The Eskay Saga Comes to an end...

Hi Folks,

Been lurking around the forum for a long time now. I have learnt so much and have thrown my 2 cents worth in whenever I thought I could add some value.

The reason for the "Saga" is that we are a long way from being able to build our dream home. I wanted to wait before I started a thread but it seems to be quite therapeutic to read along with other peoples journey's so I thought maybe it would do me good to put ours into print as well.

We bought into an estate last July. It's in Croydon Victoria, The Range Estate. There's a thread in the forum which I have tried to contribute to - fantastic folks on there going full steam ahead or waiting for their Stage to title. I'm afraid I have been a little negative there sometimes because of our situation. We bought, like many do, before the land had titled. We let the developer know that we wanted to build quite a large house and to advise what the site coverage was to be. They told us (notice the "told") that they were getting permission from council to move from an initial restriction of 40% site coverage (ludicrously small) to 60% and that this appeared to have been agreed to. We could work with that so... we bought it!! Titles were due in August 09..... then November 09..... Then before Christmas 09...... So we received the titles on January 18th, 2010. YAY!!!!

Where we noticed that our Site Coverage allowance was 45%.

Now in the meantime we had been working with a buider / design company on our custom dream home. All ready to go with a beautiful home and we had kept it down to 58% anticipating the 60% alteration. Now what. The contract says we can't sell the land without putting a house on it. We don't really want to sell it as it's a beautiful estate. So we plough on, trying to get it down as far as we can. Which we've done. Now it only takes up 50.37% and I've decided to go no further. Any smaller and it just won't be the house we want to live in any more.

Enough Chat - here are some plans and a 3D rendering of the home we'd like to build.















I know the house will look huge to most people but there are good reasons for al of the rooms. Plans are now in for Developer Approval. I have received agreement from them that they would approve it if it's just the size of the site coverage, provisional to getting council approval to change the title allocation. The other issue is the 3rd Garage. They don't want a dominance of the garage to the frontage. I have set it back and treated it with render instead of face brick so that it is different. My justification is I have two teenagers, one 17, who will be driving soon so we want to keep the extra cars behind a garage door and not out on the street. We'll have to wait and see about that one. Next is to submit that Planning Permit. I'm putting that together now. I spoke to the planning folks at the council who told me that it had been a very "difficult" process with the developer and they were NOT inclined to make any changes.......

Failing approval, I will be off to VCAT. The site coverage numbers appear to be quite arbitrary. Two lots over the owner says he had a 54% allocation, which he didn't use. His block isn't bigger than mine so what's the difference??

Sorry for the long rant to begin with. I promise it won't be all doom and gloom. I have done colour selections as well so I'll try to take pics of the tiles and put them on as well. I've done the whole of the house in a 3D program so I can do some internal shots down the track. Brilliant being able to walk around on the PC!

Thanks for getting down this far!!!

SK

SK great plan you've got there. Good luck and keep us updated

Hey Eskay,

Lovely plans and I love the placement of your rooms - everything on your plan makes sense and serves a purpose for your family and I love that!

Good luck with your permits... my fingers are crossed for you!

Regards
Sleven

Eskay, your plans look fantastic. Good luck getting the approval. Hopefully soon we will see pictures of your house being built.

I love it. I can't wait to see the real thing.

great floorplan. Love the size of you rooms. Bring on the build

Thanks everyone.

themax, Southies... your threads have been inspirational!!

SK

What an awesome plan! Perfect setup upstairs for teenagers - I always HATED fighting over the bathroom with my brother (and even had the broken nose to prove it). I think the only thing that I would query is the toilet directly off the dining room - it might be worth investing in continuing the sound insulation that you have on the library to also encapsulate that?

Very luxurious =) I hope you get your approvals!

Great idea somewoman!! It would take nothing to add it to those walls. That location worried me for a long time but there was just no way to move it to the front of the house without wiping out one of the wir's.

Yes. two teenagers whom I don't expect to be leaving in a hurry as both of them will be going to uni.. The hassle we have in our current house is just unbearable. How long does it take to straighten a 15 yo's hair??!!

SK

No idea!! I'll let you know in 13 years (unless I can borrow my niece - then I'll know in 2

Teach her to do it herself

She is !!! That's the problem!!

Wow, great floor plan. I want the bedroom with the window seat, I love window seats!!

Hope council makes a quick decision for you .....!

RE: Teenager straightening hair...how dare you question the necessity of perfectly straight hair? I mean, you don't care at all, you know nothing and I hate you (flounces off)-but I NEED $XX for (insert whatever here...) Love you, thanks! Yep-I have a 16 yr old DD still living at home But having survived her older brother and sister, I think I can see this one through!

BTW-Great house plan! And good luck with all the planning & permits! Looking forward to following your build.

What are you saying Dee... I still do this to my poor husband!!!!!!! lol

Hahahaha... thanks everyone!!

mummagoose - that's DD's as well. She likes to look out windows.... It's also a good place for her to dump things in when I tell her to clean her room. Beats pushing it all under the bed which she does now!

I wouldn't dare question the necessity of straightening .... that's because I have my own Ensuite. It's the cries of Aaaaarrrrghh from DS and the ensuing battle of wills that I don't deal with!! Hence they are getting their own space. UPSTAIRS!

SK

Sleven! Well done again eskay- I sooo want that house!

Hi everyone,

Great news today.

We've been given approval to remove 2 trees which are in the middle of what would be our driveway and we've been given Developer Approval - provisional on two things. 1, we move the 3rd garage back by another 0.5 metres (it was already 1.1m back from the other double garage) which is no problem but provision 2 is "Council approval to change the site coverage", of course.

So now we play the wait game with council. This is going to be the one to watch. They've told everybody that there will be no dispensations so..

Oh, and we were asked to provide an exterior materials and colours sample board... I had no idea what this was so I looked it up. Seemed simple enough so I made one up. Did others have to do this;

Congrats on the developers approval! Good luck with the council my fingers are crossed hopefully it wont take too long. Great house plan and colours.

Loving that colour board!

Hey Eskay40, congratulations on finally starting your own thread!

Love your plans, and you did a great job on that colour board too ~ looks fantastic ~ you have put together a lovely plan there! It will be wonderful to see it going up.

Commiserations on your issues with the council ~ we've had some of our own. It's just crazy what they put you through when it's supposed to be *your* land and *your* home.

Why 45% coverage for you and then two blocks away 54% for your neighbour? You're right, it's completely arbitrary.

It's also incredible that the developer indicates to you 60% coverage, then you purchase, then you wait months and months for the title ~ only to find out that it's 45%?? You could have moved on long ago instead of investing your time in plans that can't be achieved.

Best of luck with this ~ I hope it doesn't take too long for you ~ longer than it has already, that is!

~ cheers, J