Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 25, 2011 8:27 am Hi everyone, Would be keen to hear if anyone else has experience with this, and did you go with a volume builder or independent builder? Given a sloping block is a bit more involved, some volume builders might not want to be involved as they prefer easier/quicker builds (that's an assumption I am making!). In terms of the slope, we have not had it surveyed but would roughly estimate it to be a 3 metre drop from top to bottom (we haven't actually bought it yet). Anyway my question is, if we wanted to go double story, keeping in mind it would actually be 2 and a half stories because of where the slope starts, you get the extra bit of house downstairs about half way down the block - how can a independent builder say that for a double story you're looking at $900,000k??? What the ...? And a single story (1.5 level) approx $600k. I guess this would be for a 35-40 square home. But if you look at say a Porter Davis type home, a 40-50 square home is currently $320k (not including site costs and probably a whole stack of other things, but still!) I expect costs to be higher with a sloping block and higher again with an independent builder, but just wondering what others think of those kinds of prices. Thanks! My Hamptons build (completed): viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63370 Moved in Wednesday 11th Dec 2013 Front landscaping completed June 2016 Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 2May 25, 2011 9:18 am Cinder, My experience when you get crazy high quotes, it is the builder/tradies way of saying I don't want the job - go away. Shop around, consider that existing homes on sloping blocks mostly don't cost $900 000.... Split level is not rocket science and the extra costs should be fairly minimal. 3xb Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 3May 25, 2011 1:12 pm Get as many quotes as you can. I myself have a sloping block and i've just started the construction. My quotes ranged from $500k to $900k..and this is for 2 townhouses (side by side, AKA duplex). Total approx 50sq. Needless to say i went for the quote in the low $500K as it met my requirements at a suitable price. The higher quotes were very much similar in specs and as these are investments there was no point in going over the top using the best quality materials. We all know volume builders dont use high grade materials anyway. The townhouses are split level so this would reduce costs and Im building on stumps not slab. Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 4May 25, 2011 1:42 pm We have slope but from side to side across our property and we built with a project builder. There are a heap of houses around me that have the type of slope you are talking about (front to back), and a lot of them have been project builds.. PD, Met'con, Simonds. The blocks here are bigger though, so they seem to be prepared to build on a lot more slope here than they do in other estates. There's a house exactly the same as mine near me (a PD house), and the level of the road at the front of the house is higher than their guttering so it's a fair slope. With that in mind, you may not necessarily need to dismiss the idea of a project builder if you want to keep your costs down. As I said, our slope is from side to side, approx 3m across the block, 2m across the house and our site costs were under 20k. I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 5May 25, 2011 2:55 pm We are currently building on a 3m slope, front to back. To keep costs down, we are staying with a 2-storey property, with the back end of the house having very high ceilings. We have 4 steps half way down the house and another 4 going into the back room, to save on the cost of retaining walls and drop-edge beams. We are only building a 22sq house but it came in around the 260K mark. Other builders quoted us 100K more and told us we needed a basement room at the back end of the house. We went with a project builder who was happy to work with this slope. There are not many around that are willing to do so without charging the earth. Land at Chermside At tender stage Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 6May 25, 2011 4:19 pm Our house on a sloping block (away from the street) is due to start in about 4 weeks. When designed the house ourselves but got an experience draftsman to work with us to "work with the slope" to save on retaining walls etc. Once we had to final drawings we then took these to 4 local companies/builders. 3 came in within 30k of each other (1 company and two independents) and the 3rd indepdent came in $180k more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After going back and forth and looking very closely at inclusions etc. one of the independents seemed to work out best. We knew the price would be more then if we built on a flat block but that the price we are willing to pay for our awesome views Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 7May 25, 2011 4:20 pm We built on a really sloping site in the Gold Coast hinterland and found the kit home company we used offered the best service and flexibility. They are no longer operating but Imagine Kit Homes has nice designs and can build on floor systems. We are looking at using them for an investment property in Emerald. Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 8May 25, 2011 5:10 pm 3timesbuilda, Well, I hear what you're saying about quoting high due to low interest in the job, but believe or not, it's a legitimate quote. Because he's done one identical in a different suburb (single story) for $650k, he showed us the plans today and everything. They are a boutique builder, just a bit more high end than I originally thought. We could possibly stretch to the split level design (1.5 story) but not without making significant compromises to our initial plan we had in mind. cbboyz, Agree, we plan to get a lot of quotes. We are not in hurry to build as we'll probably rent the existing house out first before knocking down (did I mention this is a knockdown/rebuild?). If I were building something for investment/renting then I'd probably not be too concerned about finish or quality materials either - but since it's meant to be our dream home and set us up for 30 years or so - it is a concern. And as they say, you get what you pay for. I just didn't think I'd have to pay