Can't see how this could cost so much!!!!!

Treechangers · Mar 12, 2008 12:43 pm

Hi Everyone.

Haven't posted since September last year. Have had most of my questions answered by forum members without having to post. Thanks so far everyone. Need your help now.

We have had a DA approved with conditions to meet bush fire regulations.

We expected most of the things that were listed would need to be done, but there is onething that I can't get my head around on the cost.

In our site costs we are paying over $8000 to install a 10,000 litre poly tank hooked upto washing machine and toilets. DA condition is that this tank now must be colorbond with a Stortz valve(for fire bridgade hook up) and a 5.5hp fire pump. The builder has quoted over $5000 to do this work.

From my reasearch the tank will be only around $1500 more than the poly tank we have already agreed to pay for in our contract , the valve between $160 to $200 and water pump between $500 to $900(top end of market).

My question is where does the extra $3000 dollars come in.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Treechangers

Rachelle · Mar 12, 2008 12:51 pm

I think you need to ask your builder that question.

We aren't getting our builder to provide or install the actual tank, they are just doing the plumbing and providing the slab. We'll buy our own tank and get it hooked up, we're saving about $3k by doing this ourselves, maybe you should do that?

joaninhac · Mar 12, 2008 12:58 pm

I agree with Rachelle

in doing it yourself after hand over you save alot of money.

that's probably their profit - $3k

ahuang · Mar 12, 2008 1:11 pm

Make a few phone calls to other water tank suppliers and ask for quotes. You will be surprised how much you could save.

Just don't forget to get your builder to get all the proper plumbing and pipe connection done.

One possible problem with this approach: if something goes wrong, both parties could be pointing fingers unless you can find a proof that it's someone's fault.

stonecutter1309 · Mar 12, 2008 2:16 pm

Treechangers - what Category of Bushfire Attack were you classified as? I believe we are Level 3 (Extreme) but what you have sounds like requirements for Flame Zone.

Raz · Mar 12, 2008 6:46 pm

I too have been trying to understand the rainwater costs and Casa2 and lrhodes1 have excellent knowledge on this and have been most helpful.

lrhodes1 has got a post with costs worked out on this forum....hopefully they will add something to your post.

I guess the thing is that if the builder does it all they take the responsibility, but you pay a premium, but if you do it yourself you save$$ and can do it after handover.

Good luck

Raz

3timesbuilda · Mar 13, 2008 11:23 am

Worth checking whether the tank is still allowed to be used for other purposes. Seem to remember that if we had a tank, it would have had to be dedicated to the firefighting ie. no other connections.

Fortunately we were withing 100m of a fire hydrant so didn't need a fire tank.

Treechangers · Mar 13, 2008 11:33 am

Thanks for all your input. Have emailed the builders and now await their response.