KDR - New Choice Homes Custom design - Perth, WA

Hi Guys

As promised a few months ago, we've decided to share our upcoming build. We're first time builders, so it's been quite an eye-opening experience so far and I'm sure there will be more surprises to come.

We purchased an old home in our area with a view to instantly demolish it and build a new home that we hope to live in for years to come. After visiting a lot of the local builders in Perth and getting indicative pricing and specifications, we soon worked out what we wanted design and finish wise. New Choice designed a home that suited our block and our lifestyle (couple with 2 children)


Our plan:








Choices made prior to pre-start and included in our initial costing (non-negotiables, basically):
- Single course face brick to exterior (Brikmakers Vintage Red)
- Render to front, as per the plan
- 34 course ceilings to portico, entry, kitchen, dining, living and alfresco.
- 34 course recessed ceiling to theatre
- 31 course ceiling to remainder of house, including garage
- T-Bar lintel above garage door
- 32 course parapet wall on boundary
- Aluminium glazed door to laundry
- Full height tiles in all wet areas, except laundry
- Hobless showers
- Outdoor kitchen provisions in alfresco (Gas, hot/cold water, floor waste and w/proof power point)
- Silk finish laminate in kitchen
- Undermount double sink in scullery
- Laminate door to scullery
- Laundry hamper drawer
- Full laundry cabinetry for WM and DR
- Skylight in scullery
- 28 course 1200 mm wide front door (Corinthian INFWS 8G)
- 28 course stacker door to alfresco with recessed sill
- Overhead cupboards in kitchen
- Fisher and Paykel Gas on glass cook top, powerpack in-built rangehood and 2 wall ovens
- Stone benchtops throughout
- 1000 mm deep island bench in kitchen with mitred waterfall ends
- Double vanity to bath bathrooms
- Bunker window in ensuite and splashback fixed window in kitchen.
- Facebrick feature wall to entry
- 28 course internal doors to master bedroom, theatre and rear hallway entry
- E-Zone aircon controller for Samsung reverse cycle air-con system
- Plasterboard ceiling to portico, garage and alfresco
- Mitred tiling throughout
- 27 LED downlights
- Upgrade to verticore bricks, instead of fastwalls
- Upgrade exhaust fan to integrated Kado Lux LED in ensuite
- Intelligent home basic NBN package

I'll follow up with Pre-start and a few more photos.

