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Hi all,
Welcome to the building journey of the Manor at the Village at Wellard. This is our second time building in the Village and have had a great experience with Dale Alcock Homes bringing our custom design to life.
Here you'll be bombarded with loads of photos and lots of my design ideas, hope you enjoy them!
As with most on this forum, I've gained so many tips and been saved from a few mistakes so far, I hope others can gain some insight from our building journey
OUR BUILDING TIMELINE:10th May 2014: Signed up to purchase land from PEET Estates, titles due November 2014
August 2014: Advised by PEET that land would be delayed until April 2015
December 2014: Signed up to build with Dale Alcock Homes
February 2015: Advised by PEET that land has a further delay until October 2015
March 2015: Prestart and Electrical meetings with Dale Alcock Homes
April 2015: Final Plans received
June 2015: Work finally commences on our land release
July 2015: We have retaining walls!
August 2015: Road base laid
September 2015: Finance approved
October 2015: Services in, block finished and road laid
30th October 2015: Titles issued!
20th November 2015: Settlement
29-31st December 2015: Tap installed on block
6th January 2016: Building permit issued
15th January 2016: On to the construction list
19th January 2016: Earthworks commenced
27th January 2016: Footings and slab pre-lay
28th January 2016: Slabbed!
10th February 2016: Stormwater plumbing and soakwells installed
12th February 2016: Builder's power box arrives on site
16th February 2016: Site cleaned
17th-19th February 2016: Bricks, window frames and shed delivered to site
29th February 2016: Brickwork commenced
9th March 2016: Brickwork Complete
11th March 2016: Site cleaned
15th March 2016: Roof timbers delivered
17th March 2016: Roof timbers started
22nd March 2016: Frame for cladding on bedroom 4 commenced
24th March 2016: Roof carpentry finished, fascia and eaves done, cladding complete.
29th March - 1st April 2016: Gas, water and electrical run in complete; external taps and most downpipes installed
4th April 2016: Gutters finished
6th April 2016: Roof tiles delivered
13th April 2016: Roof tiling commenced
14th April 2016: Roof tiling finished
15th April 2016: Intelligent homes cabling installation
18th April 2016: Intelligent homes back to move incorrectly placed phone point!
20th - 22nd April 2016: Grey float
28th April 2016: Ceilings commenced
30th April 2016: Ceiling boards install finish
2nd - 3rd May 2016: Plastering of ceilings, downpipes installed to front elevation, stormwater plumbing finalised, roof cover finalised
4th - 6th May 2016: Cornices installed
9th - 12th May 2016: White set
20th May 2016: Site clean
24th May 2016: Glazing, internal doors hung
25th May 2016: Shelving to robes and WIL installed, painting (shelving, eaves, prep for ceilings and doors to be sprayed)
26th May 2016: More painting, ceilings and doors sprayed, tiles delivered, LOCK UP!!
27th May 2016: Cabinets delivered and started to put in place, garage grano poured.
31st May 2016: Cabinet installation complete
1st - 3rd June 2016: More painting (meter box, eaves, first coat on elevation, lintels)
3rd June 2016: Tilers onsite laying screed to wet areas, brick work under cabinetry.
20th June 2016: Waterproofing complete, tiler meeting.
22nd June 2016: Stone bench tops finally installed! Along with sinks and basins. Tiling started.
2nd July 2016: Tiling complete, garage doors installed.
5th - 6th July 2016: Power points, lights, fans, exhaust fans and appliances installed. Taps, shower (bathroom), HWS, toilets and pedestal basin installed.
10th -13th July 2016: Painting finished - elevation, gloss coat to doors and frames, shelving, downpipes and spandrel end.
12th July 2016: Shower screens and bathroom mirror installed. Kitchen tap swapped out
14th - 15th July 2016: Boundary fences installed by developer's contractor.
19th July 2016: Insulation installed
2nd August 2016: Termite spray
3rd August 2016: final electrical completed
8th August 2016: house clean, fixing carpenter installed door handles, towel rails etc
9th August 2016: Flyscreens installed
10th August 2016: Silicone
17th August 2016: Pre handover inspection
23rd August 2016: Jason Windows out to fit flashing to stacker doors, adjust front door
26th August 2016: Key handover!!!
POST HANDOVER
27th August 2016: Painting begins (DIY)
PLAN:
We have a short but wide block which is fairly square, and has the rear living areas facing north. The small issue of our block's shape is that we were restricted to home designs no longer than about 22m (a huge number are 24m long). We also wanted a design with the alfresco on the same side as the garage to allow us to extend the garage without creating "dead space" behind it.
So now reduced to about 10% of all home designs to choose from, we fell in love with an old display of Dale Alcock's, the Amari.
