Browse Forums Building A New House Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 482Sep 19, 2017 1:23 pm Hey BOFN, I checked out your blog... Huge pantry space is something you will never regret - there are so many other things you can store there if it's too large, but if it's too small, it's just stress. I'll pm you with pics when it's finished... probably not until November - the outdoor kitchen people have a lot of work on. I'm still waiting for a quote on the alfresco concertina doors - we wanted to be able to lock it up, especially when there's bad weather. The concrete will be like this - not these colours! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ only with this format - regular appliances, and a regular oven, no fridge. I'm a bit thrilled with the curved concrete door he's making to match the bench curve! And a concrete splashback. Happy! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 483Sep 19, 2017 1:34 pm oooh the doors sound like a fantastic idea! The problem with mine is that the kitchen is not at the very end of the house, so the alfresco opens to the living :/ yay would love to see piccies of the outdoor kitchen - hopefully my build starts by November and I can get on with thinking of the outside! Hopefully I'll have money left over for a pizza oven too My build blog here Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 484Sep 19, 2017 1:46 pm hahah... there's a ton of DIY pizza oven plans online... that would be a cool project! That door in the sketch opens to the retreat, actually, but as you go in that door, directly to your right is a bi-fold door that goes to the kitchen. Opposite the outdoor kitchen is a laundry siding door, which I didn't sketch in, and the laundry also opens to the kitchen. Yeah we wanted cafe blinds or whatever so that I could dry laundry out there in winter - so we thought, why not have lockable doors? then you can at least protect the area fully when a southerly buster rips through, and being able to lock it is a bonus. Have you got your floor plans? Are you happy? Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 486Sep 23, 2017 1:58 pm Wow! that's a lot. They're not shy about charging you, are they? I must say, I liked your idea about the centre courtyard, like a lot of the Spanish/Arab/Indian houses have. I also thought about that a long time ago - ideal in this climate. However, these project builders aren't good at handling anything but 'little boxes on the hillside' (don't you love the ticky tacky song? I do...). So then you'd have to go to an architect, all of whom grossly overcharge, and get so carried away with 'design' that they forget that someone has to live there (and clean the leaves out of the butterfly roof spine!). And then you'd have to have specialist or commercial builders, and then the dreaded fight with the council, who don't like things other than ticky tacky boxes, because then they'd have to investigate, do some work, and actually think. And then be overcharged for it all again... We finally have all the tiles up, but we've been pushed out until the third/fourth week of Oct for a handover date. βugger! At this rate I'll be lucky to have concrete down before the relatives descend upon our heads. Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 487Sep 23, 2017 2:36 pm JayaJaya This is where I begin to regret listening to others... My gut instinct was to do the mid-value grey grout 'Magellan Grey', with the laundry and powder room tiles, as well as the main bathrooms. The girl at Beaumonts held up the lighter grey, and on a small bit, it seemed to match the colour better... but it doesn't. It's way too light! I like my grout to fade in... It's too bright against the tile. (Says the woman with the Escher-esque cube tiles in the pantry!) #firstworldproblems It's no biggie but it's bothering me at the moment... it will fade into the background when we live there, but... I don't like it! Maybe I should get a grout colour pen, before we seal it? (Such a big room and the powder room - a grout pen will be reminiscent of Holy-stoning! Big nasty job, on your knees!). Opinions? Maybe I could make up a watery acrylic paint stain, that could soak in and then be cleaned off the tiles before sealing?? I'd have to test it in that laundry dunny first.... ggggrrrrrr.... why did I ignore my gut? Basic inferiority complex... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ So, I've looked in the laundry again... the grout has dried - darker! It was dried in the first pic, however, it's now 'become' darker. What freakin' Twighlight Zone', 'One Step Beyond', 'Twin Peaks' world, is this? Not complaining however - taking the win. Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 488Sep 25, 2017 7:18 am All sorted on the garage floor coating with the polyaspartic/polyurea...the installer asked us to look at dulux AS2700 colour range. We just wanted grey, and then I saw the purples. Hubby has agreed to Wisteria purple/blue P43, which surprised me. Yay!!! We went through Rhino Coatings, they were great! Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 489Sep 25, 2017 8:56 am JayaJaya Wow! that's a lot. They're not shy about charging you, are they? I must say, I liked your idea about the centre courtyard, like a lot of the Spanish/Arab/Indian houses have. I also thought about that a long time ago - ideal in this climate. However, these project builders aren't good at handling anything but 'little boxes on the hillside' (don't you love the ticky tacky song? I do...). So then you'd have to go to an architect, all of whom grossly overcharge, and get so carried away with 'design' that they forget that someone has to live there (and clean the leaves out of the butterfly roof spine!). And then you'd have to have specialist or commercial builders, and then the dreaded fight with the council, who don't like things other than ticky tacky boxes, because then they'd have to investigate, do some work, and actually think. And then be overcharged for it all again... We finally have all the tiles up, but we've been pushed out until the third/fourth week of Oct for a handover date. βugger! At this rate I'll be lucky to have concrete down before the relatives descend upon our heads. Yeh, you've got it right unfortunately! Ooh the end's almost in sight though - one more month! My build blog here Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 490Sep 25, 2017 9:47 am It sorta works out ok, as the blinds will be ready, and trades available...just annoying, as Format said they would lay a slab before last xmas, then it was 'in the new year', then it was mid march in the finish! It should have been done by now. I'm easy going, but not THAT easy going. I'm starting to get mad - probably because it's so close and yet so far. I'm down to the wire on timing, and none of it's my fault. I know there are unavoidable delays, but if I hadn't been falsely indicated to about timing, I'd have organized it differently. And if I'd known, we could have made it to my brother-in-law's wedding earlier this year, so double cooties wished on the Customer liason guy at F0rm@t. (who changed, mid- build), but both of them were false indicators, and this one is nice enough, but comes through smarmy, even on the phone. You can tell he's having a smug old laugh, as it's not his house. You'd think they'd get people who are more 'user-friendly' for customer liason, but I've noticed the same with most builders. Mostly the client facing people are dreadful, and the trades are fine! Oh well, that's my morning rant! So at this point, I'm not accepting any further delays, and they are losing a couple of stars on my reviews. Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 491Sep 25, 2017 5:58 pm Finally teed up the stonemason to quote for our cladding, so hopefuly our bay window will have it's party dress on before long! Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 492Sep 29, 2017 4:43 pm Af!ter being 'smugly' chuckled at again, over the phone this afternoon, I take back what I said about using F0rm@t homes for the next build at our investment property. Quality is really good, but I think we can do better. I sent them an email saying 'URGENT ANSWER REQUIRED', at nine this morning. Was ringing them up this afternoon because no-one bothered. I needed to know what was happening, as I'd have to put an order in for custom mirrors with my glazier if they couldn't do what I asked. Lead times are long. (Long story about cabinets that we chose being no longer available - incompetence from their supplier also - keep enough stock to fulfill existing orders, d'uh). Turns out they could accomodate us with flat mirrors, anyway, but didn't bother to tell us after I requested a call back two days ago, and got nothing. Incompetence! Inefficiency! Then a giggling dismissive voice on the phone. I've been more than patient with them, and am always pleasant, however the attitudes have been less than desirable from some team members. Mostly a few of the men, I'm afraid. A cultural thing? My husband is NOT pleased with them, he gets angry with men who are dismissive of women. Their initial salesman was like that, and hubby got quite irate with him one day! I wish the site supervisor were in charge of the whole place - love him! He's the best! We are near completion, so they don't care at all now, it seems. (In the office - only some people) Oh well, they've lost the 'knockdown and build two' project. The bad apples have spoilt it for the rest - I've been inanely giggled at by too many grown men from there. I like to be tolerant, and have made many excuses for them, but enough is enough. I would still build again, but not with these guys. This is not terrible in itself, and really, it's ok, but they've stuffed us around enough for it to be the last straw. Many things were not their fault, and I don't blame them for those, but now I'm blaming them for the things that are their fault. Such a shame, because it's been good over all. I've teed up the garage floor, the stone on the window, the floors, the outdoor kitchen and the landscaping. We bought these nice glass/metal globe lights for the bedroom ceiling - they go with the globe wall sconces for that room. Only $40 each from ikea! Stoked! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 493Sep 29, 2017 5:23 pm The last part really drags. Hope you tell them about the lost future work. Attitudes so important but seems builders get work anyway. Can't wait to see front stone and fencing gone will look more finished then Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 494Sep 29, 2017 7:36 pm Hey Jaya, just saw your post. Sorry to hear your have experienced so many difficulties. It really takes the joy out of building and adds so much stress. I worked in the industry briefly and in a lot of ways it's still a boys club especially at the supervisor/ manager level. Hopefully that is slowly changing. It also depends on who you are dealing with, whether it is someone who has built before themselves and appreciates the emotional and financial investment you are making. Added to that are ridiculous workloads and being unable to give their customers the time of day when they are managing 50-60 clients at various stages. None of this probably helps, but it all makes sense and I totally get where you are coming from. Really hope your efforts can get you some results soon and enjoying your new home. As for your next build, hope it is a much better experience! On a positive note, great pick up on those lights from IKEA. Got to love a bargain! Our 37sq Custom Hamptons Inspired Home: http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=86931 Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 495Sep 29, 2017 8:49 pm Dani_J Hey Jaya, just saw your post. Sorry to hear your have experienced so many difficulties. It really takes the joy out of building and adds so much stress. I worked in the industry briefly and in a lot of ways it's still a boys club especially at the supervisor/ manager level. Hopefully that is slowly changing. It also depends on who you are dealing with, whether it is someone who has built before themselves and appreciates the emotional and financial investment you are making. Added to that are ridiculous workloads and being unable to give their customers the time of day when they are managing 50-60 clients at various stages. None of this probably helps, but it all makes sense and I totally get where you are coming from. Really hope your efforts can get you some results soon and enjoying your new home. As for your next build, hope it is a much better experience! On a positive note, great pick up on those lights from IKEA. Got to love a bargain! Our 37sq Custom Hamptons Inspired Home: http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=86931 Luckily I've been able to avoid the emotional rollercoaster... I know that leaves most people wrung out! I just get frustrated when people are vague or don't do what they say they will. Autism does that to you - you just want to belt people until they do the right thing. Not through emotion, it just seems the only way to make them understand that it's easier to do things properly, promptly, and in order, and avoid stress all round. hahahha.... Yes, the boy's club... there's always one or three. Evolution takes a while... I love the site super - he's an angel from heaven. That was my issue with Format - they bit off more than they could chew for a small builder... and thus managed to annoy everyone, all at once. Quite an achievment! Even so, it's been pretty good. Not as bad as some horror stories! I understand they don't want to knock people back, but if they'd given a more realistic time frame, I'd have arranged around that, no problem. I really was happy with those lights - the silver is a bit bright, however some pewter metal rub will take care of that. Re: New Building Seaford Meadows SA 496Oct 03, 2017 12:13 pm It is frustrating. The world would be a better place if a lot more people did their jobs properly!! There is no excuse for lack of communication or response, but it seems to happen too often. For reference, this is the Austlii reference. My take on this is, that they would be breaking the law denying access to a homeowner in Victoria, or their agent from having… 1 9098 Is it just a report written to give to the bank initially and it is based on what and how your payments are made up for, or is it a full service where they go out and… 2 5604 Hi Suku18 In NSW the statutory required insurances are: 1. HBCF ( Home Building Compensation Fund) - This is if the builder dies or goes broke. But this only covers 20%… 1 2712 |