Our treechange custom build in West Gippsland

Mamz · Aug 28, 2018 10:47 pm

Hi!

Thought I better start a thread after lurking for a loooooong time while we toyed with the idea of a treechange.

We took a drive out to Drouin/Warragul area late last year looking at blocks that I'd been studiously following on real estate sites.

As seems to happen with a lot of people, we stumbled across a previously unseen great block while driving around that day. The block ticked all our boxes (biggish block - 1223m2, FTTP). We put a holding deposit down, and a week later the deposit was paid and now we're waiting for title in Feb/March 2019.

So that was the land sorted! Then came the demoralising, frustrating and endless search for a decent builder.

We have very specific requirements as this will be our 'take us out of here in a box' home. We're doing it once and doing it properly. We're pretty (very) fussy and ridiculously organised. We expect builders to be the same mindset.

After visiting more display villages than humanly possible (you've all been there!) we came to the realisation that there wasn't a single design in any builder's range that was what we were looking for. Some came close, but they either would't move wet areas, or were very restrictive in what they would and wouldn't move etc. And some builders just didn't give me a good vibe. After telling our story to many sales consultants .. "doing it once, doing it right, after quality, don't care if the build takes a long time, but want it done properly", we'd still be told "we can have you in your house in 16 weeks and with this X bonus but only if you sign today" - it was like dealing with used car salesmen in some display homes!

We ended up at Warragul again and wandered into the new Kialla Homes Manhattan display and met Melissa. You know that thing where you instantly click with someone? That was us with Melissa. We came out of there with such a positive feeling - she understood us (very fussy, both from project management backgrounds, research thoroughly before making a decision etc), didn't push the hard sell and gave us valuable info that other builders had left out when saying "yeah no worries we can put this design on your block no problems!".

After a couple more visits with Melissa and emailing back and forth she suggested that we'd be much better off going a full custom build. We set up a meeting to go through the process/costs (all super transparent) and were happy to start the process with them.

So a week ago we met with the draftsperson - complete with our requirements document, clippings, my kindegarten-esque cut and paste floorplan of the kind of thing we're hoping for, and many many printouts of stuff I'd seen online that I liked the look of. I'm not sure she was ready for the amount of info we turned up with!

We're due to get the first draft plan back today/tomorrow (I keep mashing refresh on my email like a mad woman). I think seeing the first draft plan will really make it finally seem real.

Anyway, I'll be documenting our journey, reading all your fabulous threads and more than likely asking many many questions!

it's all very very overwhelming!

Updates:

1 April 2018 - Land deposit/purchase
15 August 2018 - Preliminary Building Agreement signed
23 October 2018 - 1st Preliminary Design received
15 February 2019 - Bank pre-approval confirmed
30 March 2019 - confirmed change of engineering requiring redesign (5 months of backwards and forwards with design options)
13 June 2019 - Land settled
31 July 2019 - Electrical Appointment
3 August 2019 - 1st Colours Appointment
17 August 2019 - 2nd Colours Appointment
22 October 2019 - Build contract signed
23 October 2019 - Bank documentation for valuation and unconditional approval submitted.

Preeti.jat · Aug 30, 2019 8:12 pm

Mamz

Hi!

Thought I better start a thread after lurking for a loooooong time while we toyed with the idea of a treechange.

We took a drive out to Drouin/Warragul area late last year looking at blocks that I'd been studiously following on real estate sites.

As seems to happen with a lot of people, we stumbled across a previously unseen great block while driving around that day. The block ticked all our boxes (biggish block - 1223m2, FTTP). We put a holding deposit down, and a week later the deposit was paid and now we're waiting for title in Feb/March 2019.

So that was the land sorted! Then came the demoralising, frustrating and endless search for a decent builder.

We have very specific requirements as this will be our 'take us out of here in a box' home. We're doing it once and doing it properly. We're pretty (very) fussy and ridiculously organised. We expect builders to be the same mindset.

After visiting more display villages than humanly possible (you've all been there!) we came to the realisation that there wasn't a single design in any builder's range that was what we were looking for. Some came close, but they either would't move wet areas, or were very restrictive in what they would and wouldn't move etc. And some builders just didn't give me a good vibe. After telling our story to many sales consultants .. "doing it once, doing it right, after quality, don't care if the build takes a long time, but want it done properly", we'd still be told "we can have you in your house in 16 weeks and with this X bonus but only if you sign today" - it was like dealing with used car salesmen in some display homes!

We ended up at Warragul again and wandered into the new Kialla Homes Manhattan display and met Melissa. You know that thing where you instantly click with someone? That was us with Melissa. We came out of there with such a positive feeling - she understood us (very fussy, both from project management backgrounds, research thoroughly before making a decision etc), didn't push the hard sell and gave us valuable info that other builders had left out when saying "yeah no worries we can put this design on your block no problems!".

After a couple more visits with Melissa and emailing back and forth she suggested that we'd be much better off going a full custom build. We set up a meeting to go through the process/costs (all super transparent) and were happy to start the process with them.

So a week ago we met with the draftsperson - complete with our requirements document, clippings, my kindegarten-esque cut and paste floorplan of the kind of thing we're hoping for, and many many printouts of stuff I'd seen online that I liked the look of. I'm not sure she was ready for the amount of info we turned up with!

We're due to get the first draft plan back today/tomorrow (I keep mashing refresh on my email like a mad woman). I think seeing the first draft plan will really make it finally seem real.

Anyway, I'll be documenting our journey, reading all your fabulous threads and more than likely asking many many questions!

it's all very very overwhelming!

Hi Mamz, how’s the construction going with Kialla?

Mamz · Oct 20, 2019 3:59 pm

Preeti.jat

Mamz

Hi!

