The CARLISLE HOMES & SPECTRA General Information Thread

Tramsok · Jul 08, 2011 9:57 pm

Hi everyone,

Is anyone here building in the Mirvac Harcrest Estate in Wantirna South? Our land finally titled in June and we settled last week. CH did their soil tests and came back with a whopping 29K! Way more than I had expected. From people's experience, what options do I have if I believe the site costs are way too high? How would I get a 2nd opinion?

We budgeted for around $20K (worst case scenario), but this is a lot more than I expected. Do we approach another builder and ask them to quote on their site costs, knowing our intentions may not be to build with them?

Here are the break down of costs
$ 8,098 to cut (800mm) and fill (400mm)
$ 8,729 for retaining walls on rear and side of property.
$ 3,600 for rock removal
$ 7,492 for bored concrete piers to the Waffle Slab
$ 462 Provide additional steel reinforcement to slab

Has anyone been in a similar situation and protested with CH on site costs? And did they budge or alter the site costs if you managed to get a 2nd opinion? Trying to find out what other people in my estate are paying for site costs and seeing if it is a similar cost. The main issue is that a majority of ppl in my estate are building with PD which fixed their site costs since last year even before the land was titled. I have no idea how PD would be able to cover this

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks

Tramsok

tstr1a · Jul 08, 2011 10:16 pm

Tramsok

Hi everyone,

Is anyone here building in the Mirvac Harcrest Estate in Wantirna South? Our land finally titled in June and we settled last week. CH did their soil tests and came back with a whopping 29K! Way more than I had expected. From people's experience, what options do I have if I believe the site costs are way too high? How would I get a 2nd opinion?

We budgeted for around $20K (worst case scenario), but this is a lot more than I expected. Do we approach another builder and ask them to quote on their site costs, knowing our intentions may not be to build with them?

Here are the break down of costs
$ 8,098 to cut (800mm) and fill (400mm)
$ 8,729 for retaining walls on rear and side of property.
$ 3,600 for rock removal
$ 7,492 for bored concrete piers to the Waffle Slab
$ 462 Provide additional steel reinforcement to slab

Has anyone been in a similar situation and protested with CH on site costs? And did they budge or alter the site costs if you managed to get a 2nd opinion? Trying to find out what other people in my estate are paying for site costs and seeing if it is a similar cost. The main issue is that a majority of ppl in my estate are building with PD which fixed their site costs since last year even before the land was titled. I have no idea how PD would be able to cover this

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks

Tramsok

Wow $29k that's a lot. Porter Davis promo cover the first $10k. Try them

But if u like CH then pay the money

Madison27AA · Jul 08, 2011 11:31 pm

I wud be very careful about PDs scheme even with 10 k included some of the their quotes have still exceeded 20 K. They are known to get u in some way or the other. We were also considering PD and with 10k saving they are still charging 15 k ... Little more than what we paid at Carlisle. having said that do take a second opinion. Maybe post this as a seperate thread to attract more responses.

*MrsG* · Jul 09, 2011 2:40 am

Look, it's the foundation for your home. Protest all you want, but they cannot change it.
If they were to amend the method your lovely home would be laden with cracks and would look horrible.
You have a dud block for building. Its not their fault. our site costs were 35k but we don't have one single crack almost a year on, which is remarkable for a double storey.
I wouldn't build with porter Davis again, they were atrocious to deal with. CH are not much better, from our experience, but their plans are lovely. For me, that was what it came down to.

Shell_Shell · Jul 09, 2011 8:52 am

Site cost can be scary! Our site cost came in at 24k for a benched block, so our block was already cut to flat. The way i see it it is the foundations we were lucky i have a relative who is the the building industry and knows how to read the soil reports. He had that Carlisle was doing the best thing for our block, 41 screw piers later and a H class waffle slab with reinforcements. We also need a retaining but because it is not near the house we need to do that after hand over, so this was not included in our sites. Good Luck and i hope all works out for you.

yamanoj · Jul 10, 2011 8:41 pm

My site costs are again around 23k. Mainly because soil conditions (piers + hclass +r ock removal + cut and fill - 400mm/200mm). But who wants cracks at the end of the day. I am not sure what other builders do. However, so far I havent heard about major cracks with CHs. But it is lots of money :th:

Tramsok · Jul 10, 2011 11:21 pm

Thanks for the replies everyone. Doesn't seem like there is much I can do in regards to getting a 2nd opinion. I've got my tender appointment tomorrow, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Madison27AA · Jul 10, 2011 11:24 pm

Goodluck for the tender...

