Another Santorini 26 by M-Dream turning into a NIGHTMARE

Shelz · Sep 07, 2009 4:23 pm

Hi All,

Just thought I'd have a go at starting my own thread!

The plan is to add images of our progress but you'll have to bear with me cause I have no idea what I'm doing! :lol:

This is our first home and we are building in Melbourne's Western suburbs.

We decided on the Santorini 26 and paid our initial Deposit with M*tricon back in November 2008, found a block and paid deposit also in November 2008. The block was supposed to settle Feb/March 09 but only just settled on the 1st September!

Hubby and I moved in with my parents back in February & promised them we should only be here until the end of year!

So here we are! Just about to do our final plans sign off, building permit has been applied for and is due this week. All that's left is the ordering and we should be out to site in a few weeks! All fingers & Toes crossed!!!! :z:

There are a few Santorini's on the go at the moment and I have really enjoyed watching everyone's progress! ::smile::

Ok guys Iv just tried to upload some pics and it keeps telling me that the image files I am trying to upload are invalid! Can anyone give me any suggestions as to what i might be doing wrong.
I am using a fairly new Apple Mac that i haven't got my head around yet, so that could be my problem :lol:

megzy · Sep 07, 2009 4:31 pm

Congratulations on the land and choosing a builder. We also built with Mcon but in Brisbane. Good luck with the build.

I use photobucket.com and I dont have any problems uploading them. I think there is a few threads around explaining exactly what to do.

Looking forward to seeing pics.

Shelz · Sep 07, 2009 7:33 pm

Hey Megzy,

Here goes nothing! I just signed up to photo bucket and I'm trying to work this out.

I hope these pics work! ::smile::

This is our block before the subdivision was complete -

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This is the block after the subdivision complete -

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Our external colours -

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Our Internal Colours -

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This is the look we are trying to achieve with our colours (Talbot 28 on display at Melton).
However when we had our colour appointment M* had made changes to some suppliers so we had to improvise & get as close to this scheme as we could!
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Now that Iv worked it out (I think :lol:

) il be adding more pics as we start to see some progress!

emilygirl · Sep 07, 2009 8:36 pm

Very nice...what is your brick called????

Shelz · Sep 07, 2009 8:45 pm

emilygirl

:) Very nice...what is your brick called????

Thanks emilygirl!

They are the 'Latrobe' by Austral bricks. They where a Category 3 brick, so they cost a little more.

Lets hope they are still available though cause we completed our colour options back in January & recently I was on M's Envisage site & there are no Austral bricks listed!

Id hate to have to pick again, it took me ages to decide on these!!! :roll:

charlie · Sep 07, 2009 8:49 pm

Hi Shelz,

Congratz on your land settlement and good luck with the final bits and pieces of paperwork for the build! Such an exciting time!! :z:

Thanks for posting pics, I look forward to watching the progress of your build.

It makes it so much easier to pick colours when you have something specific in mind to refer to - well done! What colour laminex did you choose for the back of the island bench etc?

charlie · Sep 07, 2009 8:57 pm

Shelz

Lets hope they are still available though cause we completed our colour options back in January & recently I was on M's Envisage site & there are no Austral bricks listed!

Id hate to have to pick again, it took me ages to decide on these!!! :roll:

I have a copy of the Studio M Brick List that was revised in July, and it still had Austral bricks listed (including Latrobe) so hopefully it'll be all good - nothing worse than a last-minute change! You have to re-think everything!

Shelz · Sep 07, 2009 9:05 pm

Hey Charlie,

The pics dont actually show the colours that well! Il try & find another one to add but we chose the following colours:

*Bench top - Latte (caesar stone)
*Back of island bench & Overhead cupboards - Straight Grain Wenge
*Inside island Bench & lower cupboard fronts - Peruvian Clay
*Glass Splashback - Jaguar

When we chose our home it was know as M*tricons M1 range and we didn't have a Beaumont appointment for the floor tiles and wet areas. We had to choose from 5 different colour boards that they had at Studio M. Im pretty dissapointed about it because there were absolutely no feature tiles available! So our floor tiles, wall tiles & bath & shower tiles are pretty much that one colour. I would have been happy to pay a little extra to upgrade the tiles but we were told that we would need to pay $500 just to have an appointment at Beaumont, let alone what any upgrades would cost. So we decided to go with the standard! ::frown::

The floor tiles are 'Luxe Beige'. They are a nice colour tile though!

Shelz · Sep 07, 2009 9:10 pm

Thanks for letting me know Charlie! That makes feel a bit more reassured!

Shelz · Sep 08, 2009 8:38 am

By the way, the house that is building directly behind us is a Porter Dvs and it has come up in no time!

So im hoping the tradies in Melton are thorough but quick!

