Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Nov 28, 2011 10:11 pm Hi guys... Long time reader / first time writer... Basic rundown of my (almost) build: Building with RedInk Homes. Lake Coogee Estate. Pre-Start Tuesday 6th. Our Sales Rep informed us that if we chose to supply our own materials / subcontractors, then that would be fine. Pre-Start rolls around and we're told that, no, that wont be happening... Can anyone shed some light onto what the norm is in relation to this? Is it purely up to RedInk to allow / disallow us to bring in materials / subs? Any help would be appreciated. (First_Timer user name should be a dead give away to how many times I've built a house. Or even had any interacting with builders...) HELP?? Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 2Nov 29, 2011 4:28 am i am surprised at what the sales rep told you. The only reason I can think was he really needed to get you over the line. Its fairly unusual for larger builders to let you choose your own subcontractors as they have usually got long standing arrangements with their own subbies at good rates for them. Same with materials. This link explains a bit more about how you don't save as much as you think by buying yourself http://www.anewhouse.com.au/?p=1083 The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 3Nov 29, 2011 12:57 pm Thanks Bashworth, My only source of build info has come from my oldies (who built almost 20yrs ago). When they built they hired subs for everything from flooring to installing cabinets, so I was assuming that would still be the go, but obviously not. Thanks again for the reply. Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 4Nov 29, 2011 4:31 pm Redink are a large builder & part of Scott Park Homes. As such they have very good rates with subcontractors and suppliers. I doubt you will get many prices to match unless you have friend who is a tradie. Even so they then have to work in with builder and site supervisor so this could cause other issues. I would rely on using the builders recommended subbies because it will lead to a much smoother job, less hastles and you are not likely to save much. You can always delete certain items and have that done after handover - eg driveways, paving, certain electrical etc. As regards supplying materials, unless you are in the business and can get better than trade price I doubt you will save much in costs. Where you might want to supply your own is if you want certain high spec electrical and whitegoods. eg if you want to have Miele or other top end stove, dishwasher etc. Big builders like Redink/Scott Park Homes have huge buying power and can negotiate some very keen prices. Usually they will package these to make their offer as attractive as possible, particularly in todays tight building market. We are currently building with Switch Homes and have made some changes in appliances, doors etc but have found that they were able to get the same appliances at a better price than we could. If you are happy with their overall price I doubt you could save much by supplying yourself. Good luck with your build. Switch 830 in Meve Commenced 20/7/2011 Completed Early april 2012 Moved in 30/4/2012 Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 5Nov 30, 2011 5:13 pm Thanks Timpen, We're going to delete the tiling in wet areas from the contract as we have a tiler friend who can help us out with that, and just get it done after handover. Not sure how to address the problem of RedInk putting up towel rails / toilet roll holders first, then the wall being tiled after?? Is that even a problem? RedInk is allowing us to provide one type of material if we wish, so we might look into supplying our own basins, as the one I want isnt available thru them. Hubby's not a plumber, but he is going to have a go at upgrading the tap wear once we move in... Thanks for your reply. Any info is muchly appreciated!! Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 6Nov 30, 2011 6:44 pm Hi First Timer! It is up to the discretion of each individual builder whether they allow Clients to supply their own materials and / or trades, and even then it may be on a per Client base sort of thing. The company I am buildig my house with will not allow owner supplied materials / works however the company I work for is a project builder and we allow Clients to do this. However at sign up they are to advise what materials or trades they want to supply and this is subject to construction approval as somethings the builder just can not allow an outside party to do as it may compromise the guarantee the builder provides. And some companies have a maximum of just how much you supply or do yourself. Tell the person you are dealing with that your sales consultant said you could provide your own trade or whatever it was and demand this happen. The industry is really suffering right now and they wont want to lose your business. Trust me! As far as pricing goes, yes builders do have special agreements with trades and suppliers but you are forgetting that a markup goes on top of this! So as far as materials go, you would be better off with letting the builder supply all materials (unless you work at a supplier or know someone who does and you can get a discount, or as mentioned above when the builder cant source what you want) however with trades, there are so many tradies doing cash jobs plus most people know a few key tradies anyway so this definitely is a cheaper option. Though bear in mind, the credit that you receive will not be the entire credit of the works, nor will the margin that was on for that portion be creditted back so it may work out to be more hassle.. My building forum: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49650&p=756654#p756654 Building the 'Ultimate St Marks' with Home Buyers Centre Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 7Nov 30, 2011 7:00 pm It really depends on the builder and the SS. We asked of SS if we could have our sparky (friend) put in the airconditioning and down lights and he had no problem with him going in when other trades were in the house. To be honest I was surprised I expected him to say no. But we have a really great SS. Good luck. Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 8Nov 30, 2011 7:32 pm I am assuming mrsroc is talking about something that wasn't agreed upon at contractual stage and making up some of the contract works and as mrsroc said this is up to the builder and site supervisor because sometimes your SS will allow you to do your own 'extras' such as air con or a glass splashback or differrent electrical etc. However if the works is anything within the contract e.g.: brick work, standard plumbing and electrical, floor coverings, roofing etc than it needs to be sorted prior to your contract, let alone getting to site My building forum: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49650&p=756654#p756654 Building the 'Ultimate St Marks' with Home Buyers Centre Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 9Dec 01, 2011 11:13 am Thanks to everyone for their comments / replies... Hubby tends to agree with you, SD... (He's ready to change into pre-start guns blazing.) In his mind, we're the ones paying out the $$$ for "our" house, so why shouldnt we be getting everything done "our" way?? (Slight hot-head) Another quick phone call to the RedInk office and now I've been told that IF we choose to use our own subs, then we have to obtain a quote, give it to RedInk, and then they will work out the final costing?? Does this sound right?? ??Im assuming they are taking the quote, adding on their cut, then giving us the final cost?? My new suggestion for a new slogan: RedInk Homes : It's your home, your choice... Just kidding... Do it our way or not at all... Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 10Dec 02, 2011 12:57 pm Trust me, the way the industry is right now they will bend over backwards for you so don't back down They won't add their mark up onto it but they are probably checking that the quote will come in under what their subbies would normally charge to do the works to make sure that the subbie you are using wont charge them say $4k when they have budgeted those works in at $2k.. Generally speaking, your contract price will not be reduced because they will keep the spare money in budget just in case the subbie you have chosen stuffs up and they need to rectify etc but at final account (PC payment) they will credit you any surplus funds from that trade. For example: say your contract value is $150k and you get a plumber to do everything for $500 (wouldn't happen but using simple numbers here) and say redink normally budget $3k to plumbing.. Your contract value will remain the same through your whole build and then either scenario A or B will happen. A: your plumber misses something and they have to get their own tradie in to fix this and there is no left over funds for this trade therefore your contract value remains at $150k and you pay as per the set out sum for PC OR B: plumber's works are accurate and as per plan, no problems, when you get your invoice for PC and say the sum was meant to be $20k, it will now be $17,500 (crediting the $2,500 surplus) Or if the cost your tradie is charging is as per industry costing then you choose whether the tradie gets paid on invoice or if you get creditted on final account - you would use the final account payment if say it was your hubby doing the work or a friend said Ill do it for free or something and then in that case the amount the tradie quoted will be what you get on final account My building forum: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49650&p=756654#p756654 Building the 'Ultimate St Marks' with Home Buyers Centre Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 11Dec 04, 2011 10:17 pm Thanks for all the info SD! We've finished our tile selection, and as with most things, most of our selections are above and beyond RedInk's tile allowance.. Just waiting on Tuesday for pre-start now so we can find out exactly HOW much over we went. That total will be the major factor in whether we stick with RedInk's tilers or sub it out. Im dead set on supplying my own tap wear and basins tho. I cant see how they can approve "one category only". The taps / basins I want arent provided by RedInk, and I refuse to take what they're offering when I know I'll regret it for as long as we live in the house! Thankyou again for all your information! I'll let you know how Tuesday goes. Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 12Dec 07, 2011 11:54 am PreStart over and done with... $46K worth of changes/additions/upgrades... Hubby not happy. Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 13Dec 07, 2011 12:03 pm First_Timer_Perth PreStart over and done with... $46K worth of changes/additions/upgrades... Hubby not happy. Hi, do you mind briefly outlining the upgrades and their cost. We've only plan for about 10-15k for prestart. Now I'm a little bit concerned. Thanks Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 14Dec 07, 2011 12:12 pm I'll PM you our list AubinGrove. One thing to point out tho.. We upgraded EVERYTHING, just to get an idea of costing. We've gone thru the list and deleted a lot of the more "out there" upgrades, and now are sitting on about $30K.. Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 15Dec 12, 2011 5:27 pm Oh wow what kinds of things did you upgrade? My building forum: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49650&p=756654#p756654 Building the 'Ultimate St Marks' with Home Buyers Centre Re: Needing Advice... HELP!! 16Dec 12, 2011 6:55 pm sdmould Oh wow what kinds of things did you upgrade? Hahahha.. Oh, you know.. Just EVERYTHING. A few major costs were things like Sisalation in roofing, 4m wide stacker door for alfresco, supply and instalation of soakwells.. (These all got deleted from the final list tho) Cost us to upgrade our front door to 1200mm door (I got a big Hubby who wanted a big door.. ) I upgraded all our tapware thru RedInk but have since decided to supply all our own (at a saving of approx $6K) The tiling upgrades didnt end up being that costly at all really (well, not as much as I first expected). Think it was about $5K to upgrade all tile sizes, added in listello borders and wanted wall tiles laid vertically. The wet areas were definitely the biggest costs tho. Reccessed showers / semi-frameless screens / Stone benchtops / above bench basins / extended laundry bench plus cupboard etc etc... Add in a few electrical changes and BAMN... $46K!! I've since gone thru the list and deleted a lot of things we can do post handover for cheaper, and now sitting at around $20K, which isn't too bad I dont think?? Versaloc is a mortarless besser block system that still needs a properly engineered footing. If you just do a 400x200 footing it will fail in time. At 17m long you need it… 1 17409 Yes, unless you are in a low intensity rainfall area or the area is protected from rain. Do you have access to NCC Part 2 or can you download it? I can email you a copy… 10 12509 Thank you so much for the effort. We will use it to talk with builder. We also had idea of building duplex instead and seeking suggest ions. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=106744 11 13832 |