Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1141Aug 08, 2015 1:14 pm Just wondering if anyone knows the cost of having an undermount sink in the kitchen, instead of the standard sink? We're trying to toss up whether we should upgrade to the prestige package, but don't know if it's worth it, as we're on a bit of a budget. Thanks. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1142Aug 08, 2015 3:25 pm TeamMonty Just wondering if anyone knows the cost of having an undermount sink in the kitchen, instead of the standard sink? We're trying to toss up whether we should upgrade to the prestige package, but don't know if it's worth it, as we're on a bit of a budget. Thanks. Quote given to us during the estimate and meeting with Sales Person is $2k for the undermount sink. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1143Aug 08, 2015 3:35 pm Hi team Monty We recently did a tender with Wisdom, we didn't upgrade to prestige inclusions, but selected what we wanted, and as in ur case they gave us 3000$ prov allowance for kitchen upgrades- um sink, soft close drawers etc,. Our thought was that we know the cost of prestige pkg - 25k, let's get individual costs, then it's upto us to decide. I don't think um sink itself shud be 2k, 1500 more like it. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1144Aug 08, 2015 7:51 pm JaMel Hi All great to know about the process for the fence cost recovery, may need it in a few weeks. With the Wisdom landscape quote they have a clause that says they will bill you for the entire fence completion and it is your responsibility to recover from the neighbour, the issue with this is (and why we decided straight away not to even think about them doing the fence) that you would need at least 3 quotes to make sure they were the cheapest, to have any chance of splitting the cost you would need to show that you looked for the most cost effective supplier. With Wisdom you are usually signing contracts months and months and maybe even more months out before any activity occurs, you would need quotes for a year out from other fence suppliers. I don't know how many suppliers can confirm costs for fencing that far out and expect to deliver exactly what was priced. Levels change etc. Even Wisdom comes back and makes amendments when its time for Landscaping. I know this from personal experience, I signed for a concrete slab at landscape and they now say the price has gone up on concrete, i am having to sign another variation now (which is roughly 6 weeks from handover) Hope this helps with your decision. JaMel I think they are trying it on with you re the cost of concrete. I'd push back. Did they ask for a variation for the concrete in the house? Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1145Aug 09, 2015 4:58 pm I know with their landscaping quotes that they are so far above what is reasonable that it is ridiculous. We have to repair our existing kerb, cut a new one, re-do the drive and have 2 concrete slabs. Wisdom have come in 10k more than 1 quote we have received and 7k more than another (we have to use council compliant concreter's so I imagine their quality is comparable). For other landscaping like retaining walls & hard landscaping they are around 7k more expensive than the quote we have received. At this stage I think we are just going to get them to supply 5k worth of plants as everything else they have quoted they are more than the 5k voucher we are getting but by far their concreting was the worst. I would remove it and get it done by someone else rather than pay them any more. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1146Aug 11, 2015 8:44 am Hi, we're doing a kdr in Sydney Epping with Wisdom Homes. We select Ambassador 41 with customized Savannah Facade(extra balcony in front of upper lounge). We like their floor plan design but we got the tender 2 weeks ago and the site cost looks too expensive to this site(600mm fall in house area).... H1 slab 3850 Additional concrete pump 1060 Additional Excavation including import/export fill.(they said although the cut and fill less than 1 meter but cut/fill not even so extra cost to be charged) 3088 3 phase aerial underground electrical connection 2855 Transitional Deepened edge beams 6625 Additional material/site handling due to site conditions 4000 Stormwatwr Absorption and on site retention design 1480 Work-as-executed plan and final stormwater certificate 1310 Provisional allowance for hydraulic 6000PA AHD survey 385 Provisional allowance for traffic control 7000PA Saline soil 3200 Zone allowance 5000 Prior demolition inspection 290 Completion demolition inspection 290 Additional survey after demolition 590 Provide shade cloth due to clise to neighbours 900 The site plan is attached. Do you think is there any unreasonable cost? Should I get another tender from other builders? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ 来自我的 GT-I9506 上的 Tapatalk Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1147Aug 11, 2015 8:52 am xieqi00 Hi, we're doing a kdr in Sydney Epping with Wisdom Homes. We select Ambassador 41 with customized Savannah Facade(extra balcony in front of upper lounge). We like their floor plan design but we got the tender 2 weeks ago and the site cost looks too expensive to this site(600mm fall in house area).... H1 slab 3850 Additional concrete pump 1060 Additional Excavation including import/export fill.