Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jun 17, 2011 7:23 pm Hi Everyone! I have requested some pricing from HBC (WA) for things I am going to upgrade in my prestart and have been given the below pricing.. I work for a different home builder in WA, and the scheduling department think these prices are ridiculous!! Upgrade to a Westinghouse WRF900CS canopy rangehood (from standard Chef 600mm model) - $1305 Extend island bench by 600mm and have a dishwasher recess and two draws underneath - $1,345 Change ensuite vanity from having two door cupboards, to also having draws down the sides - $1,860 They have also told me that we can't remove the tile splashback which we wanted to do so we can install glass ourselves. We don't have a gas point included in the kitchen, nor a power point in the master bedroom!!! We asked for the doors only to be taken off bedrooms 2, 3 and 4 and the linen as we can get them cheaper through where I work and my brother fit them. We were told the credit for the doors only was $1000. Now it turns out, that was the doors frames as well so if we want to add the door frames back in, we have to do that at pre start and it will cost $220 per door! Can someone please let me know (from experience with other builders) if these prices seem reasonable, or if HBC is ripping us off! Because I am incredibly upset thinking they are trying to take the ***! Thank you Re: Pricing - opinions please :) 2Jun 17, 2011 7:49 pm hi sd Every builder makes profit differently, but most take advantage of variations, and clearly, yours does too! From your list, the only one that seems remotely fair is the kitchen bench extension. The rangehood may come with difficulties to accommodate (or be very exy????) not sure about that. Perhaps they have a deal with a Chef supplier, buying in bulk, it only costs them say $200 each. Therefore, your change may be at retail (and then some!) As for ensuite drawers is outrageous to me!! But how do you get around it. It would be cheaper to have them put their basic model in, and after handover have it changed to a better one by a handyman! Can't remove the tiles??? This is probably up to them, I'm sure they just can't be bothered accommodating you. I see this all the time with the bigger builders, because you wouldn't put up with this kinda crap from a smaller builder. If I were you I would really get tough on this one - no excuse for not accommodating this request! No PP in master bed? that's ridiculous. As for the doors, I would have let that one go, stay with the builder's doors, just not worth the hassle. GOOD LUCK! A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ Re: Pricing - opinions please :) 3Jun 17, 2011 7:54 pm Thanks Annietom Appreciate your opinion! The thing about the rangehood (which is the one I am most annoyed at) is that one of the schedulers from where I worked rang a few places to get prices on both models and all the places have said that the model I want is cheaper than the standard! And through my work, I can get this for $225 and yet HBC is charging over ten times that amount! I understand mark up and builders need to have a margin and make a profit, but Im starting to think we're being taken for a ride! I have said I refuse to pay these prices so hopefully something happens quick smart because our pre start is booked for Tues and our settlement is meant to be in 12 days! My building forum: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49650&p=756654#p756654 Building the 'Ultimate St Marks' with Home Buyers Centre Re: Pricing - opinions please :) 4Jun 17, 2011 8:17 pm I've gotta wonder why you aren't dealing with the company you work for? Surely that'd be cheaper? my new build thread- Ben Trager https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=89826 my switch build thread (2011) https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=36569 Re: Pricing - opinions please :) 5Jun 17, 2011 8:22 pm It would be tinkster, if I liked any of the standard designs lol In order to get the features I want, I would have to make structural changes and even though they would do it as cheap as possible, it still adds up.. And I actually was able to find a plan with HBC that I didn't need to make structural changes to so decided to go with them and it has been a nightmare already and construction hasn't even started yet! My building forum: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49650&p=756654#p756654 Building the 'Ultimate St Marks' with Home Buyers Centre Re: Pricing - opinions please :) 6Jun 17, 2011 8:30 pm Hi! Upgrade to a Westinghouse WRF900CS canopy rangehood (from standard Chef 600mm model) - $1305 - Rediculous - are you better off not installing and then buying a new one after you move in? I have heard you can get BARGAINS at seconds, auctions etc. Extend island bench by 600mm and have a dishwasher recess and two draws underneath - $1,345 - what is the island bench? laminate or stone? Also if you are having a dishwasher recess doesn't that decrease the amount of cabinetry? Does this incude the plumbing+electric for the dishwasheR? Change ensuite vanity from having two door cupboards, to also having draws down the sides - $1,860 - We changed our bathroom cabinet from 2 cupbords & 1 set of drawers to 2x drawers and 1 x cupboard, this cost $665. They have also told me that we can't remove the tile splashback which we wanted to do so we can install glass ourselves. - so you can't NOT install tiles? I would push further with this? What is their reasoning? We don't have a gas point included in the kitchen, nor a power point in the master bedroom!!! - I havn't seen a 'spec sheet'yet that didn't state '1 x powerpoint & 1 x light socket per room' I would question this!!!! My prestart cost us $12k - that included $6k of porcelain tiling (rectified) and $4k of upgrading tapware and above bench basins. (well worth it) the other $2k was adding doors to games and theatre and the bathroom cabinetry. Don't sign anything until you are happy, also don't let them think it is in 'your interest' that you sign the documents, it's your home, a few weeks of fighting will be worth the $$$. That's my opinon... Goodluck! Building with Life$tyle Homes in Perth SOR Key Dates on First Page of my Thread viewtopic.php?f=31&t=38761 Re: Pricing - opinions please :) 7Jun 17, 2011 8:39 pm I'd say as someone mentioned above, that this is where they make their profit. They get customers in with cheap upfront but then charge excessively for all these things. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't budge much on these costs, now that you have signed the contract to proceed with them. Did you have the builder you work for price up the changes you would have made? I have made drastic changes to a design and still worked out very close to other company's pricing. I have been able to remove the tiled splashback, however I think they have to make a note that I will be installing it before handover - so that it adheres to standards. It may depend on who your finance is through too. I know some like the house to be a complete, finished product. Re: Pricing - opinions please :) 8Jun 18, 2011 11:12 am Agreed - the island bench does sound relatively reasonable, but to me it looks like you're paying retail + markup for the vanity and rangehood (plus any structural changes required to accomodate both). Does your builder source pre-fab vanities by any chance, because there's no way a simple extension with drawers down both sides should cost that much, unless you have a caesarstone benchtop that that requires extending as well (again if it is pre-fab instead of being cut on site they might be charging retail+markup instead of getting it at the discounted bulk price from their supplier). Unfortunately that is a fact of life when you're building - if you go outside the standard specification or variations for anything you're going to be paying through the nose for it. Some people apparently have nothing better to do than comment on other people's sigs. Hi We have finally decided to complete a KDR on our corner plot in NE Melbourne suburbs. Given its a corner plot approx. 400 sqm just a standard design may not fit the… 0 8568 Thankyou so much 😀 I've decided on White on white for doors and trims, White on white 50% on ceiling and Mt buller for walls. 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