Building w/ Ausbuild @ Thrive (~550k; during COVID)

monstro · Aug 10, 2020 7:28 pm

Hello! This is my first post in this forum.

First home build

I am sharing my journey and experience with the hopes of helping someone out there thinking of building amidst the pandemic.
If you could provide any advice that would be great! Also willing to share my experience so ask away if you have any questions.

Home design: Adina 24
Chosen facade: Freedom
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Home options: Enhance Master Suite; Enhance Kitchen, Walk-in Pantry and Laundry
Floorplan below:
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I also went through Loan Market (Ausbuild's in-house mortgage broker). I went through with OwnIt Conveyancing for my conveyancing needs.

Timeline thus far below:

Mortgage (guarantor backed)

Initial contact with broker: 15 June 2020
Guarantor property inspection & valuation: 22 June 2020 (inspection in the morning; valuation completed by EOD)
Loan documents and requirements (borrower and guarantors) complete and sent to broker: 3 July 2020
Loan application submitted: 10 July 2020
Bank conditional approval received: 13 July 2020 (conditional upon: continuously sending updated payslips; land and contract signed; and final valuation)
Finance date: 4 August 2020
Extended finance date: 18 August 2020

Land

Expression of interest signed & holding deposit paid: 20 June 2020
Contract of sale completed by both parties: 14 July 2020

Build

First home quote proposal received: 19 June 2020 (then a plethora of questions and requests of quotes followed)
Preliminary building documents received: 24 July 2020
Preliminary building documents signed: 27 July 2020 (building deposit paid)
Home quote finalised and signed: 6 August 2020
Contacted by contracts admin and was told to expect the build contract in 4 weeks (usually 3 but extended to 4 due to backlog caused by increased workload due to Home Builder Grant): 13 August 2020
Build contract signed!: 4 September 2020
Slab laid - 30 November 2020

Upgrades + rough cost:

Tiles appointment - $7,500
Electrical appointment - $3,500
Selections appointment - $10,000

details to follow!

-- CURRENT STEP --

Construction underway! The Christmas closure will pause progress but I was told that the site will be locked-up before AusBuild's closure period.

-- CURRENT FEELING --
Excited that I visit weekly to take progress photos of the build from afar.

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 10:23 am

Thanks Monstro for Sharing. I am in the process of sign my initial build contract - do you think the process is faster?

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 10:25 am

Hi Monstro I have same plan Adina 24 - can you please share some details regarding your additional upgrades or some changes and final cost?

monstro · Aug 13, 2020 11:52 am

njh81

Thanks Monstro for Sharing. I am in the process of sign my initial build contract - do you think the process is faster?

I do believe that the process is a bit slower than usual but it's understandable as a lot of interest has arisen from the Home Builder grants. Response and turn around times are still acceptable (to me at least)

njh81

Hi Monstro I have same plan Adina 24 - can you please share some details regarding your additional upgrades or some changes and final cost?

The major upgrades I've been quoted for are:

14.0kw Daikin ducted cooling: $12.8k
Upgrade to Freedom facade: $12k
Had a 1.2x1.2m skylight installed in the living: $3k
Squareset to the whole house: $4.5k (Will be reduced since I will be asking not to squareset the garage + bathrooms)
Home option - Enhanced ensuite: $1.6k
Home option - Reconfigured kitchen: $2.8k
Refined living complete home upgrade: $6k
Upgrade to a pivot door: $1.6l

My site costs is around ~$26k.

Overall I believe that the value is quite good in comparison to the other builders.

What upgrades are you considering?

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 12:12 pm

Hi Monstro Thanks for sharing.

I am planning to upgrade ceiling height 2.4 to 2.7, both bathrooms, kitchen, flooring with Hybrid Flooring, Grand Alfresco, Laundry. Also planning to do 1mtr exposed aggregated concrete both side of the house and front.

monstro · Aug 13, 2020 12:37 pm

njh81

Hi Monstro Thanks for sharing.

I am planning to upgrade ceiling height 2.4 to 2.7, both bathrooms, kitchen, flooring with Hybrid Flooring, Grand Alfresco, Laundry. Also planning to do 1mtr exposed aggregated concrete both side of the house and front.

I've forgotten about the ceiling height - I also did 2.7 for mine.

Have they given you a quote for the hybrid flooring?
That exposed aggregated concrete on the sides is a great idea! I might look into that too. How much were you quoted?

Which area are you building in?

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 12:39 pm

Hybrid cost would be - $12000 without all wet areas and side ways aggregated concrete -$6200 which is really good price I checked with tradies and cost would be same - $124 per sq/mtr

monstro · Aug 13, 2020 12:44 pm

njh81

Hybrid cost would be - $12000 without all wet areas and side ways aggregated concrete -$6200 which is really good price I checked with tradies and cost would be same - $124 per sq/mtr

That is a great price.

