Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 04, 2012 7:16 pm Hi all, We've been looking at as many options as we can think of for the home we'd like to build, but which varies enough from the average that we can't find an exact project-home design that suits. We're currently looking at modifying exiisting designs ... you can see what we're thinking of in the attached quickly-MS-Painted diagrams below. I'm just wondering if I can get an idea of people's experiences making structural type changes such as these, both the technical difficulties - I know for example that upstairs needs fiddling & certain things may even be impossible due to the annoying facts of physics/gravity/missing-walls/etc. Also a gauge of cost, if at all possible. I've been told numbers like $450/sqm & $750/sqm, but don't quite get how you could really cost "needs new steel beam here" in a per-square-metre price. Any & all comments encouraged! [PS. the sketches are b0dgy, please ignore how the kitchen has been eradicated in one - we don't live quite close enough to take-away shops to do that!] Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: People's experiences with modifying project homes? 2May 05, 2012 1:59 am Hello Forg! We finished building just over 2 years ago. . . bought our piece of dirt because it would fit a major project builder's house on it.. . we didn't get any further than the initial quotes as they weren't willing to include all of our perceived changes into the quote, so we could foresee being hit with enormous charges down the track We were told something like "the kitchen is standard, if you want to change it you'll decide that when it's time to sign off on kitchen". . . we couldn't afford massive variations in cost after our mortgage had been approved. . . and we didn't like being constrained to things like the builders' range of vanity, taps etc. Re: People's experiences with modifying project homes? 3May 05, 2012 2:59 am Project builders do not like changes to their plan, especially structural variations. The samples of changes you have there can already be a "different" design in project builders' eyes. So you can assume that not many project builders will be willing to make the changes or they will charge you a premium in make these changes unless your changes happens to be an "option" or "alternative" plan they already have. Re: People's experiences with modifying project homes? 4May 05, 2012 6:23 am I know of a few people who have changed plans with the builder you're looking at. Perhaps go in and sit down with one of the consultants and go through what you're after and they'll be able to tell you what is achievable. Built the Seaview 36 with Rawson Homes - Read about it on my blog http://lamaisondemorgan.blogspot.com.au/ Re: People's experiences with modifying project homes? 5May 05, 2012 9:17 am you may also find that others have already made similar changes and they even have examples of alternative plans with some or many of your changes. We changed our plan quite a bit. But ours was not double storey. Re: People's experiences with modifying project homes? 6May 05, 2012 9:42 am yeah not sure about double storey, but we added a room in the middle, moved the laundry to other side of the house, added a walk in pantry where the laundry was, and flipped the entire house on the block. This wasn't a big deal, and the increase in cost scaled with about the cost/sqm of the house. the sales guy was cutting up the floorplan with scissors, photocopying and re-sticking it all down again. Its all done on computer these days (the estimating) so changes aren't as hard as you might think. Re: People's experiences with modifying project homes? 7May 05, 2012 8:31 pm As mentioned many builders will make minor changes. I think the problem is that the changes you have made down stairs will make major structural changes to up stairs which will then change roof lines room sizes etc which ithnk honestly will be to hard. Many builders will add some room to the back of a house but I think you may need to look at a custom. Re: People's experiences with modifying project homes? 8May 05, 2012 9:25 pm we enlarged rooms, re arranged rooms and added a double garage. but most internal walls stayed in the same position or were slightly shifted. I suspect in a double if you shifted the wall below you'd have to shift it above to match. Our roof changed quite a bit but as I said b4. talk to the builder. Others may have done similar to what you want or they may have an alternative plan version that can be modified to the way you want . You have mandatory building inspections and privately engaged building inspections. The difference between the two comes down to inspecting the building so it's safe and… 3 18023 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair That laser level looks lovely! We bought one for less than a quarter of that price off eBay. It worked really well for us and it's still going now, five years later. 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