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Looking AWESOME Shell90!
shiraz_elite we had a horrid Pre-Construction period, but our build so far has been great. We are thrilled with the quality, the tradies have all been very friendly and polite (we are doing a knock down rebuild in an established area) and our SS is very easy to work with. Pre-Construction is where most of our heartache occured, but I've heard simular stories across different project builders. Every time we turned around our project needed something extra completed before we could move forward to Construction. At every step it was just delays GALORE. Our Council was difficult, we had plenty of requests for further drafting/information and this seemed to take forever to get right. Our Masterton Pre-Construction Coordinator was an absolute saint, she saw us through many rough patches.
At this stage (almost at lock up), I'd really rate M. The build looks good and I just fell in love with the smart floorplan of our home.
I was happy to see our gyprockers working on a Saturday.
The building site is slowly starting to look like an amazing home.
Can someone tell me, after gyprocking is it just doors and then lockup?
Quote:
Can someone tell me, after gyprocking is it just doors and then lockup?
That's what it was for us! Won't be long now! And its looking great!!!!!
shiraz_elite, I would like to add that our house is built exceptionally well. We had the usual challenges along the way, but the house was finished on time, and is gorgeous! I'm sure there will be challenges no matter who you build with (you only need to look at the other forum topics on other builders). Choose the design you love, that fits your land and budget, and go for it! At the end of the day, we all join this journey with the desire to have a house of our own that suits our needs. Focus on the end result.... you will get there!
Thank you so much for your replies. You have been so helpful. I feel so much better going ahead with what we want. I know that it will be a challenge anyhow, I was just starting to think that it was beyond me. Shell90 your house is coming along beautifully. I love your choice of colours. MartinsHarmony you must be so excited being in the stage you are at now. Hopefully it will continue to go smoothly for you.
We're building the Tempus Elite and are having trouble picking blinds/shutters for the long wrap around window in the master room. It's a fixed window so doesn't open.
We like the look of the Roman blinds they have at the display home but could plantation shutters somehow work? The window is 3370 wide x 500 high. its such a wide and narrow window.
Hi izee! We are also building he tempus elite but we modified the top floor so we don't have the wrap around window. Custom made shutters or roller blinds could work.
We are a little unsure as to what to do with the kitchen splashback and staircase windows. Maybe thinking of tint. We were told the staircase windows were too high for blinds to be fitted..ı think that's a little silly frankly!
Hi jol0 ..... we built the Overture which has a kitchen splashback window as well. As the stove is also in front of the window, we really couldn't put a blind there, or at least couldn't use the blind whenever we are cooking. And our window faces north west, so lots of afternoon sun. We decided on a zipscreen blind on the outside. Its automated, so at the press of a button it goes up/down/or stops at whatever position we choose. Here's some pics (sorry they're taken about half an hour ago so its not real bright as yet!)
This is a pic with the zipscreen up ......
This is a pic with the zipscreen down.....
This is a pic from the outside with it up ......
And this is with it down......
Its competely private too....... the neighbours commented that they thought it was solid, not see through, as they can't see in. It blocks out soooooo much heat, but doesn't make us feel closed in as we can still see the view. I can take pics later in the day if you want to see it in full sun.
Gillym, thank you thank you thank you!!! This is a fantastic idea! I was considering roller shutter but this is so much better !!!!
That looks great!
We are doing the same. Mind if I ask how much it cost? And do all blind and shutter companies offer this style?
PS. your view is amazing! Ours will look onto our wooden fence...
Sadly, it wasn't cheap! We got the one that has a wind and sun sensor...... so if the screen is down and it gets too windy, it will automatically go back up. Can't remember what the idea behind the sun sensor was, but I had it disconnected as I would put the screen down in the morning before I left for work (if it was expected to be very hot) so that it would be shading the window and keeping the house cooler by lunchtime when the sun was on that side of the house, and it would go back up minutes later as the sun sensor had deemed that it wasn't sunny enough to be needed. And the wind sensor I found to be far too sensitive. Anyway, with all the bells and whistles, it cost $2500. I expect it would be a lot less if you didn't get the sun/wind sensors (I personally wouldn't recommend these anyway!), and if you didn't want the motorised option. Our window is a fair distance off the ground, so manually putting it up and down wasn't really an option. Most blinds/curtains/shutters companies seem to have them these days.
Very helpful gillym...thanks!
We put tinting and also a roller shutter your zip screen is a great idea I've never heard of this before
And up they go! Brickies have been there two days this week, plus we Ve had our gas lines done. I don't think the brickies realise the rain we are expecting tomorrow as they've left like they'll be back tomorrow!
http://preludehome.tumblr.com/
Hi all!
How much did you pay for your power connection when build was starting? The company M have contracted have invoiced us $680 to connect the power, is this standard?
Hi Saltwater71, we we're charged $1150 plus gst for aerial connection plus 3 phase meter upgrade. Hope that helps. Probably also depends where and how long connection point is
Saltwater71, we are paying a non-M electrician $1300 to connect 3 phase power.
Rox82 we are in the same boat on long build times. Our end of contract was mid Feb and PCI is still a couple of weeks away.
does anyone had to get RMS approval for expanding/changing the driveway road crossing? we're on a main road so council wants RMS to approve, who in turn wont apprvoe without plans from us. can't find any landscapers who'll do it (they all say they only do plans for driveway and RMS gives them the plans for crossing), so we've had to look at a civil engineer who's charging an arm and a leg for the drawings (incl an hourly charge for his dealings with RMS). there must be an easier or cheaper way! anyone know any draftsmen that has worked with RMS and does this sort of thing? thanks
can anyone recommend any decent private certifiers that operate in the inner west (Strathfield area)? we're changing our grass/concrete mix + need to raise all our fences as the house has been built so high. landscaper recommended speaking to a certifier to look at our plans before we start work, just to make sure he thinks what we're going to do is reasonable and approvable. i think council can also certify all this but I assume private will be more flexible/responsive with timing. thanks!
Hi all!
How much did you pay for your power connection when build was starting? The company M have contracted have invoiced us $680 to connect the power, is this standard?
Saltwater - we paid $1265 for 3 phase. when i researched at the time (a year ago), many in my area were paying $1045 for single phase. probably depends on area and complexity but $680 seems pretty cheap/reasonable.
We are limping towards the Finish line, door handles, towel rails and wardrobe fitout completed and a start has been made on the floor tiles.