I've read about that 'wet room' idea on Houzz recently, you might find an article there. I like it (less glass to clean!), but I would be worried about water going EVERYWHERE if the floor is completely flat. I also like to sit beside the bath when the children are in it, so you would want to make sure that you have enough space.
Just wondering if you received the fixed price contract from fairmont and if any change in in footings cost. We were also working with sekisui and they stopped operations few days before we signup. They refunded our initial deposit. Our plan was a custom one and now we are getting quotes from other builders for the same. we got quotes from Fairmont and Rivergum already. Fairmont is $7k cheaper.But rivergum has got 16 week guaranteed build time and their price is fixed. we are expecting a quote from D&C homes on Friday and have to finalize who the builder is.
We have only got to the estimate stage so far with Fairmont. They don't actually do a fixed price - it is a PC sum until the slab is poured from what I gather.
I gave them our soil test but I think the sales guy isnt able to really take that into account too much. Sekisui's cost was $34,000 site works plus another $5000 cut and fill (yeah, I know - huge!). Fairmont quoted $25,000. The Sekisui price includes soil removal, whereas the Fairmont one didn't. I queried their estimate, as I felt it might be too low. The sales guy showed me a house plan for a house built near us recently, bigger than ours, and said their site works cost was $19,000. That wasn't a KDR, but he said that an additional $5000 should be more than enough to cover the deeper footings required due to the disruption of demolition.
We got him to put in an allowance for $7000 under a heading of "soil removal allowance" which we can use to get Fairmont to do our soil removal, get a credit for it if we get it done externally, or if site works blow out, use it to cover the extra cost.
From what I have seen on this forum, expect a 7-9 month build with Fairmont. The sales guy said that the houses built last year were all the ones that signed up in the rush at the end of 2013 when the building grant ended, and times should start to get better, but I won't hold my breath!
However, if the difference between builders comes down to the build time guarantee, make sure you read the t&c's carefully. Lots of builders have this guarantee, but it excludes delays for weather for example, so it really counts for nothing as the can say "oh, it rained, that's an extra few days."
Oh, and how long did it take you to receive your deposit back?
We sent Sekisui an email last Tuesday advising we wished to cancel. The lady we emailed only works Monday and Tuesday so she would have only seen it Monday. I emailed her again yesterday as I hadn't heard from her and she said another colleague of hers was 'processing the deeds to cancel ten contract and then refund the money." I want it back so it can save us from paying some interest NOW!! I'm not very patient...
I really like your second ensuite design a lot. LOVE showers without doors. I wanted these in my house, but didnt have the room. You really dont need natural light in the toilet - not in there long enough and there's nothing in there to look at or focus on except the toilet paper The only thing I'd change if it were my bathroom would be - box the bath in. Maybe make a nice flat surface to either sit on for taking shoes off, bath kids or rest towels or something. Maybe an open towel box-like open shelf (for rolled towels) one side. I don't like baths floating in the room because I start obsessing about might be hiding behind them ... Dirt! and it would drive me crazy trying to squeeze in around/behind it to clean. Also they are often rounded or angled which looks out of kilter in a room where everything else is square. It's all so subjective though. And of course everyone is entitled to my opinion
It took 8 days for Sekisui to refund after sending the bank details to them .
Sekisui allowence for footing was 15k . Rivergum alloeence is 13 k including soil removal. Fairmont allowence is 18 k.Rivergum taken the soil report into account and says the footing is fixed. 16 week build time starts from two weeks after putting the slab.Their guarantee says they will pay $300 a week for the rent if they can't meet 16 week build time. But I m sure they will try to find some exceptions in such a case.
I m waiting for d&c quote to come in today to makeup a decision.
Good luck with this all Bobbin & tomjoos. Im very interested in the D&C quote. They are building a bit in our area (Walkerville/Vale Park) and look to be steaming along. Saw a guy working on a Sunday at one site last weekend. Look committed to finishing jobs fast.
I feel bad for always asking so many questions! But, I'm going to ask two more!
