Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Very Naive 1st time home builder needs advice..... 10Mar 25, 2009 1:01 am After 2 false starts, a year living overseas, two more world trips and 3 years of uncertainty we are now starting the build process again - hopefully for real this time! Re: Very Naive 1st time home builder needs advice..... 13Mar 25, 2009 8:17 am sorry donnuts for putting praise on McDonald Jones.. but they did build my last 2 homes and we were very happy... just like to tell my story when someone needs help/info... I do comment about other builders too as we have built 4 homes in our time... some bad but mostly good experiences... and even though we are pretty happy where we are in Fern Bay i try and keep my ear to the ground and keep in touch Life is an enjoyment, enjoy it Re: Very Naive 1st time home builder needs advice..... 14Mar 25, 2009 8:18 am Hi Everyone, Many thanks for all of your advice thus far, really appreciated. The big learnings for me so far are to: GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING Have the Builder do the contour and soil surveys &; Be very specific about what we want - it is our house after all. Very impressed with everybody's feedback re McD0nald jones, we have all but decided on the Beachside Grand Manor Elite (what a mouthful!) as it tailors for all of our needs. If there are any more things that I should & shouldnt be doing I'd love to know them to make sure I'm fully prepared. Any ideas on how long the whole process takes from securing the land to getting the keys? Re: Very Naive 1st time home builder needs advice..... 15Mar 25, 2009 8:41 am Hanson61 sorry donnuts for putting praise on McDonald Jones.. but they did build my last 2 homes and we were very happy... just like to tell my story when someone needs help/info... I do comment about other builders too as we have built 4 homes in our time... some bad but mostly good experiences... and even though we are pretty happy where we are in Fern Bay i try and keep my ear to the ground and keep in touch no need to apologise if you are a genuine not-employed-by-McDonald-Jones poster Hanosn61 Glad you are happy with your 4th house. Like I said, just curious! "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Very Naive 1st time home builder needs advice..... 17Mar 25, 2009 1:20 pm A few golden rules i've subsribe to during my build to consider..... 1. If its not written it didn't happen... 2. Show me don't tell me... 3. They are NOT your friend/buddy...they are there to make money 4. They use 'measure twice, cut once' we should be using read it 3 times at least a day apart then sign 5. Always inspect what you expect! 6. Embrace the triple constraint and find the balance between scope,cost and time. ie. remember this when you decide to undertake any change. 7. Planning, planning planning...did i say planning? let me say it again PLANNING. Good luck. Yoda Smeags. ---->Some say that a recession is when your neighbour loses his/her job while a depression is when you lose yours!<----- Re: Very Naive 1st time home builder needs advice..... 18Mar 25, 2009 2:46 pm I think these two are the most succinct summaries of what you should look out for... joles My main advice would be the following: get everything in writing educate yourself as much as you can about as many aspects of the process as you can get everything in writing work out your needs, wants and wishes (in that order) as far as your house plan goes get everything in writing set a budget and stick to it get everything in writing treat it as a business transaction, try to keep emotion out of it get everything in writing whatever they say it costs..... it will cost more builders are not your friends..... you are their client especially in the current economic climate, check the financials of your chosen builder and get everything in writing and smeagol A few golden rules i've subsribe to during my build to consider..... 1. If its not written it didn't happen... 2. Show me don't tell me... 3. They are NOT your friend/buddy...they are there to make money 4. They use 'measure twice, cut once' we should be using read it 3 times at least a day apart then sign 5. Always inspect what you expect! 6. Embrace the triple constraint and find the balance between scope,cost and time. ie. remember this when you decide to undertake any change. 7. Planning, planning planning...did i say planning? let me say it again PLANNING. I'd add... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ and the six P-rule see point 7 above....Proper Planning Prevents P*ss Poor Performance... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Very Naive 1st time home builder needs advice..... 20Mar 25, 2009 3:23 pm Mikenrochelle Very impressed with everybody's feedback re McD0nald jones, we have all but decided on the Beachside Grand Manor Elite (what a mouthful!) as it tailors for all of our needs. Hi Mikenrochelle! Did you choose the "rear split" design? Do you know the approximate slope on your land? Cheers! ' Hi there, We’ve recently had plans approved to add a 1st storey addition to our existing house for a growing family in Sydney. With the current cost of building… 0 5157 Hi - thanks for your reply. Yes I think 'Ill go for whitish with very speckly bits rather than pure white something like this. PS was actually 2008 I built the… 2 12436 Soak wells and electrical run in happening this week! Summit has told me they will relocate the laundry plumbing after the walls are completed. I'm actually pretty happy… 13 36879 |