Our timeline so far -

April 2018 - Sign offer on home
5 June 2018 - Settled
6 June 2018 - Demolition contract signed
23 July 2018 - Preparation of plans signed
22 August 2018 - Demolition completed
September 2018 - Site Survey completed
13 October 2018 - Plans submitted for DA approval
9 November 2018 - Working drawings completed
28 November 2018 - DA Approval received and build contract signed
10 December 2018 - Pre-start meeting
Late December 2018 - Building permit received
9 January 2019 - Unconditional finance approval
10 January 2019 - Pre-start returned
31 January 2019 - Signed plans returned
1 February 2019 - Scheduling begins
4 February 2019 -Scheduling complete, file through to Construction
7 February 2019 - Retaining materials arrive
11 February 2019 - Retaining wall complete
12 February 2019 - Site works begin
14 February 2019 - Site works complete, mesh arrived
15 February 2019 - Slab set out and footings dug
16 February 2019 - Footings poured
18 February 2019 - Slab complete, soak wells arrived on-site
25 February 2019 - Window frames arrived
26 February 2019 - Soak wells installed, drainage work started
27 February 2019 - Drainage/plumbing complete, site power installed
28 February 2019 - Bricks loaded and site shed delivered.
1 March 2019 - More bricks delivered, brickies sand arrived and metal straps, damp course etc delivered by Bunnings.
5 March 2019 - Lintels and door frames delivered. Brickwork started.
19 March 2019 - Brickwork complete
20 March 2019 - Roof timbers and metal beam delivered. Roof carpenters start
21 March 2019 - Fascia, roof battens and eaves delivered
27 March 2019 - Roof carpenters finished
29 March 2019 - Intelligent home initial work completed. Electrical chasing started.
30 March 2019 - Brick cleaning started
1 April 2019 - Brick Cleaning complete, gutters and down pipes installed, electrical install completed. Plumbing chasing and install started, roof sheeting supplies delivered
2 April 2019 - Roof sheeting started and plasterer's begin installing metal corners
3 April 2019 - Roof sheets complete
4 April 2019 - Plumbing works complete
5 April 2019 - Plaster started and ATCO gas run in gas pipe and meter installed
11 April 2019 - Internal grey float plaster complete
14 April 2019 - External render complete
15 April 2019 - Ceiling materials delivered. Walls marked up inside for suspended ceiling and cornices, etc.
16 April 2019 - Ceiling fixing started
17 April 2019 - Ceiling finished and window glass/aluminium doors installed
18 April 2019 - White set plaster started
29 April 2019 - White set plaster complete, Doors and Shelving delivered.
30 April 2019 - Locked up. Carpenter started shelving
1 May 2019 - Internal doors and shelving complete
2 May 2019 - Ceilings painted
3 May 2019 - Internal doors/frames undercoat, external render undercoat
6 May 2019 - Tiles delivered
7 May 2019 - Cabinets installed, sinks delivered
9 May 2019 - Wet area floors screed
14 May 2019 - Waterproofing complete
15 May 2019 - Tile meeting. Tiles started.
24 May 2019 - Stone bench tops installed.
31 May 2019 - Tiling complete.
5 June 2019 - Fence install started.
6 June 2019 -Fence completed, Plumbing finals complete, Intelligent home finals complete, Electrical finals started.
7 June 2019 - Electrical finals completed.
10 June 2019 - Site toilet and bin removed. Ceiling insulation delivered.
11 June 2019 - Ceiling insulation installed. Underground electrical connection cable installed.
13 June 2019 - Air conditioning installed. Mains power connected.
14 June 2019 - Internal doors and frames gloss coat completed.
17 June 2019 - Garage prepared for concrete. Mirrors, sliding doors and shower screen delivered. Termite protection completed.
18 June 2019 - Mirrors, sliding doors and shower screen fitted.
20 June 2019 - Garage concrete laid. Exterior tidy up started and exterior painting started.
25 June 2019 - Interior clean done.
26 June 2019 - Exterior clean up complete. Plaster flushing done to edge of tiles.
27 June 2019 - Fly screens installed.
1 July 2019 - Internal and entry door handles installed.
4 July 2019 - External painting complete.
6 July 2019 - Interior cleaned again.
8 July 2019 - Garage door installed.
9 July 2019 - 1st PCI complete. A few minor items to be rectified.
18 July 2019 - 2nd PCI and handover!
18 July 2019 - Started internal wall painting.

Demolition

Day 1 -


Day 2 -


Day 3 -

They charge you to go from Fastwall to Verticore brick?

I don’t think they charge more, it was just something we stipulated. I could be wrong, but always thought the Maxi’s were stronger than the fastwall.

Thme
At a quick glance the brickwork Should be verticore at minimal cost
unless you want to deal with constant brickwork cracking,3c Bonded brickwork over openings windows, Brickweld, etc
You might want to also upgrade the slab mesh.
BTW If i may recommend, that you don't do a drive by (shooting Photos) of the key structural elements, Slab , brickwork, Frame, beams,etc, Check the details, don't miss the target and photograph , as no one remembers what was done onsite months later after an event.
Thanks for the photos

Some more plans:

Front elevation



Side Elevations

Pre-start

External Colour Choices:

External brickwork (also internal feature wall) - Brikmakers Vintage red with cream mortar, rolled joints




Roof Cover and fascia - Colorbond Surfmist





Fencing/retaining, gutters, downpipes and garage door - Colorbond Monument



- Front render colour - First Snow.

Internal colour choices:

Kitchen, scullery and laundry cabinetry - Laminex Silk Finish White and Riven Finish Sublime Teak for overhead cupboards (350mm depth only, horizontal grain) - Silk/Riven finish both upgrades in contract.






Bathroom and Ensuite Cabinetry - Laminex Natural Finish Sublime Teak (horizontal grain) - Builder's standard range.




