Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 03, 2011 11:26 am Ok so we have selected a house design, signed an estimate (not contracts) and paid our $1000 deposit - we have yet to receive our site and soil tests (apparently the block is not ready - titles are estimated for July). Our builder (DFH) has recently revamped their designs and now offers the plan we want in the Aspirations series in a bigger house (Columbia 271), we would like to change to this plan if allowed & if we can manage it budget wise (will mean cutting back on alot of "extra's"). Has anyone else done this? If they have yet to do the site & soil it shouldn't be a problem yes? I wish my CSC would get back to me...time is of the essence and we are first home buyers and need the contract signed before 30.06. I am hoping changing plans will not hold up the contracts too much. ...We also havent had our colour appointment has anyone else waited this long? I have requested one twice now!! Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 2May 03, 2011 11:31 am Best advice is to contact the builder ASAP and hassle them to you get an answer. Really if you are probably going to be spending more money then they should be bending over backwards to accomodate you. Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 4May 03, 2011 12:10 pm Definitely chase up your builder. If plans etc haven't been drawn up yet I would have thought it would be okay to change after all, you would have had to pay for the soil test regardless of the house you were building there. Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 6May 03, 2011 1:01 pm Kishimojin Do they need the site and soil before drawing up the plans? Sorry... I am so new to all of this??? The site and soil tests should give them the info to be able to quote properly on necessary footings and slab work and expected site costs. Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 7May 03, 2011 1:33 pm Hi Kishimojin, We built with Carlisle Homes, and originally put down our deposit on a house and land package to build the Oxford23. We had done our colour browse and colour selection, and were due to do tender in a couple of weeks. However, they released new designs, and one of them better suited our needs. We spoke to head office (hadn't been assigned a CLE yet) and asked if we could change. They didn't mind too much because we hadn't passed tender. We did have to re-do all our colour selections though, just in case anything changed with the new design. Cheers, Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 8May 03, 2011 8:34 pm Quote: time is of the essence and we are first home buyers and need the contract signed before 30.06. You still have up to 30 June 2012 (and possibly beyond). See http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47161 Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 9May 03, 2011 9:26 pm zeitgeber Quote: time is of the essence and we are first home buyers and need the contract signed before 30.06. You still have up to 30 June 2012 (and possibly beyond). See http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47161 Awesome didn't see that, thanks heaps!!!! Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 10May 03, 2011 9:27 pm ShelleyB Hi Kishimojin, We built with Carlisle Homes, and originally put down our deposit on a house and land package to build the Oxford23. We had done our colour browse and colour selection, and were due to do tender in a couple of weeks. However, they released new designs, and one of them better suited our needs. We spoke to head office (hadn't been assigned a CLE yet) and asked if we could change. They didn't mind too much because we hadn't passed tender. We did have to re-do all our colour selections though, just in case anything changed with the new design. Cheers, Thanks ShelleyB, I hope we have a similar outcome! Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 11May 03, 2011 10:51 pm We originally got a quote with Plantation for the Doulton. Paid deposit for soil test and once results came back we booked in for our contract appointment. However, as the contract appointment was some 3 weeks away we went around and looked at some other display homes and found the Trinity which suited us much better and had many of the upgrades as standard that we were paying extra for in the Doulton. We went back to the sales guy a week before our contract appointment and said that we had changed our mind and wanted to build the Trinity. It was no hassle. He redid the quote and sent it through to Head Office and we got a call saying that they would have to reschedule our contract appointment as they needed to change some of the paperwork that had already been prepared and re do it for the new choice instead. If you have not signed a contract yet then as far as I am aware you are not locked into building anything and so can change your mind about the design. The soil test will not make any difference as it will still be the same land regardless of which house design you build. Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 12May 04, 2011 5:57 am I had an issue like this in the past, the builder was happy to do the changes, for him it was an m2 exercise and he was willing to absorb costs, probably more effort to requote than the cost of materials and labour (10m2 on 250m2 house), BUT the architect tried to gouge me on the cost of the drawing alterations. If you are buying using ready made plans, it will be easier. A talking dog, don't worry what it's saying, it's amazing it can even speak. Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 13May 04, 2011 1:15 pm Yep we had selected a design and had three lots of plans drawn up- as we added variations. We then realised we liked another design better. I emailed the sales guy and he was more then happy for us to come in and change it- so glad we did, this one feels right! Built our Granton in 2010 Handover December 3rd- wooohooo! Now the hard work has began.... Retaining walls and landscaping Re: Anyone changed design with the same builder? 15May 04, 2011 6:43 pm Keep calling Kishimojin. It is very easy for one call (if someone has taken a msg/you have left one on a machine) to go walk about. But if you keep calling they will get sick of you and get it dealt with Built with RedInk Custom 5000 Key Handover 15/12/2009 Hi Mofflepop, I would recommend finding a building designer to prepare plans, they should design to your specified budget. The benefit is you can tender the project out… 9 20425 If so what were the "special circumstances" under which it was granted? "Note: If the development consent is for 'dual occupancy' an owner-builder permit can only be… 0 14072 |