So initially I stumbled across home one forum by accident I was trying to find out information about builders, who was good, who was bad. The one thing that I have learnt in the infancy of our build is that there are problems and issues with every build so I'm going to try and just roll with it
And so we took the plunge and have put our faith in our builder knowing what everyone has gone through and hoping that we can get through it too. Our main priority was to achieve a high quality build for as little as possible.
So I have read through a lot of the threads on here, and I received a wealth of information that you just can't find anywhere else, This will be our third house but our first build and it is a little daunting when you get that big heavy file and they say "here you go have a browse through this" ...... What? Pick something? Ok ......
Luckily we have done slight renovations in our current house obviously many paint colours (eights years worth) two flooring changes Lino (existing) to floating laminate to tiles, new carpets. So I've had a little practice picking colours etc. My most favourite colour inspiration resource is
http://www.houzz.com it also is available from iTunes as an app. Trust me you'll be blown away with the photos on there, I have even put aside photos for use in my pre start meeting so the colour consultant knows where I'm heading when I tell her what I'm planning (eek)
So I'm hoping that I can share more of my build with you, at the moment we are waiting for land title, and for our final plans to be drafted
exciting times ahead!
Signed PPA 26/06/13
Titles November 2013
Contracts 31/3/14
Colour meeting 15/04/14
PreStart meeting 29/04/14
Into Scheduling 21/05/14
Out of scheduling into construction 11/06/14
Site works completed 11/06/14
Slab 2/08/14
Soak wells delivered 08/08/14
Frames delivered 15/08/14
Bricks Onsite 21/08/14
Brickies Onsite 9/9/14
Bricks Finished 26/09/14
Roof timbers delivered 29/09/14
Roof frame started 13/10/14
Roof frames finished 17/10/14
Colorbond started 28/10/14
Colorbond completed 31/10/14
Render completed 7/11/14
Electrical rough in completed 7/11/14
Plumbing rough in completed 7/11/14
Ceilings and cornices installed 14/11/14
White set complete 20/11/14
Glass installed 26/11/14
Doors and window capping completed 28/11/14
Lockup 28/11/14
Ceilings painted undercoat on doors and frames 03/12/14
Tiles delivered 03/12/14
Baths installed 03/12/14
Grano poured 05/12/14
Cabinets and bench tops in 09/12/14
Tile meeting completed 16/12/14
Tiles started 17/12/14
Air conditioner installed 20/1/15
Electrical Final 20/1/15
Plumbing final
PCI Date 3/1/15
Handover 17/02/15
How exciting! Where abouts in Serpentine are you building? It's a lovely area. Are they developing an estate there or do you have some land?
Thanks Rubes! We love the area too.
They released a stage in the Serpentine Downs Estate, not too long ago. We had been looking in the area for a while but all of the established houses were far to expensive so when these blocks came up we jumped at it! It's a 4000sqm(ish) corner block, and when the house is built we will have views of the ranges
The developer is still at construction stage so that's why we don't have titles yet.
So I thought I'd show you a picture of the original house design we have chosen
(its taken me this long to figure out how to post photos
http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a565/speedwaychick68/f75cf92b73235882b74413f90f71a519_zpsf58782eb.jpgAnd the changes (there were quite a few) IM still waiting on the final plans to come back from the drafting dept. Sorry for the poor quality I will get a sparkly one with the updated version
http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a565/speedwaychick68/1e9ff0e13663ff151f7b03b661ad7e2c_zps7e753522.jpg
Oh that sounds beautiful!! It is such a gorgeous area so I can only imagine the views!
That's a great plan. I really like your kitchen/pantry/laundry set up. Have you had prestart yet?
Nope still waiting to hear back about the titles, hoping we get them in a couple of weeks :/ but we are happy to wait. if I can be patient at this stage building the house should be a breeze ( right?) lol yeah I know dream on!
The laundry /pantry /kitchen area is my pride and joy aka mud room. I've recently asked for the laundry to be made a little wider (20cm) I just thought it was a little too skinny. I mapped out the laundry / pantry and the master ensuite out with masking tape on my living room floor gave me a good perspective of how massively long the laundry area will be
How exciting! Good idea adding the extra 20cm, you can never have too much space in areas like that.
I know what you mean about the waiting - my partner and I are building our first home, but we have been happy waiting because we see it as more time to save money for all of the furniture we will need to buy! In saying that, our build is moving pretty quickly so far!
That's a huge house!! Are you going to move the manhole to the garage?
I love Houzz.com, endless source of inspiration. Just madly pin them all to Pinterest
Hi Janicec, yeah it is a huge house a lot bigger than the one we have now! Our main priority was to have really good size bedrooms as our kids are tween age
and space will be important very soon! And the way our block is positioned this plan offered the best of everything and it was at a price that just couldn't be beaten.
Quote:
That's a huge house!! Are you going to move the manhole to the garage?
I love Houzz.com, endless source of inspiration. Just madly pin them all to Pinterest
I was thinking about the man hole and I was thinking maybe putting it in the laundry/ mud room as later we might convert to attic storage ( even though there will be a massive shed in the back yard, can't have too much storage right?)
Houzz is both great and frustrating at the same time, most of the pictures I adore are American or Canadian and they just don't make them like that over here with out $$$$$$ attached! That's why the house plan with the laundry coming off of the garage was a key feature I had to have, just to replicate those lovely mud rooms I've seen so many of
I hope it all turns out the way I have it pictured in my head
Congrats on curbs I love what you've done with the laundry and also the powder room and main bathroom it's funny because when I was looking at the original plan the semi ensuite powder room didn't do it for me - you've come up with a much better solution IMHO
Cheers
Thanks AKB
everything about the original house plan worked for us (layout wise and the size of the bedrooms) with the exception of the amount of doors coming off of the bathroom and powder, It looked like door city to us!
The laundry was already there obviously but I really do like how the plan has ended up
I am convinced though the house designers do weird stuff like that just so they can charge you when you want to change it to look better.
Although in saying that taking out the third bathroom from the back of the house paid for the change to the laundry/pantry and linen.
Door City lol - That's exactly what I was thinking too
Just read an email from the developer titles should be available in October, thought it would be closer, but
at least we have a date(ish)
October will be here before you know it
yay for curbs! i remember how excited we were to see a road and curbs. October is only 3 weeks away, not long to go!
yay for curbs! i remember how excited we were to see a road and curbs. October is only 3 weeks away, not long to go!
Must remember patience patience patience!
So its been a while since I have contributed to my house in Serpentine with Gemmill thread ,sorry about that life gets in the way sometimes.
We have title ( november) our settlement for the land was on the 19th of November Yay!!!
We have been waiting for Gemmill to get back to us with our contract, had a hiccup with the placement of the house on the building envelope in October, and they had to update the survey.
Other than that not much to report, Ive been out to the block a couple of times since settlement to check on the plants and do a rough peg of the the house.
Noticed a one of the blocks sold in the same stage the people have already planted for their garden....I thought I was keen!
If anyone reads this and they are or knows anyone who has bought a block in the area I would love to hear from you