Alkira Homes "The Sienna" KDR Ryde (NSW) - complete

This journey of mine

A quick snapshot of how I got to where I got to and ongoing

September 2013: Decision made to scout around the Ryde area and sell up
October 2013: Labour Day long weekend, purchased property in a location that was our ideal just “a little” old. But that’s cool we can handle it…
Mid-October 2013: Sold the house we were living in (with NBN just completed in the area!! Damn!)
Mid-November 2013: Moved to new property and the first 2 days we were there we knew KDR must happen quicker than we had planned
Rest of November 2013: Multiple visits to Homeworld Kellyville sitting in the Sienna and further planning about the whole process
Early December 2013: After numerous discussions we got advised that we should pay the $1k for the tender and that as it is getting close to Christmas we should pay it straight away and get the tender back before everyone goes on Christmas break.
December 2013 – January 2014: Zero activity, so I go out and get quotes for demolition turnaround time was within a week!! Damn some places are efficient!
Early Feb 2014: Still waiting for tender to be supplied
Late Feb 2014: New sales manager comes on board and things started to move quickly.
March 2014: Minor setback due to the shape of the land not being perfectly rectangular and more like a rhomboid it was going to be difficult to fit the house and comply. Where’s the house fairy to sprinkle some fairy dust?! …
Mid March 2014: Had a pre-DA meeting to make sure all would be okay before we proceeded any further. Council did not have an issue, while acknowledging that the odd shaped land plus how the house will settle it was fine (TICK! YEAH!)
March 20 2014: Got our very first copy of the tender! Yay! ..
March 24 2014: Version 2 of the tender (I won’t list anymore but we had A LOT of revisions for the tender, it wasn’t until we were half way through that I started to understand what this tender really means. So lesson learned is that getting everything in the tender and go through everything and then sit with them face to face if you want anything removed and hopefully only have to do it once)
Late March 2014: Part A payment made for the next phase which was external selections (see next post for colours)
April 2014: Email from Alkira, acknowledging payment
Mid April 2014: Booked meeting for external colour selections for early May 2014, introductory email from the girls in the Alkira construction office which was nice. (always kept me in the loop when things actually happened which was sloooow)
May 2014: plan changes and requirement changes further updates to the elevations to reflect requests made. (I thought all architectural drawings are simple. But clearly it is a hot market and if you make one small change you could be waiting a long time as you start at the back of the queue again. Then, it’s the draftsman who keeps making mistakes!
End of May 2014: Part B payment and to organise meeting for internal selections
Early June 2014: Booked in for internal selections (pain in the a** procedure but you have to do it) Kitchen / bathroom selections complete. Carpet selection complete
Mid June 2014: Landscape plans are done and reviewed, preparing for DA submission!
Early July 2014: Electricals complete, Tile selections complete. DA submitted to council and now the waiting game commences!! Tender document is updated to reflect some of the prior updates from selections
Late July 2014: Booked date of 15th September for demolition, booked storage facility
August 2014: Still waiting for council, some minor updates to the tender again
Late August 2014: Council approves!! But…. With conditions
September 2014: Pay all necessary fees to council so that I can get the Construction Certificate underway.
Mid September 2014: Moved everything out of the house and into storage. Demolition commences! I’m amazed at how efficient the demolition happened, literally all done in 6 days. Fencing goes up and the wait begins
October 2014: Still waiting for Construction Certificate and hoping it will start soon! Want the slab to go down and dried before the summer arrives.
Late October 2014: Still waiting for some Certifier to get it all sorted... at this rate Slab won't be done this year
November 2014: Well its Melbourne Cup day and have collected my contract for review.
Mid-November 2014: Contracts are signed yet still have delays on CC
Late-November 2014: Peg out ...
November 25th 2014: Surveyor signs put up and markings can be seen (lucky for me I'm on a corner block!)
November 26th 2014: the ground is being prepped, truck has put soil down (35 tonnes of it) for it to be mixed about and leveled due to a sloping block
November 28th 2014: next team arrives and as I require bore piers, about 63 holes drilled spoil put aside, concrete have been poured for the piers and boundary as I require drop-edge beams photos
December 2nd 2014: internal plumbing work photos
