Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jun 03, 2014 1:02 am We are just starting our first build with WA Home Group - I am a little daunted by it all as my husband has left in my hands. I am a fashion designer and think I know my way around the plans and styling of the home but this whole process is very strange. We are up to the stage where we had to pay the $2000 fee to hold the 'Tradie Prices' for the next 3 months and really commit to carrying on with them as our official home builder. First problem was asking if we can do concrete flooring throughout - answer no, but then asking if they can leave the concrete raw after they pour the slab so then I can contract someone in to polish at the end, answer is "not really we don't really do this, as we can't control the concrete condition apon pouring, i.e.: if the concrete pour has too much water in it, then the concrete will bubble and be discoloured causing the flooring to look terrible, so then when i asked could my concrete flooring guy come down at the day of the pour to see the concrete slab condition and chat to the concrete guys they are hesitant. Maybe this is just easier to use their tiles but really tiles don't really do it for me. I have so much to discuss like - they want us to sign off on windows and doors before we have seen anything? pre start isn't till october when the titles come into play yet they won't show us upgrades, window types we can choose from, its very bizarre. They give you this list of costings with no visuals door to WIL $789, ok so what does a $789 door look like? is this all normal? Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 2Jun 03, 2014 8:32 am They should be showing you pictures and pretty much giving you what you ask for, Id be a bit concerned.. I understand the whole concrete flooring thing, the guys who pour the slabs generally dont fuss to much over the surface of them as they always get covered. Basically what they're saying is we cant do it because we've never done it and we cannot guarantee it will look anywhere near decent. Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 3Jun 03, 2014 8:50 am You've chosen a great house, unfortunately, it is an off the plan house with no display to compare too. We did too and asked Home Group for addresses of our house plan that were under construction, that way we could go and see the, and get some perspective. It's about educating yourselves, the display homes will be made to the highest specifications, building the Monte Carlo, you will be building to Resort specifications (which are pretty darn good!) ... Go to their head office in Balcatta and have a look through their Prestart room, they have all the stuff there. You may need to meet your sales consultant, but we haven't needed an appointment in the past, just arrived and the receptionist has let us through. Good luck and welcome to the Home Group family, there's quite a few of us on here. Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 4Jun 03, 2014 12:18 pm Yay - another (potential) hgwa'er! Welcome. Just a thought regarding your concrete - ask if you are able to nominate your own concrete guys. This way you will feel more confident in the job you are getting. They may say no, especially if your guys cost more but its worth asking. The only other issue they may have is they cannot guarantee that tradies after the concretors don't damage and chip the slab. Our neighbours did their own polished agg slab as that is their trade - they couldn't have their bricks delivered onto the slab plus the whole thing was covered in carpet offcuts to protect it. While the floor is stunning they said it wasnt worth the drama and they wouldn't do it again! good luck Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 5Jun 03, 2014 4:01 pm We are also building with Home Group and are wanting polished concrete flooring. What our Sales Rep ended up suggesting was for us to nominate our own concreter's to pour the slab - He phoned head office and they said it shouldn't be an issue, there is just a form to fill out which he will put in our file for pre-start. I am still not confident though that it will be allowed. Be interested to hear if you get any more info on it!! Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 6Jun 03, 2014 8:39 pm I also looked into polished concrete flooring but slab concrete has to be uprated to 32 MPA for grind and polish. The normal grade wont do. I was told this by at least 4 of the polishing companies I talked too. I too dont like the choice of 4 floor tiles when we get nearly free range at a tile supplier for all others. Back hand import deal going on with family I think. Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 7Jun 03, 2014 8:44 pm Do you mean that you only get to choose 4 floor different tiles??? I would say if you ask for their cost per metre you should pretty well be able to pick anything that is in that cost range....! I am contemplating building with HGWA as well for an investment and so far haven't appreciated the rush to sign without discussing what they could do with my chosen plan, this was presented to me as if for my benefit but is basically just sales pressure. I will be following your build with interest. Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 8Jun 03, 2014 9:05 pm Treeseachanger Do you mean that you only get to choose 4 floor different tiles??? I would say if you ask for their cost per metre you should pretty well be able to pick anything that is in that cost range....! I am contemplating building with HGWA as well for an investment and so far haven't appreciated the rush to sign without discussing what they could do with my chosen plan, this was presented to me as if for my benefit but is basically just sales pressure. I will be following your build with interest. I honestly think what you have written above ^^ comes down to the sales rep ... all builders have awesome ones and crap ones. The hard part is finding the awesome ones. We were working with another builder before we came to Home Group, unfortunately we copped a crap sales rep. He was a smooth talker, came across as all for working to what we wanted but when it came to the crunch he failed dismally. Hence why we kept looking, found an awesome rep with HGWA and haven't looked back since. It's the same with anything you deal with, building a house, buying a car, your relationship with coworkers ... if it's working for you, you will put a heap more effort and energy into it. If not, you keep looking until you find something that does work for you. Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 9Oct 07, 2014 10:53 pm KJ_WHITCHER We are just starting our first build with WA Home Group - I am a little daunted by it all as my husband has left in my hands. I am a fashion designer and think I know my way around the plans and styling of the home but this whole process is very strange. We are up to the stage where we had to pay the $2000 fee to hold the 'Tradie Prices' for the next 3 months and really commit to carrying on with them as our official home builder. First problem was asking if we can do concrete flooring throughout - answer no, but then asking if they can leave the concrete raw after they pour the slab so then I can contract someone in to polish at the end, answer is "not really we don't really do this, as we can't control the concrete condition apon pouring, i.e.: if the concrete pour has too much water in it, then the concrete will bubble and be discoloured causing the flooring to look terrible, so then when i asked could my concrete flooring guy come down at the day of the pour to see the concrete slab condition and chat to the concrete guys they are hesitant. Maybe this is just easier to use their tiles but really tiles don't really do it for me. I have so much to discuss like - they want us to sign off on windows and doors before we have seen anything? pre start isn't till october when the titles come into play yet they won't show us upgrades, window types we can choose from, its very bizarre. They give you this list of costings with no visuals door to WIL $789, ok so what does a $789 door look like? is this all normal? Hey how is it all going with your build process? We are in the final stages of building a Monte Carlo have a look at our thread would love to follow your build!!! Where are you building? Re: WA HOME GROUP - Starting a new build - MONTE CARLO 10Oct 09, 2014 9:44 am The advice they have given re polished concrete tells me they really don't want to do it. Basically the slab quality starts from the engineering and compacting- and then how good the grano guy is. Yes, it's a possibility that on the day the mix has too much water- but that doesn't happen very often. You need an almost perfect slab for polished concrete. Our's was perfect but we couldn't afford the finish!!! As for signing off unseen stuff, I had this problem with them as well and so went elsewhere. Everything should be shown to you as well as variations so you can plan your choices well before prestart. Just realised the date you posted was June....Did you stick with them? 4 14438 Can anyone recommend a good/affordable retaining wall and fence builder that I can get a quote from located in Sydney? 8 45706 |