Jen
Loving the pics!
Ouch, the window coverings sound like a lot more than we expected to pay. Not sure what the differences are between the 13m and 14m, but are are the window sizes standard ones? If there even is a standard... ?
Browse Forums Building A New House Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 161Aug 08, 2010 9:38 pm Jennie_ The tiling is finished, vanities in and they were getting stuck into the painting when I was there, but everything was covered in dropsheets so no new pics. Jen Loving the pics! Ouch, the window coverings sound like a lot more than we expected to pay. Not sure what the differences are between the 13m and 14m, but are are the window sizes standard ones? If there even is a standard... ? Building with McDonald Jones - Bordeaux 14m @ the ponds in sydney's north-west Build Blog => http://damianandannasabode.blogspot.com/ Construction status - DONE. Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 162Aug 08, 2010 11:29 pm danana Loving the pics! Ouch, the window coverings sound like a lot more than we expected to pay. Not sure what the differences are between the 13m and 14m, but are are the window sizes standard ones? If there even is a standard... ? Hi danana, I think they are a standard drop but width varies greatly. There's some slim windows and some larger ones. The two triple sized sliding doors at the back are quite huge and therefore cost more to cover. The venetians were 2K and the sheer verticals were 5K and that was just for the two sliding doors and the dining room window - oh and two skinny ones either side of the recessed area. Normal verticals would be a lot cheaper, the sheer ones have material as well (search google images for 'sheer verticals' to see what i mean). I got there today and discovered the fence is gone and the painting is finished inside and out. The whole site is quite messy (so is next door who are building a MDJH too 2 weeks ahead of us) but it's easier to get access at least to the outside. I can peer through the windows and see the progress in the kitchen . I have been looking at the bare bricks out the front for so long, now that it's bagged and painted I'm undecided whether I like it or not. It's paint so it can be changed if needed I put up a couple of pics. Jen Building Bordeaux 13m Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 163Aug 09, 2010 12:16 pm Jennie_ *snip* now that it's bagged and painted I'm undecided whether I like it or not. It's paint so it can be changed if needed I put up a couple of pics. Jen Ah thanks for the info. For our fascade, we chose a roasted red colour (called roasted) from taubmans, so it will give a nice effect to the exterior and make it a little different than other places around us. Building with McDonald Jones - Bordeaux 14m @ the ponds in sydney's north-west Build Blog => http://damianandannasabode.blogspot.com/ Construction status - DONE. Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 164Aug 09, 2010 3:19 pm Hi all, Has anyone had to set up a security account for money to pay to MJH. I need help on how to set it up the bank says its not standard practice and MJH say it is. Thanks riccathome Building:Bronte Grand Manor Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 165Aug 09, 2010 3:55 pm riccathome Hi all, Has anyone had to set up a security account for money to pay to MJH. I need help on how to set it up the bank says its not standard practice and MJH say it is. Thanks riccathome Hi riccathome, Yes we had to set up a security account for progress payments. Unfortunately you don't get a choice, they have an arrangement with the ANZ bank at Maitland I think it was. The contact is Carmen Soldas and there should be details in your contract or colour selections pack. You will need to make arrangements with her but you can sign the paperwork at any ANZ branch. I wasn't happy about it because we were getting quite a good interest rate where we had our money and they couldn't (wouldn't?) match it, but at least they didn't require ALL the funds in there at once. They just required the equivalent of the total of the first and last payments to be deposited initially and then just deposit more as the progress payments become due. Its an account that requires both your, and MJH signatures before the funds are released for each payment, so neither of you can access funds without the others' approval. As each payment became due MJH sent us an invoice and an authority to release funds which we signed and sent to Carmen who released the funds. I do all my banking online so this arrangement worked well for me. As soon as I made a payment I started transferring funds into the joint account ready for the next payment. I had to do this because I had a daily transfer limit of $20,000 and one of the progress payments was over $80,000 - so would take 4 or 5 transfers on separate days to get it there. It worked really well once it was set up. Hope this helps Jen Building Bordeaux 13m Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 166Aug 09, 2010 4:06 pm Jennie_ riccathome Hi all, Has anyone had to set up a security account for money to pay to MJH. I need help on how to set it up the bank says its not standard practice and MJH say it is. Thanks riccathome Hi riccathome, Yes we had to set up a security account for progress payments. Unfortunately you don't get a choice, they have an arrangement with the ANZ bank at Maitland I think it was. The contact is Carmen Soldas and there should be details in your contract or colour selections pack. You will need to make arrangements with her but you can sign the paperwork at any ANZ branch. I wasn't happy about it because we were getting quite a good interest rate where we had our money and they couldn't (wouldn't?) match it, but at least they didn't require ALL the funds in there at once. They just required the equivalent of the total of the first and last payments to be deposited initially and then just deposit more as the progress payments become due. Its an account that requires both your, and MJH signatures before the funds are released for each payment, so neither of you can access funds without the others' approval. As each payment became due MJH sent us an invoice and an authority to release funds which we signed and sent to Carmen who released the funds. I do all my banking online so this arrangement