My first build: The playground, Coolbellup - Free life homes

Hi Tom,

To change a single bathroom cupboard (middle cupboard of ensuite) to three drawers cost me $415 for comparison. I didn't put in any additional kitchen cupboards, but I've been told it is roughly $1,000 per meter of additional cupboards (presumed 600-650mm deep). Again, different builder.

I drove out there again yesterday and there's multiple slabs sitting there, a couple of 'For Sale' signs, I think just the one 'Sold' and there were two slabs being poured.

Hi All,

So quick update on the house and the polished concrete floors. Unfortunately I have had to abandon the polished concrete due to cost. I was initially quite excited, as after getting the polishing quote, it was a very reasonably priced option at roughly $90 / sqm. I have since however received the quote from the builder for the slab upgrades which were recommended by the polishing guy to get the finish I wanted, which included 32MPA, SL92 mesh and machine finished. These upgrades ended up equating to roughly $113/sqm, which brought the polished concrete finish to a total of $203 sqm.

Looking at the quality of tile I can get for the same price (including laying), I just cant justify spending that much on my first house .... maybe the next one.

Any way, final pre-start selections and variations signed off on today, with the plans and contract in for amendments. Everything is crossed for a December slab ..

Hi Tom,

Shame about the concrete floors, but it seems as though everything else has worked out for you. Any update over the last couple of weeks about construction starting? My site works were today and the slab goes down on Saturday or Sunday (weather permitting).

Hi there, have you considered doing your polished concrete after handover? Sure there are risks, and the colour/mix is pot luck but that can also add character. There appears to be many houses are doing it retrospectively now during renovations and i've seen some lovely floors. Maybe you could start in an area where if from a bit of grinding they can tell the slab isn't going to work, you can then stop and go back to tiles.

Congrats Cameron ! Great news for you. I just received confirmation that I won't be getting a slab by Christmas ... Pretty devastated to say the least. Looks like I'm in track to be one of the last in the development to get a slab down.

@beazley77 my quotes etc were to do it after handover, it was just the slab upgrades to allow it to happen than needed to be done through the builder. Not too sure of the ramifications of grinding on a regular slab, I don't think many people in the building game would do straight on, and pretty sure grinding a minimum BCA slab would bring it below code standard. From my research anyway if you polish an existing floor they build up a layer on top first which adds cost etc. but perhaps worth looking into.

Hi Tom, if you were going for the "architectural" look then it's not really a grind per se, as in they don't take much off the top. It's just a polish with densifier added and then penetrating sealer. DS grinding quite often show polishes they've done to slabs that were never prepared with polishing in mind. We only upgraded the strength of our slab and not the mesh. We do however have a few surface cracks but we're happy with that.

Oh thanks @dukecaddy , I'll have a chat to them again and see what we can do. Might wait for the slab to be laid and see what it looks like

How's the house coming along FirstHomieCoolbellup? Is the slab down yet? I hope your experience with Freelife is good to date.

Hi All,

Sorry for the silence, there hasn't been much to report over the last few weeks as have just been waiting for action.

Things swung into action again last week and I now have a slab !!

Building permit was approved on the 10th Jan 2015, with site works commencing on Thursday the 22nd Jan, and slab poured Friday 23rd Jan.

Below are some pics.

Great news, I hope it continues to progress fast. This was about the same time last year my slab was poured...

Hi Tom,
Good to hear it has started for you. Quite a contrast to your neighbour who seems close to lock-up from the picture! I'm amazed at the general progress of so many homes in the development, with about half a dozen with roof tops already.

Any progress? Almost 14 months since my slab down and still not in. Absolute joke

Hopefully there's been some good progress? This thread is one with plenty of Freelife customers on it:

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=65967&start=520

Hey Guys,

Progress seems to have stalled again. I haven't had anything really happen since the slab sent down which is now over 2 months ago.

For the sake of comparison, some photos I took last week at site. The first is a side by side of my block (on the right) with the neighbour on the left who had their slab poured the week AFTER me. Second pic is my street, the majority of my subdivision (all titled at the same time) are at lock up and look fairly close to key hand over.....
Just as a side, I had picked my builder, signed contracts and progressed things with them months before title, so I don't see how I can be this far behind anyone other than for builder related delays/errors etc.

My slab on the right Vs neighbour on the left who had slab poured the week after mine-

Street view: majority of houses nearing completion-

Sorry to hear have they said when bricks are due?

Received an update on Friday from my client liaison (who has actually been lovely) to say " I have been advised by the site we are waiting for bricks to go to site".

Other than that, they cant give me any more info for for another 2 weeks.

Yes agree not CLO fault either for being the "messenger" but i saw these stock standard emails for months at a time... Freelife never seemed to have any issues with bricks so hopefully they are on their way soon!

.

I really feel for you, building is stressful enough without things like this happening, I hope everything works out in the end and you get to enjoy the house you deserve!

Hi Tom, fingers crossed that either way you get a bit of certainty that your house will be completed.