Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Aug 14, 2012 7:04 am Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Hi everyone! I've purchased a West-East-facing 7.5 x 27.5m dual frontage lot at Lightsview waterford (Northgate, SA). It's a long story but we've been through choosing from 4.8 to 5.5 for investment and eventually ends up with 7.5M for self living. I and my partner both agreed that if we want to throw the money in, we want somewhere near the best spot of the precinct, which is waterford, where the lake locates. It's a gamble game but if lightsview becomes successful, the houses near the lake will increased most. If lightsview failed, all the houses in lightsview will drop price anyway. Since the lake and reserve parks kept getting delayed and delayed, I cannot picture what it will look like once complete. Therefore we took a step back and chose the lot that is facing the reserve park, while we can still see the lake and wetland from balconies. (My partner still angry with me everyday why i didn't buy the lot facing the lake) We have set a budget that we don't want go beyond, this is a very small land, we do not know how much budget our neighbours are going to spend, thus affect our street's price. We believe we are the first one to start??? I've been talking to Alxx Shxxxxx, Sxxxxxxxx, Axx, rxxxxxxx, Cxxxxxxxxn and Precision Homes. The key factors which builder to choose are (admin please correct me if am wrong, i believe we need to block every other builder's name except the one we go for) 1) experiences with 7.5M Terrace block 2) knowledge of my dual frontage block (since there's an annoying central courtyard) 3) experiences building at lightsview 4) communications We drew our floor plan and presented to these builders what's on our mind. We like Alxx Shxxxxx' display home, but the sales was just too rude. I visited them twice and tried to talk to the sales but she just busy chatting with others. Don't even want to talk to us. Stxxxxxxx sales was very good and friendly, he gave us the price quote very quickly. The price was reasonable. The key factor I didn't choose Stxxxxxxx is because they haven't start any terrace block yet so I wasn't sure if they can pass lightsview's approval. They coudn't show me if they have any exisitng 7.5M block design for their clients. T Axx sales was very friendly to us, the first time she told me everything I want will be included within our budget but when we received the price quote, everything wasn't included and if we want those things, the price will go up a lot. The key factor I didn't choose Axx is while Axx's display house looks very great, the ones built by Axx in lightsview do not impressed me. The sales at rxxxxxxx kept asking me to give her a chance to do a price quote for us. However, after I emailed her the spec I want, she never back to me. I had a meeting with Cxxxxxxxxn, I didn't feel confident dealing with them because during the meeting, he didn't show his knowledge, he didn't do any homework, he didn't know the requirement on our block, he didn't read our development plan. All he did in the meeting was just saying they are premium and expensive builder, that's all. I was expecting something little more from them. Precision Home was the only builder who can pull out and show us more than three designs of our block type, correcting our ideas and taught us what need to be watch out in order to pass lightsview's approval. Both of us agreed Precision home yet has most knowledge about our 7.5M block. They showed us their new house in waterford, which is also 7.5M dual frontage. We felt quite comfortable so we gave Precision home a chance to draw the floorplan, and do the price quote for us. The price is fixed so we dont need to worry about variation. my floorplan features my need such as additional garage door straight to pantry (builder kept on selling this point) large main bedroom with large WIR (my partner's requirement) main bedroom has private study room (my requirement, i need a computer in my room) master room has private balcony (for the reserve park view) bed2,3 have shared balcony (for the lake view) large home theater (i love big screen) tiles for the entire house (we don't like timber or carpet) reasonable size of retreat room upstairs 10/11 update - wall knocked down!...page 4 20/11 update - color selections...page 4 07/03 update - footing starts...page 6 24/03 update - framing starts...page 7 11/04 update - pendant lights...page 8 29/05 update - roof installed...page 10 16/08 update - gyprock completed.page 11 26/08 update - stairspage 12 Our timeline so far is as follows: Signed land contract with Lightsview ... 24 Feb 2012 Land Settlement ... 23 Apr 2012 Signed build contract with Precision Homes ... 16 May 2012 Lightsview Approval ... 25 Sep 2012 Council Approval - 16 Nov 2012 Energy report came back - 16 Nov 2012 Color selections - 20 Nov 2012 variation - 20 Feb 2013 footing starts - 7 Mar 2013 framing starts - 24 Mar 2013 bought my lights - 11 Apr 2013 windows started - 03 May 2013 hebel started - 08 May 2013 Scaffolding up - 20 May 2013 colorbond roof - 27 May 2013 hebel wall - 14 June 2013 electrical wiring - 01 July 2013 render - 17 July 2013 insulation - 24 July 2013 gyprock - 12 August 2013 stairs - 26 August 2013 tiling - 05 September 2013 lock up - 02 October 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 2Aug 14, 2012 8:01 am Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The reserve park is half complete, i don't know when will they start the tennis court Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ they've done our fence base now. they will add glass on top. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ to be honest, i am very disappointed about the bridge's finishing. very rusty feel. I thought they will put some coat on top of it but they say no. it is ugly. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I am not sure what you guys think of the lake yet but the newspaper says it's now finished. finished???? I am not impressed so far, it's very different to the illustration, lightsview sales said it will be exactly the same as the illustration but we all knew it's a joke. It is still muddy atm, I hope once the water starts running it will change to clear blue. 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 3Aug 14, 2012 12:31 pm congrats! i too am looking at the 7.5m lot facing the lake, which is really just a few lots down from the owner of PH.... i too was impressed by their work but the courtyard thing is really killing my plan thus i am still on the drawing board figuring out if this would work. in the meantime, we are looking outside of lightsview in hoping to find the right lot to fit our dream home. all the very best with the approval, i can't wait to see more updates from you! Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 4Aug 16, 2012 4:07 am thank you pandoracrystal. what is ur idea of 7.5M block??? maybe i can give u some ideas since we too had hundreds of thought while drawing our plan but that bloody courtyard thing is just so annoy. we love our floorplan a lot, there's nothing more we can think of to enhance the plan. However, I also have an ultimate dream floorplan (if money budget not existing), that is make an basement entry from my current home theater. so the basement become bar + home theater. I then can make we current home theater back to normal living area or change it into living room + bed room. and this will be my dream theater, damn it costs 2million usd to build this ones. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ make a third floor, so the third floor becomes outdoor BBQ area , Spa area and roof garden. install a transparent glass lift from the central courtyard. 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 5Aug 16, 2012 5:38 pm i can't see the pics but judging from you description we has something in common.... we have always wanted a separate 'guest quarter' above the garage (owe to some very annoying relatives, lol) and have our house just to ourselves with walkway connecting the garage area on the ground floor only. we could also use a small roof top area above the guest quarter for parties and such. the courtyard smack in the middle of the house would take away our ideal living space, especially with such a narrow lot. so we are looking at basement option as well, since hubby could use a nice size man cave for his fishing tools and workshop. we are still on the fence about the lot size, and on to thinking about getting ourselves the traditional lot size, and build a 'donut' house with the courtyard/atrium in the middle of the house.... lol, so many ideas, just not enough money!!! i really like precision's work but to do what we have in mind, it would cost upward of mid $400k, we don't want to over capitalized on this lot size or we will never be able to recoup the money. so safe to say we are searching outside of lightsview now, i too hope i can pop back in with my own thread soon! in the meantime, all the threads here would keep my dream going! Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 6Aug 16, 2012 6:46 pm Hi frozenkuku Great to see you've started a thread now. Hopefully you will see your approval soon. BTW, that would be an awesome home theatre https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43937&start=0 Bought a block in Golden Grove - Jan 2011 Finally finished our design, Mar 2012, *yay* Signed with ADH council consent June 12 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 7Aug 16, 2012 7:36 pm oh the pics are back up now! wow, with that, you will need the bat garage as well! lol Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 8Aug 18, 2012 3:50 am LOL the shipwrecked home theatre. Shiver me timbers, it makes me dizzy already! 2-Storey Terrace Build at Lightsview, Northgate SA Estimated completion: July 2013 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 9Aug 18, 2012 1:14 pm @pandoracrystal you should consider 12.5m+ wide block at waterford, my friend bought the land + higher spec/simlilar living area, and guess what. Their total price is similar to ours, not fair hah??? 7.5M VS 12.5M = approx the same. 12.5M make ur floorplan much more easier. @dreamcometrue thank you, I hope so too. I haven't heard any good news from my builder this week yet. I thought he will push lightsview to approve ours this week. @pandoracrystal lol, lucky i am not crazy about cars anymore. Get bored with it, realestate is much better in terms of investment and leisure. @TripleA dream cinema is possible the top1 wish on my life achievement goal atm. lol. Too costy to do in australia, probably will do one in overseas one day. I am going to lightsview today, they got new display homes open, I will pass you site and check out that infamous ugly block. 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 10Aug 18, 2012 9:04 pm Hey frozenkuku. Would love to see your floorplan if you decide to put it up 5.5m Terrace House - Lightsview (Northgate SA) Moved in!! - 22 February 2013 /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=53455 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 11Aug 19, 2012 4:07 am the only one i have is in A3 size. i only have A4 scanner, try to scan them and put together looks funny. i will ask my builder to convert to a4 size for me. ============================================== Went to see the T262 today....what do u think????? there's some good things about it but there are a lot of aweful things about it too. the front facade looks good, the timber garage door looks good, the couryard landscaping looks good, the living room storage idea looks good. the wall looks bloody aweful, the bathroom is a joke, looks