Metricon Liberty 42 vs Carlisle Homes Granada Retreat 45

Hi,

So we have a family of 4 (wife, me 2 kids) as well as my folks and an aunty who stays over occasionally (say once every 2 weeks overnight for work). Having 2 bedrooms on the lower floor is a must but can't work out which is the better layout.

We initially looked at the CH Granada 41 SQ plan, however, looking at the Granada Retreat, this looks to be a better deal? We're also interested in the Metricon Liberty 42 but unsure of pricing. So far, these are our thoughts:

Metricon Liberty:

Pluses:

- Bigger bedrooms overall.

- Looks somewhat more spacious from the entrance than the CH design.

- Not sure if possible but I could segregate the Bedroom 5 from the bottom powder / bathroom and also the toilet and bathroom so people can access both at the same time.

Minuses:

- It's one room less on the ground floor, we'd need to put doors on the sitting room and make it a "bedroom" for my folks by buying additional storage say from Ikea.

- All toilets upstairs and downstairs will be windowless. I recall on the older Liberty 40 design they were able to design it so all upstairs toilets were with windows.

Carlisle Homes Granada Retreat:


Pluses:

- Love the bedroom at the rear gives us a lot more privacy and the balcony!

- I prefer the activity room at the front of the house so everyone can enjoy the balcony.

- Huge Family Room.

Negatives:

- I would need to convert the lounge to a 2nd master bedroom and the Rumpus also to a Guest Bedroom. Im concerned this gives it somewhat a claustrophobic feel as this would make the entrance somewhat more narrow. The Liberty has the opposite effect.

- The Powder Room with shower will be windowless. Im not sure if CH will allow me to extend it right to the wall into the WIP wall and give it a window.

- With the ensuite on the lower floor for the 2nd master room even with a window on the shower, this provides very little light and pretty much would be "windowless".

- Overall smaller bedrooms than Metricon even given the size difference (+3 squares on the CH one). I've noticed CH tends to have smaller bedrooms than Mcon overall?

- Upper level has a windowless toilet. I lived in one and find any windowless room really annoying with the fan sounding like a helicopter. I prefer all rooms to have windows.

Overall my heart does seem to favour the Granada Retreat design.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Go with Metricon. Read the following and then Ask Carlisle for the a copy of their contract and specifications.


Under the laws of Australia, the home owner is 100% responsible for the house being built in a compliant manner. Not the builder. Not the Surveyor. You the Home owner. No matter what happens on site, if there is a defect, the home owner is responsible under the Australian Legislation. The home owner contracted the builder. The home owner contracts the surveyor.

Sometimes builders don’t like being told that they are wrong and that they need to fix something. With the increase in Private Inspectors, builders seek ways to keep them off site.

Builders will use all manner of behind the scene processes to cut cost of place special conditions in a contract to try and restrict the home owners’ rights. Before you fall in love with the design, ask for a standard copy of the contract and a standard copy of the specifications. Don’t accept a brochure. You want what you are going to sign. If they don’t give it to you, then alarm bells should be ringing. Watch out for smooth talkers. They are great and diverting you away from what you want.

One of the biggest issues is builders placing terms into the contract to stop you from using who you want as a private inspector. The law states that you can use anybody as per the Building Acts. The builder cannot in most cases restrict you. The Private inspector works for you. Not the Builder. Hence the builder has no control over them.

Another is to put specifications out that are not equal to the Australian Standards. Once you commit to the design and go through the colour selections and all of the other processes, you are emotionally and time committed. At this point, generally 3 to 6 months into the process, the builder presents the contract and specifications that have all of these hidden clauses.

Pressure is applied at that time to sign on the day or you will lose such and such a bonus. Do not sign anything that has not been checked by a lawyer of your choosing.

The second a builder starts talking about special conditions or you have a large amount of specifications that have building diagrams and clauses, seek the services of a professional construction lawyer immediately. If you sign the documents, you may have given away your rights to have the home built in a manner that is compliant with the Australian Standards. Remember it is your obligation to have the home built to the requirements of the National Construction Code. Not the builders or the Surveyors.

As an example, some builders will seek to restrict your rights to use a private inspector. Others will insert what they call Performance Solutions. Or they may call them special building processes.

This warning is given to all as a way of assisting you. Deal with a quality builder that has the runs on the board. Stay away from those that seek to hide behind clauses and conditions. Research the internet and see who is doing what in the contracts. Listen to them as they have had the heart break. Remember, just because it looks good does not make a house complaint. If it comes with conditions that are outside of the normal, then you are more than likely being suckered in.

Consider the liquidated damages clause in Metricons contract. If it’s less than $250 per day (estimate of your cost of rent and interest) this will allow Metricon to delay your building works if you ask them to fix their defective workmanship before PCI. If Metricons liquidated damages amount is $30 per working day this means for any delays beyond the promised build time they will pay you about $120 per week. Your costs, however, will be more like $1,500 per week. Metricon uses this clause to put financial pressure on customers to accept defects. Many customers have experienced delays and significant extra costs, or have just had to accept defective works.

Lol this thread is kind of funny.

1 poster got bad experience with cArlise and another with metricon.

My advise to the original poster.
Go with metricon if u intend to do chnages.

Carlisle won't do much changes at all apart from their std options available.


But cArlise should be cheaper than metricon.

Dear All,

Have a good read of the contract and specifications. Metricon build to the Standards and don't impose restrictions. Others do something completely different. However Once you sign up or commit, don't go crying about what you did.

The old saying is Forewarned is forearmed. Then you make the choice.

Norfie, mate, have you simply got a single-track mind? We've all got your message. There's some building company or other that you're not 100% on. OK, OK, OK, enough!

Hi, Have you progressed in your construction? I am also struggling to choose between Granada Retreat 45 vs Metricon Hamshire 45. Any feedback and experience on Granada Retreat 45?. Thanks

Metricon every time.

Read the contract before you sign with Carlisle.

After the nightmare build we had with Metricon I would not recommend them .Better builders out there

Tim,

Sorry to hear that you had such a rough time with them. If we can help, let me know. And I agree. There are better builders out there. However there are also a lot of ordinary ones in the mix.

PM me if I can assit.

Darren

I negotiated out of court settlement