(they said although the cut and fill less than 1 meter but cut/fill not even so extra cost to be charged) 3088 3 phase aerial underground electrical connection 2855 Transitional Deepened edge beams 6625 Additional material/site handling due to site conditions 4000 Stormwatwr Absorption and on site retention design 1480 Work-as-executed plan and final stormwater certificate 1310 Provisional allowance for hydraulic 6000PA AHD survey 385 Provisional allowance for traffic control 7000PA Saline soil 3200 Zone allowance 5000 Prior demolition inspection 290 Completion demolition inspection 290 Additional survey after demolition 590 Provide shade cloth due to clise to neighbours 900 The site plan is attached. Do you think is there any unreasonable cost? Should I get another tender from other builders? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ 来自我的 GT-I9506 上的 Tapatalk Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Our facade for your reference 来自我的 GT-I9506 上的 Tapatalk Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1148Aug 11, 2015 9:00 am xieqi00 Hi, we're doing a kdr in Sydney Epping with Wisdom Homes. We select Ambassador 41 with customized Savannah Facade(extra balcony in front of upper lounge). We like their floor plan design but we got the tender 2 weeks ago and the site cost looks too expensive to this site(600mm fall in house area).... H1 slab 3850 Additional concrete pump 1060 Additional Excavation including import/export fill.(they said although the cut and fill less than 1 meter but cut/fill not even so extra cost to be charged) 3088 3 phase aerial underground electrical connection 2855 Transitional Deepened edge beams 6625 Additional material/site handling due to site conditions 4000 Stormwatwr Absorption and on site retention design 1480 Work-as-executed plan and final stormwater certificate 1310 Provisional allowance for hydraulic 6000PA AHD survey 385 Provisional allowance for traffic control 7000PA Saline soil 3200 Zone allowance 5000 Prior demolition inspection 290 Completion demolition inspection 290 Additional survey after demolition 590 Provide shade cloth due to clise to neighbours 900 The site plan is attached. Do you think is there any unreasonable cost? Should I get another tender from other builders? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ 来自我的 GT-I9506 上的 Tapatalk clear picture Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ 来自我的 GT-I9506 上的 Tapatalk Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1149Aug 11, 2015 1:14 pm Hi Xieqi I did a tender with Clarendon earlier n hv recently requested another one with Wisdom, for the same block. If you have a suitable design from another builder, then in my view it's worth doing another tender, I know it will cost you an extra grand, but you can try and recover it from whichever builder u finalize with. More imp u will loose time, but in my view that too is acceptable to a certain extent. For me priority would be 1. Design 2. Cost and quality 3. Time frame ( which is same as cost really) So if you do hv another design you like from another builder offering similar quality, it's worth doing another tender. I am waiting to see what wisdom quote for site costs, as I know what Clarendon quoted. Size is almost similar , Saline soil appears to be a WH favorite I didn't see it in Clarendon quote. Good luck Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1150Aug 11, 2015 6:46 pm Tell them to jam the traffic control, unless you have access issues in the street you shouldn't be paying that. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1151Aug 11, 2015 8:35 pm JaMel Thanks JaMel, one more clarification, is floor(wet & living) tile grout size 3mm standard? All the best. Hi Willodweller The standard is 3mm for all floors, if you look at our blog you will see our laundry with polished porc and a 1.5mm grout line. We upgraded the laundry, powder room, master ensuite and all down stairs tiled areas to 1.5mm. We had a call last week from de lorenzo saying we had to choose another carpet, 4 weeks out from laying. Not happy, most of the others were not even in stock to meet the laying date. We ended up getting something else after 3 hours of backwards and forwards with the staff and the supplier to see what they could actually have available for the date. We didn't expect the call this late and close to finishing. No reason other than a fault was picked up in the carpet. I would say a standard reason which when converted means "we stuffed up and didn't order it in time" JaMel[/quote] Thanks JaMel, sorry for late reply as I was off from the form as the whole family was in nursing mode due to this bad weather. That's not good news on your carpet as it would be really tough to make the decision in the last moment. I visited Di Lorenzo today and had one more surprise, at least to me, they said labour($18.50) is not included if I choose tile bigger than 