I've really enjoyed going through other builds here on homeone so thought I'd document ours too.

We are currently getting prices from 4 different builders who are going off a plan we drew up oursleves.

Overall a good start I think. I'll put the plan up when I get the real thing drawn up.

Just a basic outline of what I'll be going for in this house.

Modern/Country Design. Front facade to have cladding, the rest brick. Maybe a brick feature either side of the front door. Single story, 4 bedrooms plus office. 2 Living and 2 bathrooms.

I'd like a white kitchen with timber island bench. Laminate everywhere else and a nice big kitchen bi fold window (servery style). A few glass doors around the place and a lovely light, airy feeling in the home.

Will add some more info as we go along.

Hi,
I am pretty much in the ground-up (may be below ground) stage! Can you please suggest me how do I go about finding reliable or honest builders? This is my first experience in constructing a house and I am planning to add a second dwelling in my current house.
Any suggestions on how or where I should on building process will be highly appreciated. I live in the West of Sydney, if that helps.

Regards,
Praveen

Hi there getitgoing,

I'm not in your area but all we've done is go by word of mouth so far. We picked a couple from good advertising and then started asking around and picked a couple of small guys who we know people who either work with them or have built with them and they have lots of great stuff to say.

So I'm not sure how you go about things either, this is just where we started. We're yet to decided on a quote/builder yet so I'll come back to add this info to the thread.

Good luck with the start, its a little daunting isn't it.

Thanks for the suggestion and wishes! I think I am pretty doing that same approach!

Ok so this quoting stage is harder than I thought. All of them do things differently so its really hard to compare apples with apples. I thought if I make sure I give each of them exactly the same thing then I can get a more accurate idea but it dosnt seem to work like that.

Anyway, we've made the start and if anything this whole process has gotten me more confident about my choices in our home as I've had to really consider every aspect and what our needs and wants are.

So far we've had 3 quotes back and one to go. Also we were contacted by another builder who wants the opportunity to quote. Building is slow here ATM.

None of the quotes came near what we were willing to spend So we have to rethink a few things and/or get negotiating. I'm doing both. I figure its best to compromise on interior rather than size as we are a growing family and intend on staying for as long as possible in this house. So it might mean giving up the floating floors, servery windows etc...

Anyway I am hoping we'll have a decision in the next week and can get the plans started before Christmas. I'd love to be starting soon after the new year.

Hi,
What is that which are different between the builders? Curious?!

Regards,
Praveen

Probably the biggest thing is in the allowances. They each have different amounts they allow for different things, no doubt due to suppliers. Course there's more but that's just one of the things I've noticed.

Ok it's starting to get exciting. We are looking to sign this week hopefully.

We're very happy with the chosen builder. They have listened and havn't made us feel like anything is too much.

The bad news is the soil is about as bad as it can get. Good thing we budgeted for the worst case scenario.

The plan is almost finalised, with a couple of minor changes to come and then I'll post it up here for all to see.

Can't wait!!!!!!!!

Can't wait to see it finalized. Don't leave us in suspense too long

Ok!! I will scan in today's changes and there's probably going to be one or two more tomorrow. So I'll try and get another interim one up for you. HAHA.

[ img ]

Hope you like it!

Awesome, I think it looks fantastic now. I like how you've done Bed 2 as it's now a multi-functional room (ie study, playroom, bedroom). Just with the back hall entry where the linen is, I would get rid of one of those doors

Oh no!!!

Can't believe I didn't see that door. WHOOPS. Yes the one closest to the rooms is the one that's not supposed to be there. I better let them know.

HAHA i love homeone.

Thanks RIZZO - you've been invaluable. I'm so happy with it now.

Weren't you planning to put a wall at the side of the vanity outside the toilet?

