Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2603Oct 18, 2014 3:15 pm Thanks LauraKG for your reply- I couldn't find my post so am guessing that it was deleted... I have been in this game since mid May and honestly still feel no closer. My CSC has twice sent me emails at the end of a friday arvo- the last at 5.10pm- I am guessing these are strategic as now have to wait all wkend.. A lot of headaches, stress, anxiety has been un-necessary- as it all turns out in the end- but that is not without fighting, visits in person, back and forth emails, phone calls and delays, delays, DELAYS. I am told that my plans are currently in council- after signing off 02/09/2014- and that it takes 4-6wks but there are so many oversights/changes to fix errors and omissions that I am so worried that my plans will just live at the council and I have outlaid all of this money to never have a house- not to mention the cleverly worded 'price increase if nothing has been started by 01/12/2014'... Honestly- mny faith in this company is sooo shaken but I am hoping that it is a normal process that everyone goes through.. My co-worker is building a house with Plantation- who I initially thought to go with- the same design that I had chosen through them- he only started maybe a couple of months ago and already at framing- cruisy build- no issues- and so much cheaper than mine- and he's building a 2 storey whereas I have settled on a single storey. My sales consultant BK was awesome but there seems to be quite a few discrepancies from what I was told which led me to sign and pay- versus what I am actually getting and the costs for some things! $700 on top of normal vanity allowance to have 2 open shelves at either end- OPEN- as in an extra gap to fix with 3 towels single file wrapped on top of each other in the ensuite and then $684 for ONE open shelf in the POWDER ROOM. Are they taking the pi**? Surely this is not the actual cost, but instead the 'we don't want to do this' cost... Modified Killara25 Brisbane, QLD Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2604Oct 18, 2014 3:32 pm @CocoBrisbane Hi mate We are also building a modified Killara 24 but in Sydney. Would love to have a look at your plans on what the modifications were. As for us, we got rid of the formal dining and put a WC and a WIR for Bed 3 in there. Also, we had to bring the side in by 600mm because our block tapers towards the back. I realised I dont have any floorplan on my blog. Shall upload them tonight Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2605Oct 18, 2014 4:31 pm @LauraKG - Well at least you got your plans, now hoping that they are correct with no more problems and fingers crossed your slab will be poured in 10 days! I got a call from our CSC at 3pm on Friday with the draftsman querying a few things. So at least they were working on our plans BUT the draftsman wanted to know where we wanted the extra window in the bathroom WTF. I had to tell them 4 times now I DONT WANT AN EXTRA WINDOW. I could hear the draftsman asking the questions.....it's so frustrating! She then went on to say they will need to get another energy rating. I was expecting the plans by 5pm but they never came. Hopfully we'll get them Monday, so we're probably behind you by a month. Here I was blaming the council and all along it was Clarendon!!! Building modified Wentworth 35 Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2606Oct 18, 2014 6:31 pm Warning- epic rant @Sydney-build - I will scan through plans this time tmrw as currently at work and plans are at home.. At the end of the day- I really just want the house that was promised for the price stated in the contract- it's not a $20 pizza- this is the single biggest purchase in most peoples lifetimes and I just so happen to be doing it on my own- so I really want it done properly. Hopefully Clarendon will come to the party on all of the issues and just build what they are contractually obliged to. BK my sales consultant was awesome and very genuine and helpful- but now that I've paid I'm obviously shuffled onto the next person and LA my CSC is having to deal with my gripes which are only because Clarendon have omitted things in my build/charging me more/saying doesn't meet code so now charging for items not in my contract but saying I now have to have them- it is literally making me sick. So for over a month now since signing the contract and paying 5% I have been told so many different things and just at the end of this week- told now that they have good news- that they can indeed build what my contract says- all that drama..and now further delayed... This was of course after telling me NO for so long- that the plans they had me sign and pay for-didn't meet code- but then maybe possible if I paid...extra! Which is when I organised a face to face- which they conducted standing up in the colour consult room where another poor couple