THAT much. On that (stumps not slab), one other (significantly cheaper) independent builder told us he would build on stumps and not a slab, this worries me especially if the house ends up being 2.5 levels. I know nothing about building or structural engineering, but would stumps still do the same job, particularly with the slope?? joles Yeah Joles with the volume builders, we're inner city so that volume builders (well, some) don't like that idea so much as they have to truck in all their materials and bring in their tradies to a one off location, whereas in the newer areas and estates they can do a whole lot of builds at once. I really like PD but they've flat out refused to build in our area. So there's 2 things we have going against us (the slope too). But I agree, don't necessarily have to discount the project builder idea. We'll keep investigating. zozo Sounds good! If you don't have a basement where the slope is, what have they done instead? Love to see some pics or a plan... **Ange** I like the idea of getting plans drawn up but I am concerned that I am living in fairy land and the house I actually want is unachievable on our budget. I mean, does the draftsman say 'well, what you want and what you can afford are 2 different things' or does he just go ahead and draw it, and then you don't find out until you get some tenders come in that are $300k over budget? LOL! This block has views as well, which is the whole point, otherwise wouldn't be worth the hassle!! But yes might be worth getting some drawings done. architectbrisbane Thanks for that, I will look into it as well. So many options!! My Hamptons build (completed): viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63370 Moved in Wednesday 11th Dec 2013 Front landscaping completed June 2016 Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 9May 25, 2011 5:26 pm [quote="cinder"]3timesbuilda, cbboyz, Agree, we plan to get a lot of quotes. We are not in hurry to build as we'll probably rent the existing house out first before knocking down (did I mention this is a knockdown/rebuild?). If I were building something for investment/renting then I'd probably not be too concerned about finish or quality materials either - but since it's meant to be our dream home and set us up for 30 years or so - it is a concern. And as they say, you get what you pay for. I just didn't think I'd have to pay THAT much. On that (stumps not slab), one other (significantly cheaper) independent builder told us he would build on stumps and not a slab, this worries me especially if the house ends up being 2.5 levels. I know nothing about building or structural engineering, but would stumps still do the same job, particularly with the slope?? quote] Sorry, I will clarify..Im building one for investment and one to live in. Finishes will be quite good, ie caesar stone throughout, Polished hardwood floor boards, ...so what Im saying is you can get the finishes you want at the right price. You can check out my blog for plan details. Stumps IMO will do the same job and as a few have previously mentioned gives you more flexibility...ie you can get under the house to change whatever you want in the future like plumbing if you want to relocate kitchens...obviously i doubt it would happen but its good to know i can or if a pipe bursts it can be easily accessed. Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 10May 25, 2011 6:39 pm Thanks again cbboyz, Yup, I see what you mean. Sounds like a great investment for you. Had a look, plans are awesome. Did you use an architect and if so did you find it worthwhile? I guess for townhouses you pretty much have to anyway. What issues did you have with the neighbours out of interest? One thing about this block is that the neighbours homes are very close, and I am wondering whether the one on the right is going to complain if we try to obstruct part of their view. Apparently you have no 'right to view'. My Hamptons build (completed): viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63370 Moved in Wednesday 11th Dec 2013 Front landscaping completed June 2016 Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 11May 25, 2011 9:20 pm cinder Thanks again cbboyz, Yup, I see what you mean. Sounds like a great investment for you. Had a look, plans are awesome. Did you use an architect and if so did you find it worthwhile? I guess for townhouses you pretty much have to anyway. What issues did you have with the neighbours out of interest? One thing about this block is that the neighbours homes are very close, and I am wondering whether the one on the right is going to complain if we try to obstruct part of their view. Apparently you have no 'right to view'. Thanks. Yes used an architect but would have achieved the same result with a draftsman. The house to the left of the property was very close to the boundary so as per the council's regulations I had to ensure the townhouse was 1.2 metres away from the fence, hence the single garage on that dwelling. The windows upstairs, except for the front, are obscured glass to 1.7m height as per the regulations so you dont overlook into the neighbours' properties. Neighbour can complain all they want, if you build within the council guidelines and in accordance with Neighbourhood character you shouldnt have any issues getting the permit. I was taken to VCAT by my neighbour even after council approved my permit...end of the day I followed all the rules and VCAT told him he has no basis to object. Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 12May 25, 2011 9:54 pm I have a 7 m drop from the street to the back of the property. The house is 3 levels at the back and 2 levels at the front. I love it, but it is definitely more involved to build on. On the other hand we get some great views and some extra space that would be tough to fit into a 2 level design. You can see some plans on http://sugarloafdrivebuild.blogspot.com Your dollars will go further on a flat block, so if budget is your key issue....stick to flat. On the other hand, there are some unique design points to sloping blocks if you have a view that might make it worthwhile dealing with the additional levels or retaining walls needed. my house blog: http://sugarloafdrivebuild.blogspot.com/ Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 13May 25, 2011 10:18 pm We have built on a downward sloping block, our house looks like a single storey from the front and double from the back. The trick is you have to work with the block the less excavation you do the better as this is where the cost add up esp with retaining don't forget you will have to do them around the house as well. Get several quotes we had almost $100,000 difference between 2 builders. We ended up with 2 walls a small one at the front and one that goes through the middle of the house and is part of the houe. Look at using some light wieght materials in the build you can save money by building over the top of the land instead of digging it up. