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Hey guys,
Its great to see these info about hallhart as it seems they only started a couple of years ago and there are very limited info about this builder. We are also in the very early Stage on KDR. Would be really appreciated if anyone can answer the below questions:
1. They seem to provide tender estimate which they claim it will be very accurate to the actual one which will be provided after test and survey. How’s everyone’s experience?
2. Their inclusion price seem to be higher than other builders however it maybe because they include better quality ones but not sure. Its really hard to compare
3. They said after tender acceptance, they provide fixed price except hydraulic system, is it the same with everyone?
4. Anyone had warranty concerns considering they are new builder to this industry
Hello
As a current customer of HHH I can answer based on my experience:
1. Initial estimate is reasonably accurate. But your cost will change from estimate to tender and then tender to contract as you make up your mind on whether you'll stick with standard inclusions or upgrade. I personally felt the provisional allowance of 3K was not sufficient for kitchen upgrade as benchtop upgrades are pretty pricey.
2. Their inclusions are good. I think they list these in a premium inclusions booklet which you can compare with other builders. I have heard that lot of HHH standard is an upgrade at other builders.
3. After tender acceptance you will go through the selections process and all upgrades or downgrades (if you cancel a tender item) are tender variations which will affect your cost. You will know the total cost just before signing the contract.
4. No personal experience but you can check their insurance.
Hey guys,
Its great to see these info about hallhart as it seems they only started a couple of years ago and there are very limited info about this builder. We are also in the very early Stage on KDR. Would be really appreciated if anyone can answer the below questions:
1. They seem to provide tender estimate which they claim it will be very accurate to the actual one which will be provided after test and survey. How’s everyone’s experience?
2. Their inclusion price seem to be higher than other builders however it maybe because they include better quality ones but not sure. Its really hard to compare
3. They said after tender acceptance, they provide fixed price except hydraulic system, is it the same with everyone?
4. Anyone had warranty concerns considering they are new builder to this industry
Hello
As a current customer of HHH I can answer based on my experience:
1. Initial estimate is reasonably accurate. But your cost will change from estimate to tender and then tender to contract as you make up your mind on whether you'll stick with standard inclusions or upgrade. I personally felt the provisional allowance of 3K was not sufficient for kitchen upgrade as benchtop upgrades are pretty pricey.
2. Their inclusions are good. I think they list these in a premium inclusions booklet which you can compare with other builders. I have heard that lot of HHH standard is an upgrade at other builders.
3. After tender acceptance you will go through the selections process and all upgrades or downgrades (if you cancel a tender item) are tender variations which will affect your cost. You will know the total cost just before signing the contract.
4. No personal experience but you can check their insurance.
Hi SDS1,
Thanks so much for your reply. That helps a lot. We have contacted the sales consultant a few times including visiting the display home center. We told them the design and inclusions we want, as well as our land information. We asked for a tender estimate however we have not received anything. I feel like they respond very slowly comparing to other builder.
Hello
Yes estimate does take a few weeks but they should tell you what to expect so you're not waiting without a date of expected response. Btw the waiting game just begins here. If you choose to go to tender it'll take another 4-6 weeks and so on. Pre construction process is very draining and you can expect about 6 months before you're anywhere near construction subject to of course council approvals.
In my view the tender estimate is the time when you get a true appreciation of building and site costs. So any home advertised at base price is definitely going to cost much higher based on added site costs and council fees etc. So work with a few builders see how you go. It is difficult to compare quotes because it is all about inclusions and quality of finished product.
The one thing about HHH is they do not get you to sign a contract until you're final price is known. I have also found them to be honest and fair with pricing. They are certainly not the cheapest so if you're price sensitive that may or may not work, but I am focusing on quality of inclusions upfront to avoid expensive retrofitting later.
Many other builders will rush you into contract signing and the true price emerges much later and could cause issues with bank financing too.
Best wishes
Hi SDS1,
Thanks so much for your reply. That helps a lot. We have contacted the sales consultant a few times including visiting the display home center. We told them the design and inclusions we want, as well as our land information. We asked for a tender estimate however we have not received anything. I feel like they respond very slowly comparing to other builder.
