Browse Forums Building A New House Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - Countdown to Settlement 501Dec 07, 2015 4:28 pm Wow thanks for that! I figured out what I was doing this time. If I put in my street name, looks like things were happening around the 23/10/15, but I can see Statement of Compliance is still not issued!!! Agree, the waiting really takes it out of you. I know it will happen, so should just not worry about it.. but can't stop!! I cannot wait till settlement is over and I can get on with the fun part.. BUILDING A HOUSE Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - Countdown to Settlement 502Dec 08, 2015 4:22 pm Hi Dawn, you should bookmark the application page. If you click on it and it doesn't load anymore, your land is officially titled. Now you just have to wait for the developer to email you the good news. This happen to us today . Early Christmas present? I don't know whether to be happy because I got my land, or sad because I have a mortgage soon? Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - Countdown to Settlement 503Dec 08, 2015 4:43 pm Be happy! Enjoy the mortgage, every payment is one step closer to owning your home outright! I have bad news, conveyancer emailed me to let me know titles are now expected mid January. I was at work and I just started laughing and crying at the same time, I got some very strange looks... I'm just so frustrated. I work in projects and I've been on the same project since May, its so weird since every time the project gets delayed.. so does the house!! They were both suppose to happen in June, then July, then December... now January I'd like both to finally happen!!! I'm cursed... as soon as I heard the project was delayed I just went.. OMG THE LAND!!! I have to go to Malaysia when the project finally happens.. so mid Jan. So settlement keeps lining up at the same time I'm going to be overseas.. *stress* I tried to look on the brighter side of things, and I decided the only good thing was I won't have to start repaying the mortgage yet, so that might be 2 months extra savings... which I'm thinking I'm going to go crazy with in the boxing day sales. Also I guess gives me more time to sort out the contract for the build..which never seems to be happening either sad Dawn. My biggest fear is that mid-Jan might not be the end of this saga. Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - Over IT! 505Dec 16, 2015 11:29 pm It seems like the builder is either delaying you or playing you out. At this point, I would reconsider someone more reliable. I m not sure if your builder established, reputable company. This is your house and you do not need someone to stood you up everytime even before your house is built. We are miles away from our settlement but we have signed our contract on Monday. All plans will be submitted to the developer and council in January. Bb said it takes time for council and developer to approve. After settlement, it will take another 3 more weeks before they can build. Hence, they rather get it done earlier. Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - Over IT! 506Dec 17, 2015 8:03 am How disappointing for you. Maybe the builder is in no rush if land is not titled yet and I think if you go with another builder that won't speed up the process at all only delay things further (I assume). Build thread viewtopic.php?f=31&t=81011 Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - Over IT! 507Dec 17, 2015 6:34 pm Hey Dawn, unfortunately sometime you just have to be aggressive and say that if things aren't done by x date, you will take your business elsewhere. I think all builders banking on the idea that we will stick with them because we're too emotionally invest to move elsewhere. Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - Over IT! 509Dec 31, 2015 5:55 pm Its NYE, so I thought I would reflect on my house building journey in 2015. One year ago today I was feeling pretty stressed financially, as I expected my land to settle in April and I had very little savings. I also was earning a very average wage. I was though, looking forward to moving in around Oct/Nov. I was excited to shop in boxing day sales for the house and have air con during summer I was looking forward to spending this Christmas in my new house and having the family over. I was hoping to get a dog or cat for Christmas. I was also looking forward to getting a bunny friend for my little boy once we got into the new house. I was worried about the price of the build and about interest rates rising (as was forecast). So how did 2015 go? Well I'm still stressed about finances (mostly for after build things though), but I'm excited that I will be able to contribute a 20% deposit and not 5% like I was first expecting. This means my mortgage should be a lot more manageable, yay! My settlement did not occur in 2015. I also had a large promotion at work, which took some pressure off. I didn't end up doing much boxing day shopping, although I did order an Enjo set online. I'm still living in a house without aircon and I'm seriously melting where I sit ;-; Christmas was at a family member's house instead, not