Hi all,
Been browsing for a while and found a lot of very interesting topics about the highs and lows of new home building. So here we are officially to add our experience of the process so far on building our final home in Hervey Bay QLD. We are a "mature" couple with married children and grandkids in Hervey Bay so this will be our last house building process.
Whilst going through the initial process of finding an existing house to buy we came across a great block (our opinion) of land in Summit Ridge Estate. The block is 756sq/mtr and around 60mtr above sea level with views across Hervey Bay to The Coral Sea (5 Km) and Fraser Island. It is a corner block with a North Easterly aspect and gently sloping facing the views. We settled on the Land on 1st July 2010 and since then have had fun and games trying to find a suitable house plan that fits the block with the street access on the main road side but having out door area and (alfresco) on the end and able to take in the views etc.
Here are a few photos of the block and views.
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After many visits to Show homes and bags full of brochures of potential plans that would give us the features we wanted, we finally decided we would have to modify a plan to suit our needs and budget. We found that the SC at Coral Homes was interested, very helpful with advise in trying to solve our dilemma and put up with our constant questions and changes to plans, to end up with our final house plan. I am sure he dreds my phone calls by now!!!
The plan is based on their Portsea 256 with heavy modifications to put the entrance and garage facing the main street and again modify the Family room and Patio/Alfresco area to suit the block and views.
The home will eventually have a small private courtyard outside the main bedroom and we included a sliding door in the bedroom to access this.
We have put double sliding cavity doors to the study that could also be used for a formal dining room if required.
The lounge /dining area will be carpeted with a tiled perimeter from the entrance and across in front of the study into the Kitchen /Family room.
We have also added another Sliding door to Bed 4 so it can be used as an indoor/outdoor room with a bar!!!
The garage has been made wider and deeper and we are having 2 garage doors so we only have to open a single door as required and have enough room between cars to get in and out comfortably.
Here are the plans of the house and elevations.
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You will see there will only be a relatively small garden area (which suits us in our twilight years) and we will be putting in a Murraya Hedge along both road boundaries and keep them trimmed down to about 1200mm to 1400mm high eventually for privacy, but still see over the top.
As of today the plans have been sent to the Private Certifier for Council approval so that will probably take at least 6 weeks, so I do not think we will have a slab down before the Christmas break (dam) but as long as approval is given before Christmas, Coral should be able to start soon after the break and from there we hope to be in by Easter!!! (anyone want to buy a good quality 28sq 4 bedder/Cathedral ceilings/ double garage in Penrith district NSW???)
We are now going through the task of picking finishes for inside and outside, never thought it would be so hard, its easy buying an established home, what you see is what you get, you either like it or leave, it but with a new home there are so many options to decide on, it is quite stress full, we have changed just about every area 2 or three times and still going.
Till the next time.