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Hi,
We are just about to sign (and start the process for the soil testing, engineering report etc) and would love some feedback before we sign our next 30 years away!!
This will be our first build - we are currently living in an ex-housing trust home which was built in the 50's (and is a tiny 3 bed/ 1 bath/ 1 living space house). The home is to be our family home for the next 20ish years - we have 2 boys (3 and 5).
What are your thoughts on this plan? Anything that we haven't considered or isn't practical? We want a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 living space with nice entertaining space, massive garage and ability to drive through to the backyard
Soil testing is booked in for this week - and from there, think it will be another 3-4 weeks to get the engineering report. So then we can start looking at actual quote costs and start selections.
Scared about the footings cost due to Adelaide soil - the original quote is 35 000 above standard, so hoping that it won't be that expensive, especially as our block is reasonable level. The owner of the company asked us whether we had thistles growing around our property and the state of the road (undulating) as that can give an indication of the soil and then what to expect.
We are struggling with lots of decisions at the moment including door height (we will have 2700 ceilings) and whether to go standard doors or 2400 doors, and what to have for the front elevation. We have taken the kids and their bikes to local display villages and walked around just looking at facades.
found this cool site (think it is sa only) which shows areas tested. there is a yellow spot across the road from where we are, so fx that is the soil we have - but knowing our luck, will be a red spot
Hi Nawsome
where did you find this web site? very interesting
found this cool site (think it is sa only) which shows areas tested. there is a yellow spot across the road from where we are, so fx that is the soil we have - but knowing our luck, will be a red spot
Hi Insider - I randomly found the site when I was trying to look for something else!!
this is the site
http://www.tmkmaps.com.au/soilmovement/soilmovement.asp
Survey of our block - poor guys thought it would be a 2 hour job. Ended up being a 3 hour job.
Have heard that engineering is nearly done and we should be getting costings next week for the footings. Fx they have over quoted
Hi there,
Were also doing a KDR not far from you in Prospect. Similar looking house actually! Its about 300sqm inc alfresco and garage. Our footings estimate was 36k. Just been costed at just over 30k which is great bcos were already over budget!
wow - i would love footings for 30k. we have been estimated 35k over standard (with standard being 35k), so a total of 70 000 :O
So glad that your estimate came in under for you
Mine was 30k over what the builder provided too (not sure how much they include as standard). The cost of building has gone up so much since we built in 2009. Were building with distinctive. Good luck with your build : )
hee hee - still haven't signed contract, but have started shopping for the new house!! First piece of art and a new dining table. Doesn't show it well, but this is a 150x150 table (8 seater) and can extend to be 150x2700 (12 seater). Gotta love gumtree!
Just got our prelim survey report - and we have H2-D - so expensive footings, but could be worse.
from email from builder:
The footing depth is bigger as expected, as well as the reinforcement size and the rods have increased,However there are no piers required or excessive cut and fill.Also heard we have to have a 3000L water tank due to size of the roof and because there isn't room where we were originally thinking, maybe we can have a mini tank on the northern side and the 3000L tank on the southern fence. We currently use our tank lots over summer for the garden, and in winter, is used in the laundry, so this is probably a good thing.
Should get the official costings tomorrow for the footings, but sounds like their quote is spot on.
Engineering report added another 5/6000 to the build costs
which also included increase of cost to storm water and a few bits and pieces. The cost does include fill and spoil removal. Was really hoping that they had over quoted, so we may need to tighten budget in other areas - hoping we can claw back some money in things like aircon and the energy rating. But we'd rather had a really good slab and no cracking in the house down the track.
Selections will be fun as I think we'll need to really stick with builders' range as much as possible
Met with the builder and owner tonight to discuss the next process. Learnt lots tonight!
We had it in our minds that we would demolish in Jan and for the slab to start in Feb. They are suggesting that we start before Christmas and have the slab down before Christmas so during the closure time, our slab is curing. It makes sense, but wow, that has moved things up!! Especially as the house needs to be demolished about 4-6 weeks before the slab is poured.
So next couple of weeks are going to be busy with getting selections and drawings done.
Oh sounds exciting. Good luck
Engineering report added another 5/6000 to the build costs
which also included increase of cost to storm water and a few bits and pieces. The cost does include fill and spoil removal. Was really hoping that they had over quoted, so we may need to tighten budget in other areas - hoping we can claw back some money in things like aircon and the energy rating. But we'd rather had a really good slab and no cracking in the house down the track.
Selections will be fun as I think we'll need to really stick with builders' range as much as possible
What is the sqm of your home? We have a 160sqm house and was quoted $22400 (above standard for footings) so hoping it wont change much after reports .
Engineering report added another 5/6000 to the build costs
which also included increase of cost to storm water and a few bits and pieces. The cost does include fill and spoil removal. Was really hoping that they had over quoted, so we may need to tighten budget in other areas - hoping we can claw back some money in things like aircon and the energy rating. But we'd rather had a really good slab and no cracking in the house down the track.
Selections will be fun as I think we'll need to really stick with builders' range as much as possible
What is the sqm of your home? We have a 160sqm house and was quoted $222400 (above standard for footings) so hoping it wont change much after reports .
About double your sqm - our whole slab is about 316 with 220 of that being house (the rest being alfresco and garage)
thank you ours is 160 with alfresco and garage so hopeful our footings wont be more
Signed the contract this week, have been given approval in principal from the bank- this is happening!!
Hoping to get the master plans and elevations soon, then selections will be the next step, and I am so excited for selections. Hoping that we can book them in soon as dh is going overseas for work at end of July and I'd love to get to selections before he goes away. But have a feeling that we may have to wait until he gets back as apparently it is a 2 week wait to get in for selections.
Really looking forward to the selections as I cannot picture what our place will look like.