Sahara Q1 - happy ever after

mirz · Sep 11, 2015 7:20 pm

awesome, another Sahara Q1 woohoooo, congrats unamunam

we went with following stages for independent inspections:

1. pre slab pour
2. framing
3. NHP (final)

mirz · Sep 11, 2015 7:21 pm

also don't forget to join our Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1624595 ... 7/?fref=nf

mee14 · Sep 14, 2015 1:36 pm

Mirz congrats your house is looking great... It took me 2 hours to update myself from the last page I was reading before... anyway, I would love to see more photos of your landscape... any updates from the look of your backyard... when is the open house inspection of your gorgeous house? would love to see it in person when we come to visit our place...

mirz · Sep 15, 2015 3:34 pm

Feel free to let me know over the weekend if you would be around the area.

nestaxu · Sep 16, 2015 11:55 pm

Hi... wonder what cooling system most people use in Melbourne? Does the evap cooling really work well in hot weather?

mirz · Sep 17, 2015 10:34 am

nestaxu

Hi... wonder what cooling system most people use in Melbourne? Does the evap cooling really work well in hot weather?

IMO, it depends on few different things:

1. single story vs double story.
for evaporative, you need to open few windows to make it work, and it worked well in our previous single story houses. but i'm not convinced it will work in same way in a double story house with no ducts downstairs.

2. double story with cooling ducts downstairs.
Henley does not provide evaporative cooling ducts downstairs, it was my main reason not to go with evaporative cooling with them.

3. humid days
evaporative cooling fails on humid days, but we don't have many humid days here in Melbourne. we opted to go to shopping center on those humid days in past, lol.

4. upgraded heating system/installation cost
if you have spent $2.5K to upgrade heating units with zoning and controllers, then cost for evaporative vs refrigerated isn't too far from each other.

5. running cost
new evaporative units are cheaper to run compare to refrigerated but if you have a descent solar setup on your roof then more sun/heat means more self sufficiency to run your refrigerated system.

verdict, i'm in favor of refrigerated system now but that based on double story house with henley (no downstairs evaporative cooling), no extra ducts /zones required, solar setup on roof. but it might not be the case for others.

nestaxu · Sep 17, 2015 12:35 pm

mirz

nestaxu

Hi... wonder what cooling system most people use in Melbourne? Does the evap cooling really work well in hot weather?

IMO, it depends on few different things:

1. single story vs double story.
for evaporative, you need to open few windows to make it work, and it worked well in our previous single story houses. but i'm not convinced it will work in same way in a double story house with no ducts downstairs.

2. double story with cooling ducts downstairs.
Henley does not provide evaporative cooling ducts downstairs, it was my main reason not to go with evaporative cooling with them.

3. humid days
evaporative cooling fails on humid days, but we don't have many humid days here in Melbourne. we opted to go to shopping center on those humid days in past, lol.

4. upgraded heating system/installation cost
if you have spent $2.5K to upgrade heating units with zoning and controllers, then cost for evaporative vs refrigerated isn't too far from each other.

5. running cost
new evaporative units are cheaper to run compare to refrigerated but if you have a descent solar setup on your roof then more sun/heat means more self sufficiency to run your refrigerated system.

verdict, i'm in favor of refrigerated system now but that based on double story house with henley (no downstairs evaporative cooling), no extra ducts /zones required, solar setup on roof. but it might not be the case for others.

Thanks Mirz. What do you think of split systems? Yes we have the upgraded heating units with zoning and controllers, but refrigerated system still seems to be quite expensive (can't remember how much but in my impression at least 3 times the cost of having evap cooling? I could be wrong)

darrenedwards · Sep 17, 2015 12:38 pm

nestaxu

mirz

nestaxu

Hi... wonder what cooling system most people use in Melbourne? Does the evap cooling really work well in hot weather?

IMO, it depends on few different things:

1. single story vs double story.
for evaporative, you need to open few windows to make it work, and it worked well in our previous single story houses. but i'm not convinced it will work in same way in a double story house with no ducts downstairs.

2. double story with cooling ducts downstairs.
Henley does not provide evaporative cooling ducts downstairs, it was my main reason not to go with evaporative cooling with them.

3. humid days
evaporative cooling fails on humid days, but we don't have many humid days here in Melbourne. we opted to go to shopping center on those humid days in past, lol.

4. upgraded heating system/installation cost
if you have spent $2.5K to upgrade heating units with zoning and controllers, then cost for evaporative vs refrigerated isn't too far from each other.

5. running cost
new evaporative units are cheaper to run compare to refrigerated but if you have a descent solar setup on your roof then more sun/heat means more self sufficiency to run your refrigerated system.

verdict, i'm in favor of refrigerated system now but that based on double story house with henley (no downstairs evaporative cooling), no extra ducts /zones required, solar setup on roof. but it might not be the case for others.

Thanks Mirz. What do you think of split systems? Yes we have the upgraded heating units with zoning and controllers, but refrigerated system still seems to be quite expensive (can't remember how much but in my impression at least 3 times the cost of having evap cooling? I could be wrong)

Hi Nestaxu,
Which model did you upgrade to star rating? Also how much was it for zoning and how many zones did you get?
We got told to talk to dandy air about this as Henley doesn't know.
Thanks

mirz · Sep 17, 2015 12:45 pm

Refrigerated add on will cost us around $8k where evaporative will cost around $5.2k

Evaporative won't have ducts downstairs.

