Building with Plunkett Homes Perth

Hi Alex,
With a 50m long drive way, your block is really huge. Even using concrete & agg, it costs more than 20 grand. I agree it makes sense to let the builder handle as much as possible so the house looks more complete when they hand it over. All the best.

Cheers,
AG

Hi how are you all going with the building progress?
We had our slab down 2 weeks ago (yay!!) and our bricks have just been delivered today.
We were puzzled with the bricks colour, here is a picture:


and the one we picked:


The bricks are Provincial Calais by Midland Brick.
I'm pretty sure they delivered the right bricks, just a bit surprised by the colour variation as we thought it will be grey-ish, not brown-ish.
Has anyone used the same bricks?

Looking forward to hear about your progress.

Mrslin,
we are building with Plunkett and used Provincial Avignon bricks from Midland. (Very very happy with the look)
The bricks you have delivered look like mine (avignon) not calais as you ordered. Calais are light grey/charcoal...Avignon are creamy, like in your pic ???

maybe you should double check with SS that the right bricks were delivered.

I dont know the bricks you have picked but, if the pictures are anything to go by I would be asking questions too

alexjohn & camyperth
thanks, I will definitely check with the SS tomorrow morning.
Provincial Avignon is much lighter & creamier than the pic above. Nice choice though Alexjohn!


I've heard that Provincial Calais always looks different under different lighting conditions, so I think that's probably why. The pic was taken at dawn.
Krissytool here viewtopic.php?f=31&t=29465&p=418097 used Calais, and in some pictures, they look the same colour as the delivered bricks.

HI Mrslin

Congrats on your progress. I quite like the colour of your bricks, but you need to clarify if they are what you want, will they match in with your other colour choices, roof etc?

WE are still waiting for shire approval, I am chomping at the bit to get started.

HI everyone, keep your updates coming. I keep checking for a plunkett post. I feed off everyones exitement.

Cheers, Toby.

Anybody got any thoughts comments on the standard solar / gas boosted hot water system that Plunkett supply / recommend / encourage with the Sandhurst. Anybody taken it / replaced it using other systems.

We are on bottled gas but like Gas HWS and not sure about merits of solar etc

Cheers

toby
thanks! we clarified with them and yes they are the right bricks. The colour is a bit different than the sample but I think they will still go well with the roof etc.
Looking forward to your progress, keep us updated

We have living areas external bricks up today!

fullhamfc
We are keeping the standard solar as we think it is a pretty decent HWS. I think it's called Chromagen?

Hi everyone,
Plunkett rang last Monday 5July to advise building license was approved. Now just waiting for final plans with some new quotes on VO, thereafter should progress to Scheduling.

The Chromagen solar HWS comes as standard, quite a big unit indeed, at 300L. It has a gas backup system, so should work either way. We are not changing it. Hope no regrets.

mrslin,
Nice to hear of your progress. Good looking bricks those are.

Cheers,
AG

Thats the one we are getting too

Hi Aubingrover

Congrats on your building license. Good luck. Hopefully you shouldn't be too long befroe everything is underway. We are still waiting on shire approval, it was submitted in march. Keep us updated.

Cheers, Toby.

Thanks for feedback on HWS still undecided. Just going through Site Works costings (big ugly numbers) but can someone confirm / provide feedback / opinion on what they believe the costs included in standard price for "slab" finish and extra/overs begin.

Fox example our siteworks quote include, aside from cost of earthworks, septic and special soakwells: -
Footings
Concrete Pump???
Electricity Dome
Services Trench
Extra cost as site has slight slope
Extra Survey and Engineers Testing

I would have thought that most of these costs (Footings, Concrete Pump, Services Domes) would be included in slab cost we are already paying for.

Maybe these extra (not insignificant costs) are as the standard slab cost only covers a slab pour from back of concrete truck on a small residential block in a new subdivision with sand being underlying soil where no special footings are required. I was aware of the significant earthworks for our soilt type, but there seems to be another $10-20K of costs that are not discussed by anybody along the way - (bearing in mind our sales person is a bit of a clown).

Also, when Plunkett carries provisional sums into contract, do they provide you with evidence as to actual final cost like they should and make contract variation adjustments accordingly based on sighted evidence of costs incurred or do they just tell you what they want to charge?

Also, when do they submit building licence application to council - is it after we have signed up at pre-start or do they get on with it now and save time later (prob not)

Thanks

hi fullhamc
I agree with you that the sitecost with plunkett can be excessive. Our provisional sum was around $5k more than expected.
We did have extra for the things you mentioned apart from electricity dome as that was already on the block when we bought it.
From what I know, Plunkett will make adjustments if the actual cost is more or less than the provisional sum. They will also provide you with the actual tax invoice if you requested it.

