Masterton Homes - The next thread 4.0

Same as us.. 2 days today

Everyone around us finished building months ago and our land has been used as a bit of a dumping ground.. A fence would be lovely!

Dumping is so common for new estates

Hey all, (it's Mrs Chopdog logged in again) just have a question re the 5% deposit with Masterton? Our bank is asking for contracts prior to giving unconditional approval and Masterton is asking for the 5% on signing of the contracts....this means the only option we have is to pay the 5% ourselves...Just wondering if anyone had the same issue? Thanks

we paid the 5% on our own money, any one same here?

Yes, it is catch 22.

Bank will not pay any money until all contract signed with final amount. M will not prepare contract until 5% paid.

We had to fork out the 5% in advance (We were already borrowing less than tender, so instead of paying M in the end, we paid them first. We borrowed 90% of our tender)

Talk to M & Bank to sort it out if you are borrowing 100% of the tender.

Good luck, and let us know how you went.

Ok cool. Thanks Vatche and Sunny16.

Hi Vatche,
I think the expense with the plantation shutters is the material. Perhaps consider aluminium plantation shutters, which are lockable (good for security to leave your window open at night for a breeze) plus the aluminium can be cut to any width and should be available in many colours. I only know of one place in Botany - AOS group - but maybe there are others out there waiting to be Googled.

yep we did the same thing as well.

Hello again forumites!

Just been through our 90 days maintenance and have to say that M have been bloody great in this regard. Maybe because we went through such terrible muck-ups during the build and the handover period, the Gods are looking favourably down on us.

We had about 15 items listed on our schedule and every single one of them is now completed to our satisfaction. All within a month of emailing/posting in our warranty claim form.

Our shower door/sceens do not leak at all, unlike what others have experienced - so don't let that put you off building with frameless screens. We went with standard Mansion package inclusions and except for the cheap finish on the edge of the Createc kitchen and bathroom cupboards, we are exceptionally happy with the soft-close pot drawers we paid extra for. They are great with kids who love to slam things !!!

Our Baumatic oven is seated on a plinth, and not freestanding, and the oven fan was replaced today and now is back to whisper quiet. It did sound like a helicopter landing before that, when using fan forced cooking. All electrical and lighting is working well, as it the data and phone and alarm/sensors etc.

All the windows are working well with no squeaks or problems. Some of our internal doors would not stay closed or ajar and they came out and rebalanced them. Our garage door has begun to rust so we are getting a new one direct from Gliderol. Happy with that. Our recycled water main sprung a leak and our old SS was sent out to inspect and they got the plumbers back to fix that within 24 hours of reporting the problem so more than happy about that.

There have been some horror stories about M and after sales on the forum before, but I cannot say that I have found them to be a problem. None of the items we raised were even questioned and they just got in there and fixed them. Have spoken to many other neighbors and friends who all have a similar story when building. All builders have areas in their repertoire that they fall down in...... What one builder gets 100% correct, another one loses the plot and gets things muddled up.

Patience is a virtue for anyone building !!

Hi Vatche
I had a quote from Plantation Shutters of Caringbah. for all windows and doors from $9647, PVC with aluminium insert to $35426, best aluminium. See the photos attached. Also I had quote from ARK, looks much dealer than Plantation Shutters.

Aluminium shutter is double the price of the normal basswood shutter. But is much stronger, almost lifetime warranty. Basswood will get cracked paint surface by the times.

Hi all

Post some newest photos of my building process.

The top scaffold was removed.

I installed the leaf guard while the top scaffold still there, 10 box from the Burnnings, cost $60.
But got warning from the M, no warranty cover for the water leaking from the gutters.

Conduit for the wall mounted TV cables connection.

The metal box and PVC pipe is set for the 3 in 1 bathroom heater, ventilation, light. It is worth to pay $350 for complete installation

On the side wall of the garage door, I don't know what's these cable for? They are not shown on the smart wiring plans.
Does anyone know?

Hi all

I need help from you for my duct rangehood issue.