worked well for me. As soon as I made a payment I started transferring funds into the joint account ready for the next payment. I had to do this because I had a daily transfer limit of $20,000 and one of the progress payments was over $80,000 - so would take 4 or 5 transfers on separate days to get it there. It worked really well once it was set up. Hope this helps Jen Thanks Jen I will look into it. riccathome Building:Bronte Grand Manor Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 167Aug 09, 2010 9:35 pm Well the bricklaying is almost complete and the brickies are expecting to be finished tomorrow. We will see what happens. So far it is all looking good. Hopefully we can go on site soon and get some better and more up close photos. Our window covering quote was around $7.5k for 10 windows with plantation shutters. Plus we are getting two vertical drapes over the doors and a pull down blind in the kitchen. All up under $10k. McDonald Jones Homes - The Parklane http://ashobuild.blogspot.com/ https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34426 Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 168Aug 09, 2010 10:54 pm Bizzie Mummy Well the bricklaying is almost complete and the brickies are expecting to be finished tomorrow. We will see what happens. So far it is all looking good. Hopefully we can go on site soon and get some better and more up close photos. Our window covering quote was around $7.5k for 10 windows with plantation shutters. Plus we are getting two vertical drapes over the doors and a pull down blind in the kitchen. All up under $10k. Hi BM, I have been following your blog and am amazed at the different way the roof and bricks look depending on the light, it looks great! Did you get your window coverings quoted off the plans or are your architraves etc already done? The company we went with tallied up the total cost and then gave a 45% discount. I hate that type of sales - sort of like the jewelry shops that claim 50% discounts. I wanted to get them underway though as I am working the next 2 days then flying interstate for a week and our SS has advised that we should be in within 3-4 weeks. Jen Building Bordeaux 13m Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 169Aug 14, 2010 11:49 am Hi Bizze Mummy, Who did you get your quote from? Quote sounds reasonable. We have just got building approval so expect MJ to start in the next 20 working days. Looks like they have lots of work at the moment at Pitt Town and the Ponds. Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 170Aug 14, 2010 10:24 pm Brickwork on our house was completed on Thursday and the eaves went up on Friday bar the porch area. It is so exciting to see things moving along. Jennie - Your house is looking great. It wont be long now. Our quote for the shutters came from the plans. The company will do a proper measure up once the windows are nailed down properly I think that means after the gyprock goes up. We want ours ordered before handover too so we can move straight in with window coverings! 1155 - Yay! Not long to go now! We know of heaps of MJH going up in The Ponds, Kellyville Ridge, Stanhope Gardens and Pitt Town. They are growing by the day! The company who will do our shutters are http://www.urbanlane.com.au. They were recommended to us. They were so much more reasonable than some of the bigger companies around. Danana - We drove past your slab today! Great to see you are on the way! McDonald Jones Homes - The Parklane http://ashobuild.blogspot.com/ https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34426 Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 171Aug 15, 2010 3:18 pm Hi All Not much happening (read big fat NOTHING) on my site but I have started my own thread - see my sig for the link Great to see your bricking complete Bizzie!! Looks fab Building the Monte Carlo with McD Jones View my building thread @ viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37255 Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 172Aug 15, 2010 10:37 pm Bizzie Mummy Danana - We drove past your slab today! Great to see you are on the way! Not much work has happened in the last week. Just some drainage I think. Frame should be delivered by the end of the week hopefully. I was suprised to see you do not have an eve over your garage. We had to have one put on, or the Kalina council would not approve! Building with McDonald Jones - Bordeaux 14m @ the ponds in sydney's north-west Build Blog => http://damianandannasabode.blogspot.com/ Construction status - DONE. Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 173Aug 17, 2010 8:15 am I was rang yesterday and informed that my contract and plans were in the mail via Express post! So excitied to get them today and hopefully everything will be right! Cross your fingers for me, were gettign closer to Council..... On a side note, just out of curiousity, is it the builder who is supposed to check what Coucnil restrictions we have to abide by? We had to change our plans at the very last minue (ie. last friday!) becuse we found out (by ringing Coucnil about another matter) that minimum setback was 18m (rural property) and we had only proposed 12m. I was surprised the builder hadn't picked that up way back when we first started the process. Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 174Aug 17, 2010 8:29 am Hi all.... Riccat...a quick tip for you, as we have just discovered, our big stacker door has been incorrectly installed. Only discovered because we had the flyscreen man around to give us a quote and he told us that the door was around the wrong way and a flyscreen wouldn't go. Basically it's the middle door that has the bit that sticks out, it should be toward the inside, not the outside (as it is on our place). I guess that does apply to anyone else that has a large stacker door in their plan....speaking with Bradnams, they said they had a similar problem with another build (done by MJH as well!!). And on the bank account thing, pretty much as Jennie has listed. We didn't want to drop all of the money in there at once (didn't want interest payments building up on our side!!!) so we arranged to transfer money in as they requested it. We did have to put in the first and last payments up front though. But it does work well (when the system is behaving that is....had a few letters