Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 61Nov 18, 2014 7:15 pm Bummer KateTodd. I hear you about escalating costs and budgets... it's hard as I suspect any other builder will have a similar issue too (with regards to other unforseen costs) Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 62Nov 18, 2014 7:21 pm Hey, just reading your thread for the first time. Loving your colours and it all sounds very exciting! In regards to the cost, I can totally understand the stress. We played around with numbers and went back and forth with the bank discussing figures before we signed. One thing I will say from our experience so far, and make of it what you will, but the extra costs are probably going to be more than you currently think. We had lots of "allowances" for extra costs, but there have been even more little extra costs sneak in. Some of ours so far have included: - lighting (pendants, outdoor spotlights, upgrade to downlights etc), I haven't got quote back yet but am expecting it to be about $4-5k - plumbing - cash payment direct to plumber to allow two tempering valves for hot water system: $550 - air con guys - extra ducts in bathrooms to allow heating into bathroom: $360 - unexpected council levy: $3000 - electrical underground pit to connect power to block: $2-3k (waiting on final figure) - gas bayonet to alfresco for BBQ: $280 - fencing - window covering - letterbox?? - landscaping - clothesline? - extra noggins in to support hanging dryer and tv extra And that's just some of them! now, obviously some of them are totally optional and you don't have to get them. And some of them won't apply to your block/build or might already be included. But when we chose our builder and nutted out a lot of the costs, we thought we had included EVERYTHING. So many small things pop up that we have just figured it's better to go ahead and pay now as it will cost way more to get later. I guess I'm just saying, that I can totally relate to the stress you are going through. I've spent the past week sitting down with budget app calculators and bank statements trying to work out if we need to go back to the bank to extend our credit so don't dismiss that little nagging voice you in the back of your mind. If you are already absolutely stretched to the max of your budget (we are lucky in that the bank has said from the beginning we can borrow more if we need), then maybe you need to start looking at where you can cut costs now before you sign. I hope that's not unsolicited advice! As I said, make what you like of it, that could totally be just our experience and yours might be totally different. I won't be offended if you dismiss all of this! I look forward to continue to following your thread and build. You have lovely taste Our build thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=69984 If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 63Nov 18, 2014 9:36 pm In the 20k does it say cut and fill up to a meter? Because ours does? I would've hought that would cover a 400mm cross fall for sure! Unless the have to import or export fill rather than level cut and fill and using only what's on site? Maybe knock on your neighbours door and ask what their soil class is? There's some built houses nearby isn't there? Surely Sekisui can sneak on site and do a dark soul test. It takes 20 minutes! Ha!! Just noticed my auto correct. Too good to change. That's meant to be 'darn soil test' . Umm what else, oh yeah - did you include the driveway in your costings? Our house has come in at 320k and it looks the same as yours! :O Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 64Nov 19, 2014 6:19 pm Gosh i was in a sooky mood last night! Fortunately we do have the option to borrow more we were just hoping to keep it to 270k including flooring and I'm a little stress ball thinking about repayments and interest rate hikes! I guess an extra 10k here and there won't make much of a difference in the long run... Luckily there are some tradies in the family who will be helping out with the driveway and electrical so we have made allowances for this. cat_dunc In the 20k does it say cut and fill up to a meter? Because ours does? I would've thought that would cover a 400mm cross fall for sure! Unless the have to import or export fill rather than level cut and fill and using only what's on site? Maybe knock on your neighbours door and ask what their soil class is? There's some built houses nearby isn't there? Surely Sekisui can sneak on site and do a dark soul test. It takes 20 minutes! Ha!! Just noticed my auto correct. Too good to change. That's meant to be 'darn soil test' . Umm what else, oh yeah - did you include the driveway in your costings? Our house has come in at 320k and it looks the same as yours! :O Haha! I could probably jump the fence and help them out! It does say that. I've written an email to the SC to explain what it all actually means. Spoke to a few people who have built nearby soil tests ranged from M-H2. I also spoke to Mirvac who said to work off a H1 slab. I've let Sekisui know this and asked approx extra cost for this. CountryHome Hey, just reading your thread for the first time. Loving your colours and it all sounds very exciting! In regards to the cost, I can totally understand the stress. We played around with numbers and went back and forth with the bank discussing figures before we signed. One thing I will say from our experience so far, and make of it what you will, but the extra costs are probably going to be more than you currently think. We had lots of "allowances" for extra costs, but there have been even more little extra costs sneak in. Some of ours so far have included: - lighting (pendants, outdoor spotlights, upgrade to downlights etc), I haven't got quote back yet but am expecting it to be about $4-5k - plumbing - cash payment direct to plumber to allow two tempering valves for hot water system: $550 - air con guys - extra ducts in bathrooms to allow heating into bathroom: $360 - unexpected council levy: $3000 - electrical underground pit to connect power to block: $2-3k (waiting on final figure) - gas bayonet to alfresco for BBQ: $280 - fencing - window covering - letterbox?? - landscaping - clothesline? - extra noggins in to support hanging dryer and tv extra And that's just some of them! now, obviously some of them are totally optional and you don't have to get them. And some of them won't apply to your block/build or might already be included. But when we chose our builder and nutted out a lot of the costs, we thought we had included EVERYTHING. So many small things pop up that we have just figured it's better to go ahead and pay now as it will cost way more to get later. I guess I'm just saying, that I can totally relate to the stress you are going through. I've spent the past week sitting down with budget app