Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Oct 09, 2008 2:35 pm Well we have finally signed the contracts with our builder. After spending the last two years searching every home display from the Upper Hunter to Sydney and in between we have decided to go with a small private builder from Maitland. We started the designing process late last year and although we have had quite a few hiccups on the way hopefully fingers crossed that the road ahead will be a lot smoother.
Our land is a little over 3600sqm in the centre of the Newcastle area and is pretty well flat. We are building a large family home and eventually the in-laws will also build a home just in front of us. Later down the track we will demolish the existing home at the very front of the property and build at least one home as a rental (or for my parents when they decide to downgrade from their Victorian two storey home) - possibly two depending on designs, finances etc. We wanted a home that would do us for the rest of our lives - are never planning on selling as it was the place where my FIL was raised from a small toddler and so has massive family ties. The home is 4 bedrooms with no formal areas as such. We have a home theatre for the grown-ups whilst the small kidlets have a large toy-room which I will be able to see from the living areas. Another huge must for us was an extremely large garage. We own a car yard and so always have a selection of motor vehicles at any one time - as well as his two Mustangs and ride on mower (or the tractor as Miss 3 calls it!!). DH also fell in love with ensuites for all bedrooms after his last couple of trips to the US and looking through display homes over there. <edit> This is the finalised plan - the only errors are that the windows across the front were changed from double hung back to sliding windows (cost cutting ). There will also be a bar installed near the powder room in the garage as well as a fireplace eventually in the living area - provisions have been allowed for. Front Elevation <edit> Rear Elevation <edit> All front windows will be Dowell Deco-Wood Aluminium in Western Red Cedar whilst all remaining windows will be black - as will the bi-folding / sliding doors. Roof tiles are Monier Traditional in Sambucca with gutters in Colourbond Night Sky (I think - is that the black?) Front doors are Hume stained Western Red Cedar as is the highlight over the door (posted photos in the Windows and Door forum last week) Garage doors at front are Steel-Line sectional in Decro Western Red Cedar with rear garage door being a roller door in a neutral colour like Sandbank. We are still yet to make a final decison on the bricks. Tossing up between a standard brick range - our builder has 10 different standard ranges which is making the decision process a little difficult - or alternatively Austral Colourbrick. It is down to either Austral Colourbrick in Florence or PGH Coastal Living in Estuary (then again also really like PGH Summervilla Vanilla). Hopefully plans will be lodged in Council next week with the builder estimating that they should be finished by April / May. Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 3Oct 09, 2008 2:50 pm Yep Paula - love the size of the walk-in as well. We are getting them to leave it empty and then will fit it out ourselves. Yesterday I told my DH that I envisaged a dressmaker's dummy in one corner with my wedding dress on display (really loved my wedding dress!! He told me whatever makes me happy to go ahead - as long as he has a chair to "drape" his clothes over in the robe he doesn't mind). Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 5Oct 09, 2008 2:53 pm Hi kyton,
love the floor plan, very spacious...and a spa in the middle of ur ensuite! ehhe flash! love love love the WIR! I'm os jealous of everyones WIRs!! hehe i like that u've named a room after me! (I pronounce my name "toy") hehehehe Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 7Oct 09, 2008 2:57 pm donuts Looks great kyton, what a nice big block. I like how the Toy Room is named exactly what it is Donuts - you couldn't get away any other description when there is a 1yr old and a 3yr old can you I am still amazed that we lasted twelve months in a 2 bedroom home - their toys seemed to have exploded into the four bedroom rental we are currently in!! Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 9Oct 09, 2008 3:09 pm SuH - Capital Homes are the builders - based in Maitland. Dealt mainly with one of the Directors alongside his daughter who is the sales manager. Now we are dealing with the Contracts Manager who is brilliant and absolutely thorough with everything. She took over the file yesterday and so far we have spent 2hrs together yesterday then another phone call and email today. Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 13Oct 09, 2008 6:33 pm Hey there. that's a great looking house. I look forward to watching it grow. Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 14Oct 09, 2008 6:56 pm Congrats on signing your contract, such exciting times.
I love your floorplan, FANTASTIC. I also love everyones ensuites, that will save so many fights over whos turn next in the shower . Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 16Oct 09, 2008 8:50 pm Thanks everyone. We are pretty pleased with the design. We spent an awful lot of time trying to come up with a design that suited our needs - not necessarily to everyone else's taste - but what we needed both now and in the future.
It is a big home - around 50sq but you do need to take into account that around 1/3 of that is the garage. With two kids both celebrating their birthdays during the winter months we decided that the garage would come in handy for lots of celebrations over the years to come. Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 17Oct 28, 2008 2:33 pm Well plans are now in Council - got there last Tuesday. Weren't sure how long until they started looking at them but today when we drove past there was a council inspector at the block walking around with his documents.
Then when we got to work we had a letter regarding our construction from the council - that's what happens when you own the home next door as well - asking if we had any issues / concerns regarding the construction of a new home. So will be interesting to see what happens next ......... Re: Our Family Home - CC Imminent. 20Nov 03, 2008 9:49 pm Laundry Photos:-
Cupboards to be used for storage - ignore the stuff on top and the benchtop - will be replaced by caesarstone following:- <edit> Caesarstone Benchtop - Duckweed <edit> Splash tiles (floor tile a chocolate colour) - tiles in powder room will match <edit> Hi everyone, Newbie renovator here, after some advice for combining our family room in the picture and the alfresco and make a larger family room. There is a flush sill… 0 4899 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 16287 of course there are legal avenues. You've already mentioned it. Sue them. I find it odd that lawyers wouldnt be willing to take on the case, given CCT evidence and… 1 23784 |