Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Feb 23, 2010 12:25 pm After doing some reasearch (forgetting that I have a life and read all the threads I can find!) I have come to conclusion some things are done after will save you good money. Things that I was thinking of getting done after handover at the moment are only floors. However I have been advised by some friends also building houses to consider just putting ducts for the air conditioning in and installing the motor yourself, getting a kitchen specialist to do the kitchen, buy the paint the house yourself (since we are both not handy men, by myself is buy the paint myself and hire someone to do the painting so I can have feature walls left right and centre) etc. What are you or planning to do after handover? And has warranty issues have been a concern for you in the past? Thanks for your help! Pravs Re: What things would you do after handover? 2Feb 23, 2010 12:31 pm im the opposite. I have renovated my last home, and although I could saved a few thousand K's after handover, I want to be able to turn the key and move my stuff in. So nothing after handover here!! Even down to downlights, feature lighting and flooring etc. BUT we are doing driveways/ landscaping ourselves. But there is plenty you can do. carpet, tiles, heating, cooling, lighting, curtains/blinds, painting. Re: What things would you do after handover? 3Feb 23, 2010 12:33 pm WE are getting all our external walls, paving, driveway & decking done after handover.
Also internal painting (for example, was quoted $11,500 from builder, same painter doing it after handover, not cashie as he didn't want to do that is $6500) and like you mentioned, we can pick and choose our features walls. We are also getting all our internal flooring done (except for the wet areas which was included in our contract). All curtains & blinds after handover. Re: What things would you do after handover? 4Feb 23, 2010 12:54 pm I was thinking about ducts, but after consulting I found that installing the complete aircon system during the build would be about 2K cheaper that after. There is a big unit goes under the roof and installing it after the handover is more challenging. Re kitchen - my understanding (could be wrong, don't quote me on this) is that it may complicate things with the bank because house won't be complete until the kitchen has been finished and therefore, your builder might struggle to get the final payment before the kitchen has been finished. I'm doing the following by myself: - flooring. could select whatever I wanted and to in the way I wanted. Expected savings going to be around 15-20K (this is comparing to market average and does not consider 25% builder's margin - my builder don't do floors) - driveway. Have not finalised yet, so dunno. If I'm doing it myself, the savings going to be around 7-10K - landscaping - most of it will be done by myself. I have not finalised the budgets but savings looking to be massive (speaking 10th thousands) - fencing. Not much on the saving side (looks to cost me 10-15K) but I was able to select whatever I wanted (considering Modular Walls) - internal decorations being blinds, lightning and so on, so on, so on.... ... built a Promenade with Clarendon. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=25104 20-10-09 - excavation and piering completed ... 12-04-10 - Basins fixed. Connecting to the electrical grid 23-04-10 - PCI 07-05-10 - HANDOVER! Re: What things would you do after handover? 5Feb 23, 2010 1:05 pm We are installing the following after hand over - Special lighting (downlights) - All flooring apart from wet areas - Some doors and sliders in laundry - Painting internally - Window treatments We have aircon included so we dont need to worry about that but things like downlights can be put in for half the cost, just remember to make sure you point out where you want your lighting and tee it up with what future lights you want to put in later. Good luck with it all RHI - BALDIVIS PERTH 2005 Bought/Finished WA Housing Centre Home 2010 Building the Benchmark with REDINK Homes in The Avalon 2013 Building the Michigan with Cont3nt Living In Highbury Estate! Re: What things would you do after handover? 6Feb 23, 2010 1:25 pm We have our own contractors doing Tiles (Dry areas) and an A/V Distribution system during construction - I know the tiler my builder is using for the wet areas so we're getting him to do the dry areas whilst he is on-site for cash. We are also doing the following ourselves after handover: Carpet Blinds Driveway / paths / shed slabs Decking Landscaping Water tanks The total cost works out to about 30% cheaper than our builder's price doing it this way. Built a Tribeca 44 with the Big M Sales Accept 15/06/09, Contract Signed 24/09/09, Site Start 23/11/09, Slab 11/12/09, Frame 12/01/10, Roof 20/01/10, Lock-up 30/03/10, Fixing 30/04/10, Handover 27/08/10. Re: What things would you do after handover? 7Feb 23, 2010 3:08 pm Thanks guys! Your comments have been extremely helpful! With the decking, the contract states that our alfresco will be concreted. We want decking. So do we do it take it out of contract or does decking have to have concrete underneath? From your comments I think I will do the lighting, curtains, blinds and thinking about the painting and air conditioning. What about stuff like alarms and intercoms? I assuming too messy to do after handover? I know it would be lovely to turn the key and be all done but I am tryign to the get the bang for my buck! Pravs! Re: What things would you do after handover? 8Feb 23, 2010 4:24 pm pravvy Thanks guys! Your comments have been extremely helpful! With the decking, the contract states that our alfresco will be concreted. We want decking. So do we do it take it out of contract or does decking have to have concrete underneath? From your comments I think I will do the lighting, curtains, blinds and thinking about the painting and air conditioning. What about stuff like alarms and intercoms? I assuming too messy to do after handover? I know it would be lovely to turn the key and be all done but I am tryign to the get the bang for my buck! Pravs! We are doing the alarm after hand over as we have been told its cheaper plus we can buy a system and get my father to fit it RHI - BALDIVIS PERTH 2005 Bought/Finished WA Housing Centre Home 2010 Building the Benchmark with REDINK Homes in The Avalon 2013 Building the Michigan with Cont3nt Living In Highbury Estate! Re: What things would you do after handover? 