Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Apr 04, 2017 10:26 pm After stalking the forum the last few months, it's time for me to start our thread as we're about to sign on our building contract within the next few weeks.
Our block is a 20m x 33m block within Mount Barker (660sqm), and has a picturesque view over the back of the property and located on a cul-de-sac. Settlement was just over a week ago, and we're very excited to be first land owners. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We've settled on the Harcrest design by Simonds (with a few personalized tweaks!) and are currently just awaiting our energy rating report and a last few items to be confirmed before signing our contract. Our floorplan has had a few changes from the typical, with a change of the downstairs powder room/WC, an upgrade to a butlers pantry, and walling off the front lounge for privacy/noise/heat. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Our house is with the Plymouth facade, with a slight change to have the Newport Cladding extended as the front balcony balustrade and the same cladding on the back of the house (as shown below). Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ (We are planning to add a deck and pergola at the back after handover.) I will add a bit of details about of upgrades/inclusions and our gallery choices later on, but we're definitely looking forward to sharing our build with everyone as it goes! A few questions we have though if anyone has experienced it: - How did your energy rating process go? Was there any unexpected costs? - We have soil type M, and were wondering how other's with this type had experienced their slab/site costs handled this or any unexpected problems! Til next time! Timeline Land title: 28/02/2017 Land settlement: 28/03/2017 Building contract: 27/04/2017 Building approvals completed: 14/07/2017 Cut and fill: 18/07/2017 Slab poured: 25/07/2017 Steel up: 1/08/2017 Framing started: 12/08/2017 Framing finished: 24/08/2017 Bricking started: Pre-10/09/2017 Scaffold down: 20/10/2017 Lower roof complete: 26/10/2017 Lock up: 27/10/2017 Plaster started: 28/10/2017 Cabinet install: 25/11/2017 Claim fix: 30/11/2017 QA Date Set: 31/01/2018 PCI Date Set: 31/01/2018 QA Complete: 01/02/2018 PCI Completed: 05/02/2018 Handover: 14/02/2018 Appliance installation: 20/02/2018 Move in: 20/02/2018 Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 2Apr 05, 2017 7:55 am Welcome to the building game! We have just started our build with simonds and couldn't be happier! With the energy rating that was already completed when we signed the contract, if you haven't added in some ridiculous huge windows and changed the layout too much your rating should be fine provided the house is positioned in a way that is energy efficient. Good luck with everything, will be following your thread Building with simonds in gippsland https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t Building the simonds palisade in gippsland Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 3Apr 05, 2017 3:00 pm Cassie.f90 Welcome to the building game! We have just started our build with simonds and couldn't be happier! With the energy rating that was already completed when we signed the contract, if you haven't added in some ridiculous huge windows and changed the layout too much your rating should be fine provided the house is positioned in a way that is energy efficient. Good luck with everything, will be following your thread Building with simonds in gippsland https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t Hi Cassie, Thanks for the welcome and I hope we have as happy a build as you have so far! We've changed our sliding doors at the back to something slightly larger, but also removed a window on the same face so.. Not too much difference. (I'm also paranoid about insulation and heating/cooling effectiveness and absolutely required additional insulation through the internal walls, so hopefully that should assist!) Posting some photos of our gallery selections shortly! Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 4Apr 05, 2017 4:19 pm Gallery selections were made a few weeks ago, and extremely fun for the both of us. The most discussion that occurred was deciding on the carpet (between CAT 2 and CAT 3 - the man of the house won out with the CAT 3 choice); while everything else seemed to just go quite smoothly once decision helping with the next! Our colour palette was very much towards keeping the house neutral with an emphasis on greys and sandstone-esque colours; and then bring the warmth in with the furnishings. Overall Choices: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Exteriors: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Bricks - Castillo Roof tile - Barramundi in Elabana style Gutter+Fascia - Basalt Garage roller door+Front door - Basalt Newport Cladding - Shale Grey Downpipes - Basalt over brick, Shale Grey over cladding Aluminium window and door metal - Ultra Silver Eaves - White Driveway/front concrete paving - Penfield Aggregate Remaining perimeter concreting - standard Internals: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Floor tile - Haven Linen (kitchen, dining, family, hallway downstairs in 450x450; laundry and WC/Powder room downstairs in 250x250) Wall colour - Spatial (all walls with paint) Cornices and architraves - Simonds White Laundry (above): Bench/counter top - Laminex Basalt Cupboards - Asphalt Kitchen + Butler's Pantry: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Counter tops - Ceasarstone 20mm Sleek Concrete BP Counter tops - Laminex Basalt Lower cabinets (Kitchen back+island, and BP) - Asphalt Upper cabinets (back kitchen wall) - Crystal White Floors - Haven Linen Backsplash tile (Kitchen to roof/behind rangehood, and BP) - Black subway in 1/3 offset Handles - Matte chrome finish Aveno by Claytons Bathrooms+WC: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Floors - Haven Linen Walls - Haven Linen (floor to ceiling in Main Bathroom + Ensuite) Counter tops - Laminex Basalt Shadow line - Ashpalt Cabinets - Sarum Grey Handles - same as kitchen Carpet - CAT 3 Dresden in Mineral (to upstairs and formal lounge) Blinds - cream colour (visible in first photo) UPGRADES Our upgrades include: - full flooring and tiling done - full perimeter concreting/paving and driveway - niches to both showers - butler's pantry upgrade - ceasarstone in kitchen with undermount sink - upgraded oven - additional cupboards and pot draws to kitchen - block out blinds throughout - reverse cycle A/C throughout (with zoning) - 24 solar panels (6.0 kW system) Will post up some photos of our intended styling/mood board within next day or so. Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 5Apr 05, 2017 4:20 pm Hi. I look forward to watching! I'm sure you won't be disappointed with Simonds, they have been fantastic for us. Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 6Apr 05, 2017 4:27 pm Marshall5858 Hi. I look forward to watching! I'm sure you won't be disappointed with Simonds, they have been fantastic for us. I've been stalking your build so definitely hoping we follow similar. Just put up our gallery selections a minute ago! Very happy with them, even though we've spent the money to get pretty much everything done (to the point we'll only need to put in our furniture and a few statement lights inside after handover) by Simonds. Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 7Apr 05, 2017 6:08 pm Great choices, I loves greys! And I really like your brick choice. We did almost the same upgrades, except for solar panels. Good idea though as it will save you money in the long run Have you got an estimated start date? Building with simonds in gippsland https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t Building the simonds palisade in gippsland Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 8Apr 05, 2017 6:15 pm Cassie.f90 Great choices, I loves greys! And I really like your brick choice. We did almost the same upgrades, except for solar panels. Good idea though as it will save you money in the long run Have you got an estimated start date? Building with simonds in gippsland https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t The brick was decided when we visited the show home - same one is used, and it looks so nice and varied tone-aly without being too of the "now". We thankfully have a whole roof section which faces north so should get great power - it ended up being about 5k to do (since some was covered by Simonds promotion at the time over here). Contract should be signed in the next three weeks (which is also when our title should be registered in our name finally - settled but just waiting on the confirmed paperwork to be processed through the admin side of things) after energy report. Our finances are pretty much already in place (friends at the bank who we've been talking to the whole way through and are just waiting on the contract to approve us - we got our land finance fully approved in one business day, so we expect it should be pretty quick too) so that shouldn't be too much of a delay. We're hoping that everything should be good to go by the end of May! Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 9Apr 05, 2017 6:21 pm JM1911A1 Cassie.f90 Great choices, I loves greys! And I really like your brick choice. We did almost the same upgrades, except for solar panels. Good idea though as it will save you money in the long run Have you got an estimated start date? Building with simonds in gippsland https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t The brick was decided when we visited the show home - same one is used, and it looks so nice and varied tone-aly without being too of the "now". We thankfully have a whole roof section which faces north so should get great power - it ended up being about 5k to do (since some was covered by Simonds promotion at the time over here). Contract should be signed in the next three weeks (which is also when our title should be registered in our name finally - settled but just waiting on the confirmed paperwork to be processed through the admin side of things) after energy report. Our finances are pretty much already in place (friends at the bank who we've been talking to the whole way through and are just waiting on the contract to approve us - we got our land finance fully approved in one business day, so we expect it should be pretty quick too) so that shouldn't be too much of a delay. We're hoping that everything should be good to go by the end of May! Very exciting! And so handy that you know someone at the bank. They can be real pains in the sometimes and don't really like to stick to timeframes haha we had our land settlement delayed 3 times because of our bank but got there in the end! Building with simonds in gippsland https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t Building the simonds palisade in gippsland Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 10Apr 05, 2017 6:27 pm Cassie.f90 Very exciting! And so handy that you know someone at the bank. They can be real pains in the sometimes and don't really like to stick to timeframes haha we had our land settlement delayed 3 times because of our bank but got there in the end! Building with simonds in gippsland https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t Haha sounds about right! Our land contract we had a Sunday signing, our convayencer got it on the Monday, and cooling off was the Wednesday. We then got an email from the developers convayencer on the Thursday at about 2pm saying we had until the next Monday to get finance approval from the bank! :shock::shock: Cue frantic freaking out, calling the developer's convayencer who relaxed us saying the bank would ask for an extension (which the developer lot were already planning to approve).... Next minute we got an email Monday morning from our convayencer, from the developer's convayencer and our bank confirming that the finance was approved/sorted and we could just sit back and relax for the next three weeks! Banks - man... so stressful but sometimes great. Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 11Apr 05, 2017 8:09 pm Great selections, we chose, 'Spatial' too, it's such a great, neutral colour. You did really well with your upgrades, it'll be great to have a complete house at handover Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 12Apr 05, 2017 9:32 pm 'Spatial' was just what we were looking for - we both didn't like the idea of just white walls, so were after something neutral but still different. Definitely think it's so lovely and look forward to seeing yours done! Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 13Apr 05, 2017 9:44 pm To be honest, my pics of it don't do it justice, it looks darker than it actually is, it's quite a warm Grey, if that's even possible Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 14Apr 06, 2017 11:33 am My pics didn't quite encapsulate the colours right either, but its such a nice warm neutral but different from the old 90's beige! Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 15Apr 11, 2017 9:17 pm Well we've had some information but not really regarding our 6-star Energy Rating - our CRC said she's had the report back, but is sending it back to the report generators as they didn't include the internal insulation we'd added in. So we're not sure if it meant we'd not met the requirements or that we had but she was just getting it fully confirmed with the right details. Anyone have any suggestions?? haha feeling quite concerned we might get a huge surprise or something! In happier news - some pictures of what we're hoping to achieve overall with our moodboard and hopeful styling to help "warm up" the neutrals! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ 1 comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 16Apr 11, 2017 9:30 pm Loving those inspo pics We had a shock with our energy rating, had to increase the roof and external walls insulation and our windows also needed E-glaze. We did add a six slider but the existing design had a huge window and large sliding doors in its place so I'm not sure how much of a difference it made. Good luck with yours Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 17Apr 11, 2017 10:23 pm Marshall5858 Loving those inspo pics We had a shock with our energy rating, had to increase the roof and external walls insulation and our windows also needed E-glaze. We did add a six slider but the existing design had a huge window and large sliding doors in its place so I'm not sure how much of a difference it made. Good luck with yours We're definitely worried/hoping that they come back okay. We've got the default/what they had given us in the package we'd signed up for roof/wall insulation (R2.0 to external walls, R3.5 to ceilings, enviroseal wrap), we've got "Tiled roofs to be fully sarked directly below roof battens and extending into gutters and valleys. Prevent gaps where sarking meets fascias, gutters, valleys and the like." to meet out Bushfire requirements, R1.5 to all internal walls at our added selection.... And we switched out two windows+double doors for a four slider door - so we're hopeful that wouldn't add to much difference. Not sure if that'll all meet the minimum requirements for the E6 though We're not sure how that'll go with it though and we'd probably be up to increasing the insulation if needed but not sure about the E-glaze as we have only four windows facing north in total and two facing to the west (on the east-west block!) so it would seem insane to put E-glazing around the property! Definitely have a game plan for furnishing in mind though! Focusing on that at the moment while the anxious wait continues!! Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 18Apr 12, 2017 11:28 am Well we've heard back about the energy rating - no estimate on the price (anyone have any ideas??) however we need to add E-glazing to the four-slider that is west facing, as well as the two north facing downstairs ones; increase the roof insulation into the garage, and go from R2 to R2.5 in the external walls. Any guesses?? Hopefully it's under 5k as that'll put us at our max hopes. (So far everything that has been dropped out by the estimators have given us the wiggle room to add the few things we wanted to add in - so maybe a total of 1k over what we'd been using at the sales estimate!) Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 19Apr 12, 2017 2:58 pm Insulation shouldn't be expensive - we had to do the roof from R4-R5 with a different builder and was just over $400 from memory. Sorry no idea on glazing! Re: Simonds Harcrest - SA Build 20Apr 13, 2017 6:06 pm Thanks for the feedback hillbuilder, and marshall! Definitely helped soothe the fears a little. We have heard back today that we've been bumped up to R6 in the ceiling, R2.5 for externals, and glazing on the three downstairs north/west window/doors. Breaking around the $2.6k mark so not too scary! Aaaand we have a contract signing date of the 26th of April. After our gallery appointments (where we went a bit bezerk!) and adding on some final things like getting our crossover driveway done in the same concrete and our energy rating requirements; and then taking off some of the savings from our smaller footings and site costs and a few items working out cheaper than our sales advisor had marked up - we appear we might only have 3k over what we'd already planned on and just under what we had as our max with the builder! Our bank is now just awaiting our signed contracts and paperwork to get all sorted with the valuer, and hopefully can get on a roll! We hired Darbecca to do every stage inspection, and I strongly recommend them to anyone that asks me. They were amazing. Thorough reports with photos at every stage,… 6 7121 i would not be signing anything on the day read your contract about when builder submits final invoice generally, have to meet builder within 7 days of receiving final… 1 4729 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 17579 |