Clarendon Boston 36, hamptons brick facade

Hi All,

My name is Robert, my wife and I live in the shire, NSW and am building the Boston 36 on a 14.3m by 40.23m block. Have just paid $1450 Step 1, The site inspection in our KDR project.
This is our first time building, we just found out my wife is pregnant so i'm ready for the most stressful next 2 years of my life as I can be. I'd love any tips, thoughts and feedback from anyone.

Here is our quote

• base price $429,850
• Hamptons Facade $42,150 (extra $10k to have all of upstairs bricked up in lieu of cladding)
• Additional site costs: $67,000
• grand alfresco with rear balcony option: $53,484
• Hebel Power floor $28,000
• Stair upgrade: $16,306
• extend length garage by 1080mm $18,000
• Provisional Allowance for tiles: $18,000
• double glazed windows provision: $15,000
• Provisional Allowance for electronics: $15,000
• extend theater room linen and guest room width by 480mm $6,000
• butlers pantry options: $5,329
• 2750 ceiling upgrade from 2600 in lieu of promotion, inlcuding all door height increase $5,319
• upstairs height extension 2600mm, including extended door heights $4,584
• because I live in the shire $4,000 (this was my favourite item in the quote)
• Full height tiling to wet areas: $3,882
• shower in powder room $3,050
• Terracotta roof tile promotion $2,950
• soundbreak acoustic glasswool batts to all rooms and theater room $2,500
• 2 x recessed tracks into slab to alfresco: $2,200
• acoustic plasterboard for bedrooms/theater $1,500

a couple of other bits and pieces:
total is $720 607

I am most likely going to get a credit back for the floors and get it done post handover but i'm not sure at this point, it depends on the selections they have in their builders range and the upgrade price it takes for my wife to be happy with the tile.

I will come back and update this with my blog and share some photos as I advance a bit through the stages.
Cheers,
-Rob

Hi Robert ,

Nice Upgrades , but are you really going to spend 700 K on 36 square house ?

Hi Saminamin,

It is very expensive, I agree. There are $67k in site costs because the site falls to the rear. I am also spending 50k in sound insulation which doesn't help, but I'm very sensitive to noise. May I ask how much your bridgetown 43 is costing?

Hi Robert ,

My bridtown is costing around 525k. But ofcourse i dont have the luxury upgrades as yours.

You are spending alot of money , i pray that all turns out as you are expecting.

My god Robert, you seem to be loaded with that upgrades. Congrats though

thank you rcj and saminamin

I think you’ll need a provisional allowance of approx 20k for your kitchen, it seems you have upgraded the facade to hamptons, assume you’ll want a hamptons kitchen,
Shaker doors are the most expensive, add in a nice stone and you’ll probably want to upgrade your appliances too.

thanks gogo65. We will ugprade the stone but probably leave the doors, we have access to a cabinet maker in the family

Hi Robert,
My name is Cameron and my wife are also doing a knock down rebuild Boston 36 with Hamptons facade. We also have a 5 month old son we are on a similar journey!

We are planning a number of upgrades but what has been frustrating with Clarendon is whenever we ask "how much will X cost?" The only reply is "you will find out in your Colours appointment after you sign your contract."

One of the big upgrades we want is wood flooring. You mentioned you are doing the floor after handover? Is this common? How are you planning to manage that with everything else being installed too?

Also, I am so glad to see the rough costs for all the acoustics in your build! I have been asking about that since day 1 and all they keep telling me is "you don't need that" or "you'll find out in colour selection." I too have a thing about noise! Lol

Cheers

Hey Rob,

Thanks for your shared information. It's great and so helpful. Our land is very similar to yours. It falls to the rear about 1000mm and to right about 1000mm as well. We need to find an easement to connect to as the water can't flow into street. The engineer from council has suggested either we need to pay to get easement from neighbour whose site is lower than ours, or we need to use absorption trench which is cost as well. Might I know what is your stormwater design by Clarendon?

Cheers

Tiger

Following. Looking forward to seeing your build

Hi Robert,
We've just bought a KDR home in the Shire and looking at a Bronte design from Clarendon (we don't need a huge house). I was wondering how much of a slope to your block there is for the 67k in site costs, ours is relatively flat maybe 3/4m fall right to left. We have issues with ours being a corner block and Council requirements for that. Hoping to get it through without too much hassle. Maybe the COVID issue will push Councils to be a bit more lenient to get construction happening.
Do you have any concerns about building during this period? Were you able to get any discounts/upgrades as I assume there are people pulling out from building due to the uncertainty around at the moment and builders might be keen to get business.
Anyway good luck with your build I look forward to seeing the progression.

I could be wrong Tiger but have you had your land surveyed? does not matter if the easement is not on your block or not. If it is in your neighbour's property then you have the right to access it. The neighbour wont be happy but technically you have the right. Hope the access point is up against the fence line then it's less messy but ultimately I would recommend to have your block surveyed then have a chat with your council then neighbour. Once all that done ..... have a plumber check if the easement is still in good conditions to service your block.

Have you changed their plans? Because default plans they have on their site are just awful and a very good example of how not to design houses.

Hi Robert,
Can they do underfloor heating?
I am looking at The Boston range as well with similar add ons.
Thx

Rob, any updates on your status/progress? And with the baby?!

I'm also interested, I was looking at a Boston 42. But after seeing the cost blow out for this build I'm crapping myself what a 42 would cost!

Hi Robert,

Any updates on this? We were looking at building a Boston 36 but due to an existing pool we are now looking to have to go to a 42 as its wider but not as deep as the 36. Anyways, would like to hear and see how a fellow Shire hobbit's Clarendon Boston home is going?