Redink Homes - NOR - xxkatxx's build - what type of render?

Well over a year after we started thinking of building and after 4 months of negotiating with builders we have FINALLY signed up with Redink Homes! It feels so good to have made a decision after so much uncertainty but very happy with our choice

We are starting to look at all the pretty things we want to select at prestart but it’s so cruel not knowing how much they cost...We already included most of the major things we wanted to upgrade in the initial contract but all of the little details are going to add up! Thankfully our sales consultant had an awesome memory and could just blurt out prices of things we were thinking of upgrading so we do have a rough idea of what we will spend but I’d prefer exact before falling in love with something that has a ridiculous price tag.

Here are our plans but have some changes we want to make still:

http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u403/xxkat86xx/houseplanxxkatxx_zps5ae99a9a.png

-Pantry door will be moved forward so it is the same level as the cabinets and will be made of the same material as the cabinets so it will look like a cupboard instead of a walk in pantry. I like the streamlined look...Still deciding how this will be done as all suggestions so far are a bit pricey...Will be looking at some displays in a week or two that have double doors into the walk in pantry to see if it is practical as the builder is happy to do it that way.

-Very undecided on the windows across the back of the house...as it is at the moment I think the left side of the double sliding doors will be where our couch is in the living area so thinking of a 3610 wide window on the left then the double sliding doors then a 1210 wide window at the dining side so that the double sliding doors are more to the right instead of central. We can’t go more than 3610 wide for any windows/doors or a T bar is required apparently and that’s $$$.

-Again a window issue – Master bedroom currently has a 910 wide full length window that you see as you walk in and then a highlight window next to it to make a total 3610 wide as again avoiding Tbars. The idea is to have the back of the bed against the window wall but have a big gap between bed and ensuite. More than likely adding a sliding door on ensuite too!

Any ideas are more than welcome! We were hoping to take our time with selections etc but now have a deadline of mid Jan as we are going overseas for 6-7 weeks...great timing but only chance we will get and Redink are happy to try and help us get everything out of the way before we go!

Soil tests etc are apparently being done now and I have no idea what the next step is after that

It's been great reading everyone else's build stories and have learnt so much so figured I'd better share mine

TIMELINE:
12 Jul 2012 - Start getting our plans together with Redink rep
29 Sep 2012 - Signed PCQ
9 Nov 2012 - Working drawings completed
12 Dec 2012 - Interior Design Consultation
7 Jan 2013 - Prestart Meeting and all upgrade costs received (was offered to us in December but we weren't ready...)
29 Jan 2013 - Developer Approval
6 Feb 2013 - Final Plans received
26 Feb 2013 - Building Permit issued
12 Apr 2013 - Site Scraped
22 Apr 2013 - Plumbing and sand pad completed
29 Apr 2013 - Slab laid
07 May 2013 - Bricks/Door frames arrived
21 May 2013 - Brickwork surrounding slab done
27 May 2013 - Window frames arrive
06 Jun 2013 - Bricklayers returned
18 Jun 2013 - Brickwork finished
21 Jun 2013 - Roof materials delivered
24 Jun 2013 - Roof started
7 Jul 2013 - Plumbing and electricals
10 Jul 2013 - Roof finished
19 Jul 2013 - Internal render and external render done
23 Jul 2013 - White set done
31 Jul 2013 - Ceilings done
8 Aug 2013 - Window Glass
13 Aug 2013 - Locked up / Internal doors hung / Shelves
16 Aug 2013 - Ceilings painted
19 Aug 2013 - Cabinets Installed
20 Aug 2013 - Eaves painted
22 Aug 2013 - Tile meeting
22 Aug 2013 - Garage floor poured
22 Aug 2013 - Air con and hot water slab poured
23 Aug 2013 - Stone benchtops in kitchen
26 Aug 2013 - Tile brickups in bathrooms
28 Aug 2013 - Waterproofing
29 Aug 2013 - Internal doors and frames primed
30 Aug 2013 - Tiler started
23 Sep 2013 - Tiler finished
24 Sep 2013 - Garage door installed
25 Sep 2013 - Tap ware and hot water system installed
3 Oct 2013 - Final electricals and light switches
3 Oct 2013 - Appliances installed
8 Oct 2013 - Light render
11 Oct 2013 - Dark render
12 Oct 2013 - Insulation
14 Oct 2013 - Fly screens and clean up
28 Oct 2013 - Air conditioner installed and internal door paint
29 Oct 2013 - Shower Screens installed
30 Oct 2013 - Mirror Robe doors installed

hi kat,
congrats on signing with Redink. I am also building with redink and they have been fabulous so far. Havent updated my thread for a while, but we have had cabinets done and tiling being done as we speak.
The time that took the longest was the paperwork stage, which drove me nuts hated not being able to see what was going on behind the scenes. And cos there isnt alot to tell you, you feel a little bit left.
After your soil test, they will probably get the site survey done pretty soon after, and this way they can get an idea of what your site works will be.
Once you get assigned a CLO they are more than willing to answer questions. I used to email them and get a reply within an hour or two. Cant fault their communication there.
Our ss is also absolutley fabulous.

we signed our pcq on the 16th dec 2011, site/soil surverys were done mid january, first draft plans were posted about middle of feb, and apart from a couple of small errors, everything else was correct, contracts were posted about mid march (but you dont have to sign them them, just devour every word and note any questions you have on it, and when you go to pre-start appt you can do all the changes there), pre-start was 1/5/12, and slab went down on the 2/7/12. Once the slab is down, Redink seem to keep their trades moving along.