like a dirty old-days factory, the yellow and red tapwares are probably the worst thing in this house. the open style BIR is bad (and expensive). The living room wall looks like unfinished gyprock screwed in, the stair walls you can even see the gaffa tape between the gap, the upstair master bedroom wall looks like if you pressed hardly it will break (the pattern is hollow). there will be another more expensive T262 soon, I am looking forward to see that one. That one should be an improved version. I also went to see Rossdale's new display homes, I am not impressed with the quality at all. All the little details, workmanship and designs are just aweful. They had big advertised about their fix price and quality, but i don't see the quality, sure they are super cheap (6m wide block of land + building = 395k) but nah, sorry. we don't want to live in those kind of houses. It's worth noted that another thread about Rossdale mentioned they are actually quite expensive builder, it's contradict to what i have seen so maybe they change the business strategy. What do you guys think of the Rossdale's new display terrace home? @juski, i saw ur house today, very nice location, just a walk distance to the park and lake. Do you feel worry about the annoy raining season??? the tennis court in the waterford is now a swimming pool 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA 12Aug 19, 2012 11:05 am We also went to the T262 and Rossdale yesterday! Tend to agree with everything you said about the 262! Those walls are terrible! Looks like they haven't been finished! We did, however, like the decking in the courtyard but thought it was quite narrow! Rossdale's houses seemed to be designed well but weren't finished well. Because of that fact I wouldn't be building with them - if that's the way they are going to present the show home, what's it going to be like for a customer? 6m Terrace House - Lightsview (Northgate SA) First fix completed ... 15 February 2013 Render completed... 19 February 2013 Insulation... 19 February 2013 Plasterboard... 21 February 2013 /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58747 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 13Aug 19, 2012 2:40 pm I'm going to have to go for a drive, I think https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43937&start=0 Bought a block in Golden Grove - Jan 2011 Finally finished our design, Mar 2012, *yay* Signed with ADH council consent June 12 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 14Aug 19, 2012 4:30 pm CrazyEagle We also went to the T262 and Rossdale yesterday! Tend to agree with everything you said about the 262! Those walls are terrible! Looks like they haven't been finished! We did, however, like the decking in the courtyard but thought it was quite narrow! Rossdale's houses seemed to be designed well but weren't finished well. Because of that fact I wouldn't be building with them - if that's the way they are going to present the show home, what's it going to be like for a customer? we found the wall on the living room already crack on the first display home between the tv and the fireplace. 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 15Aug 19, 2012 7:52 pm Those display homes sound terrible. I doubt they are bringing in many customers! I haven't really seen the tennis court - I hope when they complete it there is proper drainage so we don't have to deal with flooding every year! Isn't that why we live on this side of town - we're up high? 5.5m Terrace House - Lightsview (Northgate SA) Moved in!! - 22 February 2013 /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=53455 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 16Aug 19, 2012 8:58 pm From what I saw today, the tennis courts will be more like the swimming pool. And what's that about the lake being "finished"? It's far from finished. I wouldn't even dare to say it's 80% done. I think someone in Lightsview's press department messed up and published the "completed lake" story way ahead of time. 2-Storey Terrace Build at Lightsview, Northgate SA Estimated completion: July 2013 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 17Aug 20, 2012 6:47 pm I hope the weather can turn sunny asap. so they can start the tennis court. I cannot wait !! 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 18Sep 09, 2012 9:44 pm Hi Frozenkuku, Havn't heard from you much lately, have Lightsview finally approved your plans yet? 6m Terrace House - Lightsview (Northgate SA) First fix completed ... 15 February 2013 Render completed... 19 February 2013 Insulation... 19 February 2013 Plasterboard... 21 February 2013 /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58747 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 19Sep 10, 2012 12:44 am It's been a cold winter, so either she's frozen . . . or went kookoo with her build. 2-Storey Terrace Build at Lightsview, Northgate SA Estimated completion: July 2013 Re: Frozenkuku's build: Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview S 20Sep 10, 2012 6:20 am sorry guys nothing happen at all, my builder said he will give to me the floor plan to show u guys but i haven't receive yet [Edited out individual's name] 7.5M Dual Frontage terrace @ lightsview SA /viewtopic.php?f=31&t=58754 moved in - April 2014 furnitured - August 2014 home theatre - September 2014 Game room - December 2013 moved in - 09 April 2014 Joe, it depends on your certifier but we are noticing the ones we deal with are really cracking down. So i would recommend you follow your approved landscaping plans to… 4 6783 Hi Simeon, Thank you for laying it down for us. Makes sense. Appreciate it very much. Have a nice day. Cheers 2 5199 Thank you so much everyone. This all makes a lot of sense. I guess when you talk to a builder who butters up everything to look very polished, you get to start believing… 8 2249 |