Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jan 14, 2015 3:49 am Hi everyone We are building our new home and have signed up with Redink Homes. Our prestart has finally been booked I am wondering if anyone can tell me how much did they spent on prestart and the itemised cost of some items? We are thinking of upgrading the following: Horizon roof tiles (flat roof tile) over the standard Hacienda Cornices Under-cupboard rangehood Light switches Tiling to ceiling in bathroom and ensuite (I know this will depend on the tile) Electrical Drawers in the kitchen Formica gloss cupboards in kitchen I am sure there are more, but seeing I am posting this at 1am, I am not remembering it all We have already upgraded our basins, sink, bath, stone in the kitchen, 31course ceilings in living/kitchen/dining/theatre, 28c garage, doors, overhead cupboards and bulk head in kitchen with our sales consultant. Again, not sure if I have forgotten anything If there are any other things you would highly recommend upgrading, please let me know. This is the first time for us building with a big project builder and I am a little out of my depth here. Also, if anyone can tell me how long their building process took. We are living with my parents, and considering we have two little boys, I am already ready to move out and we haven't even had our prestart. Saw some timelines of a year and a half and that scared me Thanking you in advance Re: Building with Redink Homes 2Jan 14, 2015 5:57 am Hi there MIMN, posting to follow Congratulations on signing up for your home to be built. Where are you building and do you have a floorplan you can please post? Big fan of full height tiling!!! Hopefully you go through with this though I suspect that doing that through RI will prove pretty pricey. I think its not unreasonable to expect a wait of about 14-18months as most seem to be taking that long from what I've read on here (We are still in the drafting stage 8 months in). It's a looong time to not have your own space... Re: Building with Redink Homes 4Jan 14, 2015 1:32 pm d3us_85 Hi there MIMN, posting to follow Congratulations on signing up for your home to be built. Where are you building and do you have a floorplan you can please post? Big fan of full height tiling!!! Hopefully you go through with this though I suspect that doing that through RI will prove pretty pricey. I think its not unreasonable to expect a wait of about 14-18months as most seem to be taking that long from what I've read on here (We are still in the drafting stage 8 months in). It's a looong time to not have your own space... I have seen that timeframe on the forum and that scared me We previously built with a private builder and from signing up to complation and hand over it was just under 12 month. I was hoping for something similar this time around. I will try and post the plan up soon. It is a very narrow block, only 10m frontage and we are building in Wilson, SOR. So it will be a long narrow home. Living area is all at the back,as I need to have a full view of the backyard, hence we will have a very long, talking 14m long, hallway with rooms coming off it.I am hoping to make it into a gallery type hallway so it is not too boring afterwards, and hopefully one day add some skylights in to add natural light. I was thinking that might be the case when it came to tiling. We might have to purchase the tiles and do it after hand over, as much as it would be nice to have it all finished. Re: Building with Redink Homes 5Jan 14, 2015 1:48 pm Hi jcresey We have already added 31c in alfresco, so it flows nicely from the dining room. Re: Building with Redink Homes 6Jan 14, 2015 7:04 pm Hi MIMN, welcome to the forum and congrats! Prestart and the interior design consultation were fun! Our timeline leaves a lot to be desired, but I think (for some unknown reason) ours is a bit of an outlier. No idea why it's taken sooooo long. In hindsight we should have stayed on them more during the admin phase. Hopefully, for your sake it's closer to the 12 month timeframe. As far as costings go let's see if I can help with some of those Horizon roof tiles (flat roof tile) over the standard Hacienda- sorry we stuck with colorbond Cornices - similarly didn't even ask about cornices Under-cupboard rangehood- we asked about the ELECTROLUX EFG750X/A under cupboard rangehood and it was $838 Light switches- upgrading to the pretty satin chrome is $15 each. we didn't do it since we have 23 light switches and we had to draw the line somewhere Tiling to ceiling in bathroom and ensuite (I know this will depend on the tile)- didn't inquiry about full height tiling, but just to have the tiling in the WC increased to about the halfway mark, with the standard tile was $800 Electrical- anything specific? We got the NBN pack #2 and it was $1200. Here's the description on our prestart costings: 2 x D1 (located as per plan - both to be data) - 2 x C1D1 (TV + Smart TV or Network Connection) - NBN Enclosure - NBN Conduit - Digital cable to roofspace for future Antenna The Scope of the above pack is as per below - 2 x Internet point to connect Desktop PC / Online Video Gaming - 2 x Internt / Network points to connect Smart TV for IPTV Subscription / Foxtel