Look forward to following your journey.

Congrats on choosing a builder

I love your plan, especially the huge living area onto the even bigger alfresco

Thanks sb that's why we designed our own plan...couldn't find any plans where we could do that...but now that we are looking for colours etc Im finding plans that would have worked!! Haha hmmm oh well its unique thanks so much for your help with gemmill...we were so close to signing up with them but i think we just had our hearts set on redink from the beginning so went with that!

And garden I've been secretly stalking you for a while now along with all the other redinkers! Played a big part in our decision so thanks for sharing

Great Plan Kat - Goodluck with your prestart I hope things come in on budget for you.

Wow Garden- 2 months between prestart and slab going down. We had our prestart in may and our slab is hopefully going down on Monday. We were told late this week but the SS he would take that to mean Monday. He was right in that it wasn't done this week. Hopefully things do move a little faster once the slab is down. Other than the waiting we have been really happy with Redink.

Thinking of copying the Ross North Honeywood display external colours which is weird as we were initially going with a grey theme but I think that has all changed now!
http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u403/xxkat86xx/externalcolours_zps70693c97.jpg

Need some help with windows in the master...we can't decide!!

Do we go for an upsidedown L shape like is on the plans now where you walk in and have the large window opposite door then the highlight window over the bed. This means bed and bedside tables are moved closer to left hand side of room as you walk in.
http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u403/xxkat86xx/Lshape_zpsff71071f.jpg

Or do we go for an upsidedown U shape over the bed so the bed is central on the wall?
http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u403/xxkat86xx/Ushape_zps450e862c.jpg

We want a TV on the wall accross from the bed so this is why the bed is going against the window wall.

we have out bed in the middle of the wall [altho the bed isnt on a wall with windows] bcoz we are mounting a tv on the opposite wall .

i guess it comes down to if you like things to look symmetrical, or if it will look 'out of balance'.

i love the colours of that display too

I was thinking it would look symmetrical either way due to the entrance into the bedroom... It's all so hard...and we haven't even got to cabinet or tile colours yet hahaha

The honeywood is lovely, got a few ideas from that one! We will be having a timber front door though so I hope it would still look ok...the white front door seems to fit it so well! I've been looking at your photos, more than likely going for the same interior doors! We were initially looking at the deco ones but these just tie in so well with the front door like you said

Hi Kat,
I like the look of the upside down U shaped window in the master, but they both look great either way! Everything is looking stylish

Love that Exterior Choice, Very Nice. Funny we were going greys to initially now not so sure , thinking of going more brown/grey. Its all to hard . Also I think U shape even though I prefer the look of the L shape bedroom for colours and that I like the U shape window better for balance especially if you are putting your bed and bedsides on that wall. But I am a bit OCD like that so please feel free to ignore me.

love the exterior colours... perfect balance I would also go for the upside down U..... Looks much better inside and out

Love the U window, it's more symmetrical. And the display colours are lovely too.

Sounds like upsidedown U wins!! thanks!!

Next task is going to be getting the details from Ross north to be able to copy their colours...Im hoping they give out this info!

When the house is finished you can put a nice big pot plant and pant in the centre of the wall part of the upside down U or even a water feature... that would look awesome Outside that is

Well we went to see the Ross North Honeywood display in person to check the colours against the photo they have online....and it's GREEN!!! So back to square one and hoping to see something we like at Alkimos this weekend!

Redink have been awesome, they call with updates and also email the same info so for idiots like me who forget everything they get told it's perfect communication! Our CA/CLO answers emails within a couple hours so feeling very looked after and happy with our decision to build with Redink. They are keeping their end of the deal but we are failing badly in picking colours to be ready for prestart...
Working drawings are being drawn up this week and I already have lots of changes to make but hopefully some proper plans and selections to post soon

Hi Kat!

Good to see you've settled on a builder! I've actually gone ahead with the New Generation Homes design I showed you, so now we're just waiting for our titles to come out!

Look forward to following your build thread. Hopefully I can steal a few design ideas from you!

Jase

How are you going with your colour choices? Our brickwork is vintage red and we have a big feature wall of random limestone at the front. None of it is rendered, I think we may be one of the only houses in there not being rendered! DH is a brickie by trade and has always loved the vintage reds, he has added the limestone facade to make the elevation more modern and less 'country'. I have the artists impression from Bluepint and it looks amazing.

What tops are you having in your kitchen? Have you been to the pre start room at redink to have a look before your actual pre start meeting? We spent aaagggess looking at tiles and laminates and stone and granite and all the rest of it, it really is so hard to choose!

Oh and please excuse all the typos! I'm on the iPhone and trying to type with the kids at my feet!