Hilbert,WA: Ardent by Dreamstart Homes [Awaiting Titles]

You don't say if you have a block. Orientation is a key factor in the livability of a house. if you are still looking for a block there is some advice here (http://www.anewhouse.com.au/?s=orientation)

If you have already got a block what diretion on your plans is North?

I like your floorplan a lot. Very spacious. I wish our block is that big. I should point it out that DS doesn't allow you to swap to laminate floor. I am not sure if this depends on the sale guy or not. Ours say no because it is easier to replace a tile if someone accidentally damages it during the work than to replace the laminate. In the case of laminate, they will have to take the whole area apart and start over. The only way to do it is to take the tiles/carpet out of the package, which the credit is usually not very good. We stick with the tile/carpet in the end. Ha...we are the only people who make the fridge recess smaller to make the kitchen more usable. 1m fridge is certainly nice! Tip: try to keep your benchtop less than equal 3m. That's the standard length for the essastone. If you go over, the joint will cost a lot. Looking at $500--$800 per joint. Wall on point 13: it depends on your TV entertainment system. Without that wall, it does create more space visually when one enters the house. But it might make the living room area a bit too small with everything cramps to the left. BTW, how much extra if you move the wall of living and dining aligns with the bed1? Then, you can in principle get rid of wall at 13.

Good to hear some comments from you guys! Hope you've had a great long weekend. A LOT has changed over the past month and it’s all been pretty positive. So long story short my initial build was going to be in Sienna Wood, Hilbert. I signed on a 313m2 block March last year but titles have been delayed (twice already at est title June-July 15) and looking to be delayed AGAIN as civil works was still pending as at last Monday.

Around the end of last year I got into negotiations with Stockland to upgrade to a 375sqm block – that was approved late Jan but a price was not yet determined. I found out last Monday that the price was finalised.. Only to be greeted by an e-mail 5 minutes after by the DS sales rep that I have been talking to that a block at The Avenue in Hilbert (2 mins down the road) has become available. The best part;
1) Land is prepped and ready to go with all provisions, street lights, roads and pegs visible
2) Is 437m2 (12.5m * 35m) and north facing
3) A private estate with planned parks and live stream surrounding the house (within sight or 2 mins walk)
4) Titles expected in the next month or so
5) And last but not least.. Significantly CHEAPER as it was a stage 1 block!

So after 4 visits to the site and some research into the development, I bit the bullet and signed for it, cancelling the Sienna Wood one. I have just signed the PPA over the weekend with a list of upgrades and modifications.

Original DS Ardent:
http://imageshack.com/a/img913/9595/IHhfYv.jpg

My sort of final (before elevation upgrade):
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Upgrades list:

Variations
1 Extend Bed 4
2 Add weatherproof door to back of garage - solid core painted door with lockable handle
3 Double Slider robes with mirror to secondary bedrooms (2,3&4)
4 Double shower to ensuite
5 Double basin to ensuite
6 Ensuite Sinks upgrade to flickmixer + above mount basins
7 Additional ext. light outlets for LED 240V Lighting (total 4)
8 Bathroom extension tiling work (removal of IT nook)
9 NBN Intelligent Homes 3 point wiring package (might not do it with builder and add conduits instead)
10 Upgrade entry door Corinthian "Urban" Range 920mm
11 HiLite window to theatre
12 Add door to Laundry entry
13 Upgrade tiled area to 450mmx450mm
14 Upgrade elevation
15 30c throughout (incl. 28c alfresco & garage)
16 Enclose IT Nook as linen with single door
17 Flickmixer with top mount sink to bathroom
18 Deeper sink to kitchen
19 Upgrade toilets (2 nos) to china sistern & "closed wall s-trap"
20 Enclose theatre with wall & Double doors (hinged)
21 1/2 Hobs to showers in Ensuite and Bathroom
22 Semi-frameless shower screens to ensuite and bathroom (2 nos)
23 Gyprock to Alfresco and porch
24 Chrome plated waste drains
25 Fridge space extended to 1.1m
26 Soft close drawers& Cabinets throughout
27 3 x conduits for TV/Internet
28 Tiling to kitchen splashback to range hood height
29 Enlarge window in bathroom
30 Hot water unit system location to bed 2
31 Sliding door to alfresco (2-panel door with 1.2m opening)

So that’s where I am at now. I am hoping to keep a build log like the rest of you as I find the participants in this H1 forum to be a wealth of knowledge.