Hello
Yes estimate does take a few weeks but they should tell you what to expect so you're not waiting without a date of expected response. Btw the waiting game just begins here. If you choose to go to tender it'll take another 4-6 weeks and so on. Pre construction process is very draining and you can expect about 6 months before you're anywhere near construction subject to of course council approvals.
In my view the tender estimate is the time when you get a true appreciation of building and site costs. So any home advertised at base price is definitely going to cost much higher based on added site costs and council fees etc. So work with a few builders see how you go. It is difficult to compare quotes because it is all about inclusions and quality of finished product.
The one thing about HHH is they do not get you to sign a contract until you're final price is known. I have also found them to be honest and fair with pricing. They are certainly not the cheapest so if you're price sensitive that may or may not work, but I am focusing on quality of inclusions upfront to avoid expensive retrofitting later.
Many other builders will rush you into contract signing and the true price emerges much later and could cause issues with bank financing too.
Best wishes
Hi SDS1,
Thanks so much for your reply. That helps a lot. We have contacted the sales consultant a few times including visiting the display home center. We told them the design and inclusions we want, as well as our land information. We asked for a tender estimate however we have not received anything. I feel like they respond very slowly comparing to other builder.
Hi, I echo SDS1's experience and advice. We will finish our build in the next few weeks (fingers crossed!) Even though we provisioned things like electricals, kitchen, flooring upgrades into the tender - we ended up changing a lot of those in the selections stage. All these upgrades are up to you. The premium standard inclusions are good - you can compare all the models from their catalogue, it's very transparent.
H&H are not the cheapest but their inclusions are also better quality. What you get as standard are probably what other builders deem as upgrades - this was the feedback we got when we did our tiling and flooring selections with beaumont and accent carpet.
Our stormwater design had to change due to council feedback (we went via DA) so that cost did change. A couple of other things had to change as well due to council feedback (eg. window sizes, floor height) - we were always given different options on how we wanted to meet council requirements and an idea on the costs of each option.
We've had a good experience so far, like I said - we are weeks away from finishing the build. We've had minor hiccups but nothing major. The entire process from tender to selections and council requires a lot of patience. There are lots of moving parts and sometimes you have to chase things up, though once you're in the build phase, it's surprising how fast things happen.
Hello
Yes estimate does take a few weeks but they should tell you what to expect so you're not waiting without a date of expected response. Btw the waiting game just begins here. If you choose to go to tender it'll take another 4-6 weeks and so on. Pre construction process is very draining and you can expect about 6 months before you're anywhere near construction subject to of course council approvals.
In my view the tender estimate is the time when you get a true appreciation of building and site costs. So any home advertised at base price is definitely going to cost much higher based on added site costs and council fees etc. So work with a few builders see how you go. It is difficult to compare quotes because it is all about inclusions and quality of finished product.
The one thing about HHH is they do not get you to sign a contract until you're final price is known. I have also found them to be honest and fair with pricing. They are certainly not the cheapest so if you're price sensitive that may or may not work, but I am focusing on quality of inclusions upfront to avoid expensive retrofitting later.
Many other builders will rush you into contract signing and the true price emerges much later and could cause issues with bank financing too.
Best wishes
Hi SDS1,
Thanks so much for your reply. That helps a lot. We have contacted the sales consultant a few times including visiting the display home center. We told them the design and inclusions we want, as well as our land information. We asked for a tender estimate however we have not received anything. I feel like they respond very slowly comparing to other builder.
Thanks so much SDS1, will be waiting for the estimate and see how we go.
Hello
Yes estimate does take a few weeks but they should tell you what to expect so you're not waiting without a date of expected response. Btw the waiting game just begins here. If you choose to go to tender it'll take another 4-6 weeks and so on. Pre construction process is very draining and you can expect about 6 months before you're anywhere near construction subject to of course council approvals.
In my view the tender estimate is the time when you get a true appreciation of building and site costs. So any home advertised at base price is definitely going to cost much higher based on added site costs and council fees etc. So work with a few builders see how you go. It is difficult to compare quotes because it is all about inclusions and quality of finished product.