December 3rd 2014: zero action today but delivery of the reinforcing bars etc, just waiting on polystyrene pods to arrive
December 4th 2014: the plastic wrap is done, polystyrene has been laid down and reinforcing rods are in photos
December 5th 2014: slab is down (everyday this week it has rained in the afternoon but fortunately during the day it has been fine / overcast) photos
December 12th 2014: external plumbing, connection to main sewers
December 17th 2014: meter, meter box and trench for power cable complete
January 22nd 2015: frames have commenced for the ground floor photos
February 4th 2015: frames are complete
February 10th 2015: plumbing roughin photos
February 16th 2015: outdoor taps and final bathroom plumbing complete
February 17th 2015: window sealant to prevent scratches applied
February 19th 2015: bricks delivered to property
non activity due to fencing and boundary dispute with an unreasonable PITA neighbour
sometime between the mentioned dates plumbers have completed work by drilling holes to the Loxo (Hebel equivalent) flooring in bathrooms in preparation of the rest of the plumbing for upstairs
February 27th 2015: cement, sand etc delivered to property
March 3rd 2015: brickwork commences
March 4th 2015: granitgard (termite protection) applied around the perimeter of the house whilst brickwork continues photos
March 5th 2015: went to Austral for brick inspection photos
March 5th 2015: progress at the house photos
March 6th 2015: half of the bricks at one side of the house completed to head high and
March 9th 2015: rest of the bricks at the side of the house completed to head high half of the side of the living room facing the neighbour is complete
March 10th: rest of the side of the living room to half the kitchen complete to head high
March 11th: bricks done to head high up to meter box and front door photos
March 12th: lack of presence today but I didn't get there till late so can't say they weren't there
March 13th: ground floor level bricks complete! .. so that's 20 courses of bricks high. Obviously there are certain areas of the house where it is higher than that. photos
March 14th: window angled bricks laid, the three pillars of the house completed as well (up to 20 courses of bricks) photos
March 16th: boundary wall fence removed, about half has gone to the tip. West elevation wall is up photos
March 17th: East elevation brick work rumpus, kitchen and living room walls photos
March 18th: Scaffolding delivered, bricks on south wall and alfresco walls to ground floor ceiling height, temporary fencing delivered for boundary wall (no bricks delivered so progress slowed a little)
March 19th: bricks are delivered and the front wall around the garage is complete to first floor, rest of the scaffolding erected on the eastern wall
March 20th: work on the eastern side of the wall between rumpus and kitchen/living walls (essentially the study room section)
March 21st: weather wasn't great but bricks still happened. Master bedroom north facing wall is fully complete to top of roof. West Elevation half of the wall from first floor to ensuite and bathroom windows
March 23rd: west facing wall complete to main bathroom, work commenced to complete wall up to first floor for ground floor bathroom and laundry
March 24th: half day due to rain but brick work above the ground floor bathroom and laundry was being worked on. would have completed the west side of the house had it not rained and third lot of bricks not delivered photos
March 25th: quiet day
March 26th: brickwork for the final bit of the west elevation done ... wall for bed 4 done. In preparation for brickwork in the south elevation for the void
March 27th: south elevation wall complete, commencement of the east elevation wall near the void
March 28th: void east elevation brickwork done. bedroom 3 done, only bedroom 2 for upstairs and rumpus room plus all piers to complete!photos
March 30th: rain day! .. some work was done they were quick to finish the rest of the eastern side wall. Some of the front bed 2 wall. all the windows upstairs bar 1 has the angled bricks. Aim is to finish by Wednesday but looking like Thursday
March 31st: zero activity due to rain.
April 7th: brick work all done!photos
April 13th: main roof gutters/fascia complete (half day work effort) zero activity for the rest of the week
April 20th: OMG the rain is heavy, roof tiles have not been delivered, weather improved later in the week but zero activity
April 27th: sunny weather, site cleaned up, all the broken bricks removed and whatever rubbish remained
April 28th: main roof almost completed just the ridging to finish up
April 29th: half day work effort, the ridging for the main roof completed, technically I now have a roof! yay
May 1st: eaves for the main roof complete, cladding for the retreat room prepared, face bricks looked cleaned on the 1st floor and window protection for the upstairs windows removed
May 5th: eaves have been painted and the expansion joints have, in most sections been sealed with silicon(or whatever it is called)
