I think MIRVAC are getting desperate. The girl I've been dealing with just called to say they want to offer me a $1000 Coles/Myer giftcard as an incentive to settle by 23rd December.
Hmm. Desperate much?
*quietly shaking at the thought of spending all of that on clothes and shoes*...

-
Ally

Thanks so much for that info We had the day off work on Monday, so we went out to Trevor's Carpets and had a good look around, the sales people are really helpful and friendly there, which was great. I should have probably done some Xmas shopping instead, but house stuff is just that little bit more exciting at the moment!

We built in an $8000 pre-start allowance - I'm hoping that we don't chew into it too much because we upgraded to the Alto..but it's seems so easy to get carried away. Ideally, we're planning on using it for things like taps, lighting, power points. I really want to have an awesome kitchen, so much to my partner's dismay, I can see most of the pre-start allowance going towards the kitchen

So Mirvac are pretty keen to get things finalised then...So they're giving you $1k as a reward for successfully pestering all your paperwork people..heheh. Seems like a win-win situation to me. Good luck!

I'm about to contact our sales rep again. I showed our plans to my uncle over the weekend because we're getting him to build us a boundary wall and he pointed out a couple more useful changes...it's probably going to turn the clock back again, hahah.

Our building contract is ready for signing!!!

WOOOo! So is ours! Well, almost....we are signing it Monday 5th Dec. WOO! Have you done yours yet?? How long did it take? Any tips for things to watch out for? Have they booked prestart for you?

We got our official prestart booking today, for two weeks way (16th Dec). You get lunch! They give them a lunch order and they give you food! Somehow I find that THRILLING.
Once we've signed the docs on Monday, they are sending them straight to our mortgage broker to send straight on to the bank. Wheee!
I am pushing everyone to get the settlement done by 23 Dec...mainly cos I now have that $1000 voucher in my sights....

JJ's, we are up to the same stage again! Whee! When I go to prestart, I will let you know everything...exciting!
I know what you mean, house stuff is more exciting than boring Christmas shopping...I am going to Trevor's Carpets tomorrow to get a rough idea of price on various flooring, glad to hear it's nice! And I think you should be right with an $8000 budget....we got our prestart confirmation letter and they gave us the costs for electrical equipment (e.g. TV points)...did you want to know the costs?

Does anyone know, because I can't figure it out - options for choosing your render doesn't seem to be anywhere in the package. I think I've found it under the paint selection with 'external render' but it seems to only be offered in Solver colours? Do I choose Solver colours or colorbond colours or what, and what if I want different colours for the feature, etc? SO CONFUSED!

xo
Ally

we picked up the contract after work yesterday...funnily enough, the sales manager may have had us confused with you and dave, because it was his first time meeting us and he thought we needed to have settlement by the 23rd and were given a $1000 gift voucher as an incentive!

We didn't sign anything there and then, coz it was late and we wanted to have a good look through it at our own pace. However, after we left the SPH office, we got a phone call saying that our file had an alert on it to say that the mortgage broker was expecting the contract docs with them yesterday. Ugh. As we expected, there were a few discrepancies in the paperwork, so we marched ourselves in first thing this morning to get it sorted. They were pretty good with us, and we got it all fixed within an hour. The signing doesn't take that long...but just make sure you read everything very, very carefully. A lot of it is pro forma stuff, so that's where the discrepancies can occur, because they miss the particularities. The working drawing we ended up signing (after they told us it wouldn't be the drawing they'd actually be working off and that it was just for finance) had a door missing in a really obvious spot (the shopper's entrance from garage).

Hopefully it's all systems go from here! You'll definitely have to let me know how your pre-start appointment goes...we won't have ours booked until after 15 Dec (that when our finance should become unconditional).

We're off to fencing and airconditioning places tomorrow to get quotes so we can chuck a few more things onto the mortgage if possible. Will have to remember to feed the boy before we leave...otherwise it could be a very painful day.

Hahaha that's hilarious! I only just spoke to the sales manager on Thursday morning so he maybe got confused, haha!

We are going there at 2pm on Monday to sign our docs. Gonna read through everything, I have a list of things to check for (thanks to this forum!) and hopefully make any necessary changes while we are there. Then they are going to email a copy of the completely signed docs over to my mortgage broker. Hopefully all goes well!

And yes...I will be feeding the boyfriend before we go anywhere

-
Ally

Hello... i noticed you are or have buit the Scott Park Home Sorrento in Mandurah...We are in the process of signing off on the home and because of the changes we have had to make i was hoping you could share a few photos of the front elevation and gardens of you home to give us an idea of what can be acheived...My email address is fullofits@bigpond.com.au ...Many thanks Phil

Woohoo prestart soon! .

And that shopping voucher - just in time for XMAS hopefully everyone can pull through for you!

We're just waiting now - I've got land settlement this Thursday! And we just made our first big payment to the Settlement agent.. Plans are already with council too - all I want for XMAS is a start date!!