The one thing about HHH is they do not get you to sign a contract until you're final price is known. I have also found them to be honest and fair with pricing. They are certainly not the cheapest so if you're price sensitive that may or may not work, but I am focusing on quality of inclusions upfront to avoid expensive retrofitting later.
Many other builders will rush you into contract signing and the true price emerges much later and could cause issues with bank financing too.
Best wishes
Hi SDS1,
Thanks so much for your reply. That helps a lot. We have contacted the sales consultant a few times including visiting the display home center. We told them the design and inclusions we want, as well as our land information. We asked for a tender estimate however we have not received anything. I feel like they respond very slowly comparing to other builder.
Hi, I echo SDS1's experience and advice. We will finish our build in the next few weeks (fingers crossed!) Even though we provisioned things like electricals, kitchen, flooring upgrades into the tender - we ended up changing a lot of those in the selections stage. All these upgrades are up to you. The premium standard inclusions are good - you can compare all the models from their catalogue, it's very transparent.
H&H are not the cheapest but their inclusions are also better quality. What you get as standard are probably what other builders deem as upgrades - this was the feedback we got when we did our tiling and flooring selections with beaumont and accent carpet.
Our stormwater design had to change due to council feedback (we went via DA) so that cost did change. A couple of other things had to change as well due to council feedback (eg. window sizes, floor height) - we were always given different options on how we wanted to meet council requirements and an idea on the costs of each option.
We've had a good experience so far, like I said - we are weeks away from finishing the build. We've had minor hiccups but nothing major. The entire process from tender to selections and council requires a lot of patience. There are lots of moving parts and sometimes you have to chase things up, though once you're in the build phase, it's surprising how fast things happen.
Hi Zen,
Glad you have been enjoying the building with them. Yes their price is probably one of the highest and it's very hard to compare the inclusions across different builders. We will wait for the estimate and see how we go.
[quote="ks155":2znwzb5l][quote="msresearcher":2znwzb5l]very excited to jump on board officially. we are building a soho
anyone else building or thinking of building a soho?[/quote:2znwzb5l]
Congratulations 👍
We are also building soho with slight modification.[/quote:2znwzb5l]
Hi
I am about to join Soho Living too. I wish to know your experiences before I commit. Would you mind telling me more about your experience? Ultimately I may have knock on the door of the people who built with them in Werribee and ask for their experience
very excited to jump on board officially. we are building a soho
anyone else building or thinking of building a soho?
Congratulations 👍
We are also building soho with slight modification.
Hi
I am about to join them too. I wish to know your experiences before I commit. Would you mind telling me more about your experience? Ultimately I may have knock on the door of the people who built with them in Werribee and ask for their experience
Hi,
Our experience so far has been great. However, we are still finalising our plan.
I was unaware that they build in Victoria as their website mentions only NSW
Hi
sorry. I think I misunderstood your post. The company name I am building with is Soho Living. Soho is also the name of your flood design I guess
Hi all. Got my final plans back (not signed off yet - thats in one week they said). Just wondering if we need to get things like niche placement in shower right now, and laundry storage, shelves in WIR etc -those type of things. Or does that come later? What is crucial to get right in this stage?!
I def want to change windows, maybe change some doors to cavity sliding, but not sure if i need to get every little thing right? Advice pls
I keep getting told we will sort everything in plan presentation meeting. Im confused how they do plans for 2 months and then all my changes get made in one meeting? And some are cost dependant, like i want to change window types but my decision is contingent on costs.
Dont want to get his stage wrong, so grateful for your advice!
Hi all. Got my final plans back (not signed off yet - thats in one week they said). Just wondering if we need to get things like niche placement in shower right now, and laundry storage, shelves in WIR etc -those type of things. Or does that come later? What is crucial to get right in this stage?!
I def want to change windows, maybe change some doors to cavity sliding, but not sure if i need to get every little thing right? Advice pls
I keep getting told we will sort everything in plan presentation meeting. Im confused how they do plans for 2 months and then all my changes get made in one meeting? And some are cost dependant, like i want to change window types but my decision is contingent on costs.
Dont want to get his stage wrong, so grateful for your advice!