Thought I better start a thread after lurking for a loooooong time while we toyed with the idea of a treechange.

We took a drive out to Drouin/Warragul area late last year looking at blocks that I'd been studiously following on real estate sites.

As seems to happen with a lot of people, we stumbled across a previously unseen great block while driving around that day. The block ticked all our boxes (biggish block - 1223m2, FTTP). We put a holding deposit down, and a week later the deposit was paid and now we're waiting for title in Feb/March 2019.

So that was the land sorted! Then came the demoralising, frustrating and endless search for a decent builder.

We have very specific requirements as this will be our 'take us out of here in a box' home. We're doing it once and doing it properly. We're pretty (very) fussy and ridiculously organised. We expect builders to be the same mindset.

After visiting more display villages than humanly possible (you've all been there!) we came to the realisation that there wasn't a single design in any builder's range that was what we were looking for. Some came close, but they either would't move wet areas, or were very restrictive in what they would and wouldn't move etc. And some builders just didn't give me a good vibe. After telling our story to many sales consultants .. "doing it once, doing it right, after quality, don't care if the build takes a long time, but want it done properly", we'd still be told "we can have you in your house in 16 weeks and with this X bonus but only if you sign today" - it was like dealing with used car salesmen in some display homes!

We ended up at Warragul again and wandered into the new Kialla Homes Manhattan display and met Melissa. You know that thing where you instantly click with someone? That was us with Melissa. We came out of there with such a positive feeling - she understood us (very fussy, both from project management backgrounds, research thoroughly before making a decision etc), didn't push the hard sell and gave us valuable info that other builders had left out when saying "yeah no worries we can put this design on your block no problems!".

After a couple more visits with Melissa and emailing back and forth she suggested that we'd be much better off going a full custom build. We set up a meeting to go through the process/costs (all super transparent) and were happy to start the process with them.

So a week ago we met with the draftsperson - complete with our requirements document, clippings, my kindegarten-esque cut and paste floorplan of the kind of thing we're hoping for, and many many printouts of stuff I'd seen online that I liked the look of. I'm not sure she was ready for the amount of info we turned up with!

We're due to get the first draft plan back today/tomorrow (I keep mashing refresh on my email like a mad woman). I think seeing the first draft plan will really make it finally seem real.

Anyway, I'll be documenting our journey, reading all your fabulous threads and more than likely asking many many questions!

it's all very very overwhelming!

Hi Mamz, how’s the construction going with Kialla?

After many design changes (due to council changing engineering on the block and the introduction of retaining walls) we're finally about to sign the contracts this week.

Hoping to have the slab down before Christmas (which will have a nice cure time over the holiday season).

I'll update as we go along!

SaveH2O · Oct 20, 2019 5:11 pm

Will be following your build with interest. Will you be off grid?

I hope that it all goes smoothly for you.

Mamz · Oct 21, 2019 3:18 pm

SaveH2O

Will be following your build with interest. Will you be off grid?

I hope that it all goes smoothly for you.

Won't be off-grid.

Preeti.jat · Oct 21, 2019 8:11 pm

Mamz

Preeti.jat

Mamz

Hi!

Thought I better start a thread after lurking for a loooooong time while we toyed with the idea of a treechange.

We took a drive out to Drouin/Warragul area late last year looking at blocks that I'd been studiously following on real estate sites.

As seems to happen with a lot of people, we stumbled across a previously unseen great block while driving around that day. The block ticked all our boxes (biggish block - 1223m2, FTTP). We put a holding deposit down, and a week later the deposit was paid and now we're waiting for title in Feb/March 2019.

So that was the land sorted! Then came the demoralising, frustrating and endless search for a decent builder.

We have very specific requirements as this will be our 'take us out of here in a box' home. We're doing it once and doing it properly. We're pretty (very) fussy and ridiculously organised. We expect builders to be the same mindset.

After visiting more display villages than humanly possible (you've all been there!) we came to the realisation that there wasn't a single design in any builder's range that was what we were looking for. Some came close, but they either would't move wet areas, or were very restrictive in what they would and wouldn't move etc. And some builders just didn't give me a good vibe. After telling our story to many sales consultants .. "doing it once, doing it right, after quality, don't care if the build takes a long time, but want it done properly", we'd still be told "we can have you in your house in 16 weeks and with this X bonus but only if you sign today" - it was like dealing with used car salesmen in some display homes!

We ended up at Warragul again and wandered into the new Kialla Homes Manhattan display and met Melissa. You know that thing where you instantly click with someone? That was us with Melissa. We came out of there with such a positive feeling - she understood us (very fussy, both from project management backgrounds, research thoroughly before making a decision etc), didn't push the hard sell and gave us valuable info that other builders had left out when saying "yeah no worries we can put this design on your block no problems!".

After a couple more visits with Melissa and emailing back and forth she suggested that we'd be much better off going a full custom build. We set up a meeting to go through the process/costs (all super transparent) and were happy to start the process with them.

So a week ago we met with the draftsperson - complete with our requirements document, clippings, my kindegarten-esque cut and paste floorplan of the kind of thing we're hoping for, and many many printouts of stuff I'd seen online that I liked the look of. I'm not sure she was ready for the amount of info we turned up with!

We're due to get the first draft plan back today/tomorrow (I keep mashing refresh on my email like a mad woman). I think seeing the first draft plan will really make it finally seem real.

Anyway, I'll be documenting our journey, reading all your fabulous threads and more than likely asking many many questions!

it's all very very overwhelming!

Hi Mamz, how’s the construction going with Kialla?

After many design changes (due to council changing engineering on the block and the introduction of retaining walls) we're finally about to sign the contracts this week.

Hoping to have the slab down before Christmas (which will have a nice cure time over the holiday season).

I'll update as we go along!

All the best!!