Gees holes with air have gotten expensive
Got our plans back came under budget so have added a few more things ! Oh & Summit have a deal for free upgrade to quartz stone kitchen benches for this month!
Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Welcome to WA ! 52Nov 26, 2008 7:53 pm kexkez hey ampy how is your house build going? Sorry, bit of a delayed response Very well, we reached lockup about a week ago or so, our bathroom cabinets and kitchen were installed on Monday, our tiles have been delivered too Photos of kitchen (no the benches aren't green ) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Welcome to WA ! 54Nov 28, 2008 11:19 pm Hello all!
We're building in Settlers Hill, Baldivis. It's our second build, the first being just up the road in Secret Harbour. We sold that in July 07 (luckily, just in time for the prices to come down... but it's all relative, isn't it!) Building with Scott Park, we've been at lockup for about 4 or 6 weeks. We've got a kitchen (minus the appliances), ceramic tiling, feature stone for the front... still waiting on the painter to finish everything, downlights to be installed (eco-downlights, suitable for use with CFL blubs), door handles to be put on, splashbacks, garage doors, paving, hot water system... lots of little things. I'm thinking we'll be lucky if we got the keys by end of Jan with the builder breaking up for Xmas. Feb will be hectic with flooring, blinds, painting etc. Currently trying to get quotes for flooring and blinds. We want solid timber but are nervous about finding a reputable supplier and installer. Anyone had any experience with this (good or bad??). Same for blinds... noone seems to have a good word to say about the big boys in window treatments! Any recommendations?? Can't wait to move into our new place! It's so exciting, I love building despite all the stresses it brings! Building the Grand Harmony Triple with Scott Park Homes Re: Welcome to WA ! 55Nov 29, 2008 8:25 am HI starlet I hope you can post some photos as we love looking at pics here. We considered building the Grand Banksia with SPH when our first builder choice wasn't available.. Unfortunately SPH also decided to stop building here at the same time due to some new council regulations. Re: Welcome to WA ! 56Nov 30, 2008 8:07 am Hi Starlet! How exciting! Maybe put up a thread about solid timber floor experiences.....
We are still having problems trying to narrow down builders at the moment..... How did you all decide on a builder? Re: Welcome to WA ! 57Nov 30, 2008 9:57 am Mrs Smith for us it was fairly easy.
I had a pretty good idea of what we were looking for. I checked into all the builders who I thought would build where we wanted to live. Narrowed it down to the design that was closest to what we wanted and then checked to see what the reviews of them were like. HOWEVER it then got complicated as they had decided not to build here. Builder choice became extremely restricted. We nearly took the plunge and went to a small private builder but not knowing anyone down here to ask we didn't want to take the risk in the end so stuck with the only bulk builder still building here. Last time we built 20 years ago the process was pretty much the same as we started with this time. We'd spent a few years wandering through display homes on a casual basis working out what we liked and didn't like. Had bought an established home because we couldn't afford to build. Then when we did want to build we were lucky that there wasn't the issue of block size to worry about. 20 years ago pretty much any standard house would fit on any block. So we looked for a house design then block. Builders reputation came into it. We actually loved 2 designs and couldn't decide which one to go with. The one we loved the most was with a builder with a horrendous reputation. So we actually ended up going to a small private builder with our design ideas. He was recommended to us by a work friend who had used him twice and knew of several others who had built with him and we were able to walk through several homes he was building at the time to see the finish and workmanship of his hand picked tradies. In the meantime going with a private builder was going to increase the price of the build by about 1/5th and took our first building design out of reach. So we ended up with a plan that was pretty similar to our 2nd choice of design. A slightly simpler house but which didn't break the budget. I guess in hindsight we could have gone back to the project builder for it but by that stage we were happy to pay the extra for a quality build. And we did get a quality build with fantastic tradies( except the plumber) and built in exceptionally quick time for what was a peak building time. Funnily enough the people who built behind us ended up building the house we'd originally wanted to build, with the original builder. They manged to get their house finished though not well and that particular builder went bankrupt a few months later. phew I remember the first time I visited my neighbours and discovered the house. Recognising it immediately as it had been my favourite for quite a few years. In your situation you already have the block so that just helps cut down the pile of homes you might have to choose from. Depending on block size of course. These days if I was starting out I'd still be checking the builders reputation. Make a list of the things you really want-need in your design. It could be layout, size or number of rooms or orientation. Prioritize. What are you not prepared to compromise on.? Then add a list of the "would likes" And our new house? It's pretty much similar to the house we actually built last time with a few minor adjustments and some bigger rooms. With a few embellishments because we can afford them now. Though not everything I'd/we'd like. The few bug bears from the last house having been removed. It's the "tweaked" version. It's just taken us 20 years to do it. The kitchen is very much an 80's style kitchen. Minus the feature brick walls we had last time. I do like the look of the modern open kitchens but I don't want one. it's not for me and I know I would have gotten very grumpy over it within a year. We are renting a house with a breakfast counter /open bench top and while it has it's bonuses I would hate to live with it for a long period of time. The layout is very similar. We could have gone for something very different but we weren't building to change house, more to change location and our old house suited us very well. Re: Welcome to WA ! 58Nov 30, 2008 10:56 am kexkez In your situation you already have the block so that just helps cut down the pile of homes you might have to choose from. Depending on block size of course. These days if I was starting out I'd still be checking the builders reputation. Make a list of the things you really want-need in your design. It could be layout, size or number of rooms or orientation. Prioritize. What are you not prepared to compromise on.? Then add a list of the "would likes" That's half the problem - we have a block that can fit any shaped house, so we can't narrow it down as well. And we've narrowed down builders by what we really want in the design, and they all are flexible with the 'would likes' so we can't even narrow that down further.... The houses are all slightly different in their own aspects, but they all meet what we want.... The people we have been dealing with from the companies have been fantastic and any change has been very flexible. And it's hard to work out reputation as I'm struggling to find anything on their reputation..... If I could get some information on that, it would definitely help make the decision. Re: Welcome to WA ! 59Nov 30, 2008 11:30 am mrs_smith Well if they can all do what you want. it's time to start nit picking or find the one with the most helpful consultant. someone you feel comfortable with. That you "think" will go to some trouble for you if needed.