sent out with "Syntax Error" all over it!). Anyway, we are a shade away from moving in. Final touch up's are done. Electricity and gas have been connected and we are just waiting to get the keys! Excitement growing!!! Building the Bronte Manor in Lake Macquarie Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 175Aug 17, 2010 9:37 am Xiphias69 Hi all.... Riccat...a quick tip for you, as we have just discovered, our big stacker door has been incorrectly installed. Only discovered because we had the flyscreen man around to give us a quote and he told us that the door was around the wrong way and a flyscreen wouldn't go. Basically it's the middle door that has the bit that sticks out, it should be toward the inside, not the outside (as it is on our place). I guess that does apply to anyone else that has a large stacker door in their plan....speaking with Bradnams, they said they had a similar problem with another build (done by MJH as well!!). And on the bank account thing, pretty much as Jennie has listed. We didn't want to drop all of the money in there at once (didn't want interest payments building up on our side!!!) so we arranged to transfer money in as they requested it. We did have to put in the first and last payments up front though. But it does work well (when the system is behaving that is....had a few letters sent out with "Syntax Error" all over it!). Anyway, we are a shade away from moving in. Final touch up's are done. Electricity and gas have been connected and we are just waiting to get the keys! Excitement growing!!! Thanks X, I'll keep an eye on it. We sorted the bank account thing too, thanks. Good to see you are almost in, congrats. Riccathome Building:Bronte Grand Manor Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 176Aug 17, 2010 11:27 am My build has finally made it to council and will hopefully go through speedily and without any problems. I'm starting to get excited as we are getting closer to construction of our home. Can anyone recommend any good value tree removal services in West Syd? we have a couple that need to be removed roots and all for the building pad. It is great seeing everyone else's progress……Xiphias69 do you have any new photos? I thought it was Bradmans that actually install the doors, I could be wrong though as it may be different with using a builder and not using them directly. I spoke to them about pricing as we upgraded our doors and wanted to compare what it was costing to upgrade between the standard and the one we wanted. I thought she said they come out and install them, the ones we chose she said they send the frames and then the glass separately as they are too heavy all together. I'd be cranky if my doors got installed wrong, are they going to do anything about it? can you have the fly screen on the inside? Riccathome, do you know when your build is starting yet? Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 177Aug 17, 2010 11:38 am normad My build has finally made it to council and will hopefully go through speedily and without any problems. I'm starting to get excited as we are getting closer to construction of our home. Can anyone recommend any good value tree removal services in West Syd? we have a couple that need to be removed roots and all for the building pad. It is great seeing everyone else's progress……Xiphias69 do you have any new photos? I thought it was Bradmans that actually install the doors, I could be wrong though as it may be different with using a builder and not using them directly. I spoke to them about pricing as we upgraded our doors and wanted to compare what it was costing to upgrade between the standard and the one we wanted. I thought she said they come out and install them, the ones we chose she said they send the frames and then the glass separately as they are too heavy all together. I'd be cranky if my doors got installed wrong, are they going to do anything about it? can you have the fly screen on the inside? Riccathome, do you know when your build is starting yet? Normad, No, nothing started yet other than the tree coming down, I will get the name of the fellow that did that for us and pm it to you, he was good and quick too. (hubby was incharge of that job)... Good to see your in council... Riccathome Building:Bronte Grand Manor Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 178Aug 18, 2010 7:30 am Hi All, I have a few questions if anyone can help. Has everyone been allowed on site to inspect the pier drilling? Also does McDonald Jones install the all weather access driveway? As well as in the final contract is there anything I have to look out for? If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated Regards, Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 179Aug 18, 2010 8:05 am vpeewee Hi All, I have a few questions if anyone can help. Has everyone been allowed on site to inspect the pier drilling? Also does McDonald Jones install the all weather access driveway? As well as in the final contract is there anything I have to look out for? If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated Regards, Hi vpeewee, I was asked to be on site for the piers, because of extra depth of piering that we requested. The all weather access we have is a combination of left over concrete and rubble from piers and slab. Not real necessary, but ask when the contract starts, eg. when they turn the first bit of dirt. This will give you a good idea when the contract may finish. woodduck Building The Chesterfield Grande with McDonald Jones https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=33587 Re: McDonald Jones Homes - The new thread 180Aug 19, 2010 10:11 am Well I no sooner got back from interstate than our SS called. Flooring, aircon and a few last minute touches plus cleaning it up and we will be ready for final inspection and a walkthrough! 2 weeks max. Had a look through the windows, stove and rangehood are there and the TV aerial and all the electricals are done. Handles on the doors (lever ones - we don't have little kids any more), toilets and toilet seats, shower fittings etc all done. They did a fantastic paint job inside. Can't wait! Jen Building Bordeaux 13m Hi AKG, We had a base tender of $592 for 31 squares from MC Donald Jones. It looks relatively cheaper than other builders. 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