All ready for prestart? Try and discuss as much as you can before you go - that way the basic choices are really easy then you can focus your energies on discussing upgrades with your partner rationally .

OOOh and the Laminex showroom in Osborne Park - if you have the time go, because they are sooo helpful with choices and give you colour advice! (and bigger samples!)

Here here to settlement!

UGGH I didn't even want to come on here tonight, mainly cos eveything went to hell on Monday, and I'm so physically/mentally exhausted and uncaring at this point. Have lost my motivation for everything.

In a small nutshell, **** can longer provide the benchtops/cupboards, etc. So, got to contract signing day and had to inform them that all the credits have to be reversed and everything to do with the cupboards/benchtops have to go back IN. So we went there, signed everything, and now have to wait for them to do a variation saying that all the cabinetry and benchtops are being re-included!
PLUS it adds more onto our price, which is okay cos we were pre-approved for more than what we planned to spend - however, the bank won't like having a 'prestart allowance' in our contract, so we are having to put fake purchases into the contract that will be 'amended' at prestart to what we want.

I am so OVER THIS. A billion phone calls, a very tense and upsetting Monday morning, threw up a few times from stress, and cried all the way home. What made it worse was how chipper my partner was being. He was happy! And excited! Apparently this was because "we just signed the contract to build a house, yay!"....his optimism irritated me no end, especially after all of the above mentioned drama. SIGH.

So NOW my mortgage broker had submitted the signed contract to the bank, along with an explanation as to what has happened and a promise of a variation arriving soon (either tomorrow or Thurs HOPEFULLY). However, we will need to extend finance AGAIN and then I don't know if we'll make settlement...and if we don't make settlement, there will be penalties + missing out on roughly $10,000 of incentives....

Had to go and re-choose my cupboards and benchtops today, since I was working off the essastone and now we have to go back to the standard range. Chose them but not truly happy about it. Will post pics tomorrow.
I am a sad panda tonight. Pushed the file of house stuff into the corner and am going to bed.

JJ's, I hope yours is going well, and everyone else on here - It is always nice to read about everyone's building processes, no matter how stressed I am

-Ally

Oh, and SirMosh, I am currently building, so I have no pics of 'my' house...but if you look on the first page of this particular thread, I have posted a pic of the Sorrento display home as it is in Lakelands, Mandurah (WA).


-Ally

Oh Ally, I'm sorry to hear that you've been through all of that! Stay positive, I'm sure all the parties involved are fully aware of what's going on and are doing their best to get things done as swiftly as possible...after all, it's to everyone's benefit. How come your bank doesn't like the pre-start allowance in the contract? I'm hoping our bank doesn't say the same thing...we haven't heard anything of the sort from our broker yet, so I assume everything is going well.

We spent the weekend finalising quotes for extras we want to finance, like fencing, boundary wall and airconditioning..that's the stuff I'm worried the bank might say no to.

Your partner was probably doing his best to make a positive situation out of a frustrating one, but he probably didn't realise he was irritating the hell out of you!

Keep us up to date...sending lots of positive, super-fast settlement thoughts your way!

I am hoping they all act quickly...I need them to!
I think my consultant said something like, the bank wants to consider it in their valuation of the house and if it's just a set amount of money that doesn't apply to anything, how do they know what to value the use of it? Or something like that.
Ooh, what kind of aircon are you doing?
Yeah, he figured pretty quickly I was irritated and moved on to trying to cheer me up, which was worse :-p he's too lovely, even when he annoys me
Thanks JJs, I am definitely needing those thoughts! Let me know when you hear from your bank for final approval, exciting! Chosen flooring yet?

-Ally

Okay. Variation done. Also had to re-sign FHOG application because we signed it way back when, and it can't be dated before the building contract or some c**p? Anyway. Have to express post it back tomorrow, so the bank should have everything they need tomorrow morning.
I HATE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, ARGH.
The variation leaves us about $6,500 to spend at prestart, but of that, I am using $4,500 to get overhead cabinets, oven stacker, and extend the ensuite cabinets. SIGH. So $2,000 to get little things (e.g. decorative tiling strip, put conduits where the switches are in the bathrooms we can install our own heater/fan/lights, upgrade to washers instead of taps/spouts, and maybe (if we can afford it), get shower niches in both showers - though I doubt we'll have enough...so much for the rest of my exciting list of things to get!
So over this. Ready for bed and ice cream.

-Ally

Update.
So far we have unconditional approval subject to valuation, which hopefully should have been done today. So fingers crossed tomorrow we will get the final word...and then it's a race to settlement.

Prestart on Friday - am so nervous and I don't know why! Have made MANY spreadsheets with information from this board that I have researched...they're going to hate me...

Also found out today that, while we have been purchasing a block on ****** Link, the land titles now say our block is actually ******* Crescent (we are on a corner). Fine with me, it's easier to spell!

JJ's, how are things progressing with you??