Did you get the refined flooring promotion? Is that ~$12k after applying the promo?

I was thinking of having 600x600 tiles (the cheaper $20 per square) done for the living areas.
How much was it to do the hybrid flooring on the wet areas? I was hoping to have the masters ensuite done with the hybrid flooring.

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 12:50 pm

Yes the refine flooring is also added so when I get the final quote based on my selection the cost might be less than this. I think it is better if you can keep tiling in the wet areas.

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 12:51 pm

have you completed your 3 appointments?

monstro · Aug 13, 2020 12:53 pm

njh81

Yes the refine flooring is also added so when I get the final quote based on my selection the cost might be less than this. I think it is better if you can keep tiling in the wet areas.

Noted. Thanks for the advice!

njh81

have you completed your 3 appointments?

No I haven't - still waiting for the build contract to come through. I've already signed the preliminary building documents (not contract though).
I'm guessing the appointments are done after the build contract is signed? How were yours scheduled?

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 12:56 pm

Also I just wanted to ask you about 25k grant do you think they will start construction before 31st December and deduct the first installment? the grant application process is bit tricky so not sure without the first build transaction are we eligible to apply for the 25K builders grant? if you have already applied can you please provide me some details?

monstro · Aug 13, 2020 1:01 pm

njh81

Also I just wanted to ask you about 25k grant do you think they will start construction before 31st December and deduct the first installment? the grant application process is bit tricky so not sure without the first build transaction are we eligible to apply for the 25K builders grant? if you have already applied can you please provide me some details?

I might be wrong so take my advice with a grain of salt.

I was told that the 31st December deadline was for build contract signing. The "work should start within three months" statement starts from the date of the build contract being signed. So for example if you sign 1 September 2020 then works should have commenced by 1 December 2020.

I've also been told that the grant now allows a 3 month extension as long as reason is provided why the commencement of works was delayed by more than 3 months.

I have a friend who is also building in the same estate and the concrete was laid 1 month after the build contract was signed.

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 1:08 pm

Thanks for the info - so do you recon we will not be miss out from the grant?

njh81 · Aug 13, 2020 2:53 pm

Also I forgot to ask you - have you done the home and land combine loan or two separate loan? as my sales consultant said this is not possible because build contract will take 4 weeks to sign as you already mentioned.
My lender is happy to wait but I need to wait for my build contract dated.

how much is your quote for tilling through the house including full tilling in both bathrooms and toilets?

monstro · Aug 13, 2020 4:53 pm

njh81

Thanks for the info - so do you recon we will not be miss out from the grant?

I hope not and it looks like we're okay.

I'll keep you updated though.

njh81

Also I forgot to ask you - have you done the home and land combine loan or two separate loan? as my sales consultant said this is not possible because build contract will take 4 weeks to sign as you already mentioned.
My lender is happy to wait but I need to wait for my build contract dated.

how much is your quote for tilling through the house including full tilling in both bathrooms and toilets?

I was going to split it (two separate loans) but there were complications with the bank. I will be swapping the land portion to fixed though as soon as the build is complete. I was told it was only a simple form to sign.
I haven't been quoted for tiling. I've yet to attend my selections appointment as I'm still waiting for the build contract. How long did it take for you to get your build contract after finalising the home quote?

njh81 · Aug 15, 2020 5:04 pm

Hi Monstro today I have been to the national tiles and they are only supplying tiles for inclusion but if you want other flooring options Ausbuild is using carpet call and hard to find actual cost as they are discussing this cost during the studio appointment. Please check with your sales consultant and let me know if you have different options available.

monstro · Aug 15, 2020 10:49 pm

njh81

Hi Monstro today I have been to the national tiles and they are only supplying tiles for inclusion but if you want other flooring options Ausbuild is using carpet call and hard to find actual cost as they are discussing this cost during the studio appointment. Please check with your sales consultant and let me know if you have different options available.

Thanks njh81. I'll let you know.

Do you know which tiles are part of the inclusion? Would be good to know which ones come with no extra cost. Hopefully some of 600x600s from National Tiles work out to be not too expensive.

njh81 · Aug 17, 2020 10:02 am

only 450x450 you will hardly prefer that unless if you don't want to spend extra money.

monstro · Aug 19, 2020 9:17 pm

njh81

only 450x450 you will hardly prefer that unless if you don't want to spend extra money.

how was your national tiles appointment? which flooring did you go with?

would be nice to hear about how you're going with your build.