Custom Build with DAH: PCI booked & lots more pics

We started our building journey looking around at display homes. Loved the Archer by Dale Alcock then a few weeks later we heard Dale Alcock speak at an event and we decided this was the company we wanted to build with.

Our block is a corner ~450sqm with a staggered rear fence line, and we didn't want to two story so we needed a custom design to make the most of it. DAH took our list of wants and came back with a good design to take advantage of the space. Not many changes were needed.

Here are the plans and we're under way!













Timeline:
Contracts signed: 28 March 2013
Prestart: 5th April 2013
Demo: June 2013
Siteworks: 9 July 2013
Pipes for pad: 19 July 2013
Footings: 22 July 2013
Slab: 24 July 2013
Soakwells: 7 August 2013
Power run: 14 August 2013
Bricks delivered: 16 August 2013, frames + tbar: 22 August 2013
Brick laying started: 9 September 2013 (see page 5 for day by day pics)
Bricks complete: 25 September 2013
Roof frame started: 14 Oct 2013 (see page 6 for day by day pics)
Roof frame complete: 17 Oct 2013
Electrical and plumbing started: 24 Oct 2013
Gutters: 25 Oct 2013
Electrical done: 25 Oct 2013
Roof cover started: 3 Nov 2013
Roof cover complete: 11 Nov 2013
Grey float started: 26 Nov 2013
Grey float finished: 4 Dev 2013 (included external render)
Ceilings started: 5 Dec 2013
Cornices started: 10 Dec 2013
Ceilings and cornices finished: 11 Dec 2013
Windows fitted: 12 Dec 2013
White set started: 16 Jan 2014
White set finished: 22 Jan 2014
Lock up: 23 Jan 2014
Grano: 11 Feb 2014
Tiles: started 14 Feb 14
Screen wall started: 13 Feb 14 completed 18 Feb
Stone in: 19 Feb 14
PCI booked: 14-Apr-14

wow!! now that's a house with lots of nice bling your living area opening out to the alfresco is going to be amazing! are you going to use the same floor tiles for inside and out?

You have utilised your space well.. congrats on the build.. I have never seen a basin out in the open before, interested to see the finished product! Love all the linen space.. heavenly

yes! that is the plan. It took ages to work through it and get the concrete in the right spot and the sill recessed for the sliding doors. But the plan is that it is that the alfresco and living areas all flow through as one open space. We would have loved to put in bifold doors but the extra $6k just seemed like too much. In the end the alfresco is 20mm lower than internally i think, but it should all flow through OK.

DA also do termimesh as standard by default, it took a while to get that sorted with the recessed sill of the sliding door but it's all doable.

Full credit to DAH for the design, it's pretty much what they came up with from our wish list and we really liked it straight off the bat. They found a way to get everything we wanted in and it looks like it will be usable.

That basin is for the toilet my wife's creation and I think a great idea to reduce traffic through the bathroom for guests.

Went by the block today and found a little notice saying the compaction has been tested. I hope all the rain has helped bed everything down as well.

Here's what was left after the demo.


And after the siteworks and compaction he have this... The pad looks like it's going to be huge. Hope we left enough room for the garden.


Fingers crossed for our pad to go down this week.

Here's what we chose at prestart. Lots of blue and browns...

Ensuite:


Kitchen:


Bathrooms:


The splashback in the kitchen is bright blue, we're hoping it doesn't stand out too much...

And here's the tiles for the roof, they were no extra cost. Unfortunately they are concrete but they give a really nice clean look.


Need to find some floor tiles still...

Looking good! Nice selections
You've made such good use of the space!

We were so glad the DAH could fit everything in.

Here's the first version of the plan they came up with.


We had to swap out the theatre for a study and shuffle around the ensuite a bit. Originally they had a small computer nook in there and a theatre, but we switched these for a larger study like on the archer and some more storage.

They also had dual 900mm ovens, which we thought was a bit overkill... could cook for an army with those

Great selections! Is that light wood rectangular sample your flooring or is that a tile? Don't remember seeing that in the tile options but LOVE it

That is a wood look porcelain tile. It isn't part of the normal selection. We decided to do the tiling in the main areas after handover. The plan is to go with something similar.

Drove past the block today and we have string lines marked out for the footings.

The weather in Perth today has been abysmal so I don't expect they laid the footings.

Hoping to see the slab soon!

You have made full use of your block, well done. Like us, you have two 600mm ovens. Great idea because it gives you the flexibly when entertaining but also you don't have to warm up a 900mm oven every time. So your brick wall is part of the package then? I wonder how much they charged you for that?

Posting to follow. Everything looks fabulous. Love the kitchen!

We have some trenches dug, but not quite all.

No footings yet...

Unfortunately both our boundary fences blew down in the storms last night



But on a good note, we have trenches

I have no idea how they dug them Tuesday as it was pouring rain all day.

damn about the fences guessing without a finished house on your block you have no insurance for that kind of thing? good to see they managed to start work though

oh dear about the fences.. brightside getting new ones?
great selections.. my partner wanted that splashback but we ended up with black
slab soon.. exciting

Posting to subscribe. Your plans look amazing and I'm really looking forward to following your building journey.

If at any point you need any assistance, please get in touch with me and I will do my best to help.

Best regards,

Jemima.

No insurance Quote to replace the whole left side boundary is $2k so not too bad and it needed doing...

We love the bright blue splashback - our prestart consultant suggested it. Fingers crossed it looks good in the finished product.