Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jun 10, 2010 5:50 pm Our block is about 20 minutes away, so it would be the best part of an hour round trip, many days it would be after dark to visit so not much to see in the dark. I am having trouble resisting already and we don't have much to see, just site scrape, silt fencing and a toilet but i'm wondering whether the piering or plumbing got done, the only way to know is to visit. How do you stop yourself Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 2Jun 10, 2010 5:52 pm To me, if you can get there often all the better! Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 3Jun 10, 2010 5:54 pm Its so hard! I find myself trying to beat the sunset!! And then leering through windows using my mobile phone as a light to see if there is anything new Worst part is plaster, cos we have gone up every few days/once a week and it all looks the same I hate having no progress.!! Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 4Jun 10, 2010 5:55 pm Going so often can get quite depressing, especially when the progress slows down. You need to convince yourself that weekly visits are better! As you will see more progress on a weekly basis. We made the mistake of going almost daily, and it's draining... hour and a half round trip. It would really ruin our day if we drove out and saw no progress. Better to be surprised on weekly visits Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 5Jun 10, 2010 6:00 pm Hi Fernyhouse, I know exactly what you mean!! I live just a couple of minutes away from mine and i find myself doing a drive by (not even getting out of the car) 3 times a day, just to see is anyone there working on it Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 6Jun 10, 2010 6:11 pm Oh see we were the opposite. We went at least twice a day (DH) and once a day (me). Weekends we spent at least 1 full day onsite, sometimes both days. We were renting so it was around a 15min drive each way - but since DH had to go to our business which is only 3-5mins away he was already coming past. Had we been able to withstand living in a 2 bedroom home we would have been living in the front of the site - but it got way too hard with a toddler and a newborn. We valued our sanity and marriage way too much hence moving to a more spacious rental in the interim. I agree with Mish - the more often the better. You can get to know the tradies / whether they are being paid / whether the company is going ok (we knew before anyone else - even some of their tradies - when our company was going bankrupt) etc. You can also see if everything is being done to spec. I know it is hard when you are locked out but you can still measure externally and take pictures. Some things are worth waiting for. Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 7Jun 10, 2010 6:17 pm I'd definitely say at the very least twice a week. That's how you can also pick up any issues and get them rectified asap instead of them progressing and then having to fix it which may become a big job. I go about two to three times a week but I don't live far so I don't feel like I'm going out of my way. Summit/New Gen Homes Slab - 9/4/10 PCI - 13/9/10 Handover - 22/9/10 Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 8Jun 10, 2010 10:42 pm I live 5 mins from my build so it's not out of my way, I was going everyday, but it's so wet, dark and cold at the moment when I do get home I can't be bothered so I usually only go a couple of times a week now, more so on the weekend when it's daylight and I can have a look around. Lisa- Finally in our house!!! Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 9Jun 10, 2010 10:47 pm I can't stop myself. I live 10-15mins away. Everyday I can't help but visit! Argh! I've tried to think how I can prevent it, but I can't!!! Thankfully my builder has been doing something every day to look at! Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 10Jun 10, 2010 10:57 pm We stopped going towards the end as we noticed very minor changes if any at all. Often nothing happened for days so it ensured we didn't go out daily as nothing new to see. The beginning though we were there all the time. Loved the whole building process except the colour stuff but that was fun and then all the stress I made myself go through for nothing. We'd build again tomorrow if we could. Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 11Jun 10, 2010 11:02 pm Hmmmm - we will be living exactly 960 metres away from our build at my parents place! We already do 3 drive bys of our bare block that still isn't titled yet! I hate to see how we are when we actually have some real action down there!!! I'm in agreement with the guys above - i guess the more you're there, the more you can see/hear/feel and get to know your actual build! I think building a rapport with the actual tradies can assist in your final product! Well I hope so anyway! Sleven Moved into our Atlantique MkII 36 by Carlisle Homes Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 12Jun 10, 2010 11:24 pm I'll be there every day...the garden on the back 1/3 of our acre is being established now-and the chickens will go in within the next month-so I NEED to be there evry day! Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 13Jun 11, 2010 12:30 am we go multiple times a day. Usually in the morning to see if any new trades are there that we need to talk to prior to work commencing, then later in the day to see what has happened. If nobody is onsite in the mornings we'll usually swing by after lunch to see if anyone new has decided to start onsite on an afternoon after finishing a prior job. Has happened quite a few times. We've HAD to be onsite a lot as we have made so many changes to the base plan of our build, and the SS just has NO idea about it all. Even from the get-go - the plumbers weren't told to ensure that the plumbing for grey and black water was separated (but it was in the contract). Things like that - every trade has gotten something wrong (or about to) if they weren't made aware of our changes. We're also absolutely positive that it is our own relationship with the tradies that has kept much of this build to a good quality. Most tradies that we speak to HATE our SS, so have no reason to stretch themselves and make the work REALLY good as opposed to up to standard. We believe that we have built a real rapport with many of the tradies and in turn they have gone above and beyond to accommodate us and our plans. I've often said that if this house turns out to be good it will be no fault of the SS! If you're close to the house then I see it as a good thing to be seen onsite. It makes everyone aware that you ARE watching and you WILL be checking that things are up to scratch - providing you don't make a nuisance of yourself in doing so =) ftr - we live a 5 min drive from our new home. Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 14Jun 11, 2010 10:18 am I was doing weekly drivebys of my block as it was developed. Gave me a good idea if there was any rock, seeing as the drainage is a couple of meters below the ground. This week it has been every night, as the site supervisor booked trades every day this week. So far its been good to see progress. But I will continue to get dates for trades off the SS, and visit once or twice a week. Some people don't have time to do the job right the first time, but seem to have plenty of time to fix their mistakes. Build Thread Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 15Jun 11, 2010 11:43 am Short answer... we don't! We go every day, and usually more than once. We live around the corner though so our block (well now a house almost) is on the way to wherever we are going. I like to get an idea of who is on site each day, also keep an eye on the nosy trespassing neighbour that likes to make trouble for us , and to show the kids what is happening. Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 16Jun 11, 2010 12:51 pm upsydaisy Short answer... we don't! We go every day, and usually more than once. We live around the corner though so our block (well now a house almost) is on the way to wherever we are going. I like to get an idea of who is on site each day, also keep an eye on the nosy trespassing neighbour that likes to make trouble for us , and to show the kids what is happening. Ok-you can't leave it at that! Details required! Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 18Jun 11, 2010 1:01 pm yes I am also intrigued by what trouble could the neighbours possibly cause? We have visited everyday since the land settled so we have met all our future neighbours without even living there Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 19Jun 11, 2010 1:02 pm Us too jimsal! We've spoken more to our future neighbours in the past few weeks than we did in nearly 6 years at our old place... Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: How do you stop yourself from visiting daily? 20Jun 11, 2010 1:57 pm Daily or close to daily is great. Get to see so many little things that you'd otherwise miss. Met a few neighbours, saw some slab parties, picked up on things that need attention, get to feel more involved. At times when work is slow it can get depressing but it'll be over before you know it. Sometimes go more than once. It's a healthy addiction haha. Paying enough for the experience...hahaha. Life is; then you tell yourself a story. The DIY project can be broken into two major steps. Planning and Design and Construction. Both of these steps are as important as one another to ensure you give… 0 5222 Looking to start the journey of becoming an owner builder in SA. Feeling pretty (overly) confident on the building and construction details, but really struggling to find… 0 8577 No. It's not original. Circa early to mid 90s would be my guess and maybe even as late as early 2000s 1 6820 |