Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Nov 24, 2008 9:19 pm From reading many posts on this site Ive come to the conclussion that home building is not a hassle free project. As Im a bit of a control freak. Im thinking of maybe buying established. My dream of my own home never lived in is being shacken by the problems, hassle, dissipointments & rip offs reported by many in their building prosess. Ive also found the sales side of the whole industy to be a snake pit. My question to all who have built is " Was it worth it?"
Was there a cash saving, the personal acheivement, did you get what you wanted and are you satified. Its a lot of money to spend on the unknown result. Please share you expirences, frustrations and what you would do diffent next time. Any tips for avoiding potential problems would be great. Thanks Kindly Regards KW “It's just as unpleasant to get more than you bargain for as to get less” George Bernard Shaw. Re: Would you do it again. 2Nov 24, 2008 9:24 pm Hi KW,
I'm still hanging out for council approval but I'm still not put off for future builds just yet. We bought our land in an established area July 07, lodged to council August 08, and are still waiting. Whilst is has been frustrating to this point, I can still see the 'bigger picture'. (This of course might change once we actually start building ). For me its a personal journey (omg you have built a house), an opportunity that not everyone gets to experience, and your stamp on the world . Just my take...... Bel Still not in. Don't ask!? Re: Would you do it again. 3Nov 24, 2008 9:30 pm For us it was a combination of things. We had plans drawn up , and approved , in a SLO area , which is a bit of a hassle, and then got quotes - and we were staggered by what they came in at. Then we saw the house we're currently building, and fell in love with the floor plan, and it was much cheaper - AND you're getting a brand new house.
We felt that we couldn't justify the expense of the renovation / extension, and we still would have been tapping into the old heating/sewer, etc, so we would have inherited some of the problems associated with that. Was it worth it? Well, we've had a number of hassles throughout the build, but I hope that we will be able to forget taht when we're in and settled in our beautiful NEW home! Solidarity, not solidity.......The Lexicon of Life Re: Would you do it again. 4Nov 24, 2008 9:39 pm hi king willy, I can understand your frustration.
We are nearly at handover and for us it has been worth it. Sure we have had the odd hiccup along the way, but mostly it has been a very positive experience for us and we would consider building again. (I would get right in the next house all the things I forgot in this, my 'practice' house ) We went with a smaller builder, so while some see this as a risk, I think we didn't get a lot of the ******* salesman types that you dislike. My builder has always been honest with me, I think! Mostly for me it has been the satisfaction of choosing/designing everything myself (ahem, OURselves). There was no established house with everything that we will have in our house in our area, so it was really the only good option for us. Like petal said, to buy an old house and renovate would have been more costly and difficult. Re: Would you do it again. 5Nov 24, 2008 9:39 pm For me it wasn't worth it. Financially it looks worthwhile until you add all the extras that come with an already established home. You get what you want but there is still compromise and no block or house is perfect so in reality do you really get what you want? The other thing is it might be a new house but it will be far from perfect and my house is brand new and looks like it has sustained about 2 years of hard living thanks to tradies that knock the place around prior to handover. I just found the whole process is simply not worth the 1-2 years of hassle and aggravation of dealing with SO many incompetant people. If I had to do it again I'd hang in there for the right established home and forget about building. Thats just me but the way I look at is the satisfaction gained in moving into a new house is very short lived compared to the inconvenience and frustation involved in having it built and fitted out. Re: Would you do it again. 6Nov 24, 2008 10:08 pm This will be our third build. Each time we have looked established but I always want to change things. There is always something that needs doing to an established house too, carpet etc. In the end you compromise either with a build or with established, it's what you compromise on that is different.
My DH is quite tall, so building lets us get higher benches, higher shower roses, higher doorways etc, little things that just make his life easier. I like the creative input and having my choices and feel to the house. The sense of achievement when we get the keys and then the amazing amount of work needed to make it perfect, floors, lighting, paving, garden landscaping etc. Each house is a journey. Re: Would you do it again. 7Nov 24, 2008 11:16 pm We built 28 years ago and it was a year of blood sweat and tears with the highest highs and the lowest lows. The frustrations were extreme and the whole experience was incredibly intense.