As it now discontinued, and as we still made significant changes our design is a "special" which has given us lots of opportunity to tailor it to suit us
Our block:
Our floor plan:
ELEVATIONS:
I've nicknamed our house the "Manor" we're aiming for an overall classic Hampton's sort of look. Not too beachy though and with some french provincial, scandinavian and industrial touches thrown in. Industrial Colonial you might say.
Our front elevation is a mix of three Dale Alcock homes, the Wisteria (my all time favourite display home), the Santa Monica and the Long Island.
We have architectural moulding on all rendered walls with weatherboard cladding to the front bedroom.
We have 28 course eaves to the front verandah and garages, my hubby also added a t-bar above the garage doors.
Our colour scheme is cool greys with a dark tiled roof, and white window/door frames.
Elevations:
Exterior Colours:
Our external colours are:
Bricks: Hamelin 1c
Roof Cover: Monier Horizon Tiles Sambuca
Fascia and Gutters: Colourbond Night Sky
Main Render: Solver Dewkist
Moulding Render: Colourbond Shale Grey
Garage Doors and Cladding: Colourbond Surfmist
Window frames: White Lustre
Very much looking forward to following your build
You must be really looking forward to seeing everything start in a few months! Love everything about your floor plan especially LOVE your kitchen, it is huge! And how lovely having those two windows as your splashbacks. Love that sunken theatre too
Very nice design, looks like it works very well with your block
Thanks Jelbell,
The kitchen is my favourite part
The original Amari kitchen had the splash back window and the bench extended down to the laundry like ours is too, I loved that you could see part of the main kitchen from the living areas and then as you walk into it, it's like "wow hang on, it keeps going!"
The reasoning behind the enormity of the kitchen is that I have a high tea catering company, thus I need separate space from the main kitchen for business cooking.
My husband reckons he gets the space up to the wall between the two splash back windows, the rest is mine. (In reality I get all of it haha
) The walk in pantry is less of a pantry and more of a prep space, it has cupboards underneath with space for a bar fridge and on one wall open shelving similar to the old Stoneleigh display.
The double sink is at my end a) to keep mess sort of out of sight and b) most of my baking equipment needs hand washing. We kept the oven and hotplate provided by Dales but they are also going to install a Neff slide n hide wall oven for my baking.
I love the stretch of overhead cupboards over the long bench, the pantry/fridge wall and that we have stone bench tops everywhere - totally worth it!
Glad to see you back on the forum. You disappear for a while from your old thread.
The land title delay is kinda suck. On the up side, you already have a home to live in while waiting. Very big house and a lot of space for the kitchen. Love it!
Hooray you are back and I LOVE your plan - that kitchen is HUGE
I assume since you get the kitchen your hubbie has taken the garage??!!
Good to hear they are finally working on your stage - that has been a loooong delay. Looking forward to following your build
I got a real feel for your kitchen when you described it, it sounds like my dream kitchen
How great is it that it will work perfectly for your business too. Really looking forward to seeing it, it sure is going to be amazing
Glad to see you back on the forum. You disappear for a while from your old thread.
The land title delay is kinda suck. On the up side, you already have a home to live in while waiting. Very big house and a lot of space for the kitchen. Love it!
Hi Sofia,
Good to be back! We got the heebie jeebies about building with that other mob after hearing a few horror stories. So glad we decided to go with Dales, felt right from when we first went to their HQ to discuss with our sales lady.
We're actually renting now
We put our house on the market last year before we were told about the extended delay, we were hoping to be in by now, but on the bright side it gave us time to reconsider who to build with!
Our rental is still in the village, not far from your new house, but whoever built it had a phobia of power points and the kitchen is awful (and has one power point in the whole thing) it's going to make me appreciate the manor so much more
Hooray you are back and I LOVE your plan - that kitchen is HUGE
I assume since you get the kitchen your hubbie has taken the garage??!!
Good to hear they are finally working on your stage - that has been a loooong delay. Looking forward to following your build
Yep, finally seeing some action down there! Our block has had all it's retaining walls done and has been levelled. Still waiting for them to retain the blocks across the road. By the looks of it they are retaining everything in the release and will then start on the roads.
Hubby has definitely got the garage! He has a mowing business so needs room for the trailer, I think my wee car will get relegated to the single garage on the end!
I got a real feel for your kitchen when you described it, it sounds like my dream kitchen
How great is it that it will work perfectly for your business too. Really looking forward to seeing it, it sure is going to be amazing
I'll post some pictures of my colours for the kitchen soon jelbell, I just had a re-read through your thread and what good taste you have! We are using polar white sheen and marni lini too
UPGRADES and EXTRAS
I thought I'd post near the beginning some of the upgrades and extras we had put into our quote and at pre-start, I picked up a lot of tips from the forum for these, so time to give back
If anyone would like any prices, please PM me and I can oblige.