Hi
msresearcher, our final plans are being sent through today : ) so, we are at exacly the same stage. Like you, i plan to change window size/placement depentant on cost. Did they email you the Introductory Handbook? This had lots of good info.At the plan acceptance meeting they strongly advise that you come prepare "with all necessary required amendments". I'm planning on going over the plans and noting all changes i thinking of. Somethings, like changes to windows would need to be finalised prior to H&H completing paperwork for council as they might affect the Basix assessment etc I have minimal knowledge of construction so, I figure raise everything you are thinking of changing at this Plan presentation meeting. They can let you know if they need the detailed info now or it can wait until plans are being signed off by council. Changing doors to CSD will effect cost, so if you know you want this, add it now and they can be part of the Post Tender Variation on costs. For things like laundry cabinetry, WIR shelving, if you change these from what's already in the plans it may effect costs but, we will review cabinetry in the Studio You appointment while the documents are being prepared/sign off at council so, you propably don't need to know exact layout until the Studio You appt.Hope this helps and I'm also interesting to hear from others further along in the process if this is how it worked for them?: )
Hi all. Got my final plans back (not signed off yet - thats in one week they said). Just wondering if we need to get things like niche placement in shower right now, and laundry storage, shelves in WIR etc -those type of things. Or does that come later? What is crucial to get right in this stage?!
I def want to change windows, maybe change some doors to cavity sliding, but not sure if i need to get every little thing right? Advice pls
I keep getting told we will sort everything in plan presentation meeting. Im confused how they do plans for 2 months and then all my changes get made in one meeting? And some are cost dependant, like i want to change window types but my decision is contingent on costs.
Dont want to get his stage wrong, so grateful for your advice!
Hi
msresearcher, our final plans are being sent through today : ) so, we are at exacly the same stage. Like you, i plan to change window size/placement depentant on cost. Did they email you the Introductory Handbook? This had lots of good info.At the plan acceptance meeting they strongly advise that you come prepare "with all necessary required amendments". I'm planning on going over the plans and noting all changes i thinking of. Somethings, like changes to windows would need to be finalised prior to H&H completing paperwork for council as they might affect the Basix assessment etc I have minimal knowledge of construction so, I figure raise everything you are thinking of changing at this Plan presentation meeting. They can let you know if they need the detailed info now or it can wait until plans are being signed off by council. Changing doors to CSD will effect cost, so if you know you want this, add it now and they can be part of the Post Tender Variation on costs. For things like laundry cabinetry, WIR shelving, if you change these from what's already in the plans it may effect costs but, we will review cabinetry in the Studio You appointment while the documents are being prepared/sign off at council so, you propably don't need to know exact layout until the Studio You appt.Hope this helps and I'm also interesting to hear from others further along in the process if this is how it worked for them?: )Hi jo-t,
I am abit ahead as I received my plans last month actually, returned in a week but still waiting for the updated set which they acknowledged the changes. I think due to the current situation, this process will be further delayed. Fingers crossed we will receive response soon. As for the changes, my take on it, we requested everything already mentioned above (as per their sample guidelines and verbal advise) to change windows, location of downpipes etc as the next phase is to involve the consultants for DA (stormwater, structural, landscape, Basix etc). We also made sure to finalized all must-have internal changes eg doors types, niches sizes, joineries/ wir, acoustic walls, ac ducts location etc now (we made a running list post tender things we forgot to add/ change our mind during tender) so cost will be captured now. This will assist us to 'not go crazy' during internal selections with our provisional sums(I keep telling my husband but he doubt it
) and there are still chance to make some minor adjustments then. Finally and more importantly, I was able to made some technical comments, being in the industry, to be in line with tender items especially site cost cause I am aware this set will form the basis of CC drawings, better get it right now. My suggestion is to have everything in writing now with your queries before plan presentation (we didn't had one as my changes were straightforward) ,so they can coordinate internally 1st with their drafting/ costing/ construction team as required (I was made aware it happened with mine). p/s If you need some assistance on some specific technical queries on your plans, feel free to pm me, happy to help.
Hi all. Got my final plans back (not signed off yet - thats in one week they said). Just wondering if we need to get things like niche placement in shower right now, and laundry storage, shelves in WIR etc -those type of things. Or does that come later? What is crucial to get right in this stage?!
