Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jul 14, 2009 10:23 am We built out Tourak Mirvac home 5yrs ago. We are now looking at buying land and building again (god knows why, it was nightmarish 5yrs ago and now with 2 little kids LOL) The land we are looking at purchasing is right at the very tip of our land budget, so we need a decent sized home for the best dollars. Our home now is 34sq with a double garage (base price back then was $180,000 ). I'd like our new home to be atleast 37sq (so one extra living area), plus having a 3rd garage, so about 39sq total. We are in Western Sydney NSW. I feel like i have looked at a BILLION plans and still cant decide. It was much easier when it was just me and hubby looking, but now we know whats really good livable houses and with 2 growing boys, we want a house that will accomodate us now and later... the land will do that for us, just got to match the house. So far, i've looked at Eden Brae, Masterton, Clarendon, AVjennings, M3tricon, Alkira, Provincal and more. Help me MummaMia Busy Mummy to 2 little men Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 2Jul 14, 2009 10:43 am Hi MummaMia, I can't really comment on your $ per sq question because we are in SA and probably varies between states BUT one thing I would keep in mind is if you want to be where you build long term try to envisage what you will need for the future. We wanted to demolish and build when our boys were little (now they are 12 and 15) but at the time we just couldn't afford it (we probably should have stuck our neck out and it would be paid off now, but oh the benefit of hindsight hey?) If we were to have built then we would have had a TOTALLY different house, we would have made sure our living area looked on to where the boys would play outside, we probably would have made their rooms closer or different and not spent as much on our entertaining/kitchen and living areas as we are now, we also would have had a formal dining room etc etc, obviously the house would have looked quite different from the outside but that's inevitable as trends change overtime. Anyway just my 2 cents worth, good luck with whatever you decide. Vid Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 3Jul 14, 2009 10:53 am You have alot of things to take into consideration (like all most of us) and with all the choices I dont think it makes it any easier. WIth my build te cost per square is approx $12000, but it is an architect custom built one so that may also be a factor on the price. The thing about project homes is they avertise the base cost (as you already know from already building one 5 years ago), and then you can expect to add upto 150k with upgrades! So even if you/me went in a few sites and averaged the prices per square, its prob not a real estimate or close to as it doesnt include an upgrades. I went through and averaged prices per square metre a while ago in display homes and it was about 700-800m2 or bout 7k per sqaure. Then add upgrades. You have to research and continue to look at plans! DA approved Waiting on a few more Builder's quotes. Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 4Jul 14, 2009 11:08 am Thanks Vid. Good to know some tips on what 2 older boys would like (mine are 20mo apart) I envisage a teenage retreat for them, aswell as good sized bedrooms as far away from our main... good for when older, but for now, it's nice for their bedrooms to be close to ours. Mandystoj, i'd love a custom design, but no way could we afford that (not that we've looked into it, just thought it would be very exxy) Im quite savvy to the optional upgrades and can spot them a mile away... we only spent about $20k worth of upgrades on this home, i was pretty impressed with myself. But we have to keep aside $$ for site costs (land is flat and soil is 'normal' LOL should be lowest site costs possible), 3rd garage, ducted air and facade. Hubby is really quite handy, so can tile the house and put up pergola and network the whole house (this place has a tv point and internet cabling in every room LOL - the joys of marrying a geek) Then there are fences, driveways, window furnishings and ofcourse, new furniture LOL Have to be frugal, but its so simple to let go! I actually thought Clarendon were quite good value for the size. MummaMia Busy Mummy to 2 little men Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 5Jul 14, 2009 11:29 am MummaMia Thanks Vid. Good to know some tips on what 2 older boys would like (mine are 20mo apart) I envisage a teenage retreat for them, aswell as good sized bedrooms as far away from our main... good for when older, but for now, it's nice for their bedrooms to be close to ours. Mandystoj, i'd love a custom design, but no way could we afford that (not that we've looked into it, just thought it would be very exxy) Im quite savvy to the optional upgrades and can spot them a mile away... we only spent about $20k worth of upgrades on this home, i was pretty impressed with myself. But we have to keep aside $$ for site costs (land is flat and soil is 'normal' LOL should be lowest site costs possible), 3rd garage, ducted air and facade. Hubby is really quite handy, so can tile the house and put up pergola and network the whole house (this place has a tv point and internet cabling in every room LOL - the joys of marrying a geek) Then there are fences, driveways, window furnishings and ofcourse, new furniture LOL Have to be frugal, but its so simple to let go! I actually thought Clarendon were quite good value for the size. Thats great MummaMia! My bf is actually looking forward to doing a few things himself but I have not told him yet that I want a professional to do it in 1/10 of the time that he will take haha, might let him do a veggie garden on side of the house where it is out of the way . I found Clarendon to be quite good also....my sister inlaw built Clarendon Promenade and it is great and quite cheap for the size. She shopped arond and found them to be one of the better ones. Do you like any plans you have seen so far? Put them up if you have and get some ideas from all the forum people. DA approved Waiting on a few more Builder's quotes. Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 6Jul 14, 2009 11:55 am LOL... my hubby is pretty good with getting things finished... its getting him to start thats my biggest issue - he procrastinates BIG TIME! So origanlly i was looking at 2 storey homes and all of them are so similar even to this floorplan now (which is a good 5yrs old!) I love the Eden Brae Windsor 46 (with change to upstairs bathroom, taking out the ensuites to bed 2,3,4 and making a main bathroom) i like the Entertainer 40, but hubby doesnt. I quite like the Alkira McKenzie, but with triple garage Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I really like a few of the clarendons, but they are so "everywhere" at the moment. I wanted something different Im slowly falling in love with M3tricon Byron 37 http://www.metricon.com.au/nsw/homes/de ... /Byron.pdf And i like the Fairhaven 36 http://www.metricon.com.au/nsw/homes/de ... rhaven.pdf but not as much as the Byron What do you think? MummaMia Busy Mummy to 2 little men Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 7Jul 14, 2009 2:26 pm MummaMia LOL... my hubby is pretty good with getting things finished... its getting him to start thats my biggest issue - he procrastinates BIG TIME! So origanlly i was looking at 2 storey homes and all of them are so similar even to this floorplan now (which is a good 5yrs old!) I love the Eden Brae Windsor 46 (with change to upstairs bathroom, taking out the ensuites to bed 2,3,4 and making a main bathroom) i like the Entertainer 40, but hubby doesnt. I quite like the Alkira McKenzie, but with triple garage Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I really like a few of the clarendons, but they are so "everywhere" at the moment. I wanted something different Im slowly falling in love with M3tricon Byron 37 http://www.*****.com.au/nsw/homes/desig ... /Byron.pdf And i like the Fairhaven 36 http://www.*****.com.au/nsw/homes/desig ... rhaven.pdf but not as much as the Byron What do you think? Oh gosh there are soo many to choose from hehe I like them all. The Byron looks spacious and the esnuite/walk in is amazing as with the alfresco! And I agree I prefer the Byron more than the Fairhaven. I personally would go with a double story home though. The Windsor 46 is gorgeous, I went in at Homeworld and I liked it alot apart from the ensuites to all rooms (I'm not sure if I would ever do that in a home and no main bathroom, I dont know). But other than that I like that one the most. My least fav is probably the Alkari one. I dont mind the Entertainer but if hubby doesnt like it I wouldnt do it to keep arguments down . Good luck with all your choices!! *just re-read your post and realise you would change the ensuites...well then I like the Windsor alot!! DA approved Waiting on a few more Builder's quotes. Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 8Jul 14, 2009 2:48 pm I know... it would/will be hard to go from this 2 storey to a single storey. The land isnt an issue as its large enough to take a single or a double. Its all about flooplan and facades. I've also got a woman at AVJennings putting the Willowbrook onto our block so i can see what it looks like. I really like this floorplan as its really different. its 319.7sqm whish i think is a bit small... not savvy on the conversion to squares LOL Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ A triple garage wont fit (i dont think) but hubby is happy anough to build a double garage elswhere on the block for the camper trailer and all his toys! MummaMia Busy Mummy to 2 little men Re: Value for money - $$ & squares 11Jul 14, 2009 9:55 pm Hi mummamia, I've got two growing boys too (11 & 8 ) and this house plan (modified) we are building was chosen with them in mind. We plan to live here until we are old! lol Our builder is a small local company so no help to you there but l thought l'd share our plan anyway (it's nothing flashy, but it works for us ) http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t271/diamondzoe/floorplan10feb2009.jpg Our is 40.5sq total and has a triple garage. We have made the kids bedrooms larger so that down the track they have ample personal space and the ability to fit queen size beds in. They are far away from our bedroom which was a must. The front study is my own private study/office and Bed 2 will be the family computer room. The lounge will be our HT room whereas the kids will have the Rumpus for their games consoles and a pool table down the track. I would've loved to have made our ensuite larger but the extra $$ for the triple garage stopped that from happening, lol. Whatever plan you decide on, just make sure you have ample storage!!....Good luck in your search As a tradesmen get a private inspector although I don't think there worth it in their profession themselves the reminder they serve to the tradesmen doing the work is… 3 27260 I've just had a look at the website. The company are just building broker's. There are plenty of similar companies that basically draw your plans (they own them so you… 8 10770 They make the room much easier to clean for one, reflect more light (if light colour tiles are used), and you dont end up with dust on the top edge of tiles (cause most… 3 9538 |