May 7th: scaffolding comes down, and the rest of the roof trusses go up photos
May 11th: gutters and fascia for the ground floor roof was delivered over the weekend
May 12th: gutters and fascia installed
May 13th: scaffolding taken down and arranged for removal
May 14th: rest of the roof completed photo
May 15th: air con ducting and control panel wiring, as well as plumbing rough in. additional ducting for air con in the void and confirmed with Alkira of variation to add in the fireplace
May 18th: downstairs eaves complete
May 19th: carpentry for the fireplace frame complete, dwarf wall reduced to 1300mm complete
May 20th: electrical rough in photos
May 21st: face bricks cleaned, I now have a clean exterior to truly see what it all looks like. Some plumbing work in the laundry saw the pipe cut down to slab level. There was some activity inside with plumbing but no idea what it is.
May 22nd: wall insulation commences, water proofing for the wet areas commences
May 23rd: insulation work complete
May 25th: plasterboard/gyprock work commences
May 26th: walls and ceilings are all done .. cornices and skirting must be at a later stage ...
May 29th: colorbond fence work commences, cornices all up
May 30th: walls looks like it has been sanded
June 1st: colorbond fence work complete
June 2nd: slab extended for the air conditioning unit photos
June 4th: downpipes installed ..
June 6th: painters for the void ceiling and laundry ceiling
June 9th: painters are back to paint some more of the void, carpenter is in to do all the architraves doors are delivered and scaffold for the void came down photos
June 10th: 2 doors have been installed architraves are all cut in their correct lengths, electricians have come back and have cut out all the required holes for switches, gpos, and downlights
June 11th, 12th, 15th: quiet time no activity
June 16th: fireplace installed
June 17th: stacker doors height adjustment, architraves and internal doors, cabinetry for kitchen, bathrooms and laundry photos
June 18th: cabinetry complete for kitchen, bathrooms and laundry photos
June 19th: quiet time
June 22nd: quiet time
June 23rd-25th: architraves and doors
June 30th: some minor electrical work and carpentry
July 1st: some minor plastering work
July 2nd: stone benchtops for kitchens and bathrooms are in, kitchen sink and vanities are in, gas meter installed
July 3rd: tiling for wet areas commences, laundry tiling complete, bath tub installed framing with aerated concrete blocks complete
July 4th: porch tiled, alfresco concrete half screed
July 6th - 7th: tiling continues in the wet areas
July 8th: initial base coat painting, tiling continues
July 9th: tiling continues, rangehood and toilets delivered
July 10th - 11th: tiling of walls in wet areas and floor or alfresco
July 13th: grouting of alfresco and other areas, riser tile for alfresco and porch/door way
July 14th - 15th: grouting and riser tiles
July 16th: tapware and some plumbing for vanities and sinks as well as rangehood
July 17th: base coat painting of the architraves and doors
July 21st: gloss coat for architraves and doors as well as plastering and patching
July 23rd: plastering and patching continues
July 27th - 29th: built-in wardrobe doors in, mirrors and shower screens in, shelving for built-ins and linen cupboards in, kitchen splashback installed
July 30th - Aug 8th: ground floor tiling
August 6th: rainwater tanks delivered
August 8th: paid council layback and make right of old driveway
August 10th: Piping for rainwater tanks installed
August 13th: gutters and downpipes fixed
August 15th: interior painting, waiting for the skirting around ground floor tiling and architraves for the stacker doors to complete interior painting. external painting of the retreat section yet to complete
August 18th: skirting and architraves, bathroom fixtures delivered and electrical prep and painting
August 19th: bathroom fixtures to be fitted, Electrical fit-out photos
August 20th: Aircon installed
August 21st: Alarm installed
August 24th: Loxo floor patched
August 25th: House clean in prep for carpets and appliances
August 26th: Appliances delivered and installed
August 27th: Instant Hot Water System installed, site rubbish all cleared and looks so different!
August 29th: The concrete step for the laundry is done.
August 31st: Walk-through, mostly cosmetic stuff. Painting touch ups are still continuing, cladding has been painted
September 2nd/3rd: Council kerb / layback work
September 3rd: plastering fixes
September 9th: Carpet install commences
September 11th: Painters booked for final fix up
September 14th: Keys! Telstra phone line and Internet Cable
September 22nd - 25th: Modular wall goes up
October 6th - 9th: Driveway, Alfresco steps and footpath work
October 27th: Landscaping work commences
November 6th (2015): Landscaping completed
November 16th (2016): Slidetrack blinds installed for Alfresco
February 15th (2017): Odyssey ventilation system installed