1. Kitchen bench I want to extend the island bench to the wall so there is only one entrance/exit to the kitchen and put the sink at the very end of the bench next to the wall. I want this as it will make the kitchen symmetrical (I am VERY keen on symmetry, things bug me otherwise) and give us more bench space. DH is against it as he thinks it will be really annoying having to walk all the way around the bench to get to the family room?
2. Door between hallway to minor bedrooms/laundry and bathroom. The SC suggested we get rid of this door and only have one door into the minor bedroom wing, coming off the entrance hallway. I agree as it will help with minimising sound from the main living area into the bedrooms and will give us some wall space in the main living area for decorating, which we don't have now. DH is against it for the same reason as the kitchen - he doesn't want to have to walk further than he has to!
Tell dh the entry/exit you keep is where the fridge and pantry are, which, if he is anything like my dh will be about all he uses in the kitchen anyway. Same goes for minor bedrooms, i too would be keen for one entry. Again he is prob unlikely to go to the rooms and the one room he is likely to go, the main bedroom is a much longer walk!
for the kitchen I'd say have a flip down/flip up option so you get your symmetry and yet get your access! I think it would annoy me to go around since you have such a looooong bench (The flip up / flip down counter like you see at cafes)
For the hallway I think you only really need one doorway given it's so close! And you have doors and CSDs for noise purposes (and closing off spaces)
Tell dh the entry/exit you keep is where the fridge and pantry are, which, if he is anything like my dh will be about all he uses in the kitchen anyway. Same goes for minor bedrooms, i too would be keen for one entry. Again he is prob unlikely to go to the rooms and the one room he is likely to go, the main bedroom is a much longer walk!
Yep, I was arguing that it would only be the sink in the end, and we hardly ever do the dishes when our daughter is awake! And that it would add all of around 1.5m if he was going to bedroom 3, and nothing if he was going to the bathroom!
yvonneh
for the kitchen I'd say have a flip down/flip up option so you get your symmetry and yet get your access! I think it would annoy me to go around since you have such a looooong bench (The flip up / flip down counter like you see at cafes)
DH suggested this too, but we are now getting stone benchtops, and I am not sure if that would work? Plus I think the end of the bench is the best spot to put the sink.
I think I have won but DH has said that I am not allowed to complain if he 'dukes of hazard's' it over the bench, or does a 'sweet slide' to get from the kitchen to the family room!! I said fine, provided you don't break anything!
We signed up with Fairmont today. Now it's waiting time again while we go through the soil reports/engineering/final drawings stage, again.
I'll probably start a new thread once we get to the selections stage. This thread has seen too many twists and turns already. It is 9 pages long and we are still at the very start of the process!
Yay, congrats on signing! Let the next journey begin!
Just having a look at plan and block orientation. My only thought is whether you want big verandah on south side if house? Could make rooms on that side dark. Plus save money if just have eaves.
Yay, congrats on signing! Let the next journey begin!
Just having a look at plan and block orientation. My only thought is whether you want big verandah on south side if house? Could make rooms on that side dark. Plus save money if just have eaves.
We were worried about light to these bedrooms too. Unfortunately that is the only place that we can have a bigger alfresco due to the tree protection zone at the back of the house and the location of the crossover which we can't change as we are in the corner of a culdesac.
The SC suggested skylights. We were going to get Fairmont to do them but he also said the ones they use aren't as nice as some we could get installed after handover for the same costs. We will put skylights in front of the windows for each of the bedrooms down the track.
Great news on your way forward Bobbin. It's a lovely home. I'd support your hubby in hopping over the counter LOL. I loved Yvonne's idea of a fliptop. I'm a shortie, so I'd say let me crawl under.
Great news on your way forward Bobbin. It's a lovely home. I'd support your hubby in hopping over the counter LOL. I loved Yvonne's idea of a fliptop. I'm a shortie, so I'd say let me crawl under.
We have the table benchtop extension thing at the other end, and I suggested to DH that we move the table to the end against the wall so he would be able to crawl under, but he said he didn't want the table 'squashed up against the wall.' He's weird.
Hi,
I am looking into doing a KDR in Melbourne and am contemplating using Kialla Homes. I am looking for feedback on them from others who have built with them.
We were lucky in that our old house was so small (86 square metres) compared to the new house, they were able to take enough readings around the old backyard house before…
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