater to be zoned and programmable Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ My biggest decision (which I changed a number of times), was the colour of the internal walls. I hated the "standard" range of wall colours available but I refused to upgrade this. So I picked the best from a bad bunch (which I still hate - it looks too yellow) but the way I see it, we will repaint in about 5 years once the kids are older and stop smashing their toys into walls. Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 4Jul 14, 2016 3:37 pm Following Nice floor plan party... Like your colour choices... Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 5Jul 14, 2016 10:53 pm RegVic Following Nice floor plan party... Like your colour choices... Thanks RegVic! Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 6Jul 15, 2016 8:07 am More colour selections... Kitchen: Base MK2 Double Bowl with RHD and Star Kitchen Mixer $$$ Tap to fridge recess $$$ Bench tops: 40mm Qstone - Arctic (our sales guy threw in the 40mm at no extra charge) Splash back: Cafe Light Cream Gloss (still debating whether to tell the tiler to subway lay these). Kitchen Cabinets: Laminex Jericho (Silk Finish - Horizontal Grain) $$$ Kitchen Island: Polar White (Silk Finish) and kicker to be in Jericho (Silk Finish - Horizontal Grain) $$$ Kitchen Handles - none to overhead cupboards (two push latches for cupboards over rangehood). Other as pictured Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We are providing our own appliances except for the rangehood which we needed to get through the builder * Rangehood: Robin Hood RLES 91SSWH 90cm slide out * Oven: Westinghouse 90cm built in oven WVE916SA * Cooktop: Westinghouse 90cm Induction cooktop PHN944DU Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I got an absolute BARGAIN on both the stove and oven and with the credit given by the builder we only had to put an extra $500 for them! Bathroom / Ensuite 1500mm Caroma Classic Island Bath $$$ Star Mixer and Spout Posh Solus Vanity Basin $$$ Alder Moda HS100 Bracket Shower Star Wall Mixer Star Double towel rail in chrome Mirrors - installing ourselves - they will be 1500mm shaving cabinets Benchtops: Laminex pure mineral stone in natural finish with D-Mould Edge Cupboards: Laminex Licorice Linea in Silk Finish $$$ Handles: Same as Kitchen Wall Tiles: Portofino Fossil Gloss Feature Tile in Shower: Lead Glass Stainless Steel Mix IXLs - we are providing and installing these $$$ heater vent to both bathroom and ensuite - I like to be warm!! $$$ two banks of drawers to each vanity unit Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Toilet BTW Concept Toilet Star toilet holder in Chrome Laundry Posh Solus Double Laundry Trough $$$ Star Kitchen Mixer Benchtops: Laminex Pure Mineral Stone in natural finish with D-Mould Edge Cupboards: Laminex Licorice Linea in Natural Finish Handles: Same as Kitchen Splashback: Gloss White Ripple 250mmx400mm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Another few bits and pieces that we did: 2340 doors to all wardrobes and linen - allowing better access to the top shelf $$$ top shelf and hanging rail for ALL wardrobes and linen to be hung at 2000mm - this is a MUST if you want double hanging. Well, I think that's it for colours. I'm hoping that it looks good when put all together. I've have also been told that the carpenters will be back on site on Monday to finish putting up the trusses - fingers crossed this happens. Also, another note, we didn't hear this info from Ashford, that's right, we have called our SS almost everyday this week and still no returned phone call. I spoke with the carpenter himself - yep, handy to get some of your trades phone numbers Oh, and our water meters and taps have been replaced. Woot woot!! Re: Our Ashford Homes Build 7Jul 24, 2016 10:35 pm So just a quick update. No progress last week. The weather wasn't great but still no update from Ashford until Friday when they emailed to tell us our SS was finishing up with the company and we will be assigned a new one soon. Gggrrrr... Getting so frustrated with the lack of progress and communication! Re: Our Ashford Homes Build 8Jul 25, 2016 9:20 am party_of_5 So just a quick update. No progress last week. The weather wasn't great but still no update from Ashford until Friday when they emailed to tell us our SS was finishing up with the company and we will be assigned a new one soon. Gggrrrr... Getting so frustrated with the lack of progress and communication! Sadly it is common theme across builders.. Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 9Aug 05, 2016 7:16 am So it's been almost two weeks and we still haven't heard ANYTHING from Ashford regarding a new site supervisor or any contact from the Construction Manager who was supposed to take over in the interim. Poor form Ashford!! Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 10Aug 09, 2016 9:20 pm So something happened today... Ashford FINALLY finished our frame! That's right! After sitting there 3/4 finished for 8 weeks, it is complete!! We're still debating on whether to get an independent inspector out to go over it. Especially because it has been sitting in the rain for so long. Thoughts anyone? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 11Aug 19, 2016 7:15 am Well it's been a week and besides having a completed frame nothing else has happened to our house. Thought we would at least have gutters or something by now. Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 12Aug 19, 2016 7:59 am I really like some of your selections! Why a double sink for the laundry? I ask because I dont even use my one laundry sink so just curious... and Ive been checking out laundry layouts and have come to the conclusion other than shove clothes in to machine/take out of machine/shove in dryer/take out of dryer - I do nothing else in my laundry to need bench tops/cupboards ect so I might get to save some money in that room. Researching split home designs for our KDR downward sloping block Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 13Aug 19, 2016 8:01 am Ask the SS for an update? May be they doing something else? Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 14Aug 19, 2016 8:50 am Splitsville I really like some of your selections! Why a double sink for the laundry? I ask because I dont even use my one laundry sink so just curious... and Ive been checking out laundry layouts and have come to the conclusion other than shove clothes in to machine/take out of machine/shove in dryer/take out of dryer - I do nothing else in my laundry to need bench tops/cupboards ect so I might get to save some money in that room. Hey Splitsville, lol. I get asked that question a lot. I have only 1 laundry sink now and I hate it. I like having two because I can do all of my soaking in 1 (I have 3 small children), and then use the other to rinse out my mop, wash my hands from being outside, rinse off the kids gumboots etc. RegVic - yeh we called yesterday and still waiting for a call back. I've lost a bit of confidence in our builder bc we have had so many unexpected and unexplained delays. From when we started (end of March), we should've been a lot further in the process than just at roof stage. Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 15Aug 21, 2016 9:12 pm Following along!! Great idea with your laundry sink when you have little ones and clothes constantly need soaking. Sorry to hear about your lack of progress, do you get liquidated damages of they go over contract time? GJ Gardner Modified Coolum 277 viewtopic.php?t=83643 Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 16Aug 21, 2016 9:36 pm 18 months for land registration!!!! That's my worst nightmare the constant delays must be so frustrating. Love all your selections so far! Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 17Aug 21, 2016 10:06 pm Charlibear - thanks. Yeh, I have no bench and only 1 trough in the rental we are in and I find that I have soaking buckets all over the floor. As for the paying us if they go over. After reading through our contract, which we probably should've done a little more thoroughly before we signed it two years ago, we have seen that if they go over the 310 day build time we get, wait for it.... $1 a week!!! Shortnstumpy - yes, the delays are extremely frustrating. I'm hoping that we start to see them pick up the pace. We've been told that this week we will be getting gutters and fascias. Re: Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 18Aug 21, 2016 10:31 pm $1 a week.. what a joke My contract is $250 a week and Clarendon is $15 a day... Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 19Aug 25, 2016 8:58 am So we had a call from our SS yesterday saying that we had our gutters and fascias up and also our roof!! So after work I rushed to pick up my kids, telling them about the progress, as we drove to our block. They were SO excited. However, when I got there.... NOTHING. L i e s! All L i e s.
I wonder if the SS was mixing up our house with someone else's? Our Ashford Homes Build - the beginning... 20Aug 29, 2016 10:30 pm Thought I'd add a timeline in so people can see exactly how dragged out this whole process has been to date: 26th March 2014 - signed land contract 10th April 2014 - signed contract with Ashford Homes 11th September 2014 - tile selection at National Tiles 18th September 2014 - Colour Selection 10th December 2015 - Land Title 30th March 2016 - Official Start Date 30th March 2016 - Site Cut 30th May 2016 - Slab Poured 3rd June 2016 - Frame start 9th August 2016 - Frame Complete .... More waiting.... of course there are legal avenues. You've already mentioned it. Sue them. I find it odd that lawyers wouldnt be willing to take on the case, given CCT evidence and… 1 23758 Thank you so much everyone. This all makes a lot of sense. I guess when you talk to a builder who butters up everything to look very polished, you get to start believing… 7 17511 3 47412 |