Subscription / Online – Network Movie Streaming etc. - 2 x Digital TV points to connect Digital Free To Air Signal - Digital Antenna cable to roofspace for connection of future Antenna by Client. Internal Conduit from MSB to Smartwire Panel for Fibre Connection to NBN Network. NBN Equipment housed in a locked enclosure for Fibre Optic safety and to help protect from dust, moisture and damages. single GPOS are $55, doubles are $65, 2 way switches are $45, 3 way switches are $105, additional TV point is $100, conduits to light switches are $15, interconnecting conduits in the wall are $80, junction box is $75, they had a downlight package that was $1490 for 12 LED downlights Drawers in the kitchen- $193 each regardless of depth Formica gloss cupboards in kitchen- $490 for gloss, $350 to add a second colour; not sure how much to upgrade to Laminex colours I've got 15 pages of costings so if you think of anything else ask away Best to ask for anything and everything you might possibly want at prestart and have them cost it up. Some things will surprise you in a good way, some will knock your socks off Good luck! Re: Building with Redink Homes 7Jan 15, 2015 2:43 pm Thank you so much for your detailed reply ardie514. I have just checked on your own post of your build and you mentioned you did a feature recess in the shower. Have seen that in various magazines and was thinking it's great , how much did they charge you for that? I cannot believe the undercupboard rangehood is $838, seeing the actual RRP is considerably less than the ones they provide us with. Seeing we have added overhead cupboards surely they shouldn't be charging that much I have also noticed your slab went down 3 months after pre-start, I seriously didn't think it would take that long. I was speaking to my dad the other day, saying I am hoping we will be moved in by October/November this year, and he said he wouldn't be surprised if the house doesn't get finished by February 2016 I am really hoping it doesn't take that long!!!!! Hoping to post the plans up soon.. As soon as I get them on my computer and I figure out how to post pictures on the forum Re: Building with Redink Homes 8Jan 16, 2015 1:22 pm You may find a different model rangehood that's cheaper but Redink get such good deal on the appliances that you get very little credit back to substitute and huge mark up on anything else. I know they use westinghouse appliances as standard, at least they did when we had prestart, so maybe a westinghouse under cupboard rangehood wd be cheaper. I think we've been particularly slow but i think you should mentally prepare yourself for moving in approx 10-11 months after prestart. That seems abt the norm unfortunately. Our ensuite recess was costed as part of the whole feature pier just like the display version and was $844! But just a recess in the main bathroom shower was $144. Well worth it i think. They look nice and i just hate our current hanging basket thing in the shower, drives me nuts Re: Building with Redink Homes 9Jan 16, 2015 3:06 pm Tell me about the hanging baskets in the bathroom. That is really no too bad when it comes to the recess. I have put a 1m high NIB wall in the ensuite and the main bathroom, so we can use it for shampoos, etc... Was just thinking would be nice to have the recess as everywhere I have seen it, it has looked great. I think most upgrades I have a tendancy to say that's not really that bad.... Then come the final price we have already added $38,000 to our PCQ, and I feel like we didn't even scrape the surface with some stuff. Another thing I noticed on your forum topic Ardie, I saw you put two mirrors in the ensuite. I was thinking of doing the same (but without the shelves), did they charge you anything extra for that?? Sorry I am full of questions! Yes I have noticed that sort of time frame in plenty of others, and looks to me like it is mainly so with Redink. I wonder why in the world are they so slow with getting a move on with things. Is it an inability to get tradies, too many jobs taken or is it just that they really take their time and add things to the pile without referring to them often? The approximate time frame they gave me was 6 months for paperwork and six months for construction. We signed up September, although we were in talks with RI since May. So I guess judging by that we are ok, but you never know how long the shire will take. Our home has a number of variations too, so i am sure there might be some hold up with all that too. Oh well i guess I will just have to learn to be patient Our prestart is booked for 9 February. I am now waiting for the interior consultant to give us a call so we can book that! I am so excited about that, I can hardly wait! Re: Building with Redink Homes 10Jan 16, 2015 3:41 pm Hmmm looking at my prestart costings i think they only charged for the shelving not to have the mirror split in two. It's all listed as one item but seems like the same price as the shelves down below too. Something that doesn't cost yay!!! I know it all adds up so bloody quickly doesn't it?! All those "little" things. We included a $10k prestart allowance in our pcq and blew through it easily. Re: Building with Redink Homes 11Jan 16, 2015 4:16 pm For