Multiple Split system is another good option. But please plan ahead and get external GPOs done by builder on exact locations.
Otherwise you will end up conducts running over your bricks all around the house. Henley quoted us around $400 for each GPO. We decided to skip. $1600 for 4 GPO was too much.

My only issue with split systems is their installation cost. They are charging between 800-1000 for each unit. If I'll go with 4 splits, it will cost close to $4500 (units) plus $3500 (installation).

PEARZ · Sep 17, 2015 12:52 pm

mirz

Refrigerated add on will cost us around $8k where evaporative will cost around $5.2k

Evaporative won't have ducts downstairs.

Multiple Split system is another good option. But please plan ahead and get external GPOs done by builder on exact locations.
Otherwise you will end up conducts running over your bricks all around the house. Henley quoted us around $400 for each GPO. We decided to skip. $1600 for 4 GPO was too much.

My only issue with split systems is their installation cost. They are charging between 800-1000 for each unit. If I'll go with 4 splits, it will cost close to $4500 (units) plus $3500 (installation).

Would you install split system upstairs? I ask as my upstairs is not bricked but foam cladding!

mirz · Sep 17, 2015 12:56 pm

I won't touch those boards with anything.

I have seen sparky installing brackets to hang outside unit for a 4kw system and nope. They can destroy your boards very easily. They will say Oops, and fill with silicon (answer to every problem in world) lol

PEARZ · Sep 17, 2015 1:00 pm

mirz

I won't touch those boards with anything.

I have seen sparky installing brackets to hang outside unit for a 4kw system and nope. They can destroy your boards very easily. They will say Oops, and fill with silicon (answer to every problem in world) lol

hmmm that's what i was afraid of... but evaporative and refrigerated is so expensive considering the amount of hot and unbearable days in the year (probably only about 1 weeks worth to me!!) so unsure whether or not it's really worth the added $$

mee14 · Sep 17, 2015 1:08 pm

Hi mirz, did you ask for an electrical appointment with henley? Is it really necessary to have one?

darrenedwards · Sep 17, 2015 1:11 pm

mirz

Refrigerated add on will cost us around $8k where evaporative will cost around $5.2k

Evaporative won't have ducts downstairs.

Multiple Split system is another good option. But please plan ahead and get external GPOs done by builder on exact locations.
Otherwise you will end up conducts running over your bricks all around the house. Henley quoted us around $400 for each GPO. We decided to skip. $1600 for 4 GPO was too much.

My only issue with split systems is their installation cost. They are charging between 800-1000 for each unit. If I'll go with 4 splits, it will cost close to $4500 (units) plus $3500 (installation).

Hi Mirz,
Is really only 8k for refrigerated? I thought we were quoted like 17k.

Drew01 · Sep 17, 2015 1:19 pm

We have splits in our current house, with a single outside compressor, and 4 internal heads. The compressor can be installed at ground level in a 2 story home, and it entire install, including a new 15 amp circuit was around $8000 through camberwell electric

darrenedwards · Sep 17, 2015 1:21 pm

mee14

Hi mirz, did you ask for an electrical appointment with henley? Is it really necessary to have one?

Hi mee14,
We have arranged an electrical appointment because I want to do network cabling in the house and they said it is best to have an electrical appointment for that. But they can only be done at contract or tender.

mirz · Sep 17, 2015 1:46 pm

mee14

Hi mirz, did you ask for an electrical appointment with henley? Is it really necessary to have one?

They didn't tell us about this appointment but would highly recommend to go for it.

mirz · Sep 17, 2015 1:48 pm

PEARZ

mirz

I won't touch those boards with anything.

I have seen sparky installing brackets to hang outside unit for a 4kw system and nope. They can destroy your boards very easily. They will say Oops, and fill with silicon (answer to every problem in world) lol

hmmm that's what i was afraid of... but evaporative and refrigerated is so expensive considering the amount of hot and unbearable days in the year (probably only about 1 weeks worth to me!!) so unsure whether or not it's really worth the added $$

That's why it's on low priority for us. Will go through this summer without cooling and save money

Neth04 · Sep 17, 2015 6:45 pm

Hi Mirz we went for our tender appointment today, were scared stiff as it is a KDR, we didn't know what will be the site costs. It was not so bad as we expected, Noel was our tender presenter and he was so good and positive and helpful! We were fortunate because our land was 500mm slant only and so no cut and fill, he said.
site costs approx. $35,000
Slab - 2800
piers etc. -8688
Drainage - the major hiccup - 6000 - it says "due to insufficient gradient from further point of stormwater
drainage to assumed legal point of discharge, an alternative discharge may be required. Cost to be
confirmed on receipt of Hydraulic enginner design", which will be after demolish
Provisionals - total-8000
Rock removal proviso-2000
Traffic mgmt - appro. 5000
Generator - 970
We didn't have many upgrades any way, except the bricks and kitchen upgrades, so had to give up my bosch wall ovens and went with standard Technika wall oven.
We repositioned the house to the middle instead having the garage to the boundary wall, so there also saved some $$$ around 1500

mirz · Sep 17, 2015 10:46 pm

That's great, sounds like it went according to your plans.

Noel knows his stuff really well.