9Feb 23, 2010 5:11 pm Splashback aunt works in glassing landscaping decking air con feature walls ceiling fans and probably a ton other stuff too. http://burbankascent2500.blogspot.com/ https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28503 [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] HOUSE COMPLETED IN 119 DAYS PCI Complete Handover 24th August Re: What things would you do after handover? 10Feb 23, 2010 5:16 pm makoby im the opposite. I have renovated my last home, and although I could saved a few thousand K's after handover, I want to be able to turn the key and move my stuff in. So nothing after handover here!! Even down to downlights, feature lighting and flooring etc. BUT we are doing driveways/ landscaping ourselves. But there is plenty you can do. carpet, tiles, heating, cooling, lighting, curtains/blinds, painting. We are the same. Last time we built we left so many things to after handover and never did them, so the house was always a little unfinished and I always felt like I was making excuses when people came over. This time, the builder is doing nearly everything except for the floorboards/carpets, driveway (and all concrete) and internal wall painting (builder quoted $13k, but can get it done for 7k). These are things that we will definately get done before we move in, but things like the lights and overhead cupboards in kitchen that we didn't do last time, we have included. I too just want to be able to move in and enjoy. We will still have the landscaping to do after we move in, but that's enjoyable Re: What things would you do after handover? 11Feb 23, 2010 5:20 pm re concrete for decking - depends. If it is well above the ground that you might get away with footings on which your support structures will sit. In my case, I wanted a concrete underlay for my alfresco which costed me an additional ~2500 for 16 m2... Timber for alfresco will be supplied and installed by me... ... built a Promenade with Clarendon. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=25104 20-10-09 - excavation and piering completed ... 12-04-10 - Basins fixed. Connecting to the electrical grid 23-04-10 - PCI 07-05-10 - HANDOVER! Re: What things would you do after handover? 12Feb 23, 2010 6:55 pm pravvy With the decking, the contract states that our alfresco will be concreted. We want decking. So do we do it take it out of contract or does decking have to have concrete underneath? Decking doesn't have to have concrete underneath, but your house design and soil type may require concrete in the alfresco room. Often when a slab is upgraded due to fill or other soil issues, it's necessary to concrete the porch and alfresco, instead of just doing strip footings. Check your contract and ask your builder if you're unsure. Re: What things would you do after handover? 13Feb 23, 2010 7:42 pm We are doing the following after handover 1. Render saving about 7k from builder quote for full render. 2. Flooring - Got prices through carpet call builders division. 25% saving on retail pricing. 3. Aircon - Builders quote 15k for 6 zones and 17kw. I have 8 zones + 20kw + 2 controllers + square outlets unit for same price. 4. Driveways and concrete for porch and alfresco. 5. WIR cabinetry. Saving of at least 20% here. 6. Electrical fit out - Getting builder to run wires only and our own electrician to install lights. Most people do this anyway but the saving here was upwards of 8K. 7. Landscaping. No idea how much here yet. The only other item i would have liked to add to this list is the water tank, but it was going to be too much hassle. We are paying 7K to builder where as externally should be less than 5k. Although the point to keep in mind is that this way there is a lot more project management. It is a hassle to get quotes, find reliable tradesman and manage everything. Re: What things would you do after handover? 14Feb 24, 2010 7:56 am liveonimpulse We are doing the following after handover Although the point to keep in mind is that this way there is a lot more project management. It is a hassle to get quotes, find reliable tradesman and manage everything. Totally agree but the way I see it is "no pain no gain" so if I want to the save a few extra bucks i guess I have to go through with the hassle of it all (and that i'm a PM by profession might help! I actually looked at doing owner builder but due my lack of building experience/knowledge, I steered away from it and thought this was the next best thing! Thanks guys you have given me lots of ideas! Those that are you doing the air conditioning, are you getting the builder to do the ducts and you install the motor or the whole she bang after handover? Re: What things would you do after handover? 15Feb 24, 2010 9:53 am liveonimpulse We are doing the following after handover 1. Render saving about 7k from builder quote for full render. 2. Flooring - Got prices through carpet call builders division. 25% saving on retail pricing. 3. Aircon - Builders quote 15k for 6 zones and 17kw. I have 8 zones + 20kw + 2 controllers + square outlets unit for same price. 4. Driveways and concrete for porch and alfresco. 5. WIR cabinetry. Saving of at least 20% here. 6. Electrical fit out - Getting builder to run wires only and our own electrician to install lights. Most people do this anyway but the saving here was upwards of 8K. 7. Landscaping. No idea how much here yet. The only other item i would have liked to add to this list is the water tank, but it was going to be too much hassle. We are paying 7K to builder where as externally should be less than 5k. Although the point to keep in mind is that this way there is a lot more project management. It is a hassle to get quotes, find reliable tradesman and manage everything. Going slightly off topic maybe, but who are you looking at using for WIR cabinetry? I need to startr looking at that as the WIR will only have the standard shelf and rail through the builder. Building Charleton 283 with Henley. Stage 11 - Alamanda Point Cook Build contract signed 22nd September 2009 Land settled - 17th May 2010 Site Start - 25th June 2010 Re: What things would you do after handover? 