such a big deal, but still looking forward to hosting my own Christmas dinner. No dogs or cats, though I'm constantly on shelter sites.. I just can't help myself My little boy did get a new bunny friend by accident, but living with two bunnies at mumanddads has become very trying, as the quarters are quite cramped. I'm still a little worried about the price of the build as I'm STILL yet to sign a contract *stressed* but interest rates did very little this year. So how does 2016 look? Well the land is expected to settle mid-January, if its not settled by July then I've hit my sunset clause and I really don't know what will happen. My build contract is still not ready to be signed, which is stressing me out massively. I hope to have it all signed and building begun shortly after settlement, if not before. I'm aiming for another promotion this year at work, but we'll just have to see how that goes. I need to get serious about saving to ensure I have enough funds to cover all those post-build jobs like fencing, landscaping, etc. I'm still stressed about interest rates, though as I'm going variable I'm sure I'll always be worried about them! I am looking forward to finally moving out of my parents place and into my own this year, but at this point its hard to guess when that might be, I'm thinking sometime between May - August is likely I'm sure for all my stressing, at some point in 2016 I will move into my beautiful new home. I will get my new puppy or kitten. I will get to enjoy decorating the house and meeting my neighbors. Fingers crossed next year turns out better than this one. Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 510Jan 02, 2016 10:59 am Hi Dawn! I haven't been on for ages. Life's gotten completely insane lately. I barely think about our house. I'm glad to hear your timeline though - it seems ours will also title later than we've been told, if yours is mid Jan! The no aircon thing is no joke. We also don't have it, and those super hot days have been pretty unbearable. I know you've waited so long, I hope 2016 is a year of action,change and home ownership for you! Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 511Jan 02, 2016 1:27 pm Hi! Long time no see. Hehe, my life is strangely quiet, which is why I'm so desperate for something to happen with the house. Yah, I think stage 4 is gonna be pretty late, we haven't settled yet and our stage is ready to start building.. but stage 4 there doesn't even seem to be a road yet. What title dates are you expecting now? Yeah, no aircon is awful ;-; I just hope I'm in the house before mid winter so I can enjoy heating (we don't have that either). Me too! Bring on 2016! I went down to see the estate just now, had to measure my block (its correct, yay!) I noticed someone has been through stage 3 breaking things, there was a lot of takeaway wrappers floating about, and a tipped over trolley with rubbish bags.. people are disgusting. Also a lot of site pegs have been ripped out and thrown about. One of mine was missing, but thankfully I could clearly see where it should go so I replaced it with one laying about. Also seems to be a bit green down there now! Might have to mow my block soon Im always how shocked at how small my house is going to be, its much bigger in my head! My aunt and I had a long walk around checking out the completed houses. Can I say, omg no one has followed the design guidelines I saw a non-flat roof tiles, people without fences/half fences, people without grass in the front yard (all pebbles or gravel) and people using plants not on the list! So I guess the rules aren't really that strict. I also noticed not many people ha... actually no one had a separate front path, they all used the driveway as the front path. So I think I can do the same, will save me quite a bit on fencing/landscaping to go that path. Anyways, I'm hoping I'm only a few weeks from settlement now. ^^; Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 512Jan 05, 2016 8:26 pm I better go check my site pegs then, I didn't think they would easy to pull out being flush with the ground. Where did you get your plant list from, is that in your land contract or is that available from the council? The delay has certainly worked in your favour, that's awesome having a 20% deposit for your first home! viewtopic.php?t=81011 Build thread viewtopic.php?f=31&t=81011 Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 513Jan 06, 2016 10:50 am There are two types of site pegs, one is white and usually has your lot number written on it, its quite big and fully sunk into the ground/flush with the ground. I think this would be VERY hard to move. Then there is usually a smaller white peg, ours has pink tape around the top, these are next to the ground peg and are really just suppose to help you find the ground peg. It was the pink ones that were ripped up, which could be done quite easily. I just replaced mine next to the ground peg. I took photos of nearby landmarks so I could find the ground pegs. Our estate gives you a booklet as part of the land contract with the design guidelines, inside the guidelines is a list of plants approved for use (front yard only, backyard you can do what you want). The delay has definitely helped with my finances, but I'm really ready for my new home now (I do wonder if I would have been able to afford everything without the delay... its certainly more expensive than I had first thought). Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 514Jan 07, 2016 8:25 pm Yes I'm with you on the pegs. My builder said the ones in the ground are the ones that matter for them, if they are not there when they go to build they need to be replaced before build can start. Will have to have another look at land contract as I didn't get an extra booklet. I don't like a lot of the plants everybody else is planting, grassy weedy looking things. viewtopic.php?t=81011 Build thread viewtopic.php?f=31&t=81011 Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 515Jan 08, 2016 9:27 am Our list is REALLY restrictive, there's like 10 of each type, tree, shrub, plant, ground cover. Actually our guidelines overall are really restricted. Some highlights were things like must have min 8m2 of turf, must have gardens beds min 50m wide, must be mulched, must have enough plants that you can't see the ground. Although from what I've seen down at the estate, most of this hasn't been followed at all. A lot of people have no turf, just all mulch or pebbles, others have no garden beds, just a couple of those grassy plants in a big pile of pebbles. There are also people not following the planting list, which is mostly Australian natives, I'm not a big fan of most of the plants on the list but I was planning to make it work. The rules only apply for ... 4 or 6 years, from 1/1/2014. Also they only apply to what people can see from the street, backyard is free reign. I've been fretting about my front yard design, because of the rules, but now not sure if I should bother following them. Although I do want turf in my front yard, I HATE pebbles and gravel. But I'm the same, I hate grassy look plants like cordylines. I love pretty flowers/plants.. but I get the whole native idea. I will live very close to the local creek, so if I plant some good natives I could get a bit of wildlife through the garden which would be nice. Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 516Jan 09, 2016 10:53 am My boxing day Enjo order arrived today! Yippee. This was my last major purchase for the house before it built. For those that don't know Enjo is a microfibre cleaning system which replaces typical household cleaners. I love Enjo as its environmentally friendly, though its not cheap! I paid $800 for the lot. The cloths I bought cover off sweeping, mopping, window cleaning (also great for showers), dusting, polishing, cleaning kitchen, cleaning bathrooms, dishwashing, wiping down TV/computer screens and lastly making all the stainless steel in the house shiny. I highly recommend Enjo having used it before, though I know there are cheaper copy cats out there. Between Enjo and Soap Nuts (more on those when the house is built) I am aiming towards a chemical free house. At least the cleaning part, still looking for solutions for personal care, outdoor care, car washing. Enjo does have some products for those, but I'm still thinking about it. Going green is going to be a big part of my new lifestyle when I move into the house. Is anyone else planning on majorly changing some aspect of their lifestyle because of the new house? Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 518Jan 14, 2016 10:08 pm Congratulation Dawn, expect titles roughly about 10 days. by 24th day you will own a very expensive 'pile of dirt.' Just make sure you inform the bank early and check your paperwork is in order. We had problem with NAB and their solicitor. Despite our constant reminder to the bank that settlement is imminent, bank 's solicitor didn't finish their reviews until day 13, and we were literally manage to settled at 3pm on the 14th day. It was very stressful for us, we would incur penalty if we didn't settled on time. Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 519Jan 15, 2016 5:02 am The start of many waits but at least it is getting close for you now. Once titled my settlement date was a couple of weeks later and now waiting on council to release the sewerage plans before builder can start. But once land settlement has gone through it is a huge peace of mind. viewtopic.php?t=81011 Build thread viewtopic.php?f=31&t=81011 Re: {dawn} Custom in S.E Melbourne - 2015 Reflections & Happ 520Jan 15, 2016 5:54 pm Thanks guys. I just hope settlement happens this time, I'm so over waiting. I know that there is still a lot of waiting to happen, with the build, planning permits, etc. But if I can just become the owner of the land I'll feel a lot better. Than at least it will feel more like the situation is in my hands not some nameless land people. I'd get the gutters to match your roof and pipes to match the paint - otherwise they become a feature. Nice pick with the paint colours! 1 34480 6 55648 So it looks like we finally have some movement on site! Definitely later than expected, but I'll take any progress at this point. I'll drop by over the weekend to get… 5 29472 |