Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Dec 10, 2009 9:00 pm We are currently taking the first step to building. We have seen a house plan we like. We are now waiting on the land release which should be this weekend. Just wondering what you can get (if anything) out of your builder. Do they ever say 'I'll throw this or that in for you for nothing' Or are they pretty much firm with what the house comes with?? Just thought I may as well see what happens before we get serious about it. Thank you Building in Perth. Celebration homes Oasis. Pre-start complete 25th March 2010 Titles due April 2010 Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 2Dec 10, 2009 9:02 pm nope nothing, everything costs extra, everything Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 3Dec 10, 2009 9:05 pm Yes, they throw in 'extras', or atleast they make you think they are free .Unfortunately in the building game nothing is free. Built the Eden Brae Cambridge 34 Family with Boston Corner Facade Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 4Dec 10, 2009 9:06 pm we got some cut-out features in our living room and floor to ceiling tiles in the bathroom and ensuite for 'free' pretty much everything else we have asked about is extra extra extra make sure you put money aside for concrete... that one caught us out good luck Lisa Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 5Dec 10, 2009 9:08 pm Hahahahah!!! doesn't surprise me But thought it worth asking the question before we went ahead and then realised we could have gotten more. Building in Perth. Celebration homes Oasis. Pre-start complete 25th March 2010 Titles due April 2010 Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 6Dec 10, 2009 9:10 pm MNH, I think it really depends on who you build with. I'm not sure about M3tric0n but I would imagine you wouldn't get too much without paying somewhere else even if they do say 'spend $5,000 extra and you get $30K worth of upgrades'. I would imagine private builders would add a couple of things here and there. We are building at the moment and there has been a few things already that our builder is going out of his way to do which when queried about the extra cost they wouldn't be charging anything. Also, as for extra charges for changes we aren't getting charged but as I have seen on here, some people have up to $1,000 variation fee. I strongly recommend that you read over your contract, specs, plans and check and double check. Get some one else to "proof read" it as often they will be able to notice the things missing more than you. Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 7Dec 10, 2009 9:11 pm sometimes! We got free ducted air. We actually got a choice of 3 "freebies". An upgraded facade (we did that ourselves anyway), steel frame (the standard was treated pine, so it didn't bother us) or ducted air. We were offered that to sign up sooner, rather than later. If we hadn't put down our deposit at that time, I think the offer may have been withdrawn Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 8Dec 10, 2009 9:17 pm Nothing is free, it's all just built into the base price 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 9Dec 10, 2009 9:21 pm My DFH comes with the driveway in natural concrete but that's not allowed for my estate so they upgraded it to stamped / patterned for free. Oh, they also gave me an extra tap outside. Was only meant to have 1 but have 2 on the house plus the one at the front with the metre. So actually, got 2 extra taps! lol Current build Porter Davis Brookwater 49, Eucalypt Wollert Build: 24th Jul 2015 - Approx Mar 2016 Previous build DFH Columbia 21, Lyndarum Epping North Build:20th Jul 2009 - 18th Dec 2009 Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 10Dec 10, 2009 9:25 pm we got stainless steel appliances and a door upgrade for free, but we did have to pay $13,000 in variances as our land is on a 3mtr slope so that extra cost was sorta understandable. Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 11Dec 10, 2009 9:28 pm Free central heating and cooling, colourbond roof & gutters, fly screens with locks on windows/doors, carpet, tank & pump, remote garage with rear roller door as well. Lots of other minor things as well. Over head cupboards etc etc. I have looked at display homes and their 'upgrade' features it seems that these 'upgrades' are what should be included in a home anyway as standard inclusions....for example-overhead cupboards, tiling to living/kitchen and dining areas, remote garage door and so on!?!?!? Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 12Dec 10, 2009 9:35 pm When we were deciding on our staircase, we asked for 5 'ribbon' balusters as features. It stated in our signed contract that the builder would only offer 4. The stair case went in and we ended up with 5! Shhhhh Don't let them know...they might take it away!! We also got a 720 flush internal door for free. They stuffed up when ordering and ordered a flush panel for under the stairs, when we upgraded to 2 panel doors throughout. The SS offered to take it away, but we thought we might hold onto it. It's since been donated to friends doing a reno! I guess I could also say our 6 kitchen pot drawers were for free too. They had to replace them as the first ones they made were the incorrect sizes. A fairly costly mistake being 2 pac, too. Henley - Wilshire Mk 3 ... I love my house!! Site start: 4th Feb 09 Handover: 10th Sep 09 Blog: http://stormygirlscastle.blogspot.com/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?t=7166 Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 13Dec 10, 2009 9:38 pm Dollar I have looked at display homes and their 'upgrade' features it seems that these 'upgrades' are what should be included in a home anyway as standard inclusions....for example-overhead cupboards, tiling to living/kitchen and dining areas, remote garage door and so on!?!?!? Well, not neccesarily Dollar - there have been threads on this forum from posters who do NOT want overhead cupboards and not everyone wants tiling in kitchen/dining/living areas. Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 14Dec 10, 2009 9:39 pm Ok so those of you that did get some 'freebies'. Did you actually ask for them or was it just luck?? Thanks. Building in Perth. Celebration homes Oasis. Pre-start complete 25th March 2010 Titles due April 2010 Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 15Dec 10, 2009 9:58 pm The 'freebies' are what was included already in the building. So if you look at some promotions you will see 'spend $2,000 and you get X amount of upgrades'. These upgrades are simply in my opinion what should be standard inclusions in any home and often what you will only find with private builders. So in actual fact I guess it makes you think you are getting all this free stuff but really it's what other builders (non-franchised ones is what I call them) include as standard. Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 16Dec 10, 2009 10:07 pm just b4 we signed, our sales rep offered us free downlights to the living areas to sign, so we took it, I think that was a saving of about $2K, maybe less... A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 17Dec 10, 2009 10:12 pm we got $4,000 worth of freebies thrown in when we got a quote, we also got free cooling as part of their promotion and then when we signed they threw in some extra things on our facade and upgraded our choice of tiles and a few other things. We were pretty happy with them. We didnt have to ask, the sales rep threw them in as they want you to recommend them to other people which we have been . Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 18Dec 10, 2009 10:14 pm We paid a few grand for X amount of upgrades such as bi-fold doors, stone benches, higher ceilings etc. But it was still built into the overall price one way or another. Blog: http://bluemistkids.blogspot.com "Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, and professionals built the Titanic." Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 19Dec 10, 2009 10:18 pm [quote="lisanne"]Nothing is free, it's all just built into the base price /quote] not everything is built into the base price most builders do give freebies they just dont call them that as it may have taxation ramafications for them builders like to call there "Freebies" ..... "Contract Variation Oreders" & the have very large smiliey faces attached to them that look like "$$$$$$$" Taxation department like "Freebies" to but they call there's "GST" & they make the builder cheers rocket Re: So.....do building companies ever throw in 'extras'?? 20Dec 10, 2009 10:18 pm Annietom just b4 we signed, our sales rep offered us free downlights to the living areas to sign, so we took it, I think that was a saving of about $2K, maybe less... That's good. They are expensive little things. I’m curious about how you went with this. We are planning a KDRB and considering Plantation Homes as a builder. I’m aware that after the demolition another soil test… 1 6309 i wouldn't be worried, you'll definitely miss something, no matter how many times you review. we've spent close to 5 months ensuring everything got reflected in the… 5 9432 Thanks for your reply. I will just wait and see I guess. Trying to get some more information from our builder. 9 11703 |