Plantation: Marlo 4 | Gold Coast - Land Valuation Less?!

I'm dealing with Coomera too, paid the first deposit 2 weeks ago and no word on our soil test either, we have a soil test clause in our contract which expires tomorrow, went in on Sat & was told they would check on the test and get back to us today.

We couldn't get a selections appointment with our builder for 6 weeks, I thought at the time it was way too long but it ended up giving me lots of time to be really prepared which made it a bit less stressful on the day.

Very jealous of your sold sign! I've been waiting for a block sign with a sold sticker since November last year, i'm starting to wonder if we'll ever get one.

Yep, I feel prepared even now for our colour and electrical appointments, which won't be happening until like end of May/June I'd imagine based on current timelines.

Sold signs are exciting. Makes it just that little bit more real. Well, here's to hoping you get a sold sign too!

In other news, yesterday we received formal approval for the land loan. So at least that part is still moving along nicely.

Welcome! We are about to complete our build with Henley down here in Victoria! It seems they are quite different as the colour rooms down here are open for anyone to come in at anytime they want and as often as they want to go through to view colour and product range

Nice looking floorplan are you going for the standard facade or upgrading it? We upgraded ours and are glad we did! Looks amazing!

It is quite amazing how different Henley and Plantation Homes are stayxtrue.

At present, we just have the standard facade, but have asked for our tender presentation for pricing of a raised portico like the classique one. So totally cost dependent.

This morning we had our Information Session at Cosham Studios, and it was great. Not so much the showing of what is standard vs upgrade, but the time with quite few people with the dedicated stylists there ready to assist. We had a lovely stylist who gave me information on displays homes and then pulled out all the samples together to give me a good look on two looks, warm vs more dark brown. I think we prefer the darker brown look over the warmer look.

Also gave suggestions on alternatives as some of the display homes do use the upgraded versions, but she gave us options of included that were very similar. Especially helpful with the tiles (though our choices are standard they will incur an extra laying fee).

So if you are with Plantation Homes, and in very early stages, I'd recommend booking into an Information Session just for the greater ability of assistance.

Just a small update. Our land was officially titled today, so yay. Means our bank can continue processing the loan (they had it on hold until the titles were released).

Congrats! That's great progress.

Awesome! Now it can all start! Can't wait to see the progress of it all

I wish it could start. lol. Solicitor expects settlement to be July 7th, and we are still waiting for our New Home Proposal meeting, May 14th, so two weeks to go for that. Everything seems so long and dragged out, and I'm so keen to start.

And then my phone buzzed with a message from the bank saying they are ready to settle and to contact solicitor for a settlement date. I hate being a first home buyer (well, not really). I'm so confused. lol. Time to phone and talk directly I think.

I know the feeling, we were first home buyers as well, we just went through a mortgage broker who was superb through out the whole process and extremely approachable. We had so many bumps in our road and everyone from the developer, Henley and councils were very accommodating and assisted in us getting our first home! As long as your conveyancer is ontop of it all, as ours was all over the place and gave us a few head aches!

All should be good, I look forward to more updates and to see how plantation homes are up there

So today we had our new home proposal with Plantation. Our tender presenter was lovely and very helpful. Had to make deletions/modifications to get it back under budget (whoops!).

However, now we've had more time to look it all over, we have major concerns over their proposed siting. Even stranger, even though they had the contour survey, they didn't use that for the siting. So they're may be variation, but how they have it now, especially with the retaining wall on three sides is very concerning to us.



Our land, when visually looked at, has very little slope, and we figured maybe one side would need a retaining as the block to our right is higher up. Has anyone ever seen such a thing before? Is there another way we can propose to the builder to do it, to avoid the retaining and rendering a lot of our minimal space quite redundant. Thanks!

Guess no one has any ideas. Nevermind. Might have to talk in depth with our admin more about it.

Thought I might post some prices we got at our tender presentation, to help those who are looking to go with Plantation Homes. Obviously these prices may not be 100% correct for your own circumstances, as prices can change (and house size dependent), but at least it is an idea. Some of the below we had to chop out due to budget.

