Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jan 30, 2014 4:38 pm Hi all I can finally post a new topic with my house build. This is my first property and I chose to build to take advantage of the First Home Owners and Housing Construction Grants available. A bit of background. I purchased a block of land in Metro, SA and signed a contract with Fairmont Homes to build a modified Portobello. I did a lot of reasearch and met with a variety of builders including but not limited to Metricon, Format Homes, Sekisui, Weeks and Macklin, Rossdale. In the end I chose Fairmont Homes due to their very competitive quote in comparison to the other project builders and they had a design that fit my lifestyle, which required very minimal changes. This was a very big deciding factor as I thought, if I can keep the design as close to the original as possbile, this will hopefully reduce any errors with the build and save on costs. The design I selected was the Portobello, with the following modifications: 1) Larger living area (5M x 4.8M) 2) Larger alfresco (4.8M x 4M) 3) Re-configured ensuite (to include double shower and double vanity) 4) Larger bed 2 and 3 (3.3M x 3M) 5) Extend the kitchen bench along the wall to match the length of the island 4) Insert a window splashback (2.4M long by 0.5M high) 5) Insert a highset window in the main bedroom (1.8M by 0.5M) 6) Insert a high set window in the dining area (1.5M by 0.5M) Some key specifications include: - 2.7M ceilings - 2.4M doors - Tiling in living, walkways, kitchen, dining - Carpet in bedrooms - Ducted reverse cycle air-con (free as part of promotion) - Panel lift garage door - Concrete driveway My land settled on 30 October 2013. In November 2013 I signed the contract with Fairmont Homes. On 29 Jan 14 I visited Direct Interiors to complete my selections (this does not include cabinetry at this stage or bricks). The Direct Interiors interview went well and I was quite suprised at the satdnard range that was on offer. As a result of the selections, I have chosen to upgrade the following only: - Oven and cooktop to a freestanding 90cm gas cooktop and electric oven - 90cm rangehood with the curved glass - Door handles - Square vanities in lieu of circle - Mixer taps in lieu of normal taps - 500 x 500 Matte Porcelain tiles (Santorini Bianco Natural style) The oven and rangehood and flooring were the most important due to the oven and rangehood being the centrepiece of the kitchen and I found the larger tiles create a more open look from what I have seen visiting the neverending amount of display homes round Adelaide. It is also a fine balance to try and keep the total build cost low in order to obtain the full benefit of the HCG. I am curently fumbling my way through the electrical layout, which is actually quite hard to do without having an electrical background. Any help/tips would be greatly appreciated! Some key dates coming up are the Supreme Kitchens interview to finalise the joinery and benchtop selections in Early February 2014 and then it is the final builders interview which is yet to be locked in. I haven't learnt how to post an image as yet, so stay tuned for a copy of the floorplan! Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 2Jan 30, 2014 6:41 pm Welcome, look forward to following the build of your first home Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 3Jan 30, 2014 6:53 pm Hopefully the link to the floorplan below works.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12217816684/ and thank you, hopefully the rest of the build will be as exciting as the selections. Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 4Jan 31, 2014 10:07 am Welcome chrisprw!! You plan looks great, I really like your ensuite/WIR configuration and your window splashback is going to look amazing! My kitchen doesn't have a window but if it did I would definitely do the same. Are you planning something special for outside the window? a little garden feature or something? I'm building with fairmonts also so looking forward to following your build My Build thread --- https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=67313 Final Builders Interview - 18th Nov 13 Site Works - 11th Dec 13 Slab - 16th Dec 13 Frame - 7th Jan 14 Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 6Jan 31, 2014 2:06 pm Thank you Lucinda. Hi Misslibe, my block size is 10.7M by 32.92M, so I have about 1.2M to play with down that side. The plan at this stage is to line the fence with bamboo and lighting so there is at least a bit of greenery to see when looking out the window. At this stage however anything could change, a lot of time to think about things and I am very welcome to suggestions. Flooring colour selections should be uploaded shortly. Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 7Feb 19, 2014 8:57 pm Supreme Kitchen selections finalised. Have chosen: Happy that I kept the selection to under $2.5K. This number can EASILY blow out haha. In short: Bench - Diamondgloss Laminate Polar White Kitchen / Ensuite / Bathroom Cupboards - Gloss Fiordland Elm Soft close doors Push open door for Linen cupboard Linen cupboard - Laminex Polar White Silk Finish Brushed stainless steel kicker Unfortunately the door color was my second option. The first option would have set me back $3.5K! Since I will only be living in the house for a year before renting it out, I have opted to go the Diamondgloss bench tops in lieu of Caesarstone (Caesarstone quote came in at $4K). Time to work on that electrical plan! Photos to be uploaded shortly... Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 8Feb 20, 2014 10:52 am Great selections chrisprw! itll look great. My Build thread --- https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=67313 Final Builders Interview - 18th Nov 13 Site Works - 11th Dec 13 Slab - 16th Dec 13 Frame - 7th Jan 14 Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 9Feb 20, 2014 11:26 am Well done on your selections, chrisprw--should look great. Would be easy to blow the budget on kitchen cupboards that's for sure. Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 10Feb 22, 2014 2:04 pm As promised, find below the links to the kitchen and bathroom colour scheme design I am trying to match along with the selections I have made. In a dilemma over the range hood selection. Glass or no glass? Was hoping someone might have pictures of the designs in their kitchen. Links below, and your thoughts would be very much welcome as I keep second guessing the dark cupboard colour selection against the light tiles: Kitchen scheme http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12687539075/ Bathroom scheme http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12687672983/ Full selections http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12687658813/ Kitchen (Brushed stainless steel kicker, Flordland Elm gloss cupboards and Diamondgloss Polar White benchtop) http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12688009054/ Brick (Austral Grange with grey grout) http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12687677373/ Main floor and wet area walls (Floor - Santorini Bianco Natural 500 x 500, Wall - White gloss 300 x 400) http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12687546285/ Oven and cooktoop Westinghouse WFE912SA Oven&Cooktop http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12688114334/ Rangehood option 1 Westinghouse WRF943S Rangehood http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12688114124/ Rangehood option 2 Westinghouse WRC913S Rangehood http://www.flickr.com/photos/115901155@N07/12688113944/ Chris Re: Fairmont Homes Build - SA 11Feb 22, 2014 7:58 pm Nice choices, looking forward to watching it come together 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 2234 Yes, i hace signed build contract and currently awaiting colour selection appointment. 2 29445 Ask for references and speak to them. If they are defensive or try to avoid the request, walk. 1 47517 |