Looks great after all the changes.

man we are good!!! that bed 2 could be a play station room (if you had a zillion kids) or whatever you want it to be like rizzo said. what a GOOD IDEA re the double doors. (and a wardrobe in there...yay!!! no make do jobbies now!!)

love the kitchen...pantry is fab.
slider to lounge is good, if you have it to the ceiling, you will have a tall opening, it wont be 'boxed' in and will feel more spacious. will try and find a pic so you know what I am on about


much better flow and seems like there is more space...esp with those doors open to the play room, will make the family room feel larger
(would put a good quality fold down sofa bed for guests, and use it as another chill out place when they are not visiting) ie media room.

YOU DONE GOOD my friend


no wasted space....yayness!!!!!

see how this door has a frame above it to the ceiling..NO!! and not wood either
[ img ]

I like this better...no frame closing the space in, and loving the glass doors! The extra height door shouldnt be too much more as it is just a bit more wood, but you also dont need to build a frame above, so save money there. You also want it recessed, like this, but a single door.

[ img ]

we have a floor to ceiling cavity/ recessed slider down the hall and you dont know it is there.

ps can the office access an outside loo? or is it called the garden? dont want to troop through the house to have a leak (or clients through the house...depending what hubby does and if he 'entertains' clients or if he is there on his own during the day. Then who cares!)

Grr I wrote out a whole reply and the computer froze.

Catjim - Yes you're right and I emailed the builder yesterday to have that done and also to get rid of the extra door. I think they are the two outstanding things at the moment. Unless you can spot something else.

KIWI - I can hear your excitement from here. I must admit, I've been working on the plan for a couple of months now and although I was relatively happy with it, there was a few things niggling at me that weren't quite right. After getting some help, I feel really great about the plan now. More than happy. Can't wait is more the feeling. WOOHOO

The double doors were a last minute add on from my husband given that Bedroom 2 and Laundry were switched it seemed to make sense to be able to open it up. Very happy about this adjustment. And yep although we'd planned to put a queen size bed in there, which we already have, we'll sell it and get a sofa bed. I hear they are a lot better these days. Oooh I'm so excited.

I like your slider idea but I'm scared of the cost! The doors in the house are a moulded door. Nothing fancy just not completely flush. Those glass doors would suit my house perfectly. LOL. Hmm, might query it.

HAHA yeah it's called a garden. Nope no loo but that's fine as my husband is very good at having morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea so I'm sure he fit his loo visits in then. No clients out there either. I would love to do this though, along with a little sink. Same in the pantry, I'd love to add another sink in there. Oh there's so much we could do but unfortunately its already over budget so I'm thinking we have to draw the line now.

We've had a look at vinyl planks to save some cost and I'm actually quite impressed. Do you happen to remember any builds on here that have used a nice vinyl so I can have a look?

Enjoy your day everyone.

I love your plan. It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into what you want and need in a house. Good luck with your build.

I had that SAME feeling, once the niggles (which I thought were just 'oh well got to just have it as on plan, cant change it, dont know how" moments) were sorted I LOVED my plan. Once that happens and you get excited, it is usually THE plan.

I had about 20 plans, but once they got drawn up (drew up about 6 of them properly, and about 15 I drew) I didnt like them, and put them in a drawer! the one that got drawn up and I liked and then started fixing the niggles and then liking it even more, was the one we are now building with.

(I had nearly 3 yrs to play though)

when you know...YOU KNOW and I think you know now..whaooao!! exciting!!

it is a lovely home and the office will work well if he doesnt have clients (he might have been a hairdresser / masseuse called Sven etc then maybe a loo might have been needed etc)

if your ceiling is 2.4 H it might not be too dear (!!!!)
our ceilings are just standard and our cavity was about $800 (a door is $65 plus frame!!)
but I recon you will love it!
Glass would be about $2000? so maybe not, but just a nice door (with the mouldings you have) would work.

ours is a HAG 9 door as our internals are hag 9 (last 2 pages on my thread there is a pic of the doors) hume doors.

cant wait to follow your build, it is going to be GREEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAT!!

ps I wanted vinyl planks too,....too dear for us, but there are some threads on here with them. use the search button at the top (second button on left)
just going carpet