20mm Caesarstone benchtops to kitchen, WIP, laundry, ensuite and bathroom
31c plasterboard ceiling including cornice to alfresco
recessed ceiling to home theatre
recessed sill to stacker door to alfresco
1200mm glazed sentry front door
-2c sunken floor level to theatre
symphony cornice instead of standard cove cornice
manual roller door with t-bar above to rear of garage
wardrobe to study (with 4 melamine shelves rather than shelf and rail) however could be used as a 5th bedroom in future
wardrobe fit out to beds 3 & 4 (these will be our kids rooms and eliminates the need for separate drawer units)
increased height of windows/stacker door in living room to 28c
additional outdoor tap (3 in total)
Corinthian Atherton internal doors in lieu of redicote
Florence door handles
Arteor range of GPOs and light switches
300mm floor tiling in lieu of 200mm standard
mitred edges to tiling
raise bath to 600mm (instead of 500mm)
raise height of bath mixer to 1200mm (out of the way of kids)
recessed hob to ensuite vanity
nib wall to bathroom shower
full height tiling to ensuite shower recess
1000mm tiling to bathroom, ensuite, powder room and WC
full width mirror to bathroom
lower ensuite mirror to bench top level
bevelled edge mirrors
bank of 3 drawers to ensuite
bank of 2 wide drawers to laundry (to fit a $3 plastic washing basket in)
broom recess to WIL (with power point for stick vac)
raised tiling to laundry including washing machine recess
Love your plans! Can't wait to see it take shape! The wisteria is my favorite too!
My thread -
viewtopic.php?t=77170
Can't wait to see all your selections, sounds like we have very similar taste
I just love that marni lini too, very excited to see where you will be using it. Fantastic upgrades too. You have some really great ideas in there, the recessed sills and recessed ceiling will look great. Love what you have done with the laundry drawers too
On the bright side, u sold the house when the market was still hot. It is a bit flat or slightly down atm.
Hahah didn't know your previous selected builder is mob. I only hear horror story about freexxxx home. Not sure if I am allowed to spell it all out on the forum so u can fill in the blank.
Looking forward to see your selection.
On the bright side, u sold the house when the market was still hot. It is a bit flat or slightly down atm.
Hahah didn't know your previous selected builder is mob. I only hear horror story about freexxxx home. Not sure if I am allowed to spell it all out on the forum so u can fill in the blank.
Looking forward to see your selection.
I've noticed there's 2 free life homes (well bricks with a roof on) on Runnymede gate that have been stuck that way for months.
Really feel for everyone involved in that saga, how awful.
Marcia saved me some heartache, it was partly her thread that cemented our decision not to build with our previous selection. Even now I'm reading that people are having really long admin times with them. The thing I find crazy is that even with our massive delay on titles they weren't willing to go to pre start before our titles are issued. Meanwhile Dales did it months ago so as soon as our titles are issued our construction starts. Makes sense to the admin while we are sitting around waiting for the developer.
Wow! I love your plan, and that kitchen...amazing! My sister has a cake making business and I'm sure she would drool over your kitchen too!
Look forward to seeing your build commence
Hi Wellard2ndTimers, welcome to the gang! I've subscribed so I can follow along. If you have any questions feel free to ask
- Shannon
Love your kitchen, has some really great features and seems really well thought out with your high tea business.
Congrats for making the switch to DA
Loving the plan. Love that u are combining all those styles in ur house. We are going industrial/coastal/scandi. I just buy what i like and hope it goes together. So far those are my themes. Good luck with the build. Love ur kitchen
And ur house is huge.
STYLE INFLUENCES:
The style I'm aiming for in this home is a classic Hampton's influenced look; greys for the walls, cool toned oak flooring, bright white shutters and tall skirtings. Throw in some moroccan motifs, art deco shapes, and industrial fixtures and we're nearly there. I like upholstered beds, tables and cabinets that are raised up to create space underneath and lots of textured linens. I
copper! We are having caesarstone in Ocean Foam for all of our bench tops, balanced with wood grain laminates. I've collected some copper lamps, a raw wood side table; and for the kitchen, a few glass, ceramic, and acacia wood pieces. My husband is more into the industrial look so we are incorporating some edison bulb lighting. If you are familiar with Aerin Lauder (of the Estee Lauder family), she uses a lot of blues, vintage ginger jars and flowers to decorate - I just wish we had her budget!
Here are some photos I've saved that give you an idea:
From Oswald Homes, their Long Island Display:
From Pinterest (not sure of the source):
My favourite Dale Alcock home, the Wisteria:
And the Dale Alcock Long Island kitchen:
Love your style! The wisteria display is beautiful and I am sure your home is going to be just stunning with all these inspiration pics to help you out! I had wanted to go more this style when decorating but had to try and work around the furniture we already had and just get a few new pieces. But it's amazing by just changing a cushion or throw it can change up the style.
If you love this style you HAVE to check out the new Pottery Barn in the city. Went in my lunch hour on opening day Thursday - to die for!!!!!