were choosing colours- very awkward and off putting - I was in there for over an hour and wasn't shy about this but it still shouldn't have been conducted like that. I left feeling drained, yet hopeful. It seems to have worked for the meantime. Except in regards to the corbelling (bricks that jut out) that I was after- due to my Killara being modified to fit my block I have pulled the garage forward and pushed the house back- so this eliminates most hopes of a facade- inc the traditional! So that the house wasn't so stark with a flat frontage (ie no pillars or porch as 'this is only design specific for traditional facade'- I was hoping to have corbelling around the windows like a 3D frame and also around the corners of the front like bands that wrap around the bricks- this is achieved by pushing the brick out by maybe 1-2cm. This is a building style invented since the fifteenth century- but now their response "I am now advised Clarendon Homes cannot construct this due to the complexity and problems that can arise with the expansion joint spacing we use in the brick work as we only use one size of bricks". The corbelling is from the same one size of bricks used- my parents have it, along with a lot of other people that I know.. I just can't fathom it. The fact that I can't even have the traditional facade so I miss out on the pillar and porch- just a front flat face- I am really disappointed. I have already paid $200-250 for a set of small drawers in the vanities and then the open shelf is $700 again on top- when I can buy a gorgeous whole vanity with drawers, open shelves, stone bench top and sink for $500 that I've seen in a retail showroom- and yet the one that Clarendon has proposed is costing the earth.. Can anyone comment on their vanities?? Interested in hearing costs. Also- is 9K what you have paid for the higher ceilings? And finally- anyone have any luck scoring a discount or 'freebies'? The colour consultant gave me diamond handles for the laundry sink cupboard- I couldn't contain my excitement lol. There are too many things to list that I will just (already) sound like a bore. I was excited at the start but am now just exhausted. Clarendon are a business and I am their customer yet I can't help but feel that they really don't care- there's no timeframe, the fixed price contract is a joke with what I have seen so far, I have gone way over budget and still have an empty house with budget fittings.. On a positive note- good to see that I'm not alone as I have been fervently reading this thread- and more positive- so happy for everyone whose builds have commenced. Definitely in it for the long haul with all of you. Modified Killara25 Brisbane, QLD Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2607Oct 18, 2014 8:43 pm @cocoBrisbane - I think that was us in the colour studio, were you alone? There was a poor women complaining when we were there and they made her stand at the diamond kitchen display while conducting this meeting. While we were at the sapphire display choosing our kitchen, I thought it was weird that they did it that way!!! There seems to be a lot of unhappy people lately. Haha no freebies here either except the diamond handles for the sapphire kitchen and laundry! They must have bought them in bulk and trying to get rid of them. We were also offered the eclipse brick as a colour through brick as no cost but that's it. Our vanity upgrade was just the set of drawers in the middle which was $280.00 plus sheen laminate which was $350 for the entire house. Don't get me going on kitchen and ensuite upgrade costs, I think we're at $8K because we modified the wentworth. Of course they told us no charge to move and rearrange walls but they get you on extending benches and adding an and extra sink to the vanity and tiles!!! I expected to pay but $8K was a shock. Building modified Wentworth 35 Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2608Oct 18, 2014 9:01 pm @Heidimikew Omg I signed up that night and read your post and was dreading that you were the couple. I am so sorry but that is where they decided to conduct that meeting. I overheard that you got free diamond handles in the kitchen? Well done to you! lol. Are you on the free floors/aircon promo? How is your build going? Modified Killara25 Brisbane, QLD Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2609Oct 18, 2014 9:03 pm @Heidimikew- sorry I had my screen reduced and only just seen your second paragraph. Ohhh I will be following your build closely. Apologies to your hubby also- I felt so shamed out that day. And well done on the handles lol. Modified Killara25 Brisbane, QLD Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2610Oct 18, 2014 9:13 pm @CocoBrisbane - What a small world, my husband was whispering that you were unhappy and you were doing it all alone ! Well we had no idea the drama we were just about to face that afternoon. You