Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 81Aug 10, 2020 6:14 pm Hi blacktea2sugars, No we haven't got a completion date yet. We're being patient though. I contacted our SS for an update and he said he'd just come out of iso. I've heard similar stories from another builder friend. Anytime someone who's visited the site has had a close contact everyone's tested and off until results come in. Apparently now lots of tradies are claiming to be aged care workers to get their results faster! Not sure how well that works if everyone's doing it... Sneaked in today to look thru the window, all the wood flooring is in downstairs and it looks as though electrical is mostly finished. Garage doors are in too. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ r_13 Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 82Aug 13, 2020 9:03 pm r_13 Hi blacktea2sugars, No we haven't got a completion date yet. We're being patient though. I contacted our SS for an update and he said he'd just come out of iso. I've heard similar stories from another builder friend. Anytime someone who's visited the site has had a close contact everyone's tested and off until results come in. Apparently now lots of tradies are claiming to be aged care workers to get their results faster! Not sure how well that works if everyone's doing it... Sneaked in today to look thru the window, all the wood flooring is in downstairs and it looks as though electrical is mostly finished. Garage doors are in too. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ r_13 Has Metricon put a Covid Protocol on your site? We have all new stickers and charts. No site visits until stage 4 lifts. No inspections. Trades limited to 4 at a time plus super. Totally understand, Very interesting times ahead. Love that you can "sneak in", ours had a lock! https://thomasarcherbuild.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html - Thomas Archer Homes - Custom Nouveau 41 Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 83Aug 14, 2020 9:15 am Yes, we got an email from M that said "We're still building!..." but then went on to specify that numbers and visits are limited due to restrictions. I spoke to my SS yesterday. All the flooring is finished, plumbing (interior) also reported to be done, checking today. The front balcony handrail has been held up because the company that supplies them is shut down for Stage 4. To avoid the delay of supply until October, the SS has ordered a new handrail from another company that can do manufacturing and powder coating in-house. We're expecting final inspections late this month, then 3-4 weeks for rectifications. I've got the go-ahead to book our landscaper in for the end of next month! We're going to use the same company for everything so they will start at the back of the house to do landscaping, decking in the outdoor areas, then tie it all together around the sides of the house and finish with putting in the concrete driveway and gate to the street... I already feel a phantom pain in my bank account from the hole that will be left afterwards. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 84Aug 14, 2020 10:12 am Oh wow that's pretty detailed! We've been told its no site visits or inspections until after Stage 4 so if you guys are powering ahead thats good news. Our flooring is next week so theoretically we're not that far behind you. Good that M let's a landscaper come in and do works while they're still there! Did they recommend the landscaping company? I totally hear you with the bank account pain! https://thomasarcherbuild.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html - Thomas Archer Homes - Custom Nouveau 41 Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 85Aug 14, 2020 2:51 pm No it's my own landscaper. Actually, at one point earlier in the year my SC at M asked me for the details of my landscaper, as they had another prospective client in the area with a similarly sloped block that needed levelling before they could accept the deposit! Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 86Aug 14, 2020 8:09 pm Your house is going along nicely. Any major issues so far? What style of landscape are you looking to put in? Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 87Aug 15, 2020 12:04 pm Hey Renman - no real major issues with the construction so far, it's been very fast since they started in April and honestly it's been giving us life to be able to see progress happening in realtime during the lockdowns. Our main issues were in the administration phase, which I've descibed earlier, that led us to essentially lose 2019 in admin. If things had progressed at a 'normal' pace, probably we would be where we are now 1 year ago, and would've been able to spend these lock down periods in a huge house with space for everyone to escape! The landscape we're not completely sure yet - we got a big landscape plan done by a landscape architect for the permit process but as far as we know there are only a few plants that are needed for the occupancy certificate (which were included on the subdivision plan but never executed...) We have done a big mass rock wall behind the house prior to construction, and the house is a bit closer to the wall than we imagined from the planning phase. So, rather than planting the above wall area we're now thinking of putting in another vertical retaining wall at the back and flattening the top garden to make more usable space. Then for the outdoor room area, we'll install composite decking that extends from the stacker doors all the way out to the rock wall, maybe some sleeper seating around the wall edge. I have provision for a built-in outdoor kitchen installed but that will have to wait until after some preferential projects like getting a decent solar system installed. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 88Aug 15, 2020 12:27 pm Recently we had an online appointment with Kinsman for our walk-in robes fitout. It was really good service, and we managed to squeak in on the last day of a monthly 25% off promotion, so we ended up saving a good amount of money. They did a 45 min zoom meeting to discuss the design, and then when we indicated that based on the estimated price minus discounts that we were willing to proceed, we had a half-hour break during which the consultant drew up the designs in 3D and prepared the sale contracts. Then another zoom meeting for the presentation and signing. We fit out the WIR 1B behind the master ensuite with one wall of shelves/drawers, a double hang section and a triple long hang section. Then another wall of shelves/drawers, double hang, and a narrow shelves section. The last wall facing the door will have a single width shelves section and leave a wall space to mount a floor to ceiling mirror. The finish will be in all dark wood. Then, we fit out WIR 1A with a desk and drawers facing the entry, and storage shelves on the other wall. The finish will be in warm brown wood. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 89Aug 21, 2020 5:34 am PCI next week! Received notice of competition from M, and we've scheduled the final inspection with Darbecca for Thursday. Interested to see what happens next between now and getting the certificate of occupancy. There is for sure some work for us to finish with regard to the subdivision plan to bring it up to compliance. But we have wheels turning on that. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 90Aug 23, 2020 1:58 pm r_13 PCI next week! Received notice of competition from M, and we've scheduled the final inspection with Darbecca for Thursday. Interested to see what happens next between now and getting the certificate of occupancy. There is for sure some work for us to finish with regard to the subdivision plan to bring it up to compliance. But we have wheels turning on that. NO WAY! That is sensational! Are you allowed in During Stage 4? Obviously you are as PCI is next week! We can't even visit our site . Will be very much looking forward to seeing how things do. So exciting! https://thomasarcherbuild.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html - Thomas Archer Homes - Custom Nouveau 41 Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 91Aug 23, 2020 4:03 pm Blacktea2sugars Are you allowed in During Stage 4? Obviously you are as PCI is next week! We can't even visit our site Yes, we received two notices, one was a Notice of Completion and the other is a Reason to Travel verification, which would be needed if we were building more than 5km from our residence. "The individual who is in possession of this letter is Customer of Metricon Homes and is travelling in order to facilitate their obligations under the Building Contract." Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 92Aug 28, 2020 10:03 pm r_13 Blacktea2sugars Are you allowed in During Stage 4? Obviously you are as PCI is next week! We can't even visit our site Yes, we received two notices, one was a Notice of Completion and the other is a Reason to Travel verification, which would be needed if we were building more than 5km from our residence. "The individual who is in possession of this letter is Customer of Metricon Homes and is travelling in order to facilitate their obligations under the Building Contract." Ooohhhhh how did PCI go? How long was Darbeccas defect list? Was thinking about you guys all day yesterday! https://thomasarcherbuild.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html - Thomas Archer Homes - Custom Nouveau 41 Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 93Aug 30, 2020 8:07 am PCI was pretty good! Darbecca was finishing just as we arrived and said "it's a bit of a mess", mainly because there was still a painter there working on the stairs. I asked whether he thought things were serious enough to warrant a final inspection defect rectification reinspection, and very reassuringly he told me "for sure we're always here to help when you think you need us, just let us know, but in your case I think things are straightforward". There were fewer than 25 items on the list. Mostly paint, a few out of square bulkhead corners, some doors that closed loosely and rattled. Things like that. Mostly cosmetic. Then I walked around for an hour with the SS and we marked up anything we saw, mostly paint defects. Probably about three weeks to handover if all goes to plan! We'll reconvene next week to go through the Darbecca report, which was very thorough. Then we'll have a better idea of the schedule. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 94Aug 30, 2020 5:42 pm Sounds like using Darbecca is going to worth it for a better result! Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 95Aug 30, 2020 8:15 pm Sparkyf Sounds like using Darbecca is going to worth it for a better result! Truly they have been amazing. Also I have been impressed by the interactions that I've had with them, and the level of detail and explanations in their emails and inspection reports. On top of that, I have respect for the collaborative nature of our SS when receiving and interpreting Darbecca reports, actioning the items, and walking me through the site and explaining the strategy and schedule to achieve each stage. I told them both this on Thursday. Very pro. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 97Sep 21, 2020 3:54 pm r_13 Sparkyf Sounds like using Darbecca is going to worth it for a better result! Truly they have been amazing. Also I have been impressed by the interactions that I've had with them, and the level of detail and explanations in their emails and inspection reports. On top of that, I have respect for the collaborative nature of our SS when receiving and interpreting Darbecca reports, actioning the items, and walking me through the site and explaining the strategy and schedule to achieve each stage. I told them both this on Thursday. Very pro. Great feedback. Love when everyone is on the same page and works together to get a great result! What day is settlement scheduled? https://thomasarcherbuild.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html - Thomas Archer Homes - Custom Nouveau 41 Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 98Sep 21, 2020 5:59 pm Blacktea2sugars Great feedback. Love when everyone is on the same page and works together to get a great result! What day is settlement scheduled? No settlement date yet - just a note to prewarn our bank that the final payment will be coming soon. But, today the last of the concreting around the house was done, so there's a place to put the hot water tank behind the garage now. Also the fence went up along our battleaxe driveway, which makes it feel so much more private Our landscaper will start his work soon, first quotes received for part of that: a 12 m-long concrete retaining wall along the back fence to make a garden border but then as much level space behind the house we can manage. We'll plant something along there to make it pretty. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 99Sep 25, 2020 8:25 am We're in the home stretch. Hot water tank is in. Gas meter is in. Oven was installed yesterday. The concreting work around the house needs some attention, but hopefully that should be fixed soon. Heating and cooling unit should be going in today. Also, the plumber will come back to fit the water tank pump. I did a walk around with our SS yesterday and checked off almost all of the defects. The place is really looking marvellous. He suggested that we might be looking at handover next week, although I haven't heard anything official from M admin yet. Re: Metricon Merricks 42 Clarion - Melbourne 100Sep 25, 2020 10:17 am Hi r_13. On Feb 16, 2019 you responded to a query/ suggestion that I made re possibly incorporating a rainwater tank with a retaining wall. Unfortunately, I have only now read your reply. I have a concern re your advice that all of the downpipes from the roof will be diverted to the retention and detention tank. To enable this, the tank's overflow must be hydraulically calculated to have a discharge capacity that exceeds as a minimum the tank's inflow capacity during a 1:20 year storm event (1:20 Average Recurrence Interval). Because the tank has a detention compartment, the smaller capacity restricted discharge (Permissable Site Discharge) serving the detention compartment can be added to the top overflow pipe's discharge calculation. I also noticed in a photo you posted of the tank that the overflow outlet has no mitigation above the top of the outlet pipe, this dramatically affects the discharge capacity of a standard overflow pipe system. If all of the downpipes are in fact diverted to the tank, you need to ask the builder whether hydraulic calculations have been done to determine the tank's overflow capacity when full because you won't want the tank to overtop during heavy rain. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Hi, First of all, thank you to this community for sharing your thoughts and opinions. 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