Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 2Jun 10, 2015 10:00 pm The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 7Jun 11, 2015 10:53 am Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 10Jun 11, 2015 12:58 pm Building the Cordova One with McDonald Jones at Calderwood Valley, NSW: http://calderwoodvalley.blogspot.com.au/ Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 11Jun 11, 2015 1:32 pm Unfortunately in order to firm up site costs and engineering builders expect you to pay a deposit, so its catch22. So a rough sketch and prelim cost is what you get for free attached are PSs which are firmed up later on. Please dont get suckered in by what's free, and a vague promise to fix things up in the office later on, Salesman are only messengers and later you will be told they are not the experts. My2c Find an expert and firm up all costs up front and know exactly what you are getting beforehand. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 12Jun 11, 2015 1:37 pm Stuart05 Allowances for the slab type and the amount of piering can blow out. If possible try get them to do the soil tests before you sign the contract... Also is the driveway included, what about landscaping (look into what the developers requirements are if applicable)? Both of these can add up if they aren't already included. No driveway or paths but we are happy to do that part anyway. Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 13Jun 11, 2015 3:29 pm Skye91 StructuralBIMGuy Saint Mike Also - at the first meeting he might be vague as he does not know you or really - what you want. People have wide ranging needs and demands. They start off low and just grow ... Maybe the salesperson doesnt know his job.... and he expects you to trust him! BTW,Vague doesent help you when you get stuck with extra hidden costs after you have handed over a depost and the banks refuse to give you extra funding. This is exactly our concern! As our budget will be tight we wan to be fully aware what we are up for before we start signing contracts I wasn't at the meeting - but I've been to many where people ask vague questions and expect a definite answer - which is impossible. My point being that he may have wanted to hear more from you before being specific. Often the first meeting is where ideas are tossed about - without a defining meaning - and which can't get definite answers. I'd suggest any decent "salesman" could provide definite answers to definite questions. Many would be hesitant to provide a "set" answer to "what-ifs" and hypotheticals - as there may be 100 answers. There are loads of lists you can peruse to see what might happen. None of these my happen. Generally the contract should cover them. There will always b those it does not (ie those that can be set down in back and white). If it is really your first meeting he may be trying to get a feel for you - what you want - and if you are genuine. He will not commit to precise detail at such a meeting - who would ? Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 14Jun 11, 2015 3:29 pm Skye91 StructuralBIMGuy Saint Mike Also - at the first meeting he might be vague as he does not know you or really - what you want. People have wide ranging needs and demands. They start off low and just grow ... Maybe the salesperson doesnt know his job.... and he expects you to trust him! BTW,Vague doesent help you when you get stuck with extra hidden costs after you have handed over a depost and the banks refuse to give you extra funding. This is exactly our concern! As our budget will be tight we wan to be fully aware what we are up for before we start signing contracts I wasn't at the meeting - but I've been to many where people ask vague questions and expect a definite answer - which is impossible. My point being that he may have wanted to hear more from you before being specific. Often the first meeting is where ideas are tossed about - without a defining meaning - and which can't get definite answers. I'd suggest any decent "salesman" could provide definite answers to definite questions. Many would be hesitant to provide a "set" answer to "what-ifs" and hypotheticals - as there may be 100 answers. There are loads of lists you can peruse to see what might happen. None of these my happen. Generally the contract should cover them. There will always b those it does not (ie those that can be set down in back and white). If it is really your first meeting he may be trying to get a feel for you - what you want - and if you are genuine. He will not commit to precise detail at such a meeting - who would ? Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 15Jun 11, 2015 3:30 pm Skye91 StructuralBIMGuy Saint Mike Also - at the first meeting he might be vague as he does not know you or really - what you want. People have wide ranging needs and demands. They start off low and just grow ... Maybe the salesperson doesnt know his job.... and he expects you to trust him! BTW,Vague doesent help you when you get stuck with extra hidden costs after you have handed over a depost and the banks refuse to give you extra funding. This is exactly our concern! As our budget will be tight we wan to be fully aware what we are up for before we start signing contracts I wasn't at the meeting - but I've been to many where people ask vague questions and expect a definite answer - which is impossible. My point being that he may have wanted to hear more from you before being specific. Often the first meeting is where ideas are tossed about - without a defining meaning - and which can't get definite answers. I'd suggest any decent "salesman" could provide definite answers to definite questions. Many would be hesitant to provide a "set" answer to "what-ifs" and hypotheticals - as there may be 100 answers. There are loads of lists you can peruse to see what might happen. None of these my happen. Generally the contract should cover them. There will always b those it does not (ie those that can be set down in back and white). If it is really your first meeting he may be trying to get a feel for you - what you want - and if you are genuine. He will not commit to precise detail (eg the cost of a driveway on land he hasn't seen) at such a meeting - who would ? He can however give you a ballpark figure. Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 16Jun 11, 2015 3:32 pm Not sure what happened then - it kept saying the post wasn't accepted. Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 17Jun 11, 2015 5:46 pm Saint Mike Not sure what happened then - it kept saying the post wasn't accepted. Just Edit the post, and click on the option to delete the unwanted ones... simples ! Owner Building at Jimboomba Woods in Logan City Qld. Blog : http://bandlnewhomebuild.blogspot.com H1 thread : viewtopic.php?f=38&t=68283 . Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 18Jun 11, 2015 5:51 pm I had a number of things I just expected came with the house..that don't. They were: - Eaves (the roof things) - Sarking (roof insulation) - Light globes (yup..) - Zoned heating (got ducted heating, didn't know you had to request an upgrade to zone it/have control) - Split system air con - Flooring - Driveway - Fencing - Window dressings - Bulkhead to kitchen over heads...and kitchen over head cupboards - Light fittings above and beyond the standard batten (ugly!) - Tiled shower bases - Awning windows - Double glazing - Colorbond rather than painted gutters - Site costs Pretty much, if you didn't ask for it.. you won't get it and don't assume anything is included. Sometimes I think rather than ask what's not included it might be better to start a thread about things people added/upgraded, because every builder has different things they'll add in and everyone has different wants. Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 19Jun 11, 2015 6:46 pm bpratt Saint Mike Not sure what happened then - it kept saying the post wasn't accepted. Just Edit the post, and click on the option to delete the unwanted ones... simples ! where does it say delete ... Re: Hidden costs in House & land packages 20Jun 12, 2015 9:00 am Saint Mike bpratt Saint Mike Not sure what happened then - it kept saying the post wasn't accepted. Just Edit the post, and click on the option to delete the unwanted ones... simples ! where does it say delete ... Aha, good point.... it is there for a period of time after you make the post, then it appears to no longer be available. Something that only the forum admins can change to give it a longer timeframe to allow multi posts to be deleted. In the mean time you need to report your extra posts so an admin can delete it. Edit: Just went to edit the post as I originally suggested and the option to delete this post is there Delete post: [ Once deleted the post cannot be recovered ] There's also a delete post button visible when you first see your post appear in the forum too. Edit2: looks like at least 10 minutes, if not longer, the delete option is there... plenty of time for people to delete their own multi-posts. I understand why the admins don't allow people to delete their own posts after a period of time, as I've seen it on other forums, a person has a dummy spit and deletes all their own posts throwing a forum in to a bit of a disarray. Whilst a person can still go in and edit their posts removing the content manually, the posts show when it was done, and by whom. Owner Building at Jimboomba Woods in Logan City Qld. Blog : http://bandlnewhomebuild.blogspot.com H1 thread : viewtopic.php?f=38&t=68283 . 13 6787 I'm based in Adelaide and I'm considering purchasing a house and land package from Weeks Homes. I found a deal that looks good, but there's a complication: the land isn't… 0 501 Hi, I have a block that I am planning on building on soon to both side boundaries, which both have other houses constructed that were also built boundary to… 0 469 |