16Feb 24, 2010 11:57 am ebyelyakov Re kitchen - my understanding (could be wrong, don't quote me on this) is that it may complicate things with the bank because house won't be complete until the kitchen has been finished and therefore, your builder might struggle to get the final payment before the kitchen has been finished. I think you may also find that the builders WON'T allow you to install your own kitchen as they can't supply a certificate of occupancy on the house until the kitchen is installed (which then in turn leads to the banks not being willing to make the final payment). If you're not relying on bank funds you may have more of a chance of doing it this way, but they may still not allow it as I don't think they're actually allowed to release the site to you until the certificate of occupancy has been achieved. Perhaps if your kitchen people worked with the builder to have the kitchen installation done in parallel to the rest of the works? Then you run into all sorts of insurance headaches as the builder will not insure the works, and (in my experience) contractors are notorious for damaging kitchen cabinetry. I have had to claim on the benchtops for both of the new homes that I've either built or bought prior to completion as the contractors had been using the benchtop as a sawhorse and but deep cuts and scratches into them. Cut straight through the laminex in the first, scratched the heck out of the stone in the second (but at least that one polished out!!). As for what we're doing after handover: - all internal flooring with the exception of wet areas - robe fittings - light fittings (well, we've paid the sparky direct to do these, and we have to try to get them insured or take the risk that they will go missing) - all landscaping (including driveways, paths, garden, etc) - alfresco, deck, pergola, retractable shades on pergola - outdoor kitchen (although gas and water provisions have been included in the build) - fencing (this will probably wait a couple of years as the houses on either side are planned to be redeveloped, and we suspect one or both will put garages on the boundary) - storm water we have also requested the the skirtings around some rooms be loose-fitted for easy removal. I'm planning on lining some rooms with built-in bookcases finished to look like part of the wall, so the skirtings will need to go on afterwards. Re: What things would you do after handover? 17Feb 24, 2010 4:43 pm makoby im the opposite. I have renovated my last home, and although I could saved a few thousand K's after handover, I want to be able to turn the key and move my stuff in. So nothing after handover here!! Even down to downlights, feature lighting and flooring etc. BUT we are doing driveways/ landscaping ourselves. But there is plenty you can do. carpet, tiles, heating, cooling, lighting, curtains/blinds, painting. SAME!!!! I WANT A REST I am sick of living in a construction zone!!!! At the end of the day when I am spending $X hundred thousand dollars - a few more to me to have the luxury of someone else doing the hard work for me is worth it if I no longer have to lift a hammer, a chisel, a saw, a damn paint brush... or any other tool to do with building or renovating!!! (unless of course it's for the landscaping!) Sleven Moved into our Atlantique MkII 36 by Carlisle Homes Re: What things would you do after handover? 18Feb 24, 2010 6:03 pm sleven At the end of the day when I am spending $X hundred thousand dollars - a few more to me to have the luxury of someone else doing the hard work for me is worth it if I no longer have to lift a hammer, a chisel, a saw, a damn paint brush... or any other tool to do with building or renovating!!! (unless of course it's for the landscaping!) ... a few more... hundreds thousands? I whish I could afford this... If my builder were to do all finishes I would be well above 100K (considering their 25% builders margin) ... built a Promenade with Clarendon. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=25104 20-10-09 - excavation and piering completed ... 12-04-10 - Basins fixed. Connecting to the electrical grid 23-04-10 - PCI 07-05-10 - HANDOVER! Re: What things would you do after handover? 20Apr 27, 2014 5:20 pm Hello all. Just a quick question about flooring and painting after handover. I am planning on getting tiling in the living areas and carpet in the bedrooms which seems pretty standard here in Canberra from the display homes I have visited but I will do them after handover. I have done a few searches and found out if I want to organize my own tiling, I should request the builder to leave the skirting boards tacked on. Does that mean the tiler will remove the skirting board, do the tiling then attach the skirting board again? If not, who removes / attaches the skirting board? My second question relates to painting. Once the tiling has been completed, and the skirting boards has been reattached, would the painter sand or fill in any holes in the skirting board then paint it? Or would I have to organize a different trade to prep the surfaces before painting? In addition, if I organize get a professional painter to paint, is it common for the builder to have all my walls prepped for painting or would my painter? (e.g. plastering and sanding of the gap between gyprock sheets and the screw holes for example) Thank you in advance! Building is both exciting and stressful Depends what you're current inclusions are, but we're not including wardrobes and will just use second hand ones until we can save later on to get them built. Also have a… 3 8439 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 6694 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 30518 |