Masterton Homes - The next thread 4.0

I've been fairly quiet on here reading some of the newbies posts but I feel compelled to warn you all. If you think pre construction is lengthy just digest this: we've been in construction with our slab poured since January 2017. Over a year. And we are not at lock up. We are in sydney. Happy to pm anyone who wants more details.

How ridiculous. Seems to be the norm for Sydney. We are in Newcastle so hoping it is different.

May I ask what home design you're going with?

Were tossing up between Rawson and Masterton (Brooklyn or Villina lane) Lynne has been awesome for us but concerned we have to pay $4000 to get a 'full' price, McDonald Jones didnt charge anything for this (The MJ home didnt fit in our building restriction envelope sadly)

We are building the Harmony Elite.

I am not sure what you mean by full price. Unless they have changed it, the $3,900 is to draw plans etc. M don't charge for their tender but I know aome builders do. If you are happy with the tender, then you pay the $3,900 for them to prepare plans etc. Again, unless they have changed it but I don't believe they have? Lynne really is great. She is so helpful!

Hi Buildinghome

I will be building the Harmony Elite modified once my land registers in Calderwood Valley. There has been delays so not sure when it will register yet. Have you done your colour and electrical's yet. I still haven't done mine. I am not sure if I have to wait till land has registered before I do this.

Hi CathyP

Such a beautiful design isn't it?!

Yes we did our colour and electrical selections back in September/October. Our land just registered a couple of weeks ago. On speaking with a fellow building friend who is building on the south coast, it appears Sydney and Newcastle have different processes or they aren't on the same page. As you can see we did all of ours before our land registered. Fellow building friend was told that she had to wait for her land to register however she pushed for a date for her colour selections and they booked it in. I suspect Sydney may be busier than Newcastle region so they are more strict on their process maybe. I don't see any reason why you cannot have all of your selections done in readiness for land registration so everything is done your side. Have you paid your contract deposit yet? They wont do anything further until you sign and pay deposit.

Hi Buildinghome

Yes I love the design. I modified it a bit to suit my requirements. What does your layout look like.

Mine is below. I have modified it again since the plans were drawn as below as I was going to have the front room as my office but now the Home Theatre will be my office and Grand Resort my bedroom.



I have paid the 5% deposit and we have been waiting 2 years for land registration.

I just rang Masterton regarding the colour appointments etc and they normally do it one month before land registration. So once the developer tells me it has gone to land titles I will give them a ring to book it in. I have also ask they email me a list of the suppliers that are used for the carpets, tiles etc so that I can start to choose what we want and then will be ready for when we do have to do it all.

We barely made any changes to ours. We pretty much just extended the alfresco. Other than that everything else really suited our needs:




That's a good idea getting them to send you their list of suppliers. We had a pre-tile and carpet selection appointment so we could see what our options were. Made it much easier rather than being put on the spot on the day.

Cannot believe you have been waiting 2 years - what a joke!

The land was supposed to register in January 17 when we signed up. It would have happened in October 17 if it wasn't for the developer finding that the fill used in the retaining walls of some blocks have asbestos. They have removed one lot of asbestos on top of some blocks in the first stage with EPA and the EPA now have given them until March for the fill behind retaining walls. The developer brought the fill in for another supplier. My stage has had the asbestos removed and they are waiting for EPA to approve the removal so they can put clean fill back in. My block it not affected but the stage I am in it. So frustrating waiting for this all to happen as before this the land would have been ready to go to land titles.

How absolutely frustrating. I feel for you and I am sorry you have had to wait for so long. Fingers crossed it will be all sorted soon! Then the dreaded wait for the build LOL.

Morning everyone,

Just wondering whether anyone chose a Taubmans paint colour which isn't in the Masterton range of Taubman colours.

We're not sold on any of the whites in the Masterton brochure so have been looking at other Taubman whites.

I'm certain there'll be an upgrade cost but was wondering how much?

Thanks

SK

There are other options if you have the mansion package. I was told i could choose any colour.

We used a non standard colour for our render so it can be done unless they've changed it since then

Hi MGardz, it's changed...they now charge for any Taubmans colour not in the standard range. The actual cost depends on the colour I understand. I'll have to ask the question at our colours appointment.

Has anyone used Ark for their plantation shutters and Ark mesh security doors and are you happy with the quality of the shutters? From what I've seen the prices between suppliers varies so much and part of it is because they all use different products to make the shutters. It makes comparing difficult.

Oh gosh what a bit of a r i p off with the paint.

We have the Ark security doors and mesh on the stacker doors. They are pretty good. No warping on the stacker doors and the security ones seems good. I've had my wolf hound jump up on it and it's been fine

Hi everyone,

We are about to get our wardrobe internals done for all bedrooms apart from the main. Can anyone post a picture of the layout of their wardrobe internals in particular if you have a villina or a synergy design.

We have a villina 36 and wardrobes are a single upper shelf and rail below. Ours was installed just before Christmas.

Hi All,

Have been trawling through all the posts here to get an understanding of timelines but still very lost! Does anyone know what is the maximum time you are allowed by Masterton (without incurring the fee) between receiving the Council Approval and getting the place demolished?

Thanks!!!

10 months now

Hi All

I have my tiles/flooring/kitchen appointment in a few weeks and then colour appointment 2 weeks after that. I have already gone out and looked at the flooring and the tiles. I have decided on laminate for the flooring which is included. I am trying to stick as close to whats included as possible as I lost a lot of my provisional's on the delay with the land registering. Are Masterton willing to reduce the amount they charge for the $950 a month for the delay. I will be up for about $11,400 which is 12 months of $950. What did people upgrade and what did you just go with the standard.

I have already got the mansion and yes package in my quote along with other changes I made to the plan.

• Tiles - I have 2 ensuites and a main bathroom how good are the included tiles. I have briefly looked on my own but had my 19 month old with me so spent more time chasing her.
• Flooring in all rooms are going to me Laminate (no extra)
• Kitchen (I am building the Harmony so what extras would I need here)
• Airconditioning - I remember from when I build previously they try and sell you an upgrade on this for a more powerful machine and having the ability to have more zones and having more than one zone turned on at the same time.
• Ark - Have emailed me to make an appointment I will look at their pricing to see what they offer. How do they compare to other companies
• Colour appointment - What would I upgrade here
• Electrical - As single storey what is included here and what is good to upgrade

Thank you in advance.