Shell_Shell · Jul 11, 2011 8:57 am

Good luck with your tender. ::smile::

myhome83 · Jul 11, 2011 11:04 am

Site Classification: m class site
Final Footing Design: Waffle slab
House Size: 31 sq. including garage and decks
Location: ferntree gully
Wall Construction: Double storey
Cut and Fill Requirements: Yes - there is a 3.9 m slope from back to front but not more than 1 mrr where the house will be built
Retaining Wall Requirements: Yes
Drainage Requirements: ?
Special Requirements: ?
Cost: 92000

Do you think is cost is realistic

tstr1a · Jul 11, 2011 11:09 am

myhome83

Site Classification: m class site
Final Footing Design: Waffle slab
House Size: 31 sq. including garage and decks
Location: ferntree gully
Wall Construction: Double storey
Cut and Fill Requirements: Yes - there is a 3.9 m slope from back to front but not more than 1 mrr where the house will be built
Retaining Wall Requirements: Yes
Drainage Requirements: ?
Special Requirements: ?
Cost: 92000

Do you think is cost is realistic

OMG.... WTF are you serious.

What are they planning to do?

Personally I would sell the block.

myhome83 · Jul 11, 2011 11:19 am

hahaha no the location of the block is amazing and thsi was the price given by a customised builder not a bulk builder like burbank or porter davis ... so have submitted the report to burbank for an estimate .. hope that it comes down... the land is 55 metrs long and 15 mtrs wide... it has a 3 mtre height in front and then a 1 mtre height at teh extreme end.. but where the house will be built which is 18 metres in teh centre is flat .. assuming that they will require some cut and filling and retainign waals , it should not be more than 30k by any means .... but this builder has given me 92k so I feel they do not draw contours to find teh slope but simply calculate the slope from start to end and then give an estimate...

tstr1a · Jul 11, 2011 11:22 am

myhome83

hahaha no the location of the block is amazing and thsi was the price given by a customised builder not a bulk builder like burbank or porter davis ... so have submitted the report to burbank for an estimate .. hope that it comes down... the land is 55 metrs long and 15 mtrs wide... it has a 3 mtre height in front and then a 1 mtre height at teh extreme end.. but where the house will be built which is 18 metres in teh centre is flat .. assuming that they will require some cut and filling and retainign waals , it should not be more than 30k by any means .... but this builder has given me 92k so I feel they do not draw contours to find teh slope but simply calculate the slope from start to end and then give an estimate...

Where about is your land located? Sounds like you will have lovely views.

myhome83 · Jul 11, 2011 11:24 am

its in ferntree gully right on the burwwod hwy will public transport at door steps and beatiful dandenong ranges view at 2 sides of the house... want to live there as I woirk in the east and its very convenient// but waiting for the site cost...

tstr1a · Jul 11, 2011 11:30 am

Sounds lovely. Sometimes it’s worth paying for site cost if it means that you have a view.

myhome83 · Jul 11, 2011 11:37 am

I'm suspicious about the cost given as I have seen houses with a very steep slope of over 5 metres but still teh site cost is 30-40k

Tramsok · Jul 14, 2011 11:57 am

Hi everyone,

I was just asking about who installs the front tap on a new block of land. The developer thinks it is the builder, so I asked CH and they say it is the water company (i.e. South East Water). Can anyone confirm this? I just want to make sure the tap location isn't in front of our entrance or anything like that

Thanks in advance

Tramsok

tstr1a · Jul 14, 2011 12:02 pm

Tramsok

Hi everyone,

I was just asking about who installs the front tap on a new block of land. The developer thinks it is the builder, so I asked CH and they say it is the water company (i.e. South East Water). Can anyone confirm this? I just want to make sure the tap location isn't in front of our entrance or anything like that

Thanks in advance

Tramsok

SE Water installs the tap and they also chose the location. Ask you CSCto find out the location from SE Water. If you want to move it SE Water will charge you about $560 +.

CH don’t really command the location, they just organise for the tap to be installed.

I was told that if you want to relocate the tap after installation it will cost you $2000.

myhome83 · Jul 14, 2011 4:08 pm

what is the price per day for traffic management if you are building on the main road?

MmmmBalf · Jul 14, 2011 5:42 pm

Hi all. My wife & I have just joined the Carlisle family! We've paid our $1000 deposit and are building the Atlantique 36. We've modified the plan a bit to a butlers pantry option - the butlers pantry goes in behind the kitchen taking up part of what was the lounge. The reduced size lounge becomes a study instead. The existing WIP becomes a WIR for bedroom 2. I'll post a scan of the modification later if anyone's interested.

We've also modified the master bedroom layout to be as it's displayed at Keysborough, without the robe behind the bed. Some other changes or additions we made were :- upgrading to refrigerated cooling, adding a rainwater tank plumbed to the 3 toilets & extending the garage to include a rear roller door.

Can't wait to get to Spectra!

Although knowing my wife & I, I'm dreading the upgrade costs, lol.

Michael