• R4.0 ceiling batts to the entire house, in lieu of standard (R3.5) $250
• R2.0 wall batts, to the external walls of the entire house, in lieu of standard (R1.5) $79
• Termite resistant T2 treated timber frames and trusses $1547
• Aluminium framed mirror sliding double doors (2100mm high) to bedrooms (3 pairs) $1287
• Single 720mm flush panel cavity sliding door $480
• Rochas Omni Double Cylinder Trilock $452
• White translucent laminated glazing to Ensuite, Powder Room and Bathroom windows (3 total) $375
• Tiled niche of 350mm high x 650mm wide x 90mm deep to both Ensuite and Bathroom shower $780
• 1200mm high titled nb wall in bathroom between Shower and Vanity $227
• 60mm Anticon blanket under sheeting to total roof area $2421
• 300mm deep overhead cupboard to space above fridge $373
• 300mm deep overhead cupboard to accommodate rangehood $552
• Ducting of rangehood externally through roof including cowl $360
• Bank of 3 drawers to Ensuite and Bathroom vanity cupboards $310
• Nanokote glass protection to both side of the Ensuite and Bathroom shower screens $1007
• Dux Endurance Plus 26 litre instantaneous gas hot water system (includes metal recess box) $410
• Additional under slab waste point connected to sewer in Laundry $79
• Mains gas BBQ/heater to alfresco $406
• Cold water pointed including duo value to fridge space $195
• Square Bermuda tile insert grates to wet areas (5 total) $600

What's the point of a siting that isn't based on the contour survey? Sounds like they weren't properly prepared for tender.

Yep, very strange. Which is why I'll probably talk to her in regards to seeing a more up to date siting prior to our contract meeting.

oh does that mean you actually signed and paid your tender like that? :/

No, we didn't sign the tender but we did pay another deposit to keep things moving forward.

Hi all, we had our Contract Signing and Colour Selection this Friday just gone (6th). Below our some of our selections.

Colour Selection


External

• Colorbond Roof - Shale Grey
• Gutter - Gully
• Fascia - Surfmist
• Downpipes - Dulux Walnut Hull
• Aluminium frames - Off White
• Main render - Dulux Walnut Hull
• Feature render - Dulux Grand Piano
• Architectural Cladding - Dulux Grand Piano
• Eaves&Alfresco/Portico Ceiling - Lexicon Quarter

• Front Door - Infinity - INF6G with Spotswood Obscure glazing - Rich Chocolate Stain
• Garage door - Timber Look Caoba Dawn
• Alfresco stacker doors - Cedar Timber Rich Chocolate Stain

Internal Paint

• Walls - Dulux Gentle Touch Half
• Theatre room - Dulux Real Brown
• Doors/Architraves/Skirting - Dulux Chalk U.S.A

Flooring


Tiles & Grout

• Floor - Exile Tobacco Lappato 300x300 (187010)
• Grout - Havana
  
• Walls & Skirting - Sequenza Snow White Satin 300x400
• Feature Mosaic - DK Emperador Honed (601090)

Kitchen & Wet Area Cabinetry

• Bench Tops - Quantum Quartz New Diamond White (Laundry is using Laminex Sakkara Ivory)
• Base Cabinets - Laminex Licorice Linea Natural Finish
• Overhead Cabinets - Laminex Crystal Gloss Clear Parchment
• Glass Splashback - Bunker (Dulux colour)
• Cabinetry Handles - Brushed Chrome in Belluno (Horizontal)

Kitchen Appliances/Choices

• Tap - Phoenix Vivid Premium Pull Out Spray Sink Mixer
• Under Bench Oven - Technika 900mm
• Cooktop - Technika 900mm gas cooktop
• Rangehood - Technika 705mm Fixed Extractor
• Dishwasher - Technika 600mm Dishwasher
• Microwave - Technika 25L Microwave + Trim Kit
• Sink - Abey Lago Undermount 1 3/4

Bathroom/Ensuite/Powder Room

• Basin - Kohler Forefront Square Vessel Counter Top
• Tapware - Phoenix Rush
• Ensuite Shower Head - Phoenix Mia Exposed Twin Shower
• Toilets - Caroma Metro Wall Face Toilet with Soft Close Lid
• Accessories - Phoenix Radii range with Square Backs
• Showers - Semi Frameless Screens
• Bathroom Shower Head - Phoenix Vivid Hand Rail
• Powder Room Basin - Caroma Liano Hand Wall Basin
• Mirrors - Polished Arissed Edge

Laundry

• Tub - Abey Lodden PR45
• Tap - Phoenix Ivy Sink Mixer

Door Furniture

• Front Entry - Gainsborough Rochas Leverset Double Cylinder
• Laundry Door (External) - Gainsborough Tri-Lock Align Leverset
• Garage to House (x2) - Gainsborough Square Single Cylinder Deadbolt
• Internal - Align Square Leversets
• Theatre doors - 600mm Curved Pull Handle

Other Internal

• Architraves/Skirting - Double Pencil Round
• Cornice - 75mm Cove
• Bedroom Robes - Mirrored Sliding
• Pantry Door - Windsor WIN21
• Bedroom Doors - Motive MOTP3D
• Theatre Doors - Balmoral PBAL1

Nice selections. We have the tobacco lappato as our bathroom tile. I think it's quite beautiful.

Nice selections.

What ended up happening with your house siting?