Site costs and the split level home.

Cookiemonster · Jun 25, 2007 3:20 pm

I have a slopey block off land and Im interested in a split level Clarendon home. A couple of weeks ago a salesman told me to expect site costs of up to $20K to build that home.

Just last weekend I was talking to a different salesman from Clarendon, and he said expect site costs of upto $35k for the same home.

Are salesmen just making up the figures as they go along?

These estimates also seem excessively high.

Do site costs for split level homes on slopey blocks generally come in considerably higher than site costs for normal homes on level blocks?

Vlad76 · Jun 25, 2007 4:26 pm

I am building with Clarendon in Melbourne, and have found them to be honest and transparent. The site costs would be based on an engineering report, so I don't think they would be making them up.

But as with all volume builders, they try to adjust your block to suit the home design they have, rather than other way around. So sometimes you may well come accross a situation where they will charge you for some items they need to do to your site (eg extensive excavation) etc, even though the cheaper solution may have been to modify the design, which they wouldn't want to do.

I had a slight slope on my block but I couldn't find any suitable design with a split level which would be cost effective for me, so the builder ended up doing a cut and fill to level the block.

But it all depends on how slopey your block is.

In any case, Clarendon Vic so far has done ok for me. I am only at the frame stage though.

yvette72 · Jun 25, 2007 4:31 pm

its costing me 13,000 in site costs for a reasonble flat block with only 700mm fall

Talinsmum · Jun 25, 2007 4:38 pm

Last weekend we were told by the Clarendon people that the ballpark figure for one of their single story designs on a relatively flat block would be in the $18-20 price range for site costs ..... then when we inquired about the split level Leura design on a more sloaped block we were told $30 grand + ... so I'd suggest that the second sales person was probably closer to the actual mark as split level designs seem to be much more expensive...

Fiona

stonecutter1309 · Jun 25, 2007 4:53 pm

I think split level sites require more in terms of drop-edge beams etc which all cost more. Plus all the additional cut & fill.

Cookiemonster · Jun 25, 2007 5:25 pm

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm praying they don't just add an extra $5k here and there to the site costs just to get some extra dollars out of me. I mean in the end how do we know? How can you confirm that the site costs are the actual site costs.. and not some huge profit margin added on?

Talinsmum

Last weekend we were told by the Clarendon people that the ballpark figure for one of their single story designs on a relatively flat block would be in the $18-20 price range for site costs ..... then when we inquired about the split level Leura design on a more sloaped block we were told $30 grand + ... so I'd suggest that the second sales person was probably closer to the actual mark as split level designs seem to be much more expensive...
Fiona

We liked the Leura as well.. but we wanted the Leura 42. Unfortunately one corner of that house would be hanging off our land. And the Leura 36 is too small for our needs. We'll probably go with the Springwood instead. Thanks for your reply.

stonecutter1309 · Jun 25, 2007 5:35 pm

Nice choice in the Springwood! Love the bath in the ensuite.

Cookiemonster · Jun 25, 2007 5:39 pm

stonecutter1309

Nice choice in the Springwood! Love the bath in the ensuite.

Strangely enough, so does my wife. It's a spa too.. standard inclusion.

It doesn't quite offset $35k in site costs though. :cry:

stonecutter1309 · Jun 25, 2007 6:27 pm

Oooh - not a fan of spas - they are a terror to keep clean!

ahuang · Jun 25, 2007 9:47 pm

Hi Mark,

Have you done your site inspection + soil test + presentation?
After that you will have everything in writing as for how much per sqm they charge for the drop edge beam, how much allowance included for the peering, how much cut & fill estimated and how much they charge per cubic for the imported soil if required. These are the 3 extra stuffs I am aware of for slope land. Ask them to break down the price if possible.

One other option, if you have spare $600, get another quote from 2nd builder. If the result is roughly the same for a similar size house, you will feel much comfortable. If the other price is a lot cheaper (for each of the 3 plus others mentioned above), you can use their price to ask Clarendon to lower theirs.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Allan
http://building-our-first-house.blogspot.com/

Cookiemonster · Jun 26, 2007 7:26 am

ahuang

Hi Mark,

Have you done your site inspection + soil test + presentation?
After that you will have everything in writing as for how much per sqm they charge for the drop edge beam, how much allowance included for the peering, how much cut & fill estimated and how much they charge per cubic for the imported soil if required. These are the 3 extra stuffs I am aware of for slope land. Ask them to break down the price if possible.

