Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 13, 2024 6:13 pm Hey everyone!
After lurking here for a long time and reading some amazing build journeys, I decided to document my own build to offer a blow by blow of building in Perth in the (hopefully) post covid crazy building era. With help from a friend who is in the business, I settled on a custom designed home by Summit Developments to fit a long triangular block just 200m from the swan river. My goal was to maximise liveable spaces and have room to grow into the house, while making the most of parkland views and creating some really unique spaces. A lot to ask on such a complex block! The block is 400sqm and has a lane to one side which I will utilise for garage access, allowing for the front or side yard (depending how you look at it) to be the main outdoor space. It's been 9 months since signing the PPA and I finally have a building permit. I expect that we should be on site before the end of the month. I have been told to expect a 12-14 month build time which is quite lengthy. I'm hoping for less, though the admin stage has been easily 3 months over my expectation so far. I'm really looking forward to landscaping when it's all finished. I'm planning on a reflection pond and dense Japanese garden off the activity and a pergola over the courtyard with a climber over it to bring in more greenery. I'm really looking forward to getting started and seeing this come to life! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home 2Mar 20, 2024 4:50 pm So a quick update. I have a water meter! Still no site start letter but I have been promised before the end of the month. I was hoping for a slab before easter so there was plenty of down time to let it cure. But we will see... Below are a few tile and cabinet selections. Going for white cabinets with a charcoal island bench. Qstone Bianco antico bench tops and a light green splashback. All floors throughout will be Tassie oak hybrid so I think the light kitchen should look nice against the floors. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ For the bathrooms I have kept a similar theme, though I opted for elegant oak on the cabinets with Venato grey benchtops. Again, all white wall tiles and a grey floor tile. I'm hoping it will look semi industrial but not too sterile. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ A nice look at my patch of dirt (excuse the pile of rubble from my neighbour's build!!) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 4Mar 25, 2024 2:45 pm Thanks NativeZen! I can't wait to start landscaping, though it's going to be a while away yet. No movement on site yet as of the weekend. Hoping to see some earthworks this week before the Easter break. I'm not sure how long it will be from earthworks to slab down these days. Hopefully not too long! Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 5Apr 02, 2024 5:00 pm A quick update, we didn't have site start before Easter. Summit can't seem to give me a day when they are scheduled to begin, so I'm left with a vague "within 10-20 business days" to expect some movement. I'm hoping they get moving soon while we still have decent weather, otherwise I'm sure the rain in winter is going to delay the brickwork! Hopefully I get some good news this week. I'm remaining optimistic that things will move along more quickly once building has started. Here's a breakdown of timeline for anyone who is interested. Signed PPA - 16/07/23 Council approval - 03/11/23 Contract signed - 13/12/23 Prestart - 05/01/24 Final plans and docs completed - 08/02/24 Building permit - 12/03/24 Water meter - 16/03/24 Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 6Apr 19, 2024 6:42 pm So it looks like we finally have some movement on site! Definitely later than expected, but I'll take any progress at this point. I'll drop by over the weekend to get some pics. Hopefully a slab by the end of the month! Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 9May 01, 2024 6:56 pm So still no slab and apparently the concreter cancelled. Here come the delays... apparently things haven't recovered quite as much as I thought. I've been told maybe next week. Will have to keep the slab party on ice until then. Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 11May 20, 2024 1:32 pm We finally have a slab! It took some time to get there, but I'm glad to finally see some progress. Walking across feels strange, I thought I would have a better appreciation for room sizes but I'm not so sure yet. One small set back however. The plumbing in the laundry has been installed in the wrong location. Summit were very quick to respond and promises to rectify this as soon as possible. I have no idea how they correct this though. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 12May 20, 2024 3:00 pm Dr_rock We finally have a slab! It took some time to get there, but I'm glad to finally see some progress. Walking across feels strange, I thought I would have a better appreciation for room sizes but I'm not so sure yet. One small set back however. The plumbing in the laundry has been installed in the wrong location. Summit were very quick to respond and promises to rectify this as soon as possible. I have no idea how they correct this though. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Congratulations on your slab! Shame about the laundry plumbing but I'm sure they'll make good. Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 14May 30, 2024 1:12 pm 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 with this, as I was worried that brickwork would be delayed while they sort it out. I'm expecting brick delivery in 2 weeks so hopefully walls start going up not long after that. Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 15Jun 16, 2024 3:03 pm Sadly very little movement on site since soak wells went in. There are also missing/wrong storm water drains which need to be sorted, along with a broken pipe. Plumbing has been pretty poor so far! I've been advised that bricks won't start for 5 more weeks... Can't say I'm too impressed at the moment! Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 18Jul 12, 2024 4:31 pm I just got word that the bricks will be completed by mid next week. That's just about on time for when I was initially told they would begin! They have worked extremely quickly which I was very surprised to see. The finish is a little rough, though I'm having the whole house rendered so it's not a problem. Here's a few shots from a few days ago. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Looking towards the activity and master bedroom Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Looking down the side towards the courtyard Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Garage Re: First time build: Custom narrow riverside home in WA 19Jul 31, 2024 1:12 pm Brick work completed! A little longer than the SS anticipated but we have had a lot of rain over the past few weeks. Still way ahead of the predicted schedule. Building inspector's feedback was all generally good with only a few minor issues, so that's really great news! Summit doing very well in the construction stage so far, bring on the rendering and the roof! granny can live in the garage. just give her a few extra blankets rofl 8 3971 Thanks again for this information. If you do hear anything different, would be great to know 4 11266 dimensions on your original plan are inconsistent and with accurate dimensions (including site plan, upstairs and down) i could make a proper scale drawing with furniture… 3 10654 |