1) any "bads" for any of the builders? 2) does one build come in less than the others? 3) have you been able to visit displays, or real builds for people being currently done? Even the standard display home builders can usually point you in the direction of a part built house. 4) time to rate the plans. 1 point on for pluses one off for minuses. 5)anyone offering extra bonuses? fixed site works? etc etc 6) are their standard tiles and fittings better for one builder than another. what might be standard in one might not be in another. Or their choice of tiles etc might be limited and so you paid through the nose for nicer ones where as another builder might have tiles in their standard range you like. You could ask who they get tiles through and go and check out the tiles for the allowance. if you really can't pick any other way at least you know if you will have to pay more because one builders range of choices is crappier than another builders. 6) just because they are "all flexible with the 'would likes' " doesn't mean they won't charge you an arm and a leg to do it. One might charge less for somethings and that could be the difference. Re: Welcome to WA ! 60Nov 30, 2008 12:31 pm mrs_smith Hi Starlet! How exciting! Maybe put up a thread about solid timber floor experiences..... We are still having problems trying to narrow down builders at the moment..... How did you all decide on a builder? Hi mrs smith ... good idea I might post a thread asking for horror stories and recommendations. As far as narrowing down our builder, we were always keen to go with a major 'display home' type builder for the stability that provides. We're not ballsy enough to go with a small builder. We'd built before with a BGC-owned company and it was awful. It was in the peak building time though, but it moved at a snails pace... houses were flying up around ours in the same area and overtaking us. We signed in August 04 and didn't move in until March 06. Workmanship wasn't exactly top-notch either. SO we knew that we didn't want another BGC-owned builder. That left plenty to choose from still. So how to narrow it down? We wanted someone with an excellent reputation, particularly for customer service. But first and foremost we wanted a house that was going to work for us. So we started going through the displays around Perth. We put together some criteria we needed the house to fulfill that match how we live in our home. Things like, my husband needs a workshop and the block won't really fit one... so we needed a triple garage. We wanted the Master Bedroom at the back of the house, but the theatre room at the opposite end of the house as my husband is a shiftworker. Nice ensuite. Study. Double door entry. Those sorts of things. Once you have your criteria it's alot easier to pick the ones that work for you. I really loved the feel of some houses we saw, but they just weren't going to work for us and the way we live our lives. Our first discussions were with Scott Park Homes as I'd heard some really good things about them from friends who'd built with them in the peak time. But none of the designs at the time really suited how "we" wanted to live in our house. Found a beautiful home with Dale Alcock Homes and signed up, as they had the guaranteed build time (7 mths I think) and a really good reputation. We went through seven excruciating months (they were bloody awful with following instructions, we had a heap of changes we wanted to make to the design and I think we had to get the sketches done 3 times... not because we were changing our minds! ), all for it stuff up at the 11th hr - some restrictive convenents on our particular block meant a house that size was never going to get approved by Shire. We were fuming... 7 mths rent down the tube all because the drafting department didn't check the convenents on the title that we provided them with on day 1. One person doesn't do their job right and that's 1000's in rent wasted. They wanted us to renegotiate but there was no way I was going to do that process all over again with them after what they'd put us through. We were released from contract. It's a surreal experience to think you're going to have a slab down within a month, to being back to a blank slate. Extra bonus - we got this news via email whilst on our honeymoon in New Zealand. That was a fun phone call from a phone box at the base of Fox Glacier!! So. We went back to Scott Park who had released a new design, which was EXACTLY what we had been after the first time we spoke to them. We signed up within days, made a few tweaks and were on our way. It's been pretty much smooth sailing all the way. Minor hiccup at Shire, but nothing we couldn't work through. They've delivered what the promise every step of the way so far which is all we ask. Can't deliver? Don't promise. Maybe you could post who you were thinking of and see if anyone's had any horrendous experiences with them? I guess all builders probably have bad runs with some customers.. but if you get a tonne of feedback saying NO DON'T DO IT for one in particular then you could cross them off? I'll post some piccies too! Building the Grand Harmony Triple with Scott Park Homes Tradie may sit at home but will need to get house plastered as well or will you sit it out? 6 9971 |