Pacific 208 with GJ Gardner Bass Coast

summer5555 · Sep 13, 2019 6:27 pm

This has been in the works for many years, afraid to take the jump to build but it's now or never so ahead we go. We are still working on the plan as we are waiting on preliminary costs to determine which size we go. It's a little odd the plan we have chosen for our site but the original plan I wanted was out of our price range completely, but more on that later when we move forward.

So background: we are building on 5 acres in South Gippsland with an existing house on it which will have to go when we're done. We will need septic so the shire require a land capability assessment so that's $$$ upfront. We are in a BMO (bushfire management overlay) so have to get a bushfire planning report up front $2000. Our land is located in a farming zone, there was another report council want but can't recall at this stage what it was but that was another expense upfront. Gotta love the shire and the reports they demand.

We had the site work done ourselves, so we do have a cut and fill. It was done by a friend who has the most awesome reports from other people within the industry. Soil test and site contour have been done so that was $3000 upfront. I think that's all the upfront expenses at this stage.

Soil report:
Site Classification: Class P – Due to fill and trees
Soil Classification: Class M

Recommendation is for bored piers.

Now we wait for engineer report and bushfire planning report.

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Lukems · Oct 02, 2019 11:44 am

Keen to hear you how go. I'm in talks with them to start a build on 5 acres in Lara, Vic.

Keep us updated

summer5555 · Nov 22, 2019 3:14 pm

We had to go a smaller house unfortunately due to all the extra costs because of location and BMO assessment. Septic system, some minor upgrades for BAL but couldn't tell you how much that increased the cost, our current water tank has to become our dedicated fire tank so we're getting a 100,000L water tank. I'm a little disappointed with going smaller but it's bigger than what we have now so I'm just going to suck it up.

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Colour selection:

Bricks: Austral Melbourne 'Newport (upgrade)
Roof, guttering, fascia: Wallaby
Windows, garage door: Dune

Kitchen:
Lower cabinets: Pearl Grey
Upper cabinets: White Linen (looks pink on the laminex website but it's a warm white almost a light cream white colour)
Bench top: Pure mineralstone diamond gloss
Splashback: White subway tiles with light grey grout (small upgrade for tile)

Bathrooms/Ensuite/Laundry:
Cabinets: White Linen
Bench top: Pure mineralstone diamond glass
All wall tiles including bath hob: White subway tiles with white grout
Floor tiles: Very light grey with white veining can't remember the name

(I'm now thinking that the bathrooms have too much white going on so am rethinking the white cabinets)

Vinyl Flooring: Aqua-tuf vinyl 'Dune", everywhere except wet areas and bedrooms (can't remember carpet)

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Upgrades/Extras:
Extra windows in garage and bedroom 1
Floor waste to wet areas
Upgrade shower head to twin rail waterfall
Upgrade kitchen mix
Sliding doors to bedrooms and linen closet
Bathroom door to cavity sliding door
Removed door to WIR (We have never shut our door)
Upgrade door handles everywhere
Upgrade flyscreen doors
All venting to outside
Water purifier system
Lots more additional power points, lost count - some with USB
Pendants over island
An extra 5 outdoor light, 2 spotlights
An extra outdoor tap
Gas point to Alfresco
Ducted vacuuming

There are other things I would love to include, but am waiting for full costings so we know how much we will have.

Bonybon5902 · Nov 23, 2019 9:01 am

Hi summer5555, we are building on acreage too. We’re in QLD, on a sloping 3acres amongst state Forrest. We need sewage and water tanks. The bushfire report is a pain. That will add costs to your build too depending on your Bal rating. Ours is 19 so it added about 12k worth of upgrades. Your land looks beautiful though and I love your flooring ☺️

summer5555 · Nov 23, 2019 3:21 pm

Bonybon5902

Hi summer5555, we are building on acreage too. We’re in QLD, on a sloping 3acres amongst state Forrest. We need sewage and water tanks. The bushfire report is a pain. That will add costs to your build too depending on your Bal rating. Ours is 19 so it added about 12k worth of upgrades. Your land looks beautiful though and I love your flooring ☺️

I think from memory ours was downgraded to 12.5, however the bushfire assessment required some changes. I didn't realise how much more expensive it is to build when you're rural, definitely at a disadvantage.

We liked the flooring too, the house is fairly light hopefully not too clinical, hoping that the flooring will warm it up a bit. I'm pretty useless at all this colour selection stuff and am doubting a lot of stuff. Even the white linen which is a definite white on the sample but looking pink on the net has me worried, it matched the splashback tile perfectly (in my eyes) which I think is National Tiles Cafe Light Cream Gloss

summer5555 · Dec 10, 2019 11:15 pm

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Austral Newport

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Beaumont united white satin
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Beaumont Parkstone Grey (it does pick up the colours in the benchtop)

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Austral visualiser

Anyone have any other suggestions? I am considering changing the bathroom and ensuite to polar white cabinets, white gloss wall tiles in a larger subway pattern 200x400, leave the benchtop as pure mineral stone diamond gloss and leave floor tiles as is.

gillybean · Dec 11, 2019 7:33 am

Hi I never usually advise on colours selection as it’s too personal and that goes for advise from others, be wary you will only get their opinion, the decision either should be fully the owner or from an expert colour consultant who actually knows what works.

I do however advise on orientation in regards to passive solar design and actual floor plan. There’s no mention of how you’re siting your house. Hopefully North is to the left of the plan as we look at it here so you get the light and winter warmth into your alfresco, family, dining and kitchen areas.

Secondly wrt family/dining/kitchen that space looks too small for all those functions. Do you really need that tiny activity room? You already have a second living zone so I’d be eliminating the activity room and extending the family room into it. The alfresco would push further along to back of house.

Anyway good luck with everything, great looking location you have.

summer5555 · Dec 11, 2019 12:51 pm

Hi Gillybean, thanks for that.

Living areas are all to the north, alfresco will be extended to back of the house, window added to master bedroom on the north side. Another plan I really liked was slightly larger but the orientation was wrong no matter how I flipped it. I also had to take wind into account.

We had to downsize the one we wanted due to external costs so unfortunately the kitchen, dining, family room took the brunt of the hit. The media room will be our main living room, will have double doors so I can shut it off if I need to. We're currently in a 3 bedroom, badly designed,10sq home now, with 5 of us so I've thought long and hard about how it will work. My big thing was taking the computers out of the kids bedrooms hence the activity room should be comfortable enough for 2 side by side.

We have a huge shed 12mx14m which we use a lot particular when we entertain, husband has it kitted out with fireplace, TV, a heap of cooking appliances, fridge, only thing missing is a powder room which I'm trying to convince him we need.

gillybean · Dec 11, 2019 4:12 pm

You sound like you’re all over it, great to hear, especially with the North sun. Yes, after I wrote about the activity room it crossed my mind that if kids are involved it could be used as a study/computer room so that makes 100% sense to keep as is.

Wow 10 squares you won’t know yourself in the new home, and a big shed, very envious 😊

Again all the best!