Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 11, 2014 9:13 am Do you usually pay for electricity during a knockdown/rebuild? I thought we had to go through all the annoying rigmarole with the electrickery company because the builders were in charge of the bill, until they hand the keys to us. However I had a bill sent to me by the electrickery company yesterday - and it's for the period since the build started, the start-date matches and there's no "previous period" on the bill (because it's a new contract). Is this normal, or are the electrickery company havin' a laugh? Re: Knockdown/rebuild - pay for electricity during build? 2Mar 11, 2014 9:16 am We're currently reviewing a blank contract and it does say the owner is responsible for supplying services such as water, electricity and gas to the property... Although... do you have an electricity meter for someone to read? Re: Knockdown/rebuild - pay for electricity during build? 3Mar 11, 2014 10:05 am yvonneh Although... do you have an electricity meter for someone to read? Yes, the very first thing they did when they started was to put up what I thought was a temporary meter-box, even before the formwork for the slab was put in place ... as it turns out the power feed itself is/was temporary, but the box itself is staying - they're building the entire house around it. Re: Knockdown/rebuild - pay for electricity during build? 5Mar 11, 2014 1:02 pm Will depend on the builder and your contract. I abolished all services, arranged for a new pit and then the builder arranged connection and paid the bills until handover when it was transferred to me as a new connection account. I did however pay for water usage during the build. Completed a knock down and rebuild in northern Melbourne. Handover completed 27/09/2013 and now moved in. Re: Knockdown/rebuild - pay for electricity during build? 6Mar 11, 2014 1:23 pm judydg I think it is standard practice for the customer to pay the electricity. Our bills haven't been much do far - about $25 every two months. Hmm ... ours is the same ~$300 as we paid for the same 3-month period in the rental (ie. for 3 people). What stage are you at? Re: Knockdown/rebuild - pay for electricity during build? 7Mar 12, 2014 12:15 pm To wrap this all up: (*) yes, it is our responsibility to provide electricity to the site (*) our bill is large because it's an estimate based on prior usage at our address (*) our meter isn't set to time-of-usage billing (Energy Aust person didn't know why & said it was unusual for new meters), which is why they needed a meter-reading; except because the site is locked it wasn't possible to read the meter (*) the usage by the builders should be pretty minimal; if I want, I can organise to read the meter myself & get the bill cancelled & use the actual reading instead (I'll probably just take the credit when it happens, next time it needs reading) Re: Knockdown/rebuild - pay for electricity during build? 8Mar 17, 2014 1:52 pm It is to my disgust to learn that in Australia the builder can actually put the payment of utilities into the contract for the owner to pay. The price of building a house in Australia is already daylight robbery and the owner has to pay rent where they live, pay the mortgage and now the damn electricity tooo/// How can a nation be so gullible to allow these things to happen. if the original house is in good condition most of what you listed could be added in stages without the need for KDR and costs and disruption of having to live elsewhere… 1 13680 Hi We have finally decided to complete a KDR on our corner plot in NE Melbourne suburbs. Given its a corner plot approx. 400 sqm just a standard design may not fit the… 0 8568 multiple occ properties are always billed by trades at a premium, rarely per sqm for the lot. You either have trades you know whoe will do by sqm or youre going to get… 1 2237 |