Our council application was submitted before prestart to save time. Then if you make changes at prestart, they will resubmit the changes to the council.
Hope this helps!
Where about are you building and which plan?

Responding to several posted queries...

Our B/L was lodged on 21 April to City of Cockburn, after we confirmed no change to structural plan, where as pre-start was on 13 May. Approval came on 2 July, faster than I expected, as I heard this council has huge no. of applications.

Council had a few minor queries, one of which requires changes to lounge windows for better air flow and lighting to comply with BCA requirements, as the Lounge is only 1020mm from the perimeter fence.

Our provisional sum for site works is $7,800, details listed in the specifications section. This very much depends on the location of the building. Generally most builders compile their list of suburbs or locations with indicative P.S. DAH sales rep once showed me such a listing, advising me to be cautious in choosing location where site work costs are known to be costly, such as unfavourable soil classification, terrain category, etc. From what I saw, the lowest provisional sum was $5,000.

I am just waiting to see the final plans, and once signed off, first build stage will kick off. Hope you all have good progress with your build.

Cheers,
AG

Fixed costs for siteworks in WA would be a rarity as there are so many variables. Site surveys, engineers reports, etc and experience give the builder a good idea on what it is likely to cost, but there is no absolute guarantees!

I have heard stories where earthworks uncovers old car bodies, petrol tanks or other soil contaminants, old burial sites, clay removal or rock that requires blasting. All are expensive to remove and the builder will always pass on the extra costs.

Standard slab finish - I don't think there is such a thing...!

Extra footings costs will be from the Engineers Report. In the hills, footings may need to be deeper and/or have thicker reinforcing steel than the standard D10 specification generally used on the flat sandy Swan Coastal Plain.

Concrete pump will be needed for difficult to access or steep sloped sites as the truck can't drive straight up to the side of the pad and the grano workers don't/can't push wheelbarrows full of concrete to the pad.

Elec Dome: If not supplied by developer, Western Power charge of bomb for anything!

Services trench: Phone, power, water. Builder will usually include a minimum run in from the street connection. Any longer distance (ie: house built behind an existing house) or hard digging you'll pay extra for.

There are just so many hidden costs when building that nothing is standard!

Cheers,

Wrexy

HI everyone,

WE have had to go back to the drawing board and change the house to fit the building envelope. The shire knocked the plans back due to the earthworks extending 3m either side of the building envelope. They informed plunkett in april and we have only just found out when I phoned the shire myself to find out what was happening. I met with plunkett last thursday and they have actually been very cooperative. I have asked them to change the house position so the side is now the front and the front is now the side, we have also had to swap the laundry and foyer around and add on verandah / alfresco area. The plans are being re drawn and costed they will then have to go into the shire. We were at this stage in march. I felt realy fed up but I have got my head around it now and just want to move on. I am keeping in touch with the shire myself this time to ensure that things progress as quickly as possible.
Well thats my moan out of the way.
How is everyone progressing, hopefully better than us. Good luck to you all, keep us up dated.

Cheers,

Toby.

Hi all,
our house is officially at lock-up as of today. So far happy with the progress, and honestly, since the slab went down in March there has not been one day of no activity.

Toby, sorry to hear about your delay. I never rely on the builders etc to keep me posted, i used to ring the shire / alinta / water corp every few days, and find the info out myself. Usually I was the one letting Plunkett know what was happening.

HI alexjohn

Congrats on your progress. That has been realy quick. How long do things normally take from lock up stage?
When we get started if we progress as quickly as you I will be more than satisfied.

good luck and keep us updated.

Cheers,

Toby.

i was told by my SS that from lockup to completion is 6-8 weeks..Ive given myself then one month for painting, floorboards, AC etc...so would love to be in by late Oct.

Also, we got a lovely suprise from Plunkett yesterday...We got a refund for $5500...as our povisional sums for some of the siteworks were too high...its pleasing to know they do actually charge you accordingly for things, and dont automatically use all of the provisional sum.

About to go to pre-start, pretty happy now to date, things moving along, BL app lodged etc but would like some feedback as to how many of you managed to get your sales consultant to throw in items complimentary to "get the deal over the line" as we still have some leverage.

I have heard that other builders sales reps have the ability to include extra items at no cost such as increased number of power points and TV aerial sockets, exhaust fans etc, stuff that in reality costs them minimal amounts but can cost home owner if installed later.

Come on people, who got what for free???????

Also, did anybody include a special clause in their contracts to insist on a 5% retention clause to ensure you actually get them back to fix any problems during defects period?

Thanks