McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread

While on the subject of floors, has anyone used coffee bamboo. If so, does it scratch much and do the scratches show up a lighter colour board under the coating? Has it darkened much with time like wood does? Likewise has anyone used the natural colour?
Thanks
Kerry

from my understanding bamboo is supposed to be stronger than other timber floors like jarrah hardwood floors

If you choose option 2 ($3000 extra) which we're doing because we're getting solid timber, they put skirting etc on afterwards. Your floorer has 14 days to get in and get the timber done. But other floors, yes you have to do your own.

Hi KTK, I went back and forth for ages on the flooring, we were going to get coffee from MDJ as well. There's a few threads here on home one about bamboo, you might try posting there. It is supposed to be very hard.

In the end, we decided against it after I went & saw a full floor of the same brand McDJ use. It was nice but just not quite what we were after. We have a massive living area & it was good to see it in the flesh. I also saw a solid timber floor in a large expanse, and that's when we decided to go with the solid timber (more exxy though !)

Thanks for that Bugnbear
Very interesting. Where did you see the large area? That would be very helpful. No good saving money if we are not going to be happy with the end result.

Hey mandv
They will probably not make changes now if it is structural as they start drawing the plans after you have signed your CT. If not structual you can ask at your colour appointment.
We choose the Bowral Blue and when we found out the price started looking around at others, what you have to remember is that they are a solid brick and not just face brick. blue steel flash is face brick Mowbray Blue is solid and will cost more than the Bowral Blue as MJH use Austral.
Anyway we chose to spend the extra $ on the bricks because they are the main thing you see.
We spent over 70k at colours and yet to do electrical.

It's in Sydney, the Pandora store in Pitt St Mall. It is nice, but not what I thought it would be.

The solid timber quote I got was actually not significantly more expensive but when you add the 3k for MDJ & the sanding & polishing for timber, it was approx another 6k

Thanks. I'll be in Pitt St on Wed so I'll go by and have a look. I assume there was no damage to the floors by the tradies working after they were laid.
Who did you go with for the floors?
KT

We were actually considering going with that option, however felt that there was a risk that the floor may be damaged, especially with hardwood. We were really scared about a tradie accidentaly dropping something when they're installing the skirtings etc... We felt it was a bit too risky for us so went with option 3 to do it after handover ourselves. In having said that, we have just decided to go with tiles, so could of got them installed!!!

We haven't started building yet !
The floors were from a family-owned company in Smithfield where friends had got theirs, really knowledgable older fellow who's been in business for a thousand years.

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to stop in and share a couple of major issues that we have had post hand over so that you may all look out for these problems before you get keys.

We have been in our new home now for 6 weeks and have noticed a very bad smell pretty much the whole time we have lived here. At first we thought it may have been someone elses sewer pipe over flowing. It was so bad one night it actually woke me up at about 2:30am. Yesterday, my husband was in the second story roof cavity running electrical wires for our air con (he is a licensed electrician) when he found what we think is the cause of the smell. Our stink pipe does not go out through the roof but instead ends in the roof cavity. No cap, just an open pipe.

Secondly, he discovered a rubbish pile eg, drink bottle and wrappers in the wall cavity of the ground floor. This had just been gyprocked around. I mean, how seriously lazy can you get??

We immediatley contacted the post construction manager, who asked that we send an email and that this problem would be fixed immediatley. Well, one day later and surprise surprise, no return phone call or email and we are still waiting here in our smelly house. I find this to be a very big worry that our SS never even picked this up on his final inspection of the house and it worries us now what else should we expect to find..

I shall keep you all updated on the outcome and just hope that it is rectified shortly because it is making our first few months in our beautiful new home extremley uncomfortable.

Thanks for the info. I went yesterday to have a look. You're right, they don't have that really substantial feel of real wood but I think they will be right for us. I was glad to see, in such a high traffic area, they had worn really well. That was my main concern. The cost and the eco friendly factor have won us over.
Kerry

Good to hear. I was really glad I went to the trouble of tracking it down, it's great to see the expanse of floor and as you say the wear & tear. Glad you've made a decision !

So sorry to hear about this. I know that I would not be able to stand such a smell. I hope they resolve it quickly for you.

We had a problem as well, but fortunately it was resolves the following they which I was very happy about. We had our driveway prepared and concretors were about to connect drain to the down pipe near the garage, which was meant to be standard, only to discover it's charged and there is no drainage downpipe going to the easement the the back corner of the block as per plans. All is good now.
Still waiting on rangehood and sink fix.
In other news, we are ready to move as blinds and wardrobe shelving are done, just need to pick a day when it's not raining as it is somewhat muddy without driveway and landscaping.

i must say the only thing i am dissapointed with MJH is that they dont include driveways in their standard house prices, where as pretty much every other builder i have enquired to does.

How did everyone else organize their driveway? As part of the mortgage or paid separately afterwards?

I wasn't so worried about the driveway not being included. Ours was always going to be bigger than the the length allowed by other builders and would cost me extra anyway. I will organise it as part of the landscaping when the house is finished.
I like the driveways at most of the MJ display homes and the ones they quote on at the colours appointment but I can't find any info about what it is or where you can buy it. Has anyone done this type of driveway after handover?

we are planning to do pay it ourselves after the handover... what we did was we included the few electrical items in the loan... so we just need to pay the driveway, landscape, fence and all other expenses after..

we will be having our electricals this monday... any tips or suggestion for the electricals?

what we are planning is we will have a lot of power points, 2 junction box in the front of the house, and 2 at the rear. still thinking of prewiring downlights in the common area..., exchaust in the toilet, and fan heater light...


also we are getting a 3rd zone for the AC... 3 way switch...

we decided not to get the ducted vacuum since ours is just a single storey...


Questions
1) Is it worth it to get the reinforced wall and bracket first??? and then we will just add a data point and pay tv point... can you install a tv bracket yourself even though the wall is not reinforced?

2) Is it worth it ducting the fan heater light / exhaust fan?
3) did you guys upgraded the smoke alarms?
4) how many junction boxes do you need for the outdoor lighting?

thanks in advance

I absolutely love the driveways at the McD J display homes! We took a picture today and hope to find out what is is before we build, it looks so simply and cheap!

i'm just reviewing the impression package again.. just doing my assignment for tomorrow's electrical. I noticed this as included in the package

"Designer Glass Splashback to underside of overhead cupboards & rangehood"

Does this mean the back of the rangehood? just wondering coz we paid extra for the glass splashback behind the rangehood..