Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 23Apr 17, 2015 9:13 am Thanks for your comment d@n! ShannaLK I really like the floor plan also, the offset family room is definitely a plus. Thanks! That was definitely one of the selling points for us. Our concern with plans that have the family room & meals area as one big sort of room is that they will sort of blend into each other and it will be hard to separate them (ie: keep livingroom stuff out of the kitchen - surely we can't be the only one with this issue of stuff spreading! lol). ---------- Our CRC called yesterday about a few questions we had at our signing yesterday - we asked about the downlights (ie: are they halogen or LED) and if there are locks on the sliding glass doors (key locks). Turns out the downlights are halogen but gave us an option to upgrade to LED for only $240 (we only have 20 downlights) so we're going to do that. I was actually surprised we were able to upgrade something! lol Still no word on the sliding doors (assuming they have locks though?? It didn't say on our list of stuff so that's why we asked). We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 24Apr 24, 2015 10:10 pm So got word from our CRC that the sliding doors DO have keyed locks so that's good. There was some misunderstanding though, I think they thought we wanted sliding glass doors on the garage too? The wording on the variation report we got was confusing (and of course they said no to that request!). Also just got word tonight that all our finance stuff has been approved! *phew*! So now what's the next step? lol I guess we're just waiting on the land to title! I've spent a lot of today on pinterest looking at garden/landscape ideas. I would really love something low-maintenance in the front but I'm not a huge fan of a lot of the drought/xeriscaping stuff I've seen (I think it looks messy and I don't like the look of yards that are mostly rocks/pebble). Also a little concerned about whether we'll be able to fit a lawnmower down the sideway, we've got 1.2m and will have to squeeze past the hot water service. That will be the only way to get into the backyard from the garage/front unless we traipse through the house (which uh, yeah, not dragging the lawnmower through the house!). Anyway, if that's the case we really will have to go with no lawn in the front and put a small shed up in the back. We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 26Apr 27, 2015 1:52 pm Ru2014 Wow you guys got a tablet. Thats cool. Wish we got one! I wonder why it's just the Vic builds getting tablets & I wonder if Simonds will roll it out to other places? It is quite handy to have everything all in one place (I've put all our contracts/photos/etc on it)! My 3½ year old thinks it is hers though and always wants to play with it! We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 28May 01, 2015 2:23 pm I like low-maintenance backyard too! If I can I would like to put a large concrete flooring over there And put a basketball stand there. Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 29May 01, 2015 2:40 pm shara I like low-maintenance backyard too! If I can I would like to put a large concrete flooring over there And put a basketball stand there. haha One good thing with concrete is you don't have to mow it We'll probably do grass in the backyard with raised garden beds against the back fence. The plan will be to eventually put an alfresco or something in but we're waiting to do that. --------------- Just checked the My Simonds site and it says on our contract stage that it's 100% complete and was completed on 01.01.70... haha I wonder if that is 1970 or 2070? :-p We emailed the land developer and he's now saying June/July for titling. gahhhhhhhhh... I really want to know what still needs doing? Surely it's not THAT far off?? (first it was April/May, then May/June, now June/July). We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 30May 06, 2015 9:51 pm DF took a drive out to the land with his parents today and took this picture for me: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Our lot is just on the other side of the larger white ute. The fence is still up so they couldn't drive right down the street. It's good to see a bit of progress! We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 31May 09, 2015 2:32 pm Hi Megera, when will your land get title? Since the surrounding of your land is vacant, I think there will be less developer's restrictions than my house had. Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 32May 09, 2015 4:07 pm shara Hi Megera, when will your land get title? Since the surrounding of your land is vacant, I think there will be less developer's restrictions than my house had. We've heard all sorts of dates. First April/May, then May/June, and now June/July. So who knows? haha It is looking pretty close, isn't it? Hoping things title sooner rather than later (even though it's good saving up a bit of money beforehand), my mum is coming for a visit soon and I think she's keen to watch some of the build happen! We've basically got no developers restrictions, we emailed the real estate guy the other day and we don't need coloured concrete or render which is something most places need. Sounds like the only things are: we need to have our front landscaping done before we move in, need blinds on any front windows before we move in, and no fences to extend beyond front facade. We're actually in the back corner of an estate that has been there for quite a while (and in stage 6 of 7 in this pocket), so everything is already built up around us. We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 33May 10, 2015 5:27 pm I think it's great you're going 'Express' ... choosing is agonising. Great to see the development evolve. We took lots of photos and videos of our 'estate' when we bought the land when nothing was built. Now it's almost completely established. We're one of the last to build out of 100 lots. It's really quite surreal. Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 34May 10, 2015 9:54 pm TomCat I think it's great you're going 'Express' ... choosing is agonising. Great to see the development evolve. We took lots of photos and videos of our 'estate' when we bought the land when nothing was built. Now it's almost completely established. We're one of the last to build out of 100 lots. It's really quite surreal. I'm definitely glad we don't get the chance to choose a lot of things! As much as it would be nice to customise everything, it seems like a really overwhelming job (and an easy way to get a high bill at the end!)! It will definitely be interesting to look back at photos in a few years and see how different the street is! I'll be interested to see if our daughter remembers any of this early stuff when she gets older (she's 3½ now). Do you remember what sorts of things were done to your area right before things titled? I think our side of the street is done and they're working on finishing the other side & then waiting for the soil to settle a bit. I'm glad we bought when things were close to titling, I don't know if I could be patient if we had to watch things start from scratch (like the other estate we were looking at, it was still paddock!). We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 35May 10, 2015 11:08 pm Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 36May 11, 2015 7:47 pm TomCat I don't know about waiting for 'titling'. The roads and everything were already done when we bought the land. We didn't have to wait for any 'titling' or anything. We bought it in 2011 and were given the title then 2011... http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/MandyBarlow/IMG_2035_zpsp3pryajj.jpg It's lucky you found land that was ready to go! We looked at a couple places that were ready to go or nearly ready to go before we picked our current block. We're definitely happy with our decision but I'm impatient Great picture! What a difference a few years makes! We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 37May 20, 2015 6:36 pm Drove out to the land again today. I haven't been out in about a month and DF was out two weeks ago. Much of a muchness really... The only difference I noticed this time was that the street sign that was at the corner of our street is actually pointing in the correct direction this time, and all the people/vehicles were off to the left, hopefully finishing up the 3 lots in our stage that are over there. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ A bit of a zoomed in picture. Our crossover is on this side of the closest light post. We drove up and around the top of the estate where the previous stage is (which should've been titled a month ago) and all the fences are still up and you still can't drive in there. I thought that was strange. A few of the lots look like they've got their temp fences up and portaloos in so there should be some action up there soon. In other news we got a letter saying that our first home owners grant has been approved - yay! Back to waiting....! We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 38May 25, 2015 7:34 pm Hi everyone thanks for the great read. We have had a look at the rathdowne display in melton and love it too. We are currently saving hard for a deposit. i love the separate living area and heap of storage. Can I ask if anyone went with the low deposit option? 5k I think it's advertised? Cheers Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 39May 25, 2015 11:45 pm The new estate looks lovely Megara. It is interesting to keep taking photos and watch it transform. Oh and I think the same as you about the living areas being offset. I'm not fond of the kitchen/dining/lounge in a straight line. Too much like a football oval arrangement. A bit of separation is nice. Re: Simonds Express - Rathdowne - Western Melbourne 40Jun 19, 2015 1:38 am Any news on the titling yet megera? Anything new happen on the estate? Hello, we can help you please get in contact 0421019219 thank you 3 32655 Hi all, We are looking to build a new two storey house in western Sydney. Can anyone recommend a smallish builder to go with? We are trying to stay away from the big… 0 12715 I’m restoring all my 40yr old windows and I want to install seals around the casements. 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