Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Oct 20, 2009 11:54 am Hi everyone, We have signed up to build with Boutique Homes (who have been fantastic by the way) and have our colour appointment coming up where we will have to choose our bricks. We want to go for a grey/black tone house, with some grey black or white render to the front facade (as well as bricks). We have to use Austral bricks but the only bricks that I have found that are of a grey tone are the Elements range which is category 11!!! I had no idea bricks had so many categories. This would cost us $6500 to do the whole house so naturally I would like to find something on the cheaper side! Can anyone recommend an Austral brick that would go with a grey colour scheme? Photos would be great too! Thanks! Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 2Oct 20, 2009 12:07 pm Hi Roxy, What about Urban One- Silver or Symmetry- Asphalt? Sorry can't post pics, coz I'm hopeless... but they're on the website. I do know with our builder the Urban One range had a special cleaning fee of $500. Finding the perfect brick is like finding the perfect man. Keep looking, he (I mean 'IT') is out there!!! buzz Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 3Oct 20, 2009 12:28 pm we're using the Austral Urban One Nougat bricks, which are a creamy colour with silver undertones, check out this thread for some pics: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=23488 Caz & Co ALL MOVED IN!! Now comes all the hard work-decorating.... [b]Blog: http://cazoraz.blogspot.com/ Settling in Thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=36993 Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 5Oct 20, 2009 1:48 pm roxy1210 ...I have found that are of a grey tone are the Elements range which is category 11!!! I had no idea bricks had so many categories. This would cost us $6500 to do the whole house so naturally I would like to find something on the cheaper side! Boutique make some beautiful designs. As for price, M rate the austral elements around Cat 8, and quoted us over $25k for the whole house (we were prepared to go up to around 12). $6500 is a steal, we paid over $4k just for Hawthorn! Fortunately we love the Hawthorn as well. If you like the elements (graphite and zinc are both stunning) don't skimp on bricks to save a few bucks, otherwise everytime you get home, you'll look at your bricks and think "Gee, I wish I had spent the extra bucks and got the bricks I wanted!" T&T Knockdown and rebuild - building Metr1con Nolan 41 (43) @ http://tim-and-tina.blogspot.com! http://www.verdantdental.com.au Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 6Oct 20, 2009 1:54 pm I'd be worried about a grey colour scheme. It's so depressing. Our neighbour across the road from our block has built grey, and it looks so sad and uninviting. It's reminds me of a prison colour. Just my opinion. Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 7Oct 20, 2009 1:56 pm oops sorry roxy What about the dynasty ones then, they all look like they'd go well with a grey, black, white theme. I think there is a grey in the Vic symmetry range too (can't remember the exact name). Have you been to Austral? I really didn't have any idea until I saw the bricks in real life. I had a list of about six, which quickly became a definate one, once I saw them all. Good luck buzz PS Go grey if you love it, I have. One mans "prison" is another's "oasis". Depressing is a whole lot of houses that look.... the same. Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 8Oct 20, 2009 2:13 pm I did Austral La Trobe bricks with woodland grey windows and fascia/guttering/spouting. Roof is bristile charcoal shingle style tiles. The garage door, lintels and meter box will be woodland grey. While the upstairs render is bristol canyon cloud (light grey) I was worried that it might all look too grey, but I think its come up great. Don't have any photos handy though. Seriously, pick colours you like and bugger what everyone else thinks Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 9Oct 20, 2009 6:28 pm I did a grey scheme as well, and I can see quite a few bricks on the Austral VIC website that would work. Can you tell me what the category listing is in pricing order? It will give me a better idea of which brick would be the most economical. Judie Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 10Oct 20, 2009 6:40 pm cyberman I'd be worried about a grey colour scheme. It's so depressing. Our neighbour across the road from our block has built grey, and it looks so sad and uninviting. It's reminds me of a prison colour. Just my opinion. They do not have to be depressing - we've based our facade loosly off this display one. We are using Austral Nougat bricks but we may render the whole of our facade. Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 11Oct 20, 2009 7:41 pm Darker colours are the key to success. It's a well known fact. Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 12Oct 21, 2009 12:59 pm Judie - I get the pre-start pack tomorrow so will know the category price listing then. Cannot wait to go through it, it's all very exciting. Buzz - no worries, I am jealous of the NSW choices! I think the Dynasty bricks are more expensive than the Elements range. I haven't been to Austral yet, probably a good place to start! Think we're going to try go there this weekend. Absolutely agree there, I won't let anyone talk me out of the colours I want. I can visiualise them and we both know they will look great - and best of all different from the brown tones that seem to be taking over everywhere. Dave - your house sounds great, if you come across photos send them on!! T&T - that is exactly what we are afraid of, bricks is one thing you can't afford to get wrong. Wow, hearing M's price upgrades $6500 does sound good! I think I prefer the graphite to the zinc but you're right they are both stunning. We were thinking of the Malt which is only $500 upgrade but I think we'll be heading to Austral this wknd to inspect them in person. Does anyone know the best display centre to go to? We're in the west but happy to travel a little... Cyberman, thanks for your input - I can promise you ours won't look like a prison! it will have some bright white thrown in and it won't all be the one grey colour. 15 years ago people told my mum she was crazy doing her new house black and white...now it is the most loved home in her small country town plus and it doesn't even look dated. I think I'll follow mum's lead and stick with my 'vision' Zerosignal - thanks for that pic, facade looks great. Let me know what you decide to do and good luck, i'm sure it'll look great, bricks or not. Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 13Oct 21, 2009 1:42 pm We used Austral Urban One in Silver. Here is an old pic but our front door is going to be monument and our driveway will be charcoal. Anyways, goes great with grey tones. Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 15Oct 22, 2009 7:18 pm roxy1210 T&T - that is exactly what we are afraid of, bricks is one thing you can't afford to get wrong. Wow, hearing M's price upgrades $6500 does sound good! I think I prefer the graphite to the zinc but you're right they are both stunning. We were thinking of the Malt which is only $500 upgrade but I think we'll be heading to Austral this wknd to inspect them in person. Does anyone know the best display centre to go to? We're in the west but happy to travel a little... Hey roxy1210, We're currently doing the brick choosing thing through austral as well, got it pinned down to a couple of options, anywho in regards to yer question listing of the design centres is http://www.australbricks.com.au/Contact-Us/Design-Centre-Locations. So far as we're SE of melbourne we've been to Lynbrook and the Thomastown centres. Both have display walls that are external to the main building so if you don't quite make it during opening hours you can still see the display walls. Thomastown is definately smaller and i'd say is the older display as they have some discontinued walls and many have "please note the color of this brick has changed from displayed please see the consults for help' or words to that effect. Also has bristile roof tiles on display outside. Lynbrook is newer, factory style also has a cash sales yard and more paving on display, they also have bigger walls some are 6' or so as well as they have some of the newer ranges eg peninsula on display. Deer park or Geelong would definitely be the closest for you if your out west, unfortunately we haven't made the trek that far ye. I've got a few photos hanging around we took at Thomastown and a couple from Lynbrook, if you have a couple specifically in mind let me know and i'll post them up here. In fact i'll add a few anyway. These are from the thomastown display. Austral Maize ->http://www.flickr.com/photos/belial669/4033738341/ Austral Straw ->http://www.flickr.com/photos/belial669/4033748243/ Austral Homestead Buff -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/belial669/4034506250/ Austral Elements Zinc -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/belial669/4033743229/ Cheers -Belial Our Build - Places Fairhaven 23+ - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28045 Our Landscaping - Belial's Backyard - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45375 Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 16Oct 22, 2009 8:21 pm Hi roxy1210, I saw these Austral "symmetry" grey http://www.australbricks.com.au/Product ... try-bricks I think they look great PCI Done Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 17Oct 26, 2009 12:28 pm Thank you all for your replies. We have decided to stick with Elements Graphite. We saw a whole house built using Graphite bricks and love it so we're just going to have save save save for our brick fund. By the way - anyone wanting to to display centres for Austral should not bother with Deer Park. Majority of their walls are bricks that are 'unavailable'. There is a sign that says their walls are going to be updated shortly...it also says they regularly update their walls but I'm not too sure how long that sign has been there as there hardly any walls of the current bricks!! -------------------------------------- Building Sanctuary with Boutique Homes Williams Landing Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 18Dec 14, 2009 10:04 pm Hi Roxy, We are about to build a Homebuyers Centre (Boutique homes) house (Retreat 25), we are about the get to contract stage, just wondered how your initial Pre Works Contract / Contract / Pre Start meeting went and any advice you may have. Many thanks in advance Site Start: 10th September, 2010 PCI : Friday 27th January, 2011. Handover: 3rd February, 2011 Build Thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37677 Re: Austral bricks to match grey colour scheme?? 19Dec 15, 2009 12:52 pm ring09 Hi Roxy, We are about to build a Homebuyers Centre (Boutique homes) house (Retreat 25), we are about the get to contract stage, just wondered how your initial Pre Works Contract / Contract / Pre Start meeting went and any advice you may have. Many thanks in advance Hi Ring09, We've just had our pre start meeting and it went well. We received our contract in the mail before our meeting. I would suggest you read it and check to make sure it is all in order as you don't really have time to go through it at the pre-start meeting, it's just a matter of asking any questions you have before signing up. You should also make sure you work out any additional lights or power points etc too and take that copy with you so that they can just transfer it on to their electrical plan. There aren't that many tiles to choose from there so I would suggest you get an idea of what type you like by going to Beaumont beforehand and write down the item no. if you find one in case it's not at the pre start studio. We had Lee go through our pre start and contract signing with us and she was great. If you are building in an estate that has guidelines it might pay to have a quick look through to make sure it is all compliant but all the things we picked up on, Boutique had as well so they are pretty good with that. We are very impressed with how everything is going with Boutique. We are now just waiting on the prices of our requested upgrades from the pre start appointment before we can sign off in final. What happens is you sign the contract at your meeting first then choose your colours for everything. Any upgrades they will send to you the prices within a week of your appointment for you to confirm and sign off, then they proceed to lodging the building permit I think. We have had a little delay as we have to get approval from Council as our garage is a little higher than standard (due to fill) so we now aren't expecting site start until mid feb. One tip, there are standard Haymes paint colours. We didn't realise this so we spent $50 on sample pots trying to find the right light grey colour for our walls only to find out that the colour we'd chosen would cost us $2k extra. We just ended up going with what they had available in their standard range. I guess just have a pretty good idea of what colour scheme you want to go with before arriving, it will help make your time and the consultant's time a lot more efficient. Lee will help you with your choices if you ask her too but she won't pressure you at all. Hope I've answered your query (and then some!). Any more questions, feel free to ask. I love talking houses -------------------------------------- Building Sanctuary with Boutique Homes Williams Landing I'm renovating - building a small extension at the back of the late Edwardian house. This is the first stage. Second stage of the renovation will be to replace roof on… 0 1062 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair to do it properly you need to dig out the garden and waterproof the outside of the wall. There are some products you can put on the face of the bricks but the water is… 2 4613 |