Porter Davis homes

Le Detail, if you had your heart set on a Boral brick, you can still get them. After all, they have most of the Access / Lifestyle displays made out of them and if you have found one you like, I would insist on getting them. I have been told there is a 6mth turnaround....

Good luck

not for us as our build starts March '14. Hence no 6mth option.

So another update.......firstly, there is an additional cost for underpinning but PD have decided to waive it in my case. With regards to the slab, whilst the soil test report recommends a M Class slab, as we are doing a knockdown/rebuild and due to the site cut, a H1 slab is recommended by PD and for most knockdown/rebuild jobs, a H1 slab is standard. So for those thinking of doing a knockdown/rebuild, keep in mind that your site costs will always incur a slab upgrade cost!

In short, no net increase/decrease in site costs. Thanks to all that provided support and advice, I certainly feel that you do have to keep a close eye on the documentation (even after the contract has been signed!).

Now onto my next issue - admittedly though this is our fault as we did miss it - we forgot to include an exhaust fan in the powder room on the ground floor and we are due to start site in 2 weeks. I have been told that it is now too late to include it and no provisions can be made for it. Does anyone know if it would be very hard to install an exhaust fan post-handover?

Serenity Now, we have had to upgrade our slab as well and we are also doing a KDR.

We are waiting for our 2nd soil tests to come through now.... Good luck with your build. When do you start?

We had our construction fences erected today! (It is exciting!). We look like demolition on Friday or Monday this week and we have a site start of 31 July at this point! YAY!

Hopefully the wet weather stays away!

Excavations are due to start next week and slab pour 2 weeks after that, so yes, hopefully the wet weather stays away! At the very least, I hope there will be no heavy rains. Back a couple of weeks ago, there were very heavy rains and my neighbour is claiming that as we had a vacant block, the rain ran across our block onto his property and into his basement. Subsequently, his heating unit is now damaged and he wants us to pay the repair bill.

He admits that he does not have proof that the water came from our land, but he suspects that we are liable. As much as we disagree, we are thinking of just paying the bill to maintain neighbourly peace....

So ajd78, it might be worthwhile considering having a gutter scraped down the side of the property after your demolition if your land has a slope just as an effort to mitigate the issue we encountered above.

We no proof what can they do they are just seeing an escape route for them not paying for it. Some people will say anything to get free things

Gotta hand it to PD.
They told us last week that our frame would be finished on Tuesday.

Just checked the email, and my invoice for $103,000 for the completion of the frame section was waiting for me.

My independent inspectors are going through on Thursday. Hopefully everything gets a pass mark.

Site starts tomorrow & slab on 9th of July(depends on the weather ofcourse). :):)Finally there were times I thought we would never get to this stage. Hope
Wondering how often does the site supervisor get in touchto keep us informed of whats happening & when does the SS first get in touch?

Congratulations Tinker, so happy for you! Did you decide on the Hoffman? We are waiting for a site start date at this rate, I am beginning to feel that they will never start. One issue after another so far...

Serenity now- I would have thought exhaust fans were standard in bathrooms and toilets?? Or is it only standard in toilets without windows?
Tinker, I was told at my contract appointment that our BC would give us weekly updates, but obviously the SS was available to us anytime.
Back Pocket, what are the issues you have encountered?

I was told exhaust fans are only standard in toilets without windows. Bathrooms get them though.

The weekly update thing from your BC isn't how it works in practice - I'm on my second BC at the moment but the first would go weeks without returning my calls. The current one is much better, but it's normally a case of me calling them rather than the other way around.

SS is a more useful resource, although they do tend to struggle keeping up with the sheer quantity of builds they look after.

As a whole, communication has become one of the biggest problems with our build so far. That, and a tendency for them to work from old versions of drawings and specs, resulting in mistakes and oversights.

Lurgen- that's no good. I remember reading about your issues. My BC has been really flexible and responsive which is great. I requested her after another person in my estate recommended her. So I have faith she will remain a good resource for me!

I attended a PD intro night couple of days ago. From this weekend all single story prestige series homes will be moved to life style range.

No more single story prestige range.

That's great to know. Do you have a blog I can follow? Can imagine how thrilling it would be for you guys


We are going with Hoffman 39 with alfresco.
At this stage our expected site start is in Oct.

Oh that's not good. Which are you are building yours?

Thanks. Yes. We love the Hoffman 39 floor plan. . We thought so too it took much longer than we expected. Hang in there you will get there soon. Have you signed the construction drawings?

Hey Mirz no not at the moment. We are building a Hoffman 39 with alfresco too. But also selected the princess suit & shower to the powder. Good luck with whole process.

Hi Tinker, we paid a deposit in March, signed contract drawings on 27th May. Personally, the admin side of things has been a ongoing nightmare for us. We are supposed to have a July site start and if they do not start in July, I will NOT be happy. If they try to get us to pay the "missed start date", they will get it both barrels

Based on "expected timelines" we settled on our block early and are paying interest on the land and our current home.

Only bright thing was I saved $2.5K on the carpet at HN as I paid a $500 deposit on it to lock it in the clearance price, even though I told them delivery will be Jan-Mar next year! Got to love that

This is part of the new "inclusions pack for prestige homes" on the current PD website.
Given the somewhat "limited" range at Hopetoun and the problems with the current selections, I am pretty peeved at this.

Your choice of 39 different combinations of
basin and tapware to master ensuite, ensuites
and powder room.

Where can you see the 39 different combinations? Can Lifestyle /Access people upgrade to these? Does anyone know anything about this? Has anyone seen it? Can we do a PCV as we have not started on site yet? I have asked my BC, no idea.

We have now hit Lock-up, just shy of 10 weeks from Site Start. Cracking pace and going well. Tradies non stop.