Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 31, 2011 6:34 pm Hi everyone, I have been a Homeone member for almost two years, regularly reading others threads and learning new things and it's finally time for me to start my own build thread!
We purchased our land probably close to two years ago but it only settled about 12 months ago. It took us a long time to settle on a plan and had tenders drawn up with 3 different builders. We ended up finding a plan that ticked all our boxes with AV Jennings, and we fell in love with it. Even drove from Newcastle to Tamworth to see the display! We had our tender drawn up in June last year and although it has been a very slow process so far they have been great to deal with. Our plans came out of council last week and I got an email today to say the building certificate is in and we are ready to go, work should start within the next couple of weeks! Our land- 1069 m2. The trees are now gone and we have a road and footpath. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Our plan Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Facade Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Our Piazza 300 2Mar 31, 2011 8:19 pm Congrats. We were looking at this at one stage but have gone to another builder. Your block looks like it is in McKeachies Run. We are building there too. McKeachies Run, Aberglasslyn Deposit paid 11th April Land registered 6th June Land settled 20th June Colour selections and contract signed 5th August Commencement letter received 26th September Re: Our Piazza 300 3Apr 01, 2011 10:53 am Hi Sarbear, yes we are in McKeachies Run on McKeachie drive, where abouts is your block? Have you started yet? It's a really nice estate, my kids are excited the park should be finished soon. Who are you building with? Re: Our Piazza 300 4Apr 01, 2011 11:26 am Look forward to watching your build - nice plan, looks well thought out. Good luck with a start soon!! For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Our Piazza 300 5Apr 01, 2011 11:32 am Thanx Mclaren, I'm due to have a baby in 4 weeks and would LOVE to see some dirt move before the bub arrives... A slab would be even better but with this wet weather maybe I'm being a bit too hopeful? Re: Our Piazza 300 7Apr 01, 2011 11:45 am Thankyou Erin. Mclaren, I had a look at your thread and you plan looks great, lovely area too, beautiful beach. Re: Our Piazza 300 8Apr 01, 2011 11:52 am I love houses with a play room/tv room near the bedrooms. We have one and it is awesome for a bit of seperation and peace and quiet! Lots of cool things in this plan I like. Love the highlight window in the study (I'm assuming to get light from the play room). Is there a skylight in the kitchen? Not sure if that's one on the plan above the island bench. This area looks like it could be a bit dark as it's quite enclosed. I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Our Piazza 300 9Apr 01, 2011 11:55 am Quote: It took us a long time to settle on a plan and had tenders drawn up with 3 different builders When you had tenders drawn up and cancelled with the builder, I'm assuming that you never signed the contract with them. When you cancelled without signing the contract, did they ask you to pay several thousand dollars (e.g. $5K-$15K) for their effort in preparing the tender, on top of your initial deposit ? 13-08 Moved in 13-05 Build restart 13-04 VMIA compensation 12-08 Builder liquidation 12-03 Fixing 11-12 Lockup 11-11 Frame 11-09 Slab 11-09 Start 11-07 Contract 10-11 2K deposit 10-06 Titled land Re: Our Piazza 300 10Apr 01, 2011 12:06 pm Hi Joles, yes the playroom was one of our must haves when we were looking for a plan, we are about to have our 3rd child so I wanted them to have their own area, especially for when they are older. No there is no skylight, the lack of light is the only thing that I was concerned about but it should be ok, the nearest fence to any of the windows is 4 metres so there wont be any obstructions.. We have changed the study window to a large opening that we will put shutters in, that's what they had in the display house and it loooked great Re: Our Piazza 300 11Apr 01, 2011 12:12 pm zeitgeber Quote: It took us a long time to settle on a plan and had tenders drawn up with 3 different builders When you had tenders drawn up and cancelled with the builder, I'm assuming that you never signed the contract with them. When you cancelled without signing the contract, did they ask you to pay several thousand dollars (e.g. $5K-$15K) for their effort in preparing the tender, on top of your initial deposit ? The only thing we had to pay for was the soil testing (although we did buy a EB sales consultant a bottle of rum! He was so lovely and patient with our changes we felt bad about pulling out!). Never got as far as contracts and they don't charge to draw up the tender, unless other builders work differently? Re: Our Piazza 300 12Apr 01, 2011 12:14 pm Nice plan! I like the master/ensuite arrangement with the opening through to the bath