contract appt?? any hints and suggestions??

well, it's been booked for next week ( PD) and we want ot seem like we have the upper hand

any hints , and what we need to make extra certain of, remove, kick up a fuss about??

JoBen,

Have a list of all the questions you want to ask. Also have all the changes you want to make so you can find out the costs. After the appointment you can always add in variations. We did.

Take the document away from the office, and read at your own leisure. It means someone else can read it as well, to make sure you dont miss anything.

JoBen,
We mistakenly added insulation to the walls and roof before the 5 star rating had been determined (which occurs post contract). When the rating was determined they would have taken this into consideration and approved the house with US paying for it! In hindsight we should have waited for the 5 star rating to be achieved which probably would have included them adding some form of insulation at THEIR cost not ours.
Also get them to walk through the plans cm by cm - I found a heap of errors and had the plans re-issued twice.
Good luck with it all.

BTW - which PD home are you building?

thansk tim, gosh had no idea about that, i thouhgt it was included already?? so we need to include the insulation as well?

Note when I say Insulation, I mean R2.5 Glasswool 'Batts' not the insul-fluff they 'blow in' which is std. The walls as std only come with sislation (the alfoil wrap stuff - we added R1.5 glasswool batts as well.

Hi

Our wall as standard include R1.5 Glasswool Batts, while the Ceiling has R2.5 Cellulose Fibre.

You meant to say t hat you added R1.5 at extra cost ?

Cheer

Hi,

Is there any charge by PD to add variations after contract?
How long after contract then you raise the variation?

Thanks

Apparently you can make any structural alterations to the design up till contract signing and there is no additional cost as the plans have not been finalised. After the contract is signed you will be additionaly charged for structural changes as they need to go thru the relevant checks by the engineers again to see what affects they have on the design or the 5 star rating etc....

After contract signing you can still make additions and alterations to electricals, cabinetry and the like without being penalised and this is obviously reflected in Post Contract Variations (PCV) which by some other members in the forum have gotten into the high teens!

In terms of how long after contract signing - not too sure. Would need to speak with your CSC on that one.

Prior to the plans going to construction you can make Variation changes.

As soon as the plans go to construction you will find it difficult to make changes without being penalised. If the builder is required to have anything re-engineered you will pay extra for that time.

So IMO read all the forums and visit all the display homes and ask for all the costs.

After you have signed up - don't visit any more homes - we kept finding things that we also wanted and then added them to our house.

We made 5 Post Contract Variation and 3 Building variations.

PD have a new house. I wonder if I could change the house to be the new Rowland 41??????? I think our S\C would freakout!!!

Hi,

Is there any charge by PD to add variations after contract?
How long after contract then you raise the variation?

Thanks[/quote]

In theory, once you sign the contract you have 7 days to make any post contract varations changes without charge. After the 7 days, they can charge for you post contract variations but most likely won't. We were told that if you're a pain in the butt and make changes every second, they will charge you because you're stuffing them around.

It also depends on how late in the process you want changes too ie. if the construction drawings are about to be finalised, they may charge you. ANd if you want to change something while construction is going on, they told us they would definitely charge you.

Structural changes are a different matter, these are supposed to be locked down in the tender contract. Any changes between the tender signing and contract signing are only supposed to be cosmetic.

All

I was just reading my contract & tender document again and in no place is there any mention of a possible charge if we make any non structural changes once contract is signed.

We are informed verbally by the C/S throughout each appointment but legally, is the charge enforceable if there is nothing written in the documents ?

Thank you

Hi

Are you charged for any of the PCV and btw, what is building variations and are they chargable (if you dont mind me asking).

Cheers

My advice... GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING!!!
If they offer you something or tell you something and you can't see it clearly on the contract then refuse to sign it's written down.

I don't have experience with PD but my builder (Adenb***k) promise you the world but never deliver.

As one member of this forum advised me in the past, i think it might be Casa, do not sign the contract on spot. read it at home, take sometime. You will be surprised, even after this, you might have forgotten something.

Try to ask to supply the price for your additions/accessories you want.

goodluck

I absolutely agree with Southbris

1. Get everything in writing... everything they offer you...

I have learnt my lesson... my project builder agreed to give me an extension of tme on a special package which is no longer offered. When the tender arrived he did give it to me but jacked up the price by $2000. He agreed to have the price reduced by $1000 if I signed the tender in two days.

I still didnt learn! My SC said that she would make handwritten changes to the tender there were measurement errors as it could not be typed up in one day and would refund me the cheque if I was not fully happy with the tender which would be ready in three days time. So i did sign 7/03 and they keep saying the tender is not ready .. it is with the estimator!! Generally she has had tenders ready in about 3-4 days... prior to me paying the deposit. ( the cheque was cashed after two days!!)

Sorry to write my long story but its worth remembering and i am a bit upset at the moment.

Also its a really good idea to get your solicitor to look at everything and measure it all up. double checking electrical plans, inclusions,windows etc. There is info on all this on this forum...

Good luck

Raz

TOTALLY!!! get EVERYTHING in writing.

Go prepared and have a list of any questions/concerns you have. Because if you don't pick it up, they wont.

We had a promo pack that gave us overhead cupboards in the kitchen with a slideout hood. We wanted a range hood instead of the slide out and our sales person said that was ok when we signed up. But when we got to the contract, i noticed in the drawings there was no overhead cupboards!! when i questioned it, our csr said that the promo says "slideout hood" and the cupboards ONLY came with the slideout...lets just say im not happy jan!!!!!

we're waiting on prices to come back to see how much the cupboards will cost seperately....

but the point is...get everything in writing!!