can probably read in past posts without me ranting again but they have drawn our plans wrong and we have to re submit to council and get another energy and engineering report done again. Only found out that day which was 5 weeks after going to council. I'm mad that I didn't know about this 5 weeks earlier, had they sent me plans and the post variation that was signed at contract signing and an acceptable time I would have picked it all up right away. But 5 weeks later has wasted everyone's time and an extra $2000 in rent that we have to pay. I can sympathize with you and unfortunately we're not alone. I haven't lost all hope yet though and try not to go down the negative path, instead I go shopping for the house which gets me excited again! Building modified Wentworth 35 Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2611Oct 18, 2014 9:36 pm @heidimikew @cocobrisbane we got the handle upgrade too! Must be trying to get rid of them! have you had your electric apt yet? That is where we got stung!! We were told to have a PA of $2k at tender...this ended up only covering the hills hub that we have to have if we want tv/phone/broadband in our estate ($1260) and a sub-board ($750) as we have too many circuits apparently! So then the extra costs soon add up when you start putting in extra power points, downlight wiring, fan wiring etc... They should have told us to allow $5k! @cocobrisbane, we chose the aircon promo as aircon was going to cost us $16000 and flooring $12000. We're handing our final plans back in on Monday, then we should get to site in 2 weeks. Which design are you building? We're building a modified Cisco 37 on the Gold Coast Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2612Oct 18, 2014 10:06 pm Hi all, You need to really be onto your admin. I asked for a copy of the plans that they sent to council - same afternoon I found a mistake and they were able to grab them out of the mail box before they went to council. Took a week to get them done properly but so much easier than having to re-submit to council. Admin side if things is a bloody nightmare - worst part from my experience. There were so many times that we were either going to get a divorce or sell the land. This was mainly due to crap communication and really poor PA recommendations which I found extremely frustrating as we were very clear we just want to know the proper price so we could sort out finances, but know, they want to under estimate everything on purpose and I'm still not sure why - weird and really bloody annoying. I fact for electrical we mentioned a $10k PA and were told no, no, you only need $7.5k MAX yet we ended up at $15k, with nothing to fancy. That really annoyed me and the same with the full height tiling in the bathrooms - another 50% increase in the PA. I could go on and on. BUT I must admit that all is forgotten when the build starts and I am now super excited at the inclusions we have ordered even though we went way over budget - I am so pumped watching the build and visualising the finished product. I'm trying not to expect too much so I am pleasantly surprised each day that I pop up and see what has happened. I would love to have bricks and roof done prior to Christmas so am hoping I'm not expecting too much. Anyway photos and video on my blog - enjoy Built a Fairmont 35 in Pennant Hills. Completed May 2015. http://www.pennodream.wordpress.com - Blog updated regularly Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2613Oct 18, 2014 11:25 pm vandhana7 Hi all How much is it for led supply and install in nsw with clarendon? Anyone have a pricelist Thanks Hi Vandhana I have just uploaded a pricelist on my blog. Will add to it as I get more information. http://killara24.wordpress.com/2014/10/ ... -upgrades/ How long to go for your colour selections ? Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2616Oct 19, 2014 2:39 pm Sydney-build Doesn't it look nice all decked up !! Definitely Sydney-build. In saying that, the feeling you get is undescribable. You really can't stop smiling and the better half keeps getting all emotional, lol. I know you're not far away with your start Sydney-build.....hopefully soon, you will see what I mean. Re: Who's building with Clarendon?? 2618Oct 19, 2014 3:17 pm rmjose18 wowzer justwondering1... so exciting... woohoo Hopefully in a week you will have the same rose. You must have been so happy when you saw those piers. You will get the outside formwork probably on Monday. I reckon (if the weather holds up) you will have your slab by Thursday. I have my fingers crossed for you rose..... the stair balustrades? There is nothing special about these and I imagine literally every stair installer will be able to do this. 1 6844 The two 15mm holes are obviously not compliant. The Dept of Fair Trading would love to see this one! Do the gutters pool water after it stops raining? Although it's… 4 7970 |