There were compromises and the house was far from perfect. A lot of money was spent over the years after we moved in to complete our dream. But it was ABSOLUTELY worth it. Our (award-winning) home was unique and even in today's market, after 28 years, it sold within a week of coming onto the market. The pleasure it gave us to live with our ideas, tastes and preferences over the decades just can't be measured. And the ongoing pride in what we had achieved in terms of creating exciting living spaces that always capitalized on a superb block never really diminished. We know the new owners love it to pieces, but we suspect it can never be the same for them as it has been for us. Yes, we are building again, this time with a well respected (and, I guess, a bit "up-market" custom builder and our new house will be heavily based on a very popular display home that closed recently. A bit of a cop-out? Well, maybe, but we are basically pragmatists and this display home never lost the "wow-factor" in the 3 years that we visited it before it closed. No other display home (or established home, for that matter) felt so "right" for us. We have made major changes to substantial parts of the house, though. Just had to respond to the original question with a resounding yes! But we do understand this is a personal decision and I can see how buying established can be by far the best solution for some people who are lucky enough to find something already built that ticks all or most of the boxes. I guess neither option is perfect and it depends a lot on how willing you are to compromise on detail and how fortunate you are at house-hunting. I was always amazed when we found an established place that seemed great at first look and then we carefully considered the changes we would realistically expect to make over the ensuing years after buying. The list always seemed to be long enough to make the building option more attractive to us. Anyway, just my 2c worth. like most things in life, if it feels right at first glance and stays feeling right after lots of sober consideration....then go for it with hope, enthusiasm, a sense of humor and a quite a few more dollars than you expected to need. ( whether building or buying) Re: Would you do it again. 8Nov 25, 2008 6:30 am Hi
For us it is a YES - Yes it is frustrating it is time consuming (Last 2 years almost every weekend we have been out to look at something or a display home or something home related - I am sure a lot of you can relate to that) This is the second time we are building and trying to fix all the mistakes from the first build. Prior to building we did look at established homes. But DH was fussy about some things and me about certain others. By the time we could find something that both of us liked the budget sure did not like that. We realized we had to buy, renovate and finally decided that was not going to be easy either. It is same hassles as building. Plus building gave us the option - build and then do the other things like paving, garden slowly over a period of time. Financially we liked this better - We do all these things as we save up instead of paying for everything upfront. In the end we get a new home that suited us and our lifestyle And also small things to make it suitable for us like BackPocket said Both times we went with smaller builders so we got the flexibility as well as we did not deal with so many layers of sales people. So far this builder has been truthful. Regards beegee Re: Would you do it again. 9Nov 25, 2008 7:45 am Yes from us as well.
This will be our third home and 2nd build in a row. I think we got a lot of our last house just right for us. I guess we could have built something very different this time but we wanted something that had many of the same features as our last house with a few improvements to suit our changing family dynamics. We could have continued to live in our last house for longer extending and adding a room. But our decision to have a new home was based on a decision to move to a completely different location and leave, hopefully some of the worst aspects of suburbia behind. We might just have found something established within our budget that suited design wise Perhaps. But other requirements than the design would have been missing. Hence our decision to build. if we had more money we would have spent it on upgrading items rather than a different design. So we are building bigger with a few additional items. Better? It may not be better except that eco wise in 19 years there have been many improvements and I know our house definitely has some things eco wise our last house didn't. But last time we went with a small private builder and this time we have gone with a much larger builder. Like the previous poster we will also be finishing off over a period of time. We spent our" finishing off" budget on additional land costs. The value of the type of block we bought had almost tripled in price in the 2 years before we moved here unfortunately. On the plus side the block we eventually bought wasn't available 2 years ago so we do consider ourselves lucky ( most of the time) to have bought it. It would have been nice to walk straight in and have everything finished but it's not going to happen. as we aren't prepared to have a huge debt to worry about. Re: Would you do it again. 10Nov 25, 2008 8:12 am We're (theoretically) about to start our build with M3tricon. Thing is, we've been through an awful lot of hassles so far, before we even start. Some of them are related to our estate development falling nearly twelve months behind schedule (and therefore not our builder's fault specifically), but other have been down to the problematic, extended and downright difficult process we have had so far in:
--getting prompt responses from our builder on change requests and enquiries --receiving straight answers --finding people competent enough to do what we've asked them to without us needing to follow them up every second day There's more, but they have been our main issues. Would I do it again based on what we've experienced so far? Absolutely. All of the experiences we've had have, in my opinion, just armed us for the next time we build. I have no idea when that will be (not for a long time, I'm guessing), but I would do this again any time. But, ask me again in 8-9 months when we're about to take possession of our new house, and my answer may be different. <b>ETA:</b> It's like a wedding. When you get married, you muddle through it and make the best you can, because you've never done it before, and you're only guessing at what will work. But when you've been through your wedding, you realise what works and what doesn't, and in our case we looked at each other the next day and said to each other "man, I wish we could have a do-over, it would be so much cooler". Same principle applies to building, in my opinion. --Mike Everything I know, I learned from SBS. LATEST: Frame Complete http://metricon-mercer.livejournal.com Re: Would you do it again. 11Nov 25, 2008 8:13 am We've really enjoyed our building experience. We've now moved in and whilst we certainly weren't without problems, we found that we could face most of the challenges and overcome them as a team.
