Jem's custom build - our journey! Flooring dramas!!!

I've been reading and watching everyone’s build threads for quite some time and since we've signed our contract this afternoon I thought it was time that I started to give back a little too.

So our story to date –

We purchased an acre block of land in Northern Victoria 18 months ago dreaming of being owner builders (the other half is a carpenter). After 12 months (patient weren’t we!!) of dealing with one particular bank our dream was pretty much shattered. This particular bank wanted a 50-60% deposit of which we couldn’t produce so we began looking at builders.

A friend recommended one builder (fantastic reputation, numerous awards) and after 2 months of stuffing around and wanting to change every deal of our plan that we had already spent thousands on we made the decision to look elsewhere (this guy wanted to charge over $80,000 more then our now selected builder).

Two weeks ago we contacted the builder we have now signed with and we had a quote within a week, not just an estimate after two months like the previous builder. We finalised the details today and signed the contract! Now we just have to make sure our finance goes through (now going through a broker who’s been wonderful to date) and our building permit is amended after a few minor plan changes. We’ve change the porch a little in the plan shown below.

Plans should be finished early next week and hopefully early the week after the permit should be finalised.

After 18 months of being stuffed around by banks and builders I am very relieved to finally feel like we’re making progress. Although I am going to have to rely on you friendly folk to keep me in check so I don't become too impatient... Ideally we'll be in by Christmas (quoted 16wk build time) for two reasons really, our first Christmas in our own home opposed to travelling to family every year and the little fact that I am 18 week pregnant and due to pop at the start of Jan so would be nice to be settled in before bubs arrives....

Hopefully I’ll have something to update you on at least once a week but I’ll see how we go.

Happy Building everyone!!

Congrats Jem! On both signing for the house and bubs on the way!

Nice plan. Love that big Alfresco. Wow 16 week build time, thats fast. Hope you get settled before bub (oh and congrats) arrives and that your build is not to stressful. Goodluck

Thanks! Yep the 16wks is from breaking ground, I am just praying for not too many hold ups.

DH being a carpenter will be completing the plastering, fit out, painting etc so I might just have to crack the wip on him if we're getting close to deadline

So we probably should have thought about this when we where designing the house but not sure which room to use for which of our children.... We have two girls 6 & 3 plus our .5 on the way.... Think maybe 6yo in B2 as she's eventually be handed down out queen bed when we upgrade our bed and the baby will have hers.. Not sure about 3yo or bub. Any suggestions?

That's one big dining/family/living and kitchen area. I assume it will require several beams for supporting the roof structure.

Love your plan & looking forward to seeing it all unfold!
Perhaps you could put both girls in bed 2, bubs in bed 3 then have bed for as a guest room for now?
Food for thought anyways

Yep we have one huge steel beam that runs across from bedroom 4 to the living room so we don't have to have posts in the outdoor area blocking the view.

I have thought about popping the girls together and then using the other bedroom as a play room/guest room. We will propably end up buying a sofa bed for the study to double as a guest room as well.

Hi Jem

Love your plan, it looks like it may be a country style house with the wide eaves and verandas, floorboards and separate carport. Loads of storage

Congratulations on bub no. 3 My daughter is pregnant with my first grandchild about 18 weeks too, very exciting

Congratulations to you too Dreamcometrue! Exciting times.

Definitely a contempory country home, think recycled brick, country kitchen with timber breakfast bar....

Have you thought about using the study as a nursery, girls in bedrooms 3 & 4 then bed 2 as study/guest room?

Hi Dee, yes that's crossed my mind too but I really do need the study for home office for DH's business and my Uni studys. Would be the ideal spot for it though.

I've attached a pic (stollen from the "show me your kitchen thread") that we are styling our kitchen on. What's your thoughts. We'll have the same cupboards and a timber top breakfast bar... Need to start thinking about colours too. DH wants a colourbond roof but I really would like the old style 'tin' roof. I guess I'll have to check out the colourbond colours... as for inside paint colours I would love a colour that is clean but warm looking, no yellows or creams for me. What's your suggestions?

^^ My favourite style of kitchen!

Dulux Natural White? Even at 200%?

Fair enough about the study then.

Natural white actually looks pretty good, I can see your going to be a wealth of knowledge and help Dee! This will be the first of many sample pots purchased I am sure. I am terrible at visuallising things, I just need to see it in the flesh.

Any suggestion for bathroom tile colours? I like neutrals, natural materials (stone, timber) look...

I'm a neutral girl myself! Actually-have you seen the floortiles which look like timber?

ooo no not yet but will be looking for them now!! Would love a timber floor but the house we're renting at the moment has them and they are only fairly new and lifting in places and very easy to scratch so are looking for alternatives, I was going to check out the timber look laminate.

Timber look laminate WILL scratch-and bubble if you spill fluid on it and don't clean it up quick enough...we had it in our last place! However, the areas which a teenager didn't spill sports drink on held up really well.

Any suggestions of what else we could go with?

Vinyl planking? Bamboo? 'Timber' tiles?

Now that I think about it we had vinyl planking in our previous house and it held up really well. It was a white wash colour (that I hated!!) but looked ok. How does the look of more natural timbers stand up to the real thing? Not too fake looking? Looks like I might have to go do a little more shopping. What a shame.... lol

ETA - well I just dropped in at Carpet One on the way home from school pick up and it looks like vinyl planks it is..... well that's if DH agrees which I am sure he will as he really doesn't like the floor we have at the moment due to the ease of damage. Now to select the colour

Jem, we are also getting that kitchen cupboard profile and a jarrah timber island bench top I do like creams though so our walls will be similar to that in the picture although maybe lighter.

Try this thread for flooring - it is a new product at Harvey Norman, I am planning to check it out

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=57653


the quote is from here:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=55248