Bench top - Absolute Quartz Calacatta Gold (Kitchen island bench only) and Absolute Quartz Alabaster (very fine grain white) for the remainder (kitchen bench, scullery, laundry and both bathrooms) - Builder's standard range (these were both from the premium range
when we signed up that became part of the standard range by the time we got to pre-start)





Internal door frames and doors - Wattle White

Linen cupboard/s sliding doors - Black frame with Glacier white vinyl (Standard range)

Mirrored robe doors with silver frame (standard range)

Internal door handles - Lockwood Large Rose with Element Levers (standard range, Matt Black colour is an extra cost)



Kitchen Appliances - Fisher and Paykel

- 2 x wall oven in a stack (builder's standard range)




- Integrated rangehood (upgrade in contract)



-Gas on glass cooktop (upgrade in contract)



Tile choices - Tile Boutique


- Deleted splashback to kitchen, scullery and laundry (to be completed after handover)
- Ensuite floor 300x300 Majorelle Grey (builder's standard range)


- Laundry floor 450x450 Majorelle Grey (same as ensuite, larger format) (extra cost for labour)

- Bathoom and Powder room floor 300x300 Terrain Nero (builder's standard range)


- Bathroom, ensuite and powder room walls 300x600 Gloss White rectified (floor to ceiling in contract) - upgrade


Pre-Start Changes/Upgrades:

- CCS Onyx garage floor concrete
- GTek Esperance cornice to Entry, kitchen, dining and living areas
- Obscure glazing to front entry door
- Upgrade laundry cabinetry to silk finish
- Extra drawers in kitchen, ensuite and bathroom
- Finger grip to bathroom and ensuite cabinetry
- 16mm negative to stone throughout house
- Stormtech 100PSG20 900mm shower channel grate in bathroom and ensuite
- Double rebate to front door
- Upgrade entrance door handle to Lockwood Nero 143 Pull handle (600mm) and deadlock
- Micro frameless mirrors in bathrooms and powder room
- Raked joint to internal face brick feature wall
- PVC pre-lay for future rain water tank
- Extra LED downlights, powerpoints, junction boxes, conduits for future ceiling fans and extra lighting to exterior
- Clipsal iconic Anthracite cover and backplate in kitchen, scullery, laundry and bathrooms
- Upgrade Exhaust fans to Beacon all-in-one (combined LED light and exhaust fan)
- Upgrade to 450x450 floor tiles in laundry
- Upgrade to 300x600 rectified wall tiles in bathroom, ensuite and powder room
- Intelligent homes smart wire pack (extra provisions in theatre room and kids activity room)
- Upgrade to Posh Solus BTW toilet suites
- Upgrade Scullery sink to AFA Flow undermount no taphole
- Change all tapware to Matt Black finish Mizu Bliss (basin mixers, shower/bath mixers and bath outlet)
- Black pop up wastes in all basins and bath
- Mizu drift matt black bathroom accessories (towel rails, toilet roll holders, etc).
- Kitchen and scullery Mizu Soothe Matt Black sink mixers
- AXA Hox Mini basin in Powder room (Aspire range) with Mizu Drift Matt Black bottle trap
- Mizu Drift straight wall shower and brass overhead in Matt Black for ensuite
- Posh Domaine Twin Rail Shower in Matt Black for bathroom

Jobs to be done after handover:
- Aggregate driveway and path
- Portico decking
- Window coverings (shutters and timber look blinds)
- Engineered Oak flooring to living area and activity
- Carpet floor to bedrooms and theatre
- Alfresco floor (still undecided)
- All exterior landscaping and brick front fence
- Fitout dressing room and kids robes
- Kitchen, Scullery and laundry splashbacks
- Additional electrical (pendant lights, TV antenna, etc)
- Rain water tank and filter
- Dishwasher

Interesting, thanks. Looking forward to the watching the build. Good luck.

Our build should start in the next few weeks. Just about ready to sign off the final plans and then they'll be getting onto scheduling.

We've got a fair amount of siteworks to be done, as they need to raise the levels and do a bit of retaining, etc.

I'll be sharing photos when they begin.

And our build has begun

Sand pad and site works completed 14 February:



Footings completed 16 February

Slab completed today (18 February) and soak wells delivered:

I hope you took more close up photos of the slab?
Worth noting....I can't see re-entrant bars on the garage/entry corner?
Thanks for sharing

Re-entrant bars are definitely in the entry corner and there appears to be a line across the garage corner at 45 degrees that I'd assume are the same though picture isn't clear.
Pictures are always good for your own reference.

I had a closer look at my other photos and I can see the bars in the photos I have during the footing stage.

I can't see any exposed barwork showing on the outside of the slab, I think overall it looks good. It will be interesting to see how many cracks form.

Window frames arrived - 25 February

February 26

Soak wells installed and drainage started

27 February - Drainage/plumbing completed and site cleaned up.




Site power installed

28 February - Bricks arrived and site shed arrived

5 March - Lintels and door frames delivered

5 March - Brickwork started!