Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Feb 25, 2015 3:44 pm Hi guys, Just thought I would jump in and begin a thread on our build. This is our second home build and we are building a 2-storey home with Gold Style Homes. We are currently at First Floor Lock Up stage with the ground floor roof commencing next week. Was supposed to be this week but the contractors had been delayed so now happening next week. Gold Style Homes is a small - medium building company and we decided to build with them because we had really good feedback from some family friends. They seem to have won a lot of awards as well so this was a good sign. Hadn't really heard of them before. So far they have been pretty good. We started construction in September and are hopefully going to be in around May / June. They told us their typical construction time was 12 months for a 2-storey home so fingers crossed it is June. Everyone we have dealt with there have been helpful too. I'll post some pics below if anyone wants to see the progess to date - when I work out how to do it. Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 3Feb 25, 2015 5:03 pm Do you have a photobucket account? You need that first, load them on there and then post the direct link on here Our build thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=70984 Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 5Feb 25, 2015 5:42 pm Looks good Do you have a photo of your plans? Our build thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=70984 Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 6Feb 25, 2015 5:50 pm Looks great, whereabouts are you building? Have read good things about Gold Style. Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 9Feb 26, 2015 10:34 pm Our plasterer started downstairs today, which we were quite suprised after they told us we would be delayed by a week. We spoke to the SS and he said that rather than just wait he could get majority of the float coat done downstairs so that next week the roof will go on and we wont be behind. Very happy with this. So we have been having some issues with our neighbour and felt bad posting on here about it but wondering if anyone else has had any similar experiences. Our garage wall is on the boundary and we had originally spoken to the neighbour and they were happy for us to texture it rather than have face brick so we went down that path. They then sold the house so we have a new neighbour. We sent them a letter with dates the GS (Gold Style) had given us that we would be looking at taking the old asbestos fence down so we can render the wall and then continue colorbond down the length of the house. We also asked GS for a colour sample of the fence so we could show them the colour we were going to put in to see if they were happy with it. AND we weren't going to ask for a cent of the cost as we were happy to sacrifice and just do it so we got a new fence. WOW this opened up a can of worms. We were then sent an email from GS that the neighbour had sent stating that we are not to go on their property because we dont have the right form signed (with the local council cc'd into the email and the department of commerce) ?!?!?!? GS then sent them a new form to sign and we also apologized because obviously we got the old neighbor to sign but its not our fault they sold the house after we had started works. Anyway they sent him the form to sign for us with the same letter etc.. I can see this post dragging on for a bit so long story short we have been going back and forward for about 2 weeks and we then decided we wont put the new colorbond fence up because it seems too hard with the neighbour and we also think the cost is quite expensive for our dead side of the house, so we informed the neighbour of this and told him we will just leave it as is so no need to worry about it. I also spoke to the local council who said we don't have to render the boundary wall either if he doesn't want us to, but we think it will look nicer coming down from that side of the street and don't want to just leave a red brick wall there. So we spoke to the neighbour and said we want to render the wall still though because we want to do the right thing and whatever. And he told us that we are not to access his property without the correct documents. So we said that we sent them all and everything and asked if he needs any more information let us know and if he doesnt want to render the wall thats fine we will leave as is. We even asked GS to ask them if they needed anymore info. He just keeps saying we can render the wall but he needs to first check with his laywer and insurance company. We said thats OK but still hadn't heard anything and it was getting closer to the date specified the work was happennig so followed it up and they are still saying we cant render the wall without their permission. So we said again thats fine we will leave it as is if he wants, otherwise let us know what documents he wants and we will organsie for him. He came back and said it depends what we want to do. If we just want to access his property to render the wall that is fine. But if we want to put the colorbond fence up thats a different story. He sent me a photo yesterday of one of the contractors on his lawn (at our boundary) and said that they arent allowed on site until they have correct documents. I rang the SS and he spoke with the contractor and then rang me back and said they were just putting a piece of cardboard on their lawn so it didnt get any mud splatter. Anyway i'm so confused and just wondering if anyone else has had any issue with this Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 10Feb 28, 2015 12:01 pm Have you checked if there is an easement on that side? If you are building to the boundary there is usually one to allow access of services. If there is they have to allow you access to complete work.;7( I don't understand why he's not helping you? He's creating an issue before you've even moved in...that doesn't bode well for a friendly neighbourhood! Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 11Feb 28, 2015 10:39 pm I'm pretty sure there is an easement on that side and in his property for the sewer or something. I might ask the builder to check for us. Thanks for the pointer. Yes, not sure why they are creating an issue over getting a brand new fence and nicely rendered wall over a brick. I think this is why majority of boundary walls are face brick so there is no issue - but take the rendered wall out and what about the fence. We heard through our other neighbor that they can't wait for us to move in and they are looking forward to having new friends in the neighborhood!!?!?!?! So confused!!! Anyway the plasterers finished the entire ground floor inside and out so we have just left that wall for now. See what happens as time goes by I guess.