etc. Questions: - I assume there is a wall at the end of the bath so you can't see straight through from bath to dining room? - The study - did you consider filling the corners in either side of the door - so you can put things (cupboards) etc. there? - Why the gas point in the dining room?! Built 3br house in Glenorchy, Tas in 2001 * * * Built 5br courtyard house in Lenah Valley, Tas in 2011 - Homeone thread / Blog Re: Our Piazza 300 13Apr 01, 2011 12:20 pm Chuq Nice plan! I like the master/ensuite arrangement with the opening through to the bath etc. Questions: - I assume there is a wall at the end of the bath so you can't see straight through from bath to dining room? - The study - did you consider filling the corners in either side of the door - so you can put things (cupboards) etc. there? - Why the gas point in the dining room?! 1. Yep there is a wall the width of the double doorway at the end of the bath, so when you are standing in the dining room you just see a wall. 2. They are actually just cutouts in the wall and I like them, a bit of a feature 3. No idea! It was on the original plan so we just left it, could be handy for a heater? Re: Our Piazza 300 14Apr 01, 2011 5:16 pm selina2106 Hi Sarbear, yes we are in McKeachies Run on McKeachie drive, where abouts is your block? Have you started yet? It's a really nice estate, my kids are excited the park should be finished soon. Who are you building with? Our block in in Wagtail St which is the new section they are working on now. We are right up the top of the estate on flat block. We too must have kids playroom off the 3 bedrooms. Apart from AV Jennings, have you seen any other plans that have this? We look like going with Beechwood. Going the Cremorne with guest room. Turning laundry into WIP, guest room into study and guest bathroom will be the laundry. McKeachies Run, Aberglasslyn Deposit paid 11th April Land registered 6th June Land settled 20th June Colour selections and contract signed 5th August Commencement letter received 26th September Re: Our Piazza 300 15Apr 01, 2011 6:12 pm Sarbear how lucky for you to get a flat block! We still havn't decided what we will do about retaining, although we don't have too much slope... The Cremorne looks like a great plan, only thing with turning the guest bathroom into the laundry is that you wouldn't have direct access to outside, but if that doesn't bother you it's great! There are heaps of builders that have plans with kids playroom, GJ Gardener, McDonald Jones, Metricon, Eden Brae, Rawson and I'm sure there's more but I just can't think at the moment... Re: Our Piazza 300 16Apr 01, 2011 6:30 pm selina2106 Sarbear how lucky for you to get a flat block! We still havn't decided what we will do about retaining, although we don't have too much slope... The Cremorne looks like a great plan, only thing with turning the guest bathroom into the laundry is that you wouldn't have direct access to outside, but if that doesn't bother you it's great! There are heaps of builders that have plans with kids playroom, GJ Gardener, McDonald Jones, Metricon, Eden Brae, Rawson and I'm sure there's more but I just can't think at the moment... Thanks. We too did look at The Piazza, however we didn't want the main bedroom at rear and liked the alfresco in corner of the Beechwood as it suited our block better. Our land is not due to be registered until next month. So trying to get as much planning and paperwork done that we can do before the clock starts ticking on 6 months to have slab done for the stamp duty exemption. McKeachies Run, Aberglasslyn Deposit paid 11th April Land registered 6th June Land settled 20th June Colour selections and contract signed 5th August Commencement letter received 26th September Re: Our Piazza 300 17Apr 02, 2011 8:08 am selina2106 3. No idea! It was on the original plan so we just left it, could be handy for a heater? Ah of course!! I was trying to think why you'd have a cooktop or BBQ in the dining room :) Built 3br house in Glenorchy, Tas in 2001 * * * Built 5br courtyard house in Lenah Valley, Tas in 2011 - Homeone thread / Blog Re: Our Piazza 300 18Apr 09, 2011 4:28 pm Re: Our Piazza 300 19Apr 11, 2011 10:28 am Wow that's a loo with a view!! Yes now you have toilet facilities the workers will appear!! Yay For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Our Piazza 300 20Apr 15, 2011 8:25 am It all looks so great Selina! I love your plan, its gorgeous!!! Hope something starts for you soon, and good luck with the baby. Ill be asking your mum for all the details. Built our Granton in 2010 Handover December 3rd- wooohooo! Now the hard work has began.... Retaining walls and landscaping I've got a challenge here. Background is the builder has cut too deep for the slab and the slab is now below the very substantial retaining wall. It's failed occupancy… 0 18375 Hi, does anyone have any experience with using Trex rain escape or EPDM rubber to waterproof a deck so you have dry space underneath. 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