Before I signed the contract, I knew the installer might set the external outlet to my alfresco wall, due to the shortest and easiest. I pointed this to my sales and colour selection person. I want to set the outlet to other side, my laundry wall. I asked them to mark it on the plan. I was told it would be determined by the installer, and couldn't be marked on the plan. But it won't be inside the alfresco. The colour selection person made a special note on the colour selection kitchen columns: "Rangehood Exhaust, Type, Ducted to outside air". She explained outside air means not inside the alfresco.

But finally it was still set to my alfresco. I emailed this issue to the site supervisor and construction coordinator. They replied to me for extra $1000 after contract variation fee plus add inline fan cost. I argued with them. I did not make any change, but you made mistake. They explain every body has same note "Ducted to outside air", and alfresco is outside air. I will not accept this. No one will accept the grease and smoke to the alfresco ceiling by the times built up.

Did anyone has same note as mine under kitchen columns of the colour selection? I appreciate for the help.

The rangehood outlet was set on the wall of the alfresco, and the alfresco has white ceiling.

Rangehood duct.

Hi all Masterton experts,

I am a bit confused as to the 'process' with Masterton. We had our appointment with the draftsperson on Wednesday and went over plan changes. The he began to present us with all this paperwork for our signatures such as letter of consent, basix forms etc. However all this paperwork was blank. He told us he would fill it in afterwards. We weren't comfortable with this at all and ended up leaving the office in some distress. Apparently this is 'the process'. My reply is - surely we have to get the plans 100% correct first, and get all the tender variations sorted before we are to sign any documents relating to council lodgement (in our case, CDC). We have chosen an upgraded brick for example, so I would like to know firstly how much extra that is going to cost. What if we decide to change it, and he has filled out the paperwork incorrectly.

We never even got around to talking about our external colour selections which I was so excited about. We weren't told that we would be signing paperwork at that appointment, and it all seems a bit premature to me.

Did anyone else question this procedure? After a phone call from Management and us putting in a call to our very helpful sales consultant, we are now meeting with her on Monday instead to go over the plans, colours etc.

Their procedure really seems to be putting the cart before the horse, or its a way of saving them time by getting our signatures up front. Isn't it common sense not to put your signature to any paperwork (even if they say they aren't legal documents) that has not even been filled out?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Ally

Ohhh! been a bad boy, have you?


The smart box cabling with come there and you also get a double power point next to it, in case you need to power some equipment, like the router, ADSL model etc.

As to your rangehood duckting. Now that sucks. I would argue that since your alfresco has a roof, therefore it is NOT outside air. M is just trying to cover their mistake and not do the job again. I don't understand why they would not mark on the 'construction plans' (that you never get to see) where the outlet should be, or any other item for that fact.

We have the same issue with our rainwater tank management system. They claimed it was done as per plan, but I have not seen any plan that shows the plumbing (or even what the management system looked liked), otherwise I would have changed it.

It is YOUR house, and you should be able to decide where things go, not some d1ckhead talking the shortest route.

Why would anyone sign anything that has blank paper? special the building industry?

When we signed, all the information was there. Though nothing legal, but if it is blank, you have no idea what you are signing off to?

Thank you Vatche for your support. I value your input and respect your experience. We were made to feel foolish for questioning it. But in fact it is the exact opposite. Who would be silly enough to sign a form with all these blank fields?

The experience almost had me running back to my original builder of choice. I sincerely hope they can remove the bad taste in my mouth!

Ally

They were probably saving you a second trip.

The BASIX form and CDC consent are normally filled in once the plans the finalized, and you can sign for it to be correct, as well as giving M the rights to do the submission on your behalf.

I would not think it is bad intention by M, but never the less, signature is signature

Wish our experience was as good as yours,but after 13 months and about 6 attempts on getting my ceiling in our theatre room correct(and still not fixed),taking days off work because the workers make appointments to do the repairs, but then dont show and dont even have the decency to ring you either(more than once),we have well and truly lost our patience.

Yay action at the house this week.
Painters visited.
Front door (what I assume is the first coat only) stained!!!


first coat through out the house also done, assuming upstairs as well but couldn't actually see upstairs...