some reason we didn't add a prestart allowance on ours and to be honest I cannot remember why. Hmmmmm I remember asking our sales rep about it, but why didn't we I am not sure. My memory has been left behind in my pre-baby days We asked also to add some things to our PCQ and he told us to do it at prestart. In hindsight I am thinking we should have just pushed it right there and then, but we didn't. We got frustrated with him as he added $16,000 onto our price, all through miscalculation. It wasn't until we queried it and my husband was ready to pretty much tip the table upside down, that he didn't go, oh let me check it, ups I made a mistake. So the extra bits and pieces we wanted done we left to prestart. Does anyone know if the extra stuff we add at prestart gets added to the mortgage or do we need to pay it cash? Re: Building with Redink Homes 12Jan 16, 2015 4:23 pm Hi Mimn, congrats on signing up with Redink (even if it were a little while ago). I look forward to following your build we signed up with Redink almost exactly a year ago and should have the keys by the end of Feb/early March so roughly 14 months later. Seems to be the average and not just with Redink. We've, touch wood, have had a pretty smooth build and not too many issues. Just be sure to keep on top of them! Can't wait to see your house plan good luck with prestart and interior design consult, they're so much fun Re: Building with Redink Homes 13Jan 16, 2015 4:24 pm Added stuff gets added on to the mortgage if you want. We just had to provide our list after prestart to our broker and the valuer at the banks looks to see if it's worth it and adds it to the mortgage Re: Building with Redink Homes 14Jan 16, 2015 4:28 pm Ok I must sound like a completely technically challenged person, but can some please tell me how to upload photos on here Re: Building with Redink Homes 15Jan 16, 2015 4:34 pm ToriMatt8132 Added stuff gets added on to the mortgage if you want. We just had to provide our list after prestart to our broker and the valuer at the banks looks to see if it's worth it and adds it to the mortgage Thank you ToriMatt8132 that makes it much easier. I guess in that sense it doesn't really matter if I didn't add it on at PCQ Glad to hear you have had smooth sailing with them and good luck. How exciting, only another month or two for you!! Did you go past often after lock-up while workers were there to have a been of snoop around, or did you always wait for the Supervisor to let you through? With our private builder in the past, we knew where the keys were and we went around often to check it out, but I have heard something bigger builders have issues with it due to insurance. Re: Building with Redink Homes 16Jan 16, 2015 4:39 pm I use photobucket, just upload onto photobucket, then copy the image link it gives you and post in your reply box or it's super easy if you have the tapatalk app, you can upload straight from your phone. MIMN Glad to hear you have had smooth sailing with them and good luck. How exciting, only another month or two for you!! Did you go past often after lock-up while workers were there to have a been of snoop around, or did you always wait for the Supervisor to let you through? With our private builder in the past, we knew where the keys were and we went around often to check it out, but I have heard something bigger builders have issues with it due to insurance. Yeah we go up probably once every weekend as we live about 40 minutes away from our house currently. We've been pretty lucky in that someone left the laundry door unlocked or a window was open and we got in that way. Only once could we not get in at all, which was frustrating. We just hope for the best every time we go up I have met a couple of the trades when I've been up there during the week and they've been lovely. Even had an impromptu tile meeting because of an unexpected visit, which was awesome haha. Re: Building with Redink Homes 18Jan 16, 2015 5:08 pm Ok finally here are some photos... The plan is the best we could come up seeing our block was so narrow and I had to give up my much wanted WIP but non the less, I am sure we will love it and it will suit us just fine. Still waiting on the detailed plan but for now here is something so I can hear others oppinions about it as we can still make a few changes I am thinking. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Building with Redink Homes 20Jan 16, 2015 5:13 pm Bathroom, we are going for the following look Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ but with these colour selections Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ You can see the flooring throughout the house in that shot too Kitchen were thinking of the following look (so our kitchen as you see it on the plan will have to slightly modified Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ but the island bench will be like in the folowing Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Colour of the kitchen, we are thinking Milano Mist essastone for the bench top and Formica warm white in gloss for cupboards. Hope that all makes sense. Let me know what you think... Ask for references and speak to them. 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