I def want to change windows, maybe change some doors to cavity sliding, but not sure if i need to get every little thing right? Advice pls
I keep getting told we will sort everything in plan presentation meeting. Im confused how they do plans for 2 months and then all my changes get made in one meeting? And some are cost dependant, like i want to change window types but my decision is contingent on costs.
Dont want to get his stage wrong, so grateful for your advice!
Hi
msresearcher, our final plans are being sent through today : ) so, we are at exacly the same stage. Like you, i plan to change window size/placement depentant on cost. Did they email you the Introductory Handbook? This had lots of good info.At the plan acceptance meeting they strongly advise that you come prepare "with all necessary required amendments". I'm planning on going over the plans and noting all changes i thinking of. Somethings, like changes to windows would need to be finalised prior to H&H completing paperwork for council as they might affect the Basix assessment etc I have minimal knowledge of construction so, I figure raise everything you are thinking of changing at this Plan presentation meeting. They can let you know if they need the detailed info now or it can wait until plans are being signed off by council. Changing doors to CSD will effect cost, so if you know you want this, add it now and they can be part of the Post Tender Variation on costs. For things like laundry cabinetry, WIR shelving, if you change these from what's already in the plans it may effect costs but, we will review cabinetry in the Studio You appointment while the documents are being prepared/sign off at council so, you propably don't need to know exact layout until the Studio You appt.Hope this helps and I'm also interesting to hear from others further along in the process if this is how it worked for them?: )how did you go?
Hi all,
We are nearly at the end of our build and wanted to share some pics and thoughts of the process in case it helps others on this journey.
We had our pci this week (week 32 of build). Everything has gone very well and we should get keys soon. Overall we had a good experience. A few hiccups here and there but overall everything was resolved.
Some things we wish we had done now that we’ve nearly finished with the build:
1. I wish we upgraded to a smart aircon controller with multi zones. The 2 included zones are not that flexible. I called an aircon company to ask how much it will cost to add a smart controller to have flexibility of multiple zones. they said it will require updating the ducts and would be very expensive. The smart controller is expensive ($2k+ I think) but then so would redoing the aircon ducts. There is a $300 controller that I researched that is easy to install and gives you access to turn on/off the aircon from your phone but you can’t do different zones.
2. I wish we spent more time designing our kitchen layout - with all the selections one after the other, it was quite overwhelming. I’m glad we upgraded to pot drawers but now wish we had looked at smarter use of space and different cupboard configurations
3. We never got our butlers pantry shelving diagram and didn’t think to chase it up. The shelving looks very basic. We can always redo it later down the track but it is a missed opportunity to just get it all done before moving in
4. We wished we had made all the bathrooms bigger. The standard H&h plans are fine but we had a lot of space to play with and should have factored that in from the beginning
Things we were glad we did:
1. Adding in skylight above our stairs - brings in lots of natural light
2. Upgrading to pot drawers in kitchen
3. Adding in dwarf wall to alfresco and extending the alfresco width
4. Adding in overhead cupboards in the butler's pantry above the sink, extra cost but looks better as it's visible from the main kitchen
5. Upgrading to stone benchtops for bathrooms
Some general advice:
1. Stay on top of your build. Visit regularly. If you see something that doesn’t look right, ask your SS as it’s easier to get it fixed earlier rather than at the end. We lived close to our build and went there all the time. Our 2nd SS was very responsive and was great fixing the little things that we saw that didn’t look right.
2. Our first SS was not responsive and we didn’t know any better. After 3 weeks of no contact from him, we finally escalated to management and found he had been fired. We should have raised any concerns earlier. In any case, it all worked out fine as our 2nd SS has been great.
3. Check and double check all your selections. Have all your changes in writing. There is lots to do so it gets overwhelming but it’s been very useful being able to go back to emails as evidence of changes to decisions. Also human error is inevitable during the admin/selections process, so it’s good to have the email history to refer back to.
Some pics from this week - there is still blue tape everywhere for minor things to fix during our pci walkthrough but i think it provides a general idea of the finishes
Hi Zen, many thanks for the valuable advice. It is truly helpful! The finishing shown in your pics looks great. Hope the handover and move in go well and you enjoy living in your beautiful home.