450X450 to wet areas, they say it is included only for main area. Say if I choose 600X600 tile to wet area from the range included for wisdom prestige, I need to pay extra $37 per sqm($18.50[grout reduction] + $18.50[labour]) . I am ok with cost for grout reduction but do you know if they charged for labour for wet areas. Also regarding grout, one of the consultant advised me that, for wall I can choose either rectified edge tile or normal tile they say they can achieve 1.5 mm grout with any type of tile, but to achieve 1.5 mm grout for floor they are saying I have to choose rectified edge tile, is that right ? And to let everyone know there are none of rectified tile in 450X450...what a catch I say..money market Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1152Aug 12, 2015 9:41 pm Wisdom homes are hopeless in there finished product my first dream home build and my last, in Willowdale painters are crap, brickie is crosseyed, site supervisor doesnt read plans carefully, missing porch above slats, excavator operator chipped my new driveway wisdom's tradies are rejects that no one hires, door knobs are wrong supervisor wasn't on top of things, keys next week i will finish it then sell the 45% out of 100% quality. If you do build with them get solicitor to check tender and contract in the building seek independant building inspector in the building process. Don't listen to there sales pitch move on. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1153Aug 13, 2015 12:01 am are there other super disgruntled Wisdom Homes clients out there, like rinoxx67, be kind to us new and recent sign ons, and let us know of your woes, it may help us be prepared for the future. I am certainly using an independent inspector to review the build, worth spending the 1200-1500$ it may cost. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1154Aug 13, 2015 9:44 am I am disliking Wisdom more and more everyday. It's unimaginable how slow they are and how little they care! The sales people make you think everything will go well and smooth but until you get to your consults and council it's almost as if they loose interest. Last year when we started the process I thought we would be in by Christmas this year. But now I think we would be lucky to have a slab by then! Was supposed to be out of council end last week. I phoned Camden council who told me that they requested more info from Wisdom early last week as they had the pitch of the roof wrong. I contacted Wisdom (Jo) who was upset that I contact council as that was "her job". She said they always get away with it this way and don't understand why they need to follow council's rules now but they will write a letter. This was Thursday last week. I followed up yesterday and they said the letter will be done today once this is done it should be another week for council to approve. So thanks to Wisdom cutting corners they delayed our approval by 2 weeks already. We still haven't been able to sign off our electrical plan. Apparently after we get council approval Wisdom will be redrawing the plans and then we can get to this. Only once all off this is done we will get a fixed price tender. This just feels like it is the wrong way around. I really wish that I followed the advice of the other people on this forum and listened when they said wisdom was terribly slow. The quote and initial process was quick but it's almost like its 2 different companies you deal with! To be honest I get the feeling they really don't care about their customers. I don't think with their existing operating model they will be able to keep up with other builders out there. We will definitely not recommend anybody to use Wisdom and we will never build with them if we ever need to build again. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1155Aug 13, 2015 10:23 am rinoxx67 Wisdom homes are hopeless in there finished product my first dream home build and my last, in Willowdale painters are crap, brickie is crosseyed, site supervisor doesnt read plans carefully, missing porch above slats, excavator operator chipped my new driveway wisdom's tradies are rejects that no one hires, door knobs are wrong supervisor wasn't on top of things, keys next week i will finish it then sell the 45% out of 100% quality. If you do build with them get solicitor to check tender and contract in the building seek independant building inspector in the building process. Don't listen to there sales pitch move on. Wow, that's scathing! Anybody got some recommendations for solicitors who specialise in building contracts and know what to look out for and what to push back on? Also has anybody had any luck getting the contract substantially changed in purchasers favour or do they just tell you it's take it or leave it. Haven't signed contract yet and beginning to have doubts again but trying to figure out whether it's Wisdom in particular or just the volume builder process. As for tradies, I don't think I've ever met one who's actually cared about the finish of the end product or been on time with delivering unless it's a very small plumbing or sparkie job so it's always going to be all about getting