@Sofia14: Well the rep was ok with laminate floor for a slight price upgrade. I opted for 450mm*450mm tiles instead but have a clause that allows me to swap to laminate if I decide to (doubt it). Hehe with the fridge recess I actually made it 1.1m just to ensure it could fit practically any fridge and will probably add a tap at prestart. As for the kitchen bench, it’s 2.9m so hopefully no dramas. I didn't adjust any sizes to the stones. As for the wall on point 13, it’s grown on me and I visited the Seabreeze in Alkimos this morning to see the house (as close to the Ardent as possible) and felt for a narrow lot, it feels pretty spacious. As for aligning the wall, I asked but it’s apparently not possible as there is a 1.5m setback requirement.

@Beazley77: I agree with you on the wall 13, I like the split between entry and living however there is a small gap that you can see through, but can’t close the gap without shrinking the walkway, so I’ll position something when I move there in the line of sight to draw away from this (you can’t really notice it unless you are LOOKING for it). I agree about bed 2 as well! I have taken out some linen space in lieu of flushed wall doubled mirror sliders in there. The reason I didn't swap the toilet is I like the idea of having a bit of light into the toilet as well as the functional space lost placing the linen there (I will also need to then give up the window and brick it up). Regarding the HWU, my thoughts as well! I have asked for it to be moved between home theatre and bed 2 wall. I have also asked for the sliders to be swapped to a 1.2m opening slider for the same reasons. Space outside dining is 1m to boundary so can’t do it. I do however have 2 courses followed by window to 28c(I think) and I will be making my own pelmets after handover to create a ceiling high window illusion.

Thanks for the feedback, it gives me comfort knowing I am looking at the right things and covering as many bases before signing the dotted lines.

Oh....the only back to wall toilet suite that we are allowed to have is caroma opal. It is $1200 each. No thanks. Caroma toilet is horrible. They dont source anything from reece since we did mention one we like. So we will basically rip the new toilet out after the handover, what a waste of effort. If you dont upgrade to alter tapware, expect to pay out the rebate builder gets and in addition to the price of the tap. The door is at least $600. Some uogrades are reasonable, some are over the top. Semiframeless is $360 each. We are also going to replace all the locks after handover. No idea if we can find any locksmith who will buy back brand new locks and knobs. Soft close something like $250 for the kitchen only.

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It's worth doing NBN with the DS builder as its not just conduits in your walls. They will trench a conduit from the NBN pit in the road to your house aswell and fit the NBN boxes. I could t be bothered shagging around with that after handover personally. I just wants to be able to call an ISP set up an NBN account and have them come pull the cable through and connect me up!

I like your plan changes and wise move doing them now. I would have moved the toilet personally. I just think when they are tucked away off a laundry they're like a back door toilet. If they don't have s window you can just get a flumed exhaust fan to the roof cover.

If your space outside the dining is only 1m does that mean those windows don't have an opening? Usually in the rcodes, windows in a habitable room such as dining area must open...? Are you sure it's 1m there? Because if that's the case, and your master bedroom is on the boundary that means your eaves are 1m wide? Usually they're about 459-500mm. To me it looks more like you master wall is one m off boundary hence no opening windows, and your dining would be 1.5? I could be wrong but it might be worth checking. Are all your window head heights going to be 28c in the 30c rooms?

Quick reply. Yes. That's what I wrote on Perth aussie blog. My workmate who is building told me that. If u r going with them, they will pull the cable from the road to the house for free. I am not sure if they r still doing that. Need to check their web.