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Below is also a link to my blog. Cheers Lou http://take2-customdesigndownslope.blogspot.com 07-10-09 omg they have cut the block 14-05-10 we finally have the keys Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 14May 25, 2011 10:35 pm We are also half way through a build on a sloping block. As people have mentioned above, working with the slope will yield the best results. Not sure what state you are in, but $900k is a few hundred thousand more than what we are paying (we are in QLD). You can check out our build on the following blog... http://brookwaterorbust.blogspot.com/ PS.. and we are very happy with our builder so far! Chris Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 15May 25, 2011 10:41 pm 53hdt We are also half way through a build on a sloping block. As people have mentioned above, working with the slope will yield the best results. Not sure what state you are in, but $900k is a few hundred thousand more than what we are paying (we are in QLD). You can check out our build on the following blog... http://brookwaterorbust.blogspot.com/ PS.. and we are very happy with our builder so far! Chris Our builder built the place next door to you. Cheers Lou http://take2-customdesigndownslope.blogspot.com 07-10-09 omg they have cut the block 14-05-10 we finally have the keys Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 16May 26, 2011 9:06 am Wow dsiroky, that is a serious slope and a serious project! You are very brave, but as you say, in the end it will all pay off and you'll have a fantastic home with marvellous views. I will follow your blog with interest! We actually are buying the block today (YAY US, although the vendor absolutely would NOT budge from his price, so it's taken us over a month to finally bite the bullet and pay it). We are in inner Melbourne, north western suburbs. Take2, yes our options are to do what you've done, although I really want the additional story on top as well, if nothing else just the master bedroom just to make full use of the views, but I might be kidding myself. Your home looks lovely, I love that colour bond and timber look. Your build is coming along well too 53hdt. Looks like a great location! Very picturesque. Alas we're in Melb, but thank you! My Hamptons build (completed): viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63370 Moved in Wednesday 11th Dec 2013 Front landscaping completed June 2016 Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 17May 26, 2011 11:31 am Cinder, I was thinking about your block... have you spoken to Meletis or Nava? They are smaller builders that are happy to custom, but I don't think they'd be as expensive as what you've been quoted. I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 18May 26, 2011 8:41 pm Hi Joles, Thanks, I hadn't seen Meletis before. We're not a huge fan of the ultra modern facade (which writes off quite a few builders/designs!) but we're happy to do a blend of classic/modern, and these guys do seem to have a good range. But since we've gone ahead and bought this block, the facade isn't too much of an issue as you'll only see the very front of the house (houses either side are quite close). I still want it to look nice though My Hamptons build (completed): viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63370 Moved in Wednesday 11th Dec 2013 Front landscaping completed June 2016 Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 19May 28, 2011 12:22 am Hi Cinder, we have a sloping block but not as much as previous poster, I honestly thought it was about 2 metres, but when it was surveyed it was 1.2m, I felt relieved. If you are in Victoria ( forgive me if I missed the post of which state you are in) Carisle homes will not build on that block. We are doing a knock down and rebuild and they originally said that our slope was 3 metres - they were very wrong. Formula Homes do a split level home they are lovely homes and they can customise anything for you. We are building with a double storey home with Simonds (44 sq), they will be cutting into the earth and putting up 1 retaining wall. My total cost of build will be $360k including carpet, tiles, fixtures fittings, retaining walls, all site costs, a/c, heating. When we were looking at volume builders we asked if they would build on a large slopes, some said yes others no, but I wish I had the land survey at the time to take with me to display homes because I would of not gone through as many displays. Hope it all goes well for you hubby, kids and me all waiting for the Amberlea Site Cut 27 September 2011 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=46637 http://www.dscml.com/ Re: Anyone built/building on a sloping block (down from stre 20Jun 14, 2011 8:52 am Thank edscl, Sorry I only just saw your post now. Interesting about Carlisle, however they won't build 'under the flight path' which we kind of are anyway. Shame cos their homes are nice. Yeah I agree about getting an independent surveyor in right at the start, once the house settles we might do that. That's a great price on the Simonds, good luck with it and hope it goes well. - cinder My Hamptons build (completed): viewtopic.php?f=31&t=63370 Moved in Wednesday 11th Dec 2013 Front landscaping completed June 2016 Give Jonathan a call. Tell him you know me. He is in my opinion the best surveyor I have ever worked with. His number is 0425 285 622 All the best Simeon 3 12414 i did click it, still couldnt make it out rofl. in any case, doesnt look like too extreme a slope, you may be in luck. Just shoot out some emails to volume builders in… 3 18567 Hi all. I'm thinking of installing an electric gate in front of this street front villa (link below). The gate would be between the bush on the left and the letter box on… 0 2778 |