Finally finished with Clarendon, 12 months! pics inside

worktime · Dec 06, 2007 2:21 am

Hey everyone,

I've been lurking around this forum for the last 12 months. Everyone here has been so helpful. I've looked at virtually every blog and followed their progress with much excitement. Although I didn't blog due to time constraints, you can finally see our finished house, I just finished interior designing it this week. I've got some photos, please feel free to criticize what I should and shouldn't change.

Can I say it was worth it? no, lol. Although Clarendon was pretty good to us, I have say there are so many things one forgets (budget wise and things you don't even think you would come across) when building and it can really drain you out...

Some things I would like to give advice for those building.

1. Don't be cheap, only to regret later. It costs alot more todo stuff down the future than doing it with your home builder. Sometimes, you think your home builder is ripping you off so hold it off.... Don't, you'll usually waste more time calling around, plus find the prices are the same.

2. After you're doors are in, floors are laid etc. Go in and protect your front doors and place mats on the floor. We've found that as there are so many tradies who work on the house, if one of them damage the door (mostly accidental) they're not gonna tell you and the builders wont fix it, most of these are stratches and your floor grout might get dirty, the builder wont fix these. There was alot of small marks on our doors and near the front entrance which is hard to fix..

3. Add brushed aluminum kickboards to your kitchens, makes it look modern and it costs about $200 or less - builder should be able todo.

4. DON'T BUILD NEAR CHRISTMAS. Finding tradies near christmas (oct+ onwards) gets really difficult and the prices are more higher... Best time to build is in Feb... If you need tradies call them before October...

5. If you are choosing tiles, get the BIG ones, they make the house look better, preferably 600mm ones

6. Say you budgeted $100k for your construction. The total real cost is more likely to be $150-175k!!! This is after cleaning, tile sealing, landscaping, letterbox, blinds/shutters, inspection services, carpet upgrades, fencing, extra lights, etc...

If anyone has questions on anything, let me know.

Here's some photos:

Cookiemonster · Dec 06, 2007 7:09 am

Your home looks great. Thats a big home, the Kirribilli.

Did you build the big version or the BIG BIG version?

sandra_canberra · Dec 06, 2007 8:44 am

Your home is beautiful!! You have chosen great colours and great furniture too. Better than many display homes I have seen!

If you could, please share some more pics and also some details on the colours, etc.

Thanks...

dna · Dec 06, 2007 9:07 am

Looks great, love the both ceiling features. Were these included in the design?

oznow · Dec 06, 2007 12:27 pm

Have to agree with above posts, the house looks fantastic! More pics pls.
ozn

VJ · Dec 06, 2007 12:55 pm

I agree... your house looks amazing!

Can you show some photos outside?

arkraider · Dec 06, 2007 1:11 pm

and more of the inside too.....

3timesbuilda · Dec 06, 2007 1:14 pm

VJ

Can you show some photos outside?

Just take your laptop into the garden. :lol:

Jet79 · Dec 06, 2007 3:54 pm

Another vote for more photos, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

perryr · Dec 06, 2007 3:55 pm

Good advice - and great pictures. Put a few more up if you have the time.

Reminds me of a thread... "things you would do differently next time."

brittany · Dec 06, 2007 5:19 pm

More pics... more pics... more pics....
I get so excited seeing pics !
Great looking already!

wantingahouse · Dec 06, 2007 10:12 pm

Quote:

Reminds me of a thread... "things you would do differently next time."

Would love to see that thread

*hint* *hint* ...we just had our slab layed so ANY advice is good.

Love the house by the way. I second everyone else...more photos please.

Maxie · Dec 06, 2007 10:27 pm

Wow - the Kirribilli - that is one BIG house! Yes, I'd love to see more pics too!

I think I'll have to print out your number 1 tip in big print and pin it to the wall - I have said the EXACT same thing to hubby so many times over the past months when he's tried to convince me to do things 'later'. Now, to have someone who has just experienced what we are about to, confirm that my line of thinking is right! hee hee

VJ · Dec 06, 2007 10:45 pm

Quote:

Just take your laptop into the garden.

I mean, photos of the house outside.. hehe. :oops:

Would love to see how the front of the house looks like, as I'm not familiar with this design.

mattwalker · Dec 06, 2007 11:44 pm

The kiribilli was on display in Cranbourne opposite berwick springs....

What a house!

What a pricetag!!!! :lol:

Yak_Chat · Dec 06, 2007 11:56 pm

Good advice worktime.
Building a perfect house is pretty much near impossible and your input and design tips are exactly what people need to hear.
Enjoy the new abode and take the time to enjoy it, sit back and go huh - who cares about the garden for now - enjoy life 4 awhile.
Steve.

worktime · Dec 07, 2007 10:22 pm

Hi guys.

I'll post more photos next week when my camera comes back - lent to a friend.

The house was a standard Kirribilli 48. The roof someone asked here was standard with the Kirribilli (QLD design)

The extra variations where I had to pay extra:

2740 ceiling height extension to bottom floor - About $2.5k
2740 ceiling height extension to top floor - About $6k
New Vogue inclusions pack (gives you granite bench, nicer handles, framless showers, etc <- worth it definately- 36k
Miele rangehood upgrade - $1-2k
Upgrades to the front door (wooden) - $1k

The rest was invested in getting bigger tiles 600mm? (porcleain)

Thats was about it.

You know during the last 12 months, we've been EVERYWHERE, some places were let downs, some were great. This is where I bought them.

95% of the furniture is from Nick Scali www.nickscali.com.au (e.g. all the chairs, cupboards, glass table). They have really modern designs at a price that is much more affordable than Harvey Norman/Domayne. But beware, just like at most places you need to wait 1-2months before you get the furniture. Make sure you bargain hard as they gave me "HUGE" discounts! Their RRP prices on display is a lot different when you add 1-2 other items

Light fittings were from Beacon lighting and IDEAL lighting.

All the small flower item decors were from AMART. They cost about $30 or so each.

cfham · Dec 08, 2007 12:41 am

congrats "worktime" you are surely living the dream now and are the envy of 90% of the people on the forum (me incl.)

My question is.... where did the time go... how did a 30 week build turn into 52 weeks. I know there are multiple answers to this question but what was the main delay, weather, contractors, clarendon, fittings after handover?

Cheers...

worktime · Dec 08, 2007 6:22 am

I included approval time from council. Building started in Feb so it was about 8 months or so.

At the end of the day, the best way to get things moving forward is to KEEP NAGGING!

vanderlay · Dec 08, 2007 9:04 am

worktime

95% of the furniture is from Nick Scali www.nickscali.com.au (e.g. all the chairs, cupboards, glass table). They have really modern designs at a price that is much more affordable than Harvey Norman/Domayne. But beware, just like at most places you need to wait 1-2months before you get the furniture. Make sure you bargain hard as they gave me "HUGE" discounts! Their RRP prices on display is a lot different when you add 1-2 other items

Hi worktime, your house looks fantastic!

Just on the above note - for anyone considering Nick Scali furniture (and you have obviously had a better experience than us) DONT!! The quality and condidtion of the loungesuite we recieved from them was appalling, and the hassle it took to get a refund out of them was unbelieveable :evil:

They were on today tonight repeatedly for a reason people - and I am the last person to pay much attention to the qualtiy current affairs on that program :roll:

But on this occasion - they were spot on!!

Cheers!