Some of the M*tricon homes here in Melbourne have been built in no time, but then again I also know family members who have built with them and had massive delays! There house wasn't complete until 5months after contract!

But im going to be positive ::wink::

Shelz · Sep 09, 2009 7:06 pm

Make sure to check your FINAL PLANS thoroughly!!!!!!

Hey all,

Just thought id warn you of what could happen when you are signing your final plans!

We received ours last week and i spent the weekend going over them with a fine tooth comb.
There were a few things that i didn't think much of but thought id query our CSC about before sending the signed plans through.

Thank Goodness I did!

The taps were all drawn as standard taps, which at first I thought was just how all the plans are sketched but it turns out that even though I have paid for upgraded fittings if I had signed off on this i would have only had the standard taps fitted. ::angry::

The house siting showed that there was a house already constructed to our left and that there is a 2m paling fence on the left also. This is definatley not the case, the house next door has only just started getting ready for a slab!

Also, the measurements for the wall heights are completely different to the last plan that we signed at building contract.

Much to M*tricons credit and my wonderfull CSC, they have arranged another survey to be done asap and new plans are being drawn up as we speak with the corrections!

Has this happened to anyone else?

Shelz · Sep 11, 2009 8:32 pm

Just thought Id add a copy of our plan!

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emilygirl · Sep 11, 2009 9:03 pm

Shelz

emilygirl

:) Very nice...what is your brick called????

Thanks emilygirl!

They are the 'Latrobe' by Austral bricks. They where a Category 3 brick, so they cost a little more.

Lets hope they are still available though cause we completed our colour options back in January & recently I was on M's Envisage site & there are no Austral bricks listed!

Id hate to have to pick again, it took me ages to decide on these!!! :roll:

After looking around at all the bricks we went back to ballarat as saw the Santorini there and I love the bricks...Didnt take any notice before...and they are Latrobe,....so thats what we are having too...

Shelz · Sep 11, 2009 9:13 pm

emilygirl

After looking around at all the bricks we went back to ballarat as saw the Santorini there and I love the bricks...Didnt take any notice before...and they are Latrobe,....so thats what we are having too...

They are a nice brick!
Are you going with the natural mortar or the off white?
We chose the natural as it looks like a white on the dark bricks and doesn't cost any extra. At least that's how it looked at Studio M, fingers crossed it turns out ok!

emilygirl · Sep 11, 2009 9:18 pm

yeah a natural mortar...
I didnt actually think much of the brick as it look different just sitting there as to when you actually see a house built with it...we are thinking of dark tile roof probably black and DH wants a black garage not a cream...I want black around the windows....Of course this may change by the time we aere ready to build.We just dont know how long land will take to tittle and work begin on the new estate.

penny77 · Sep 11, 2009 9:31 pm

Hi Shelz

Great colours we have the same bench tops and wenge for cupboards :lol:

. We picked up a few things on our final plans but how did you pick up the taps?? I checked my plans and I can't tell, but it says the right ones in the contract. Do you know when you willb e starting?

Shelz · Sep 12, 2009 4:44 pm

emilygirl

I didnt actually think much of the brick as it look different just sitting there as to when you actually see a house built with it...we are thinking of dark tile roof probably black and DH wants a black garage not a cream...I want black around the windows....

I have to agree emilygirl. We had to look at a few homes with that brick before deciding as it looks awful on the samples. I think it all depends on the batch you get though! I hope ours is on the darker side cause that's the look we are going for! We have chosen a black roof and black window frames. The guttering has to be monument grey as M*tricon were no longer allowing black guttering. i think it has something to do with the darker colour's warping!

We have gone with a timber look garage door and it was only an extra $450! ::smile::

Shelz · Sep 12, 2009 4:51 pm

penny77

We picked up a few things on our final plans but how did you pick up the taps??

Hey penny77,

The taps just looked like basic taps in the plans, so thats why I queried it. But as it turns out my CSC has confirmed that all taps will be drawn like that in all the plans and that they will go by whatever is listed in your contract when ordering!

So there shouldn't be a problem, we should get whatever we have in our contracts!

evolvedmonkey · Sep 14, 2009 12:49 pm

wow, so good to see some plans and colour schemes for someone else building ye ol' santorini

I really like the plan for the kitchen, and actually, I like those feature lights.. mmm.. :th:

it ALWAYS pays to check, check again, and then double check your check of your plans you are signing off, as it has shown for you hey!

To anycase, everything is looking fantastic!

Shelz · Sep 14, 2009 7:16 pm

Thanks Monkey

I just cant wait until Iv got more pics to show!

If nothing else, this building thing really teaches you patience. Something I don't have much of :lol:

Another Santorini 26 by *M*-Dream turning into a NIGHTMARE

Another Santorini 26 by M-Dream turning into a NIGHTMARE