on-side with the site supervisor and having an inspector to make sure the supervisor is getting the tradies to fix their work. Wisdom Homes Abode 27 KDRB - Inner West Sydney https://wisdomhomesabode27.wordpress.com/ Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1157Aug 13, 2015 9:39 pm Hi Bluemviews, my only major gripe to date is how slow the process is, but going on our council site tonight looks like we finally have council approval YAY. Now I am freaking out as it has taken so long coming that we decided to hold our son's birthday at our house, it is in 3 weeks and we have already sent the invites out so we will be packing and making cakes at the same time! May have to move it to our rental which i now need to arrange. Our major major issue has been with council not the builder, they have held us up since March and recently advised us that the colour bond roof we selected we cannot have, but other than that hopefully we are going to start by Sept - Oct. I am so excited thought this day would never come we have been in our house for 15 years and we bought it with the intention of knocking down but man has this very small house become even smaller since we had a child! I am hoping what everyone says is true and that although the admin is painfully slow the build is relatively fast - we also will be arranging for an independent inspection. Hope everyone having issues gets them sorted, good luck. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1158Aug 14, 2015 12:03 am My view is that one builder to another not a lot will be different, if you pay more hopefully you get better quality inclusions and possibly better quality control in the end product. I am sure tradies are not exclusive the builders, some may work with one today and another builder next. If Wisdom do turn out to have a poor quality build then I will be very disappointed, as going with them was mainly about quality otherwise why would I not go with Beechwood or Allworth, who are comparatively 7-12% cheaper I am prepared for a slower process, but hope the quality is good and from our part we can use independent inspectors etc to help with QA. I wouldnt worry about confidentiality, I am sure what we sign on would have more to do with confidentiality of design and plans etc and not about opinions, infact the more dialogue we have on the forum, the more we maybe able to influence the care builders show towards the project (If at all) Lets keep sharing our experiences as it certainly helps warn the others Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1159Aug 14, 2015 9:43 am Hi bluemviews, Our process has been testing at times but looking back and understanding that it really is a builders market whether we like it or not, our expierience with Wisdom has been fairly straight forward. We started the initial pricing back in April and we currently have our plans waiting for developer approval before CDC sign off and are hoping we see a start around late Sep/early Oct - a 6 month admin process. You do have to push and there were a few mistakes along the way that cost a week here and there and all up i think about 3-4 weeks have been lost on mistakes/slowness relative to the timing plan that Wisdom provide. Next step will be the build quality and i have seen some negative reviews but also some pretty positive ones - using an inspector is the prudent thing and hopefully we get a reasonable SS. Once our construction starts i will likely setup a blog - was tempted to do it through the admin process but i realised that everyone is just so different in what they want out of a house whereas the actual build process followes a similair path to most others. Re: Building with Wisdom Homes 1160Aug 16, 2015 10:25 am As per my last post people, the quality of my new home is cheap, rough finishes, mistakes, and not 100% complete, damages etc, Smart living designs are the cheap designs of there designs. You have to spend alot of $$$ to make it nice as we did to a limit of course,and but the end result is pathetic its not right, i told the SS i wasn't happy you know what he said what do you expect from a project home WTF, Wisdom Homes is not the wise choice, we all dream to build a dream home but when you trust a builder to produce you that and the whole process is long, you expect money your paying is for a nice new dream home not a investment property thats all their good for. We should get a a part refund for unsatisfactory work, i must speak to fair trading and see where i stand but knowing HIA they all get away with it. Your better buying a ready built home thats got everything you like its cheaper in the end. Can someone please offer some advice? Im DESPERATE. Because I'm completely and utterly exhausted. How long are variations taking with other companies at the moment? We… 0 18719 In fairness nobody gave a crap about the ACCC and the gag clauses continued in the pro forma templates of a few other builders after the ACCC took on Wisdom, and more… 19 73759 Hi Everyone, I am exploring builder in NSW and received a very tempting quote from Wisdom home for their momentum series. I just want to know experience of building… 0 8792 |