We finalised our carpet and timber selections today too.. Carpet - Harvey Norman Naturally Enticing 18 Novel Timber - Floors of Distinction Big River Spotted Gum (Raw Finish) The Builder informed us that there was apparently a current shortage on the Big River Spotted Gum so told us they secured it with their supplier. Thank god because our entire internal colour scheme was based around the flooring. We are still finalising blinds but looking at mixutre of roller blinds with sheer curtain, blockout blind with sheer curtian (to main bedroom and nursery) and i'm wanting shutters to the bathroom and ensuite but my wife is leaning towards roller blinds because she never has really been a fan of the shutters. Anyone have shutters and can comment on them as we haven't had them before and don't know anyone that has. We also selected our feature stone for the front elevation. Eco Outdoor Free Form Crackenback. Just waiting on a quote and seeing if the builder can get us a better price as well. This is an image of it Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 12Mar 07, 2015 9:22 pm Hi Champ, We are also building with Gold Style, we are a week behind you! So far so good, we are happy with everything (though ours seems a bit slower than yours), all that will soon be forgotten Funnily enough we are also trying to sort out an issue with a neighbour (an investor), we want to replace the chicken wire and steel picket "fence" with a colorbond fence - he doesn't want to know about it. We have just had to go down the official registered mail path, he has 21 days or we are off to court fun and games. Good luck, I will keep a keen eye on your build. Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 13Mar 09, 2015 4:13 pm Hi Denten, awesome.. Finally someone else on here haha. I felt like an outsider for a while. I don't understand neighbours. They are getting a new fence!!!!!!!!! Arrrggh. Well hopefully going down the official path will help. Let me know how it goes! We still haven't heard from our neighbor and GS have advised to just leave as is for now if we cant get anywhere. I'm just concerned because it is a single leaf wall and the render would act as a bit of a sealer that if it doesn't get rendered we might have moisture issues. I've just emailed them to see what they think. Our kitchen window looks out to the side that we wanted to replace the fence as well so now we will need to tint the window and look at ways we can cover the fence with some sort of garden Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 15Mar 12, 2015 9:35 pm Hi Denten, Not at lock up yet but they have told us either end of next week or the following week. Mind you, our ground floor roof timber only went up early this week and the roof cover is not on yet :S I think they tried to buy some time because of the delay with the roof carpenter but not sure how its going along haha. Anyway hopefully we get ground floor roof covered soon and then shortly after lock up!! Great news about your plastering. It changes the look completely and makes it more real. Are you ceilings up on the ground floor at all? We might reach lock up at the same time Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 16Mar 12, 2015 10:26 pm Hi, Yes I think we may come close! Our roof has been on since 18/2, gyprock & cornice is in the garage ready to go up. Our rear slider was ordered mid Feb and the other doors/windows are standard sizes. Fingers crossed for both of us! Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 17Mar 27, 2015 7:24 pm Oh man, got an email today to say lock up within the next 2 weeks glass is in, ceilings up, plastering done - just need white set downstairs, cornice, front door and waterproofing in bathrooms???? I guess it just means we get more done before paying, oh and we can still access the house. Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 19Apr 10, 2015 8:49 pm Hi Champ, We are at lockup!! the fixing carpenter has been there all week, cabinets due in 2 weeks and screeding next week. Nice to have a busy site and we have agreed on PC target of early June, this is 3 months longer than initial selling/estimates but I guess that is standard?? Our neighbour has also agreed to pay his share of the fence after we formalised the request (and sent pictures) so we are getting there. Fingers and toes crossed that we get there ️ How is your build going? Re: Our Build - Gold Style Homes 20Apr 22, 2015 5:52 pm Awesome news Denten! 3 months seems like a long time from an initial date, but at least June is just around the corner! You must be super excited. I'm not sure when we will be in yet. Can't get a date or a rough date of the SS so I might have to check in with the office. Good news about your fence too. We are still have issues with our neighbor so don't know what we are going to do about our boundary wall that is just built out of rough brick! GS are worried about moisture issues if we don't render it on the outside because its not Face brick and the water will just seep through the render on the inside. They said they will try speak to the neighbor for me so fingers crossed that will work, but don't like my chances. Our build is going good. Just been so busy with work so have slowed down on here but thought I should post some more photos. We just got lock up yesterday "technically" because the supplier had stuffed up the sliding doors to the back so it was all locked up from the front but all open from the Alfresco. Lucky nothing went missing or got damaged. We also got our Kitchen in. We had a friend do some extra cabinet works too for the Living room, Study and Activity room so we should have these going in soon too!! I'll post some pics up for our Kitchen. Stone still to go in - bit nervous about the stone colour but hopefully it looks good. The Dulux colour consultants are awesome. If you show them the photos they should be able to figure it out for you straight away 1 1618 of course there are legal avenues. You've already mentioned it. Sue them. I find it odd that lawyers wouldnt be willing to take on the case, given CCT evidence and… 1 23784 Thank you so much everyone. This all makes a lot of sense. I guess when you talk to a builder who butters up everything to look very polished, you get to start believing… 7 17617 |