Hi Zen, many thanks for the valuable advice. It is truly helpful! The finishing shown in your pics looks great. Hope the handover and move in go well and you enjoy living in your beautiful home.
Thanks Yamato. The quality and finishes have been very good. We engaged an independent inspector and he said he was impressed with the build quality.
Hi all,
We are nearly at the end of our build and wanted to share some pics and thoughts of the process in case it helps others on this journey.
We had our pci this week (week 32 of build). Everything has gone very well and we should get keys soon. Overall we had a good experience. A few hiccups here and there but overall everything was resolved.
Some things we wish we had done now that we’ve nearly finished with the build:
1. I wish we upgraded to a smart aircon controller with multi zones. The 2 included zones are not that flexible. I called an aircon company to ask how much it will cost to add a smart controller to have flexibility of multiple zones. they said it will require updating the ducts and would be very expensive. The smart controller is expensive ($2k+ I think) but then so would redoing the aircon ducts. There is a $300 controller that I researched that is easy to install and gives you access to turn on/off the aircon from your phone but you can’t do different zones.
2. I wish we spent more time designing our kitchen layout - with all the selections one after the other, it was quite overwhelming. I’m glad we upgraded to pot drawers but now wish we had looked at smarter use of space and different cupboard configurations
3. We never got our butlers pantry shelving diagram and didn’t think to chase it up. The shelving looks very basic. We can always redo it later down the track but it is a missed opportunity to just get it all done before moving in
4. We wished we had made all the bathrooms bigger. The standard H&h plans are fine but we had a lot of space to play with and should have factored that in from the beginning
Things we were glad we did:
1. Adding in skylight above our stairs - brings in lots of natural light
2. Upgrading to pot drawers in kitchen
3. Adding in dwarf wall to alfresco and extending the alfresco width
4. Adding in overhead cupboards in the butler's pantry above the sink, extra cost but looks better as it's visible from the main kitchen
5. Upgrading to stone benchtops for bathrooms
Some general advice:
1. Stay on top of your build. Visit regularly. If you see something that doesn’t look right, ask your SS as it’s easier to get it fixed earlier rather than at the end. We lived close to our build and went there all the time. Our 2nd SS was very responsive and was great fixing the little things that we saw that didn’t look right.
2. Our first SS was not responsive and we didn’t know any better. After 3 weeks of no contact from him, we finally escalated to management and found he had been fired. We should have raised any concerns earlier. In any case, it all worked out fine as our 2nd SS has been great.
3. Check and double check all your selections. Have all your changes in writing. There is lots to do so it gets overwhelming but it’s been very useful being able to go back to emails as evidence of changes to decisions. Also human error is inevitable during the admin/selections process, so it’s good to have the email history to refer back to.
Some pics from this week - there is still blue tape everywhere for minor things to fix during our pci walkthrough but i think it provides a general idea of the finishes
Hi Zen, all your photos look fantastic! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Can I please ask your brick choice? Thank you and I bet you can't wait to get in now.
Hi all,
We are nearly at the end of our build and wanted to share some pics and thoughts of the process in case it helps others on this journey.
We had our pci this week (week 32 of build). Everything has gone very well and we should get keys soon. Overall we had a good experience. A few hiccups here and there but overall everything was resolved.
Some things we wish we had done now that we’ve nearly finished with the build:
1. I wish we upgraded to a smart aircon controller with multi zones. The 2 included zones are not that flexible. I called an aircon company to ask how much it will cost to add a smart controller to have flexibility of multiple zones. they said it will require updating the ducts and would be very expensive. The smart controller is expensive ($2k+ I think) but then so would redoing the aircon ducts. There is a $300 controller that I researched that is easy to install and gives you access to turn on/off the aircon from your phone but you can’t do different zones.