calculators and bank statements trying to work out if we need to go back to the bank to extend our credit so don't dismiss that little nagging voice you in the back of your mind. If you are already absolutely stretched to the max of your budget (we are lucky in that the bank has said from the beginning we can borrow more if we need), then maybe you need to start looking at where you can cut costs now before you sign. I hope that's not unsolicited advice! As I said, make what you like of it, that could totally be just our experience and yours might be totally different. I won't be offended if you dismiss all of this! I look forward to continue to following your thread and build. You have lovely taste We love any advice we receive! I think we'll be having sheets as curtains for a while! I think we'll sit down and make a list of things to help us out and see if there is something we could do ourselves or go without. Now I've started thinking about air con. We decided against it...hopefully we don't melt in the summer heat. I'll be buying a blow up pool Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 65Nov 19, 2014 6:51 pm KateTodd I think we'll be having sheets as curtains for a while! I think we'll sit down and make a list of things to help us out and see if there is something we could do ourselves or go without. I'll join the club but will be using the IKEA temp curtains http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/40242281/ Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 66Nov 19, 2014 6:57 pm Be as sooky as you like!! It's your thread and money worries are such a huge stressor! It sounds like you'll do ok if you are able to reborrow if you need and are willing to make sacrifices. With two young kids, I'm a bit apprehensive about the temporary curtains and with two dogs I feel,like we will need fences sorted ASAP. So that's been a lot of my worry lately. It is such a daunting concept to be in so much debt. We've been working hard to pay off our current house and business loans and are nearly there and now about to start all over again! It's frightening! Our build thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=69984 If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 68Dec 04, 2014 5:32 pm I'm feeling refreshed after not thinking about the house for a week! We'll be heading to the sales office on Saturday to sign contracts eeek! We're getting a quote on white glass sliding robe doors and that's pretty much it now. No other changes from our previous plans. We looked at a few of the new Sekisui designs but nothing stands out to us like the Clareville does. No idea why we're so drawn to it..I think the structural changes we did gave it a personal touch and we can just see ourselves living in it and nothing else at the moment. Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 69Dec 04, 2014 6:32 pm Good luck with the contract signing. Did you get a soft copy to check first? It's good news that you like the Clareville still otherwise you have to go through the same process Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 70Dec 04, 2014 6:43 pm Yes we did. Not the most exciting bed time reading! Ugh I couldn't imagine going through everything again. Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville 71Dec 06, 2014 1:52 pm Contracts are signed! Can't wait to start the actual build. Fingers crossed for a February start Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Contracts Signed! 72Dec 07, 2014 8:17 am KateTodd Contracts are signed! Can't wait to start the actual build. Fingers crossed for a February start Fantastic! Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Contracts Signed! 73Dec 09, 2014 7:29 am Starting to question my internal pain colours I'm happy with Soothe for the walls but I think i want to change the skirting and doors to Minimalist (which is what the other half originally wanted but i over ruled him ) Pale Mushroom is beginning to look a bit to creamy for the look I'm after. Hope we can change it! Internal colours are so hard...keeping me awake at night Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Contracts Signed! 74Dec 10, 2014 6:09 pm Emailed the colour consultant to change our skirting/door colour to Minimalist. Fingers crossed we are able to change and hope it looks okay with Soothe. Have to remind myself it's only paint and we can change it if it looks horrible Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Contracts Signed! 75Dec 10, 2014 7:47 pm Argh, it's so hard, isn't it? I keep wondering if I'll like mine too. But I went with the same as in the display home, with many other similar features and similar (slightly darker) floors so that's what is stopping me from changing my mind. Our build thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=69984 If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Contracts Signed! 76Jan 06, 2015 3:34 pm Happy new year everyone! I hope you all had a lovely break! Land is still not registered but is on track for sometime this month! Today we were notified of our street number...26! Starting to feel more real now Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Contracts Signed! 78Jan 06, 2015 5:01 pm KateTodd Happy new year everyone! I hope you all had a lovely break! Land is still not registered but is on track for sometime this month! Today we were notified of our street number...26! Starting to feel more real now Congrats!! We use to live in a 26 and it's is a very lovely number. Very auspicious in Chinese too (Chinese people are super suspicious about numbers) Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Contracts Signed! 79Jan 06, 2015 5:17 pm The whole address has a nice ring to it. I started writing it over all my work today when i found out. According to the sales lady the land is with the council Re: Our first home - Sekisui Clareville - Poo bum! 80Jan 27, 2015 4:15 pm Got a letter in the mail today from Mirvac to say land is now expected to be registered in March...! First it was November, then definitely by Christmas, then early January...NOW MARCH! They're blaming Ausgrid and complying with the council requirements now. Wouldn't have thought that would be so hard. Just do what the council wants. Not like there weren't 7 stages before us!! Ahh feels better to vent. Soak wells and electrical run in happening this week! Summit has told me they will relocate the laundry plumbing after the walls are completed. I'm actually pretty happy… 13 36999 Cant give recommendations in general with that builder, but during the colour selection, this is honestly personal preference. Depends on the style you want. Do you want… 1 694 We already paid for somfy motors for the blinds. The quote above was purely for “pre-wiring” so the blinds company can install the motors and blinds. That’s why we… 5 18450 |