1st home build Clearview SA with Hickinbotham

Cruising along now. Finish line in site

So we had our pre handover inspection two days ago. The house looks so good, can't wait to move in. I've been impressed with hickinbotham and would recommend them to others. If we build again i would build with hickinbotham again. Felt really supported at the inspection and surprised by some things. I always knew there was a 3 month maintenance period after handover but did not expect 12 month repairs with any issues with water, gas or electricity. Was advised most things in house under warranty and give them a call for up to 5 years and they will likely be repaired/ replaced. Now we just have the wait on the bank processing the final invoice and keys are ours!

So we're due to pick up the keys Tuesday morning next week. Flooring is booked a couple of days later as it has to be completed after handover. Yesterday i got a call from solomon's flooring advising that they will not complete the job unless they are paid the day before as the warehouse "is cracking down on this type of thing." Homestart will not pay solomon's until job is completed. Homestart is trying to negotiate with solomon's by writing them a letter stating they will get paid after completion of job. This standoff was supposed to be resolved today but still nothing. So much is hinging on this. We've both booked leave for a couple of weeks to help move and set up house but if the flooring falls through we may have no option but to get another quote and delay moving in as i don't want to pick up keys and take leave if we're not moving in. Broker also advised today if we pay cash homestart cannot refund cash but can only keep this money to spend if we need to do something to the house (won't suit our needs). We have the next two weeks planned everyday that will need to be scrapped if the flooring falls through. Surely solomon's will cave and accept official payment guarantee letter from homestart. This is ridiculous and was explained when we got the quote earlier in the year. Hoping this can be resolved soon and we can continue with our plans next week.

Hope it works out for you with solomons. We're getting our flooring through then too post handover and thought we pay after installation. We want to make sure we're happy with product and job before forking over the money. Keeping my fx fit you

What a headache ! That sounds utterly ridiculous on Solomon’s part, if it wasn’t too late I’d be taking my businesss else where for sure. Would they not accept a cash deposit which they could refund to you once the bank pay ?

I just checked our quote - looks like we have to pay day before and that is what we signed

Yeah ours says the same but they didn't explain this when we talked to them earlier in the year and explained our situation - bank will pay the remainder after installation. Code128 we already paid $1700 deposit .

We're going to talk to them today and see if this can be resolved but I've got a feeling the manager who we need to speak to doesn't work weekends. We need it resolved today. My wife's leave situation isn't as flexible as mine and she needs an answer today, yay or nah 🤞

That sucks. Fingers crossed for you. I can’t believe you have to pay up front for something like a floor.

The manager was in today as another worker was sick so lucky we could talk to him. He said just get the letter from homestart to him asap and he can talk to the boss about the payment. Sounded a little more positive. If that's still not enough we can pay cash and be reimbursed when bank payment goes through. Not ideal but just glad it seems like it can happen one way or another and we don't have to change all our plans.

That sounds like a positive outcome. Hope it works out!

So it's been about a week after handover now. Solomon's didn't accept the letter from the bank in the end so we had no option other than to pay the flooring up front with solomon's to reimburse once payment received from bank. Not what we wanted to do but had little choice. Once we'd done this when our broker found out he didn't like the idea of relying on solomon's to do the right thing do was able to negotiate with bank to reimburse us immediately as a 'once off' so all good ... love the flooring btw. Carpets are so soft.

We've been working everyday often early morning until late at night getting everything ready and are mostly there now. Feels a bit surreal.

Few more pics. Still have driveway/ perimeter concreting and air-con to do.

Glad you could get the flooring in. So exciting that you get to move in and live in your home

Flooring looks great! I’m impressed that you have curtains up already! And equally impressed you have the equipment for making sticky rice! Yum 😋

Congratulation ! Must feel good to be in, looks great 👍

Haha, very observant RE sticky rice! It helps when your partner is Thai for that stuff. We spent a whole day putting curtains up before flooring was in. Unlike me, wife was adamant she would not move in unless curtains were already up.

Ha ha, I agree with your wife there 😄

Looks really nice with the floor and curtains done. Looks very comfy.

Been busy digging the retaining wall in backyard getting that ready and the perimeter concreting was done today. If the weather holds up they might get the driveway done tomorrow. Waiting for neighbour to complete their bricks before the fence can go up. Everything coming together fairly easily now and soon i can get stuck into the landscaping more. Loving the house.

Looks great. We have a similar height back garden to yours, What are you using for retaining ? Are you DIY ?