Much easier to pronounce as well!!!
Enjoy prestart! We loved ours! It was fun! We were pretty organised going in, especially for our electrical! We spent an extra $3000 on just electrical alone from memory...and we didn't do anything special! just extra powerpoints, some dimmer switches (not too many though) and actually put in some junction boxes instead of going all extravagant with our lighting!
ouch!

they won't hate you, they will love you! For you organisation and research! You will probably find that they will go through all that with you anyway! They already know what most people want and need! So will suggest it to you first! That is what happened to us anyway! I think the only thing we really needed to actually put to our lady was the change in the manhole (from hallway to garage).

Good luck with the valuation and settlement on time! Crossing fingers for you!

Good luck with prestart. I also had spreadsheets and lots of notes, it actually made it all easier both for me and the prestart consultant!



With new subdivisions, numbers are usually assigned to the smallest frontage of a corner lot. That's probably why your title has Highland Cres on it. Whether you end up having Highland Crescent or Kiawah Link as your address will be determined by which street your house will face and where the access is to it. The shires usually change corner addresses if need be once they get the building applications. They are supposed to anyway, there are a few shires out there that aren't on the ball

Good luck with your prestart tomorrow!!!!!! Hopefully it goes a lot better than the finance, block, contract merrygo round!!!!

Good luck with your prestart tomorrow!!!!!! Hopefully it goes a lot better than the finance, block, contract merrygo round!!!!

PRESTART DONE.

Actually had a pretty good day. Prestart went well, our consultant was lovely and talked us through everything, making it very easy.
We ended up spending an extra $2,059 over what we had included as part of our loan. However, since we have already paid SPH a $2,000 deposit for the house, we then only have to pay them $59 at the same time we make our first slab-down payment. Yay!

Here is a pic of the wall in the office, this was awesome to view the standards, etc.
[ img ]

Upgrades + costs:

APPLIANCES
Upgraded the Stellar HSW Storage 130L to Instantaneous = $717
Upgraded the Stovetop to 900mm + added a 900mm Rangehood in lieu of exhaust fan = $1,195
(minus $2,000 special upgrade discount)
Changed the 600mm oven from Chef brand to Westinghouse = $10 credit!!!
ELECTRICAL
Added 5x conduits to existing switches = $65
Added 6x 20mm conduits with blank faceplates = $258
Added 2x 25mm conduits with blank faceplates = $96
(We did not add any lighting, powerpoints, or cable of any kind. However, we did move the external powerpoints to various places on the internal walls, as my partner can instal powerpoints on the exterior walls later)
Changed exterior light outside laundry from eaves to wall-mount = no cost
CABINETRY/BENCHTOPS
Changed underbench oven to an oven stacker with MW recess, two pot drawers + two overhead cabinets = $1,928
Removed mid-shelf from cupboard next to dishwasher recess = $15 credit (so we can put in a door-mounted bin later on)
Added three pot drawers under stovetop in lieu of underbench oven = $261
Changed pantry door to laminate to match rest of cabinetry, added overhead cabinets (plus over the top of the Fridge/Freezer as well) and added extra internal shelf = $865 (roughly - I can't remember exactly but that's about right)
Changed all benchtops throughout from Natural to Laminex Diamond Gloss = $150
Extended benchtop in ensuite to 1670mm, and changed one cupboard for three drawers = $641
Also extended the mirror in the bathroom to match the increased benchtop = $261
PLUMBING/BATHROOMS
Removed soap dishes = $40 credit
Flickmixer in the bathrooms on both basins = $28 each
Changed 1 + 3/4 sink to a 2 large sized sinks = $183 (brand was very similar)
Upgraded the bath to 1680mm from 1505mm, butted up against one wall = $144
Extended the size of the shower in the ensuite from 900mm to 1300mm = $267
Added powerpoint + cold water plumbing to dishwasher recess = $395
TILING
Added decorative border horizontally along edges in shower, one row = $45 for bathroom + $54 for ensuite (shower in ensuite is bigger)
Added tiling for splashback in kitchen = $67
Changed tiling in bathrooms to include the floor tile (chocolate colour) as the skirting and hob for both showers + the bath = no cost
OTHER
Changed the windows along the side from awning to sliding = $68 credit
Changed front door from single to double rebate (so we can add a flywire later) = $44
Upgraded the towel rail from 600mm to 900mm = $9 each
Added beading to corner of other walls where it wasn't already included = $30
Made front door a double rebate instead of single rebate = $44

There was probably more, but my head is pounding and I can't remember the rest.

Other good things that automatically came with the house.
Chrome floor wastes
Flickmixer tap in the kitchen
Corner beading (in 'high traffic' areas)
Soft-close drawers throughout
Laminate backing on the other side of the kitchen bench

I also enjoyed our free lunch!
[ img ]

Now just waiting on finance....stupid developer and slow bank
-Ally
-Ally

Free lunch!! Thats pretty cool!
SOunds like you did pretty well for your $