Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Apr 18, 2012 2:59 pm Just thought I'd write in and share our experience so far. We are actually commencing our second build - we last built with Homestead Homes 12 years ago. This time we told ourselves we're downsizing so now our new house will have less rooms (but the house has ended up bigger - What the!!!! LOL) Anyway we had specific ideas this time around as to what we wanted in our new home. After much searching we finally found a plan with AV Jennings that we decided to go with - the Meridian. However, as it didn't have everything that we wanted we made so many changes to the plan that it now looks nothing like the original plan. I think we only left the main bedroom, WIR and ensuite the same. Everything else changed. It has been such a long process just to get to where we are today and still we wait. We started plans in January 2011, signed a contract in June 2011, sold our previous home in October 2011, finalised all selections in November 2011 and documents were submitted to council in December 2011. Council botched our application which we the client discovered in January and after much to and fro-ing between AV Jennings and council, a new application was submitted in February. Approval finally came through on 19 March 2012 and now we're just waiting for something to happen on our block. We've been told we should hear from our site contact officer by the end of this week and we're hoping for action next week. As we are currently living with my parents and quarters are very tight, we are very eager to move out ASAP. This has been our dream home for so long and we just can't wait to see our finished product. With it taking so long I've felt tempted to change some selections but I'm trying so hard to hold back from doing that, because we were happy when we chose originally so I've got to trust we've made the right decisions. Fingers crossed for development next week My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 2Apr 18, 2012 3:45 pm Welcome to Home One!! Look forward to following your build ... don't second guess your choices - if you loved them when you chose them you will always love them. We were supposed to be downsizing too ... only the garden is smaller now Hopefully things will start soon for you and you can get into more salubrious accommodation .... For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 3Apr 18, 2012 8:45 pm Welcome!!! I loved that house so it would be interesting to see what you have done with your plans Good luck with your build! Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 4Apr 20, 2012 8:25 am Good luck with your build.. Kodiak Data Cabling onFaceBook Consult*, Design and Installation Data, TV, Home Theatre/ AV Cabling, Multi Room Audio, IP CCTV and Door Intercoms Ask for a Quote. *DIY DATA Cabling Is Ilegal Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 5Apr 20, 2012 12:45 pm Thanks guys Jess I've checked out your thread and admire your strong will and perserverence through the build of your home. I think I would have been tearing my hair out going through what you went through. I'm hoping to have some pics up soon. Just having some scanner problems at the moment. Well another set back yesterday. We were expecting to hear that our build would start next week but as I hadn't heard anything I gave them a call. They checked their lists and said we weren't on it for this week or next week so they'd follow it up. Rang me back and said they didn't have a date but should have a date early next week. You would think that considering that they contributed to most of the delays with this build that they would ensure things start moving quickly but NO! I'll be back on to them next week and hope to have good news then. Fingers crossed. My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 6Apr 20, 2012 4:46 pm Well here's a couple of photos of the plans. First one is the original AV Jennings plan - The Meridian 240 Second one is our modified plan. As you can see it really doesn't look anything like the original plan. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 7Apr 20, 2012 4:53 pm I like your plan ... the use of space is so much better ... I like bedroom 2 & 3 now being away from the theatre and the change to the window in Bed 1 For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 8Apr 20, 2012 6:37 pm hi, I love your plans and the changes you have made. Particularly the WIR through to bathroom. And the alfresco is much more functional I think. I am also going to be living with my parents while I build which is going to be interesting but will certainly be a huge help to us. I think my young children will love it. I copied the link to my plans by opening it in another tab then highlight the address, then control C, go to the post that you want to paste them and then control v. Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 9Apr 21, 2012 12:13 pm Mclaren, yes we didn't want a theatre room close to bedrooms because i'm sure the noise would be very distracting. We've also put sound proofing around the theatre room to hopefully reduce noise. Our previous house had a bay window on our bedroom. Our bedroom faced north and our room was constantly a sauna so we swore we would never have a bay window again. Our new home will be facing south so you can imagine how hot it would be if we had kept it. Nella, thanks for that. I'll be giving your tips a go. We had seen quite a few display homes where you walked through the WIR and we always loved it so that was one of our must haves for the new home. We don't have children so that was lucky in terms of moving to the parents. But my friends did the same thing with 2 boys and their house took 2 years. They were definately tearing their hair out by the end. They built on a property and in the last few weeks they put a caravan on the block and stayed in that just to have their own space. LOL My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 10Apr 21, 2012 2:26 pm Mclaren I like your plan ... the use of space is so much better ... I like bedroom 2 & 3 now being away from the theatre and the change to the window in Bed 1 agreed.. which wall inthe HT will you have the screen/ TV? Kodiak Data Cabling onFaceBook Consult*, Design and Installation Data, TV, Home Theatre/ AV Cabling, Multi Room Audio, IP CCTV and Door Intercoms Ask for a Quote. *DIY DATA Cabling Is Ilegal Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 11Apr 22, 2012 10:09 am The TV is going on the long wall on the eastern side of the house. There will also be a tv in the family room and that will be on the wall that divides the back hallway to the family room. My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 12Apr 22, 2012 10:22 am kyli093 The TV is going on the long wall on the eastern side of the house. There will also be a tv in the family room and that will be on the wall that divides the back hallway to the family room. ok cool.. well if you need any quotes for anything .. feel free to drop me a line. Kodiak Data Cabling onFaceBook Consult*, Design and Installation Data, TV, Home Theatre/ AV Cabling, Multi Room Audio, IP CCTV and Door Intercoms Ask for a Quote. *DIY DATA Cabling Is Ilegal Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 13Apr 22, 2012 10:33 am Thanks pugs. I went to your site the other day and had a look and bookmarked it My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 14Apr 23, 2012 6:43 pm Your plans look great. You are right, it doesnt look anywhere the original plan I will definitely be looking at your build! Trust me, I have been tearing my hair out. Many tears have been had. I just can't believe our luck!!! Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 15Apr 23, 2012 6:56 pm kyli093 Thanks pugs. I went to your site the other day and had a look and bookmarked it in that case you shoudl also check out KDC's face book page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kodiak-D ... 0973417477 and check out photos of Jobs we have done Kodiak Data Cabling onFaceBook Consult*, Design and Installation Data, TV, Home Theatre/ AV Cabling, Multi Room Audio, IP CCTV and Door Intercoms Ask for a Quote. *DIY DATA Cabling Is Ilegal Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker 16Apr 24, 2012 8:25 pm Yaaaaaayyyy Rang Sekisui House today to see when work may start on the block and was told they cut it yesterday. Woo Hoo. Got straight in my car and headed up the hill. How exciting work is starting. Was also told that trenches to be dug Thursday and slab to be poured 8th May pending weather. Just hoping luck stays on our side and the weather takes it easy on us till then. Bring it on....... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker - Yay work has be 17Apr 24, 2012 10:25 pm wow that is quick... tho AV jennings are doing that so they get paid quickly.. Kodiak Data Cabling onFaceBook Consult*, Design and Installation Data, TV, Home Theatre/ AV Cabling, Multi Room Audio, IP CCTV and Door Intercoms Ask for a Quote. *DIY DATA Cabling Is Ilegal Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker - Yay work has be 18Apr 24, 2012 10:46 pm I think the modifications to the plan are excellent.... especially the alfresco area, fits in so nice and neatly. Congrats on the cut... hopefully wont be long till you have that slab so it all seems that much more real. Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker - Yay work has be 19Apr 29, 2012 4:01 pm Well trenches were to be dug Thursday but nothing done as of this weekend. It's a shame because it was good weather Thursday but hasn't been so great since then. Not going to get too worried about it though. Still a week to go before slab date so plenty of time to get it all done. Fingers crossed. My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. Second time build = frustrating. 23/4/12 Block Cut Re: Building with AV Jennings in Mt Barker - Yay work has be 20May 04, 2012 10:42 am Went up to Mt Barker on the weekend as DH hadn't seen the block since AV Jennings had been down to cut it. He's very happy with the block so far. I went up again Wednesday to see if any progress had been made and yay trenches have been dug. Looking like a fine week so by the weekend we expect all plumbing and rio to be down. Will be heading up again on Sunday to check out the progress. Hoping the rain stays away so the slab can still go down as scheduled next Tuesday. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ My thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=55859 First time build = excellent. 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