We're very much a "team" couple...yes, we probably make a lot of people sick. We even refer to ourselves as "TANDA" (that's T and A). Whenever we deal with companies, we treat them as part of our "team". Everyone we've had do work for us has been chosen based on what they're like as people. We make sure we never get into an "us vs them" position when we face any problem, and we always try and resolve issues in a way that benefits everyone. We feel that what is good for us is good for them, and vice versa. We've tried very hard to maintain good relationships with all the people we've dealt with, and we like to think that has helped them go the extra mile for us in return. We're very relaxed people, even though we're very detail conscious, and we've found that people tend to respond to that pretty well. A lot of that has been easy because our SS was excellent. Whilst his attention to detail may have been lacking, his commitment to our home, and to us has been nothing short of amazing. It has also been great having this forum to discuss ideas, and to hear from other people about their experiences. It helped us prepare for what was always going to be a very involving process. So thanks to everyone here again for their input over the last 10 months! For us, the entire building process was a positive experience. Even when we encountered problems, we dealt with them quickly and effectively and that just reinforced to us that we can handle just about anything that gets thrown at us. I definitely think it would've been cheaper for us to buy an existing place, and we'd definitely be closer to the city than Tarneit! But in the end, we're in OUR home the way WE wanted it. Having said all that, we're certainly not in a hurry to build again... not because of the build, but because I don't want to have to go through MOVING again!!!!!! EDIT: HA!! Mike and I apparently follow a similar routine!! Alan and Thuy in Melbourne Building a second time! Re: Would you do it again. 12Nov 25, 2008 8:18 am Toast EDIT: HA!! Mike and I apparently follow a similar routine!! Everything I know, I learned from SBS. LATEST: Frame Complete http://metricon-mercer.livejournal.com Re: Would you do it again. 13Nov 25, 2008 8:52 am Interesting question. We never planned to build but simply could not find a house that met our requirements so ended up building. Has been a lot of work in planning but so far has been worthwhile, and every time we find new work completed at the block it is like Christmas You never know the thrill of finding a porta loo on your block 'till you build.
Perhaps if we had waited for 2 years we might have found an established house that met our needs or we might not. So like good control freaks we chose to make our own luck regards sean Re: Would you do it again. 14Nov 25, 2008 7:32 pm Mozzi & Co
Thanks for the honest reply. Its a good idea to hear the other side of the coin. Im sorry to hear it wasnt what you expected. May I ask why and what went wrong. Where your expectations too high? Was it a fight with the builders all the way? I have found the sales people real sharks, tell you anything to get the sale. Yes, it comes with eves free, Yes, we can back date the price, I will get you the free air con. I even asked the genaral manager of the company and was told the oppersit. The sales guy told me " how would he know ". This shacks the sh8t out of me. I cant get an answer out of anyone I can trust & I have not started yet. My concerm is quality & price. Ive costed it out and can pay a few 1000 more if need be. But I dont want sleepless nights worry about the morter in the brick work or the gaps in the noggens or the sales guy who deseived me into beleiving him and it costing me 15,ooo more. I might be better off in the caravan park lol. I guess we all have to take a risk in life & this is only one of them. I feel if I keep my cool & find a builder I can talk to & trust I dont mind compremising a bit. I feel the builder & sale people forget this is our life saving and one of the biggest desishions in our lives and to them you are just another comisshion or a vacant lot number. I feel Im happy to pay more to a builder I can work with rather than against. Thanks for your imput. Kind regards to all. KW.... “It's just as unpleasant to get more than you bargain for as to get less” George Bernard Shaw. Re: Would you do it again. 15Nov 25, 2008 9:30 pm warning king willy, long drawn out post ahead...