2. I wish we spent more time designing our kitchen layout - with all the selections one after the other, it was quite overwhelming. I’m glad we upgraded to pot drawers but now wish we had looked at smarter use of space and different cupboard configurations
3. We never got our butlers pantry shelving diagram and didn’t think to chase it up. The shelving looks very basic. We can always redo it later down the track but it is a missed opportunity to just get it all done before moving in
4. We wished we had made all the bathrooms bigger. The standard H&h plans are fine but we had a lot of space to play with and should have factored that in from the beginning
Things we were glad we did:
1. Adding in skylight above our stairs - brings in lots of natural light
2. Upgrading to pot drawers in kitchen
3. Adding in dwarf wall to alfresco and extending the alfresco width
4. Adding in overhead cupboards in the butler's pantry above the sink, extra cost but looks better as it's visible from the main kitchen
5. Upgrading to stone benchtops for bathrooms
Some general advice:
1. Stay on top of your build. Visit regularly. If you see something that doesn’t look right, ask your SS as it’s easier to get it fixed earlier rather than at the end. We lived close to our build and went there all the time. Our 2nd SS was very responsive and was great fixing the little things that we saw that didn’t look right.
2. Our first SS was not responsive and we didn’t know any better. After 3 weeks of no contact from him, we finally escalated to management and found he had been fired. We should have raised any concerns earlier. In any case, it all worked out fine as our 2nd SS has been great.
3. Check and double check all your selections. Have all your changes in writing. There is lots to do so it gets overwhelming but it’s been very useful being able to go back to emails as evidence of changes to decisions. Also human error is inevitable during the admin/selections process, so it’s good to have the email history to refer back to.
Some pics from this week - there is still blue tape everywhere for minor things to fix during our pci walkthrough but i think it provides a general idea of the finishes
Hi Zen, all your photos look fantastic! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Can I please ask your brick choice? Thank you and I bet you can't wait to get in now.
Thanks ocean! We went with PGH espresso 😊
Hi all. Got my final plans back (not signed off yet - thats in one week they said). Just wondering if we need to get things like niche placement in shower right now, and laundry storage, shelves in WIR etc -those type of things. Or does that come later? What is crucial to get right in this stage?!
Based on our experience this set of plans is to get the council approvals right. So focus on structural design, (floor plans should be down pat no more changes to external walls once council has plans) insulation i.e. items that impact basix, plumbing lines as it impacts hydraulics, etc.
To give you an example of how we went about: We changed type of Windows from awning to fixed-sliding, included window missed in WC, confirmed frosted glass on bathroom windows, confirmed size and type of windows relative to aspect e.g. highlight windows on southern elevation, dropped slab in ground floor bathroom to achieve flush finish after tiling, confirmed size and location of fridge cavity, confirmed location of Hot water system, water meter, air conditioning unit, confirmed we had services to alfresco, confirmed outdoor tap locations, extended alfresco area, extended living room wall to square with alfresco, included insulation to garage ceiling and walls, etc.
Additionally you need to get external colours and bricks, weatherboard and roof materials signed off before council plans. It helps to get an austral appointment unless of course you're not having face brick and opt for fully rendered exterior where I think you do consultation with HHH.
Internal selection of colours, WIR, fixout of kitchen incl benchtop, glazing on doors, electrical plans, carpet/tiles/laminate, staircase finishes all happen between council submission and council approval (if you're full DA that is a significant amount of time). So leave that aspect to later as too many decisions do tend to get overwhelming. We added extra niches at this stage at a small cost. I believe their atandard plans have niches in the bath area.
During our plan presentation I remember they had a sort of checklist to make sure we understood and signed off mandatory items that impact council plans. So if you forget something it may help to go through the checklist.
Hope this helps.
Some things we wish we had done now that we’ve nearly finished with the build:
1. I wish we upgraded to a smart aircon controller with multi zones. The 2 included zones are not that flexible. I called an aircon company to ask how much it will cost to add a smart controller to have flexibility of multiple zones. they said it will require updating the ducts and would be very expensive. The smart controller is expensive ($2k+ I think) but then so would redoing the aircon ducts. There is a $300 controller that I researched that is easy to install and gives you access to turn on/off the aircon from your phone but you can’t do different zones.
Hi Zen if you'd gone back to pre con would you have asked for more zones or a smart controller? Also what is the problem you're facing with 2 zone - different family members not being able to agree on a comfortable temperature?
We left ours 2 zone because the open plan nature of the design plus given it's 2 storey we thought maybe no point zoning as the air would circulate simply because of the open plan. But happy to take advice from experienced folks☺
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