One other option, if you have spare $600, get another quote from 2nd builder. If the result is roughly the same for a similar size house, you will feel much comfortable. If the other price is a lot cheaper (for each of the 3 plus others mentioned above), you can use their price to ask Clarendon to lower theirs.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Allan
http://building-our-first-house.blogspot.com/

Hi Allan,

We haven't had any site surveys done yet. We were trying to get a preliminary idea of costs to work out whether we are waisting our time looking at particular homes designs - budget wise.

We will definitely be asking a 2nd and possibly even a 3rd builder to survey and quote for our land. In my opinion an extra $600 here and there is good insurance to ensure we aren't getting ripped off.

Unfortunately, when it comes to split level homes, the choice of builders narrows down to only a few in the project home market.

brittany · Jun 26, 2007 9:00 pm

Our site costs ended up being $55,000. We're building a double storey on a block with a three metre drop. I paid the money and went through the process with two builders. Most of the money is going on retaining walls, the cut and fill, and bored piers. I nearly fell over but I want this house....

mattwalker · Jun 26, 2007 9:25 pm

brittany

Our site costs ended up being $55,000. We're building a double storey on a block with a three metre drop. I paid the money and went through the process with two builders. Most of the money is going on retaining walls, the cut and fill, and bored piers. I nearly fell over but I want this house....

lol

The things we will live with for the things that we want....

Good on you!

Cookiemonster · Jun 26, 2007 9:49 pm

brittany

Our site costs ended up being $55,000. We're building a double storey on a block with a three metre drop. I paid the money and went through the process with two builders. Most of the money is going on retaining walls, the cut and fill, and bored piers. I nearly fell over but I want this house....

Woah! We certainly don't have a 3m drop thank goodness. Probably closer to 1.5m. It's hard to eyeball it.

Yak_Chat · Jun 27, 2007 9:46 am

Mark - Grab a stick and a level and walk on your block and work out how much drop you have.
It will help big time before you talk to the builders.

My place has a 4 to 5 metre drop overall and I have a split level home with 3 stairs at the drop level inside my house but my neighbours are all single level which are further down the hill due to cut and fill needs.

The big advantages of split level is there is less cut and fill obviously, but more important - you do not have such a cold house because the sun can actually get into the house long before it gets into my neighbours.
Also the driveway is not as steep, you can easily put in celestial windows to let the sun in, and lots of other benefits.
But work out how much fall you actually have first. then you know what your starting with.
Steve

Cookiemonster · Jun 27, 2007 9:59 am

Thanks for the advice Steve.

In 5 weeks I'll actually own the land (still in the settlement period). Well actually the bank will own most of it.. but yes, I'll do what you suggested.

Current owner must run a nursery or something because at the moment the land is covered in pot plants.. so probably not a good idea to go trudging around on it yet.

Yak_Chat · Jun 27, 2007 10:19 am

Just had another thought ? Did you hear the funny noises

If you have a friend with a handheld GPS, that will also give you elevation etc. Much easier too.
And yes, stay off it if they have plants, there you don't want to introduce a disease on them.
Cheers
Steve

Cookiemonster · Jun 27, 2007 10:27 am

I've got a GPS in the car.. Driving down the road from one end of the block to the other shows an elevation change of 1m on the GPS. However the GPS only has a resolution of 1m. So it's somewhere between 1m and 2m drop.. hence my averaged out assumption of about 1.5m.

The blocks slops down a bit from the road as well, maybe a metre or so.. but I can't drive down there without squashing a few pot plants.

lrhodes1 · Jun 27, 2007 10:42 am

Hi Mark,
My block has an almost 2m of fall, and as a result my slab will be on 3 levels and site costs are about $45,000.
Jandson were the only builders out of the others I approached at Homeworld who would build on my block!
Good luck and have patience! (I can highly reccomend Jandson by the way)

Cookiemonster · Jun 27, 2007 10:53 am

lrhodes1

Hi Mark,
My block has an almost 2m of fall, and as a result my slab will be on 3 levels and site costs are about $45,000.
Jandson were the only builders out of the others I approached at Homeworld who would build on my block!
Good luck and have patience! (I can highly reccomend Jandson by the way)

Judging from others experiences it looks like $35,000 will be in the ballpark from me. Can I ask what home you are building with Jandson?