I'm not totally against it as there are still positives but the experience of building was completely soured by the end. I could go into infinite details but here are some of my grievances: My builder is an expert at talking up a sale and promising the world. PD seems to put an enormous amount of resources into its sales department and how it is perceived by the public. In fact I don't know of any other company that is as good at it as they are - every person I've every talked to has 'heard' that they have a great reputation. Once I singed up though reality quickly set in. There were: Numerous mistakes and miscommunications between contract singing and site start. Work commenced 4 weeks later than promised. Numerous problems to do with quality and trade workmanship. The house was completed in 29 week which was 9 weeks later than promised on top of the 4 weeks late it started - yes I got penalty payments but the point is they don't sell the house on the penalty payments; they sell it on promising to build it in 16-20 weeks The quality of the house is hit and miss - great in some aspects, poor in others. The small things and attention to detail was the main problem. There was many issues that could either not be resolved or were simply a matter of the job being done but not being done the way it should have. By the end of the process I finally understand the way the building industry works and it is not a pretty picture. It makes the motor industry look like a pillar of society. By the time I got handover I just didn’t care any more. The experience itself is a very negative aspect to buying a new house for me - not a positive one. Then once you have handover there is the cleaning, the mud, and the infinite things that have to be fixed, installed, changed or bought. Just one example - the fences can't be installed because the ground is not compacted enough on the fence line and they can't be bolted to the retaining wall because it's too far inside the boundary. There are other aspects to buying into a new estate such as no services (no cable, no ADSL), the noise of the building continuing in the rest of the estate, the traffic and parking problems and so on. If I had have bought second hand I would have moved into another house A YEAR AGO and have long since sorted everything out. That’s a full year of stuffing around. In the end you have a new house to show for it but I have started to think that where you live and the street/environment you live in is much more important that the house itself. Many people building a new house end up traveling further to get to places and have smaller backyards and garages and much less in the way of services, trees, schools etc. To me those sacrifices and the pain of building a new house are simply not worth the end result - not even close. But hey I don't want to sound like the negative Nelly or sour puss of the building forum (this is after all about building new homes). I just want to present a balanced point of view and try and put things into perspective. I don't regret any of it as there is simply no point and I'm happy to live in the new house and experience the positive aspects of it but in maybe less than ten years I will sell up and buy established. Nothing ventured nothing gained and it's been a great learning experience and all that. So to anyone that is thinking about it I'm simply suggesting a good hard think about where your priorities lay and whether you are doing it because you're hoping to save having to work on an old house or go through the hassle of searching or whether you genuinely have a specific need for something that suits you that simply can't be fulfilled any other way. Re: Would you do it again. 16Nov 25, 2008 9:56 pm Hi King Willy
We are also on the 'knifes edge' of a building drama, still hanging in there, positive but just cant believe how the whole building industry operates. I dont want to go on about our build at this stage but it is so slow and painful that it really has put me off building again. I have given up worrying, serves no purpose and just upsets the family. The house will be built but what started as the best experience has turned into just a disappointment Our issue is not with the quality, builder or any tradesman....just how slow it has been. We always call it the part time house...when the tradies find a few spare hours in the week, they come to our house. Mrs B Re: Would you do it again. 17Nov 26, 2008 9:39 pm For us, the trauma and constant struggle with our builder has definitely outweighed the benefits of owning a brand new home. We have already decided we would never build again.
But maybe it is like childbirth -With the agony still fresh in my mind, I vowed never to do that again, but slowly slowly I begin to think maybe.. Re: Would you do it again. 18Nov 27, 2008 9:14 pm Sharee
Im getting cold feet as to this building idea. I have the contracts for the land in the corner still in the envelop. Im too scared to open them in case I sign up for the road trip to hell. I have read nothing but trouble & strife about building. Why would it be any diffrent for me. I get stressed easy and like to be in control and have high expectations of others. Since Im handing over my life saving I feel Im entitled to these expectations. But dont want the BS & hassles. It seem most homes take longer than expected also. I think I will draw a new breath and have a look at some more established homes. Thanks Kindly for your post. KW.... “It's just as unpleasant to get more than you bargain for as to get less” George Bernard Shaw. Re: Would you do it again. 19Nov 28, 2008 7:24 am Quote: maybe it is like childbirth -With the agony still fresh in my mind, I vowed never to do that again, but slowly slowly I begin to think maybe Funny, that's exactly what I said to my husband last night.... I'm hoping for a REALLY big case of post-building amnesia. I'm sure it's possible...after all, I had three kids. Re: Would you do it again. 20Nov 28, 2008 5:12 pm The build so far for my partner and I wouldnt have been worth it so far. We are nearly at lock-up and so far wish we got something established.
The initial sales consultant was good but that is where it all stopped and the customer service is atrocious. In three months we have had 5 prestart/customer service contacts and I can see why they keep leaving now. It has made the process very hard as we are not allowed to communicate with our site supervisor and everything must go through this person in the office. As they keep changing, they dont have a clue in the history of the project so far. Just a couple of the major issues include work starting before they had council approval and which didnt meet the council guidelines and major structural issues which our inspector picked up. There are many other smaller issues. The only time our builder contacts is when a payment is due and never returns our calls or emails if we ask any questions. The only good thing so far is I know which builder not to use if we ever do build again. Bought in Nov 21 at the height of the market (classic). Good area, atrocious floor plan. BUT has land out to the left-hand side that we can extend out on (see second… 0 8784 Thanks mate. Yeah good points! Leaning towards Option 3 to get a bit extra space in the cabinets but not going too crazy high (and expensive). Would require a mini… 13 39755 Hi It came to my attention after the handover that - The facade cladding on the face and the side are not straight. -The face tapers down by 50mm from left to right and… 0 2472 |