Selections

Unbeknownst to us we somehow ended up with a “theme” for the house. Some names for the colours revolved around beverages. Ie (Latte, Cappucino, whites, browns)

We’ve kept it relatively simple sticking with most colours that are already at the display home. Our thinking was if it didn’t look good a feature wall or wallpapered feature will fix it. We can always paint it a colour we want later and we wanted to avoid variations and to keep it simple.

We took their “Indulgence Package” plus the take your pick from a choice of 3 options free (pick the air conditioning).

External
• Façade: The Malbec with the Corvina windows
• Bricks – Austral Bricks [Urban One Range – Latte]
• Roof tiles – Monier Traditional Profile [Barramundi]
• Window frames – [Surfmist]
• Gutter – [Basalt]
• Fascia – [Basalt]
• Downpipes – [Surfmist]
• Garage Door – [Surfmist]
• Front Door – Hume Savoy XS26 [Maple]

Internal
All walls – Taubmans [Windy Peak]

Carpets – [Light brown]

Upstairs floor – Hebel equivalent brand LOXO floor panels

Kitchen
• Benches – Caesarstone [Osprey]
• Base cabinets – [Classic White Sheen]
• Wall cabinets – [Latte Lini Sheen]
• Splashback – [Natural White]
• Kickboard – [Brushed Pewter]
• Floor tiles - Xilo 145 x 1200 porcelain tiles[creamy white refer to display home floor]

Bathrooms, Ensuite, Laundry
• Benches – Caesarstone [Osprey]
• Cabinets – [Cappucino Sheen]
• Wall tiles – Brilliant White Rectangle
• Floor tiles – Eclipse Nocciola (in a light creamy brown colour)

Alfresco & porch tiles – [600 x300 grey granite]

Master Bedroom
• Door to retreat – Hume Savoy XS26

Stairs
• Tread - Maple
• Risers and everything else - Crisp White

I'll add more if someone asks and it isn't listed ...

What do you believe can be done post build?

I loved the Sienna too, although hubby didn't. It was far too big for our block and needs though, and much as I loved the light from the void, I was also a little concerned about noise. So no Sienna for us! Interesting to see your timeline. It took us ages to get the first tender too. But you moved to part B far more quickly than we did!

An upstairs living area is great, especially as the children grow up. We also looked at The Sienna but in the end opted to use a custom builder due to the narrow nature of our block. We also liked ideas from other builders, which we also incorporated into our plans. Things like a mud room, and better access to the laundry from the garage, were on our list.

I'm currently attempting to finalise our electric plan. Where do you intent to terminate your network cabling? The electrician by default planned for termination in the garage however I have a number of servers which should be in a cooler and dust free environment.

Out of interest, what's the cost quoted for the installation of a data point?

Who and how are you planning the installation of your lights? It's obvious our prescribed electrician isn't a designer and I'm noting the exact distance from walls downlight should be installed.