Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 13, 2010 8:04 am Hi all, Just like everyone on here starts their own thread, so too will I. Everyone says how much they learn from this site, its only until you start to deal with your builder that you know how much or little you have learnt. I have been reading and learning for months now, randomly asking and answering questions trying to help out, learning so I can help others. So it wasn't until this week that I thought our build and experience may help others. Here's our story: We currently live in North/Western Sydney, and will be building a McDonald Jones(McJones) "Personalised" Chesterfield Grande in the Vermont Estate at Pitt Town (Hawkesbury). At the moment there are several McJones homes being built in our estate, which I have monitored over the last six months. All in all they look like they have been built to a great finish, and a decent time frame. We purchased our lot (Approx 800m2) in December 2009, deposited with builder Jan 2010, Colour selection Feb 2010, April was back and forth with alterations to plans, signed contracts early May, submitted to council 11th May, and now awaiting electrical and council approval. Modified Floorplan. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ External Colours. (Using the trusty Mstudi0 site.) Like ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Colours: The bricks are Austral whitsunday-keswick. Roof - Colourbond - Ironstone Gutters - Ironstone Facia - Dune Windows - Black Garage Door - Ironstone Front Door - Ironstone So far our dealings with McJones has been great, our Customer Liaisons has been very speedy with responding to questions and requests. Fingers crossed it stays like that. Regards, Woodduck Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Building The Chesterfield Grande - Introduction 2May 13, 2010 9:14 pm Hi Woodduck, The plans and facade look good. Will keep checking in to see how your build goes. McDonald Jones Homes - The Parklane http://ashobuild.blogspot.com/ https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34426 Re: Building The Chesterfield Grande - Introduction 3May 14, 2010 7:21 am Its not often you get something from the estate developer, however, this week we noticed a shiny new fence adjoining an existing property and our blocks. When I questioned the developer he said it had been promised to the existing buildings and they followed through. Thanks. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Building Our Chesterfield Grande - Introduction 4May 14, 2010 7:52 am LOVE IT! no real wasted space (3 beds and a bath off the activities..love it) and like the his and her wir...although I recon you should make one slightly bigger for all your clothes (NOT!) everyone knows the chick needs more space..and she will be going into his to pinch some ha ha I use to live at Maroota, (20 yrs ago) and cant believe how different pitt town/ kellyville etc has changed... wow so many houses. parklea was just fields... look forward to seeing your build. It looks a nice plan. How many Sq mets is it? nicky Re: Building Our Chesterfield Grande - Introduction 5May 14, 2010 9:23 am Hi Kiwi, After our modifications to the standard Chesterfield, it works out to be approx 33 squares. The north western Sydney area has grown so much over the past several years, pity the roads and transport infrastructure hasn't. Woodduck Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Building Our Chesterfield Grande - Introduction 6May 14, 2010 9:32 am I love your floor plan, it all works so well. I really like the WIR, I wanted one of those but it didn't work with our plans. The colours you've chosen look great too and what an awesome developer- I wish ours would do that for us! Building the Foxley 29 with PD. Contracts signed 24/05/10 Land titled 3/11/10 Land settlement 18/11/10 Site Scrape 17/01/11 Slab poured 3/02/11 Re: Building Our Chesterfield Grande - 2 weeks in council 7May 26, 2010 12:19 pm Just a quick update, email from Customer Liaison informing DA on fast track all going well should be approved by next Tuesday. I must say that the communication between McJones and us has been awesome, I keep reading people are having problems with communication, but I cant fault them. The only time consuming thing was waiting for drafting after we changed walls etc. All in all very happy, I hope those of you having trouble can get it sorted. Best of luck! Steve Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - waiting Da Appr 8May 31, 2010 7:39 pm Congratulations on getting the ball rolling on your new home. The Chesterfield Grand is a good layout. We have just started looking at MJH's as we intend on buying a block on NSW South Coast. They appear to have reasonably good prices and are up front about pricing. Look forward to watching your new home being built. Hope all goes to plan. Riffa Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - waiting Da Appr 9Jun 01, 2010 9:57 am Thanks Riffa, MJH have been good for us, and yes we have found them to tell you up front how much it will be to do this and that. We have just had verbal approval from our DA application, just waiting for paper work. Has anyone had to pay council fee's on top of there application fee?? If so what area. Thanks Woodduck Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Verbal Da Appro 10Jun 01, 2010 9:58 am Forgot to mention, does anyone know what happened to the MJH thread??? Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Verbal Da Appro 11Jun 01, 2010 4:37 pm woodduck Forgot to mention, does anyone know what happened to the MJH thread??? Hi Woodduck, I'm trying to find the MJH thread as well and can't seem to find it This is a shame because I enjoyed visiting that thread and seeing how other MJH builds were going. Oh well, maybe I should stop being lazy and make my own thread on our house... only have 3 weeks left to do it though as we're nearly at handover By the way your plans and colours and everything look great! Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Verbal Da Appro 12Jun 01, 2010 10:02 pm Hi Steve, Thats great you are approved! Hope everything goes smoothly. I wonder if we have the same customer liason rep? Ours is fantastic with communication as well! McDonald Jones Homes - The Parklane http://ashobuild.blogspot.com/ https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34426 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Site Start Soon 13Jun 23, 2010 12:43 pm Not much has happened lately as everyone can understand, a lot of waiting. We received our DA Approval with some changes needed to our landscape plans, remove non native plants/shrubs etc. Also we have to organize the driveway "layback" ourselves. Prices have ranged from $1000 to $2500. Yesterday we were informed that our site start will be within the 20 days. Finally we may see some dirt fly! Steve Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Site Start Soon 14Jun 23, 2010 1:23 pm love the house bro, had to comment to a fellow car salesman who would only ever use that name lol. am doing the same as you plans about to goto council. check out my post for prelim plans tell me what you think. i also agree this site has helped me invaluably and when i get a bit more detail then i will do the same as you to try and pass the torch down. https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=37134 THE THREAD https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=35962 THE BLOG! http://pedrosinspiredbeauty.blogspot.com/ BRICKS BRICKS ARE FINISHED... ROOF STARTS TODAY 03/02/2011!. Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Site Scrape Don 15Jul 09, 2010 6:13 pm Well, we can actually see things happening now. The site was scraped today, we organised to scrape the whole block which they did for a small fee. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Site Scrape Don 16Jul 10, 2010 10:26 am Wow - your block looks so flat!! Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Site Scrape Don 17Jul 10, 2010 8:28 pm MrsWaiting Wow - your block looks so flat!! Well its extra flat now! Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Piering Done 18Jul 13, 2010 7:13 pm We were asked to attend the building site today for the piering to be poured, we had to be present to approve extra piering for the pool if required, the only requirement was to go an extra 800mm deep on the pool side. All went well and we came in under the allowance even after an additional pier was ordered by the engineer. Happy with that! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Piering Done 19Jul 13, 2010 7:25 pm Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: Our McDonald Jones Chesterfield Grande - Piering Done 20Jul 13, 2010 8:12 pm Congratulations Steve! Great to finally see some action! McDonald Jones Homes - The Parklane http://ashobuild.blogspot.com/ https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34426 I second taking your plans elsewhere. They're yours (unless you ended up in one of those cheaper arrangements where you don't own the rights and the build will be tendered… 2 24470 "Losers" "humanity" "off time" "your" "top notch" "love symbol" Sounds like ponzo is done using other people's toilets 36 48177 Good on you for having a go I am the opposite of DIY (so will pay a builder) - our vibe is industrial/simple so current thinking is 150mm concrete and then internally is… 3 21763 |