Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 2Oct 19, 2015 5:55 pm Hi TrillHome We have just completed a KDR in the northern suburbs of Melbourne with Silkwood Dream Homes. They took a total of 224 days to build our new home, (they state 310 days in their HIA contract) we had to organise our own demolition and underground pit had to be installed prior to site scrape. They worked well with us as we wanted to install our own appliances and floor coverings after handover. The cuts outs for our own appliances were accurate and Silkwood agreed to lightly tack the skirting boards in the areas where we were having bamboo flooring, if you decided to install carpet in the bedrooms after handover make sure you get Silkwood to fix the skirting boards at handover as our carpet installer wanted them painted and fitted prior to carpet being installed. We were lucky that we have been renting the house next door to our new house, so it made it easier for us to keep on eye on what trades were coming and when? Also it assisted the SS if he needed to clarify something with me and meetings on site were super easy as we were next door or we had a 15 min drive if we needed to go into their main office in Bundoora. For us Silkwood worked well, we had a building inspector, from the pre-pour, frame, pre-plaster and at PCI stages and they were transparent with prices on the variations that we added to their standard contract price. I guess everyone's building experience will depend on the individual's financial situation, and their level of expectations. Personally for us as frst time builders it wasn't too stressful but when things did slip or something was missed we emailed their main office straight away and got a response or call in a timely matter. All I can say is take your time in checking your house plans throughly prior to signing your contract. The only thing silkwood don't do is driveways, or install handrails, toilet roll holders or door stoppers (except for 2 door stops for main entry doors to house). So not a turn key package. Are you building a single or double storey? Is it a KDR or in a new estate? Happy to answer any other questions you may have? Good luck! Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 3Oct 28, 2015 7:58 pm Thanks for the feedback MezMaz71. We are looking to build with Silkwood after swapping from a large volume builder. We're doing a KDR in melbourne's north west. KDR Under the Flight Path - Dennis Family Homes (Hawkesdale) Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 4Oct 29, 2015 10:49 am rondy Thanks for the feedback MezMaz71. We are looking to build with Silkwood after swapping from a large volume builder. We're doing a KDR in melbourne's north west. Your welcome Rondy, keep me posted with how things go with Silkwood. Also are you planning on getting your own building inspector? I did, I had BE from home one site. I would highly recommend your own inspector, someone to Support you if your unsure of certain procedures? Keeps the stress levels down. Also I would be visiting my site as often as you can and take heaps of pics and any communications with headoffice via email, if not super urgent and giving them a follow up or courtesy call works well. Just remember to stay calm, it does get sorted, but you can inform them politely that you are keeping an eye on progress. I kept a diary and wrote down significant events. Good luck! Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 5Oct 29, 2015 4:39 pm Thanks. Agree that a private inspector is definitely a must for those of us inexperienced with building. We've engaged an inspector, although I can't remember the name at the moment. We are renting in the next suburb, so not far away from the block, so will pop by often. I'll post updates on my thread 'KDR - Under the flight path'. I'd love to hear how things are going for you post build. KDR Under the Flight Path - Dennis Family Homes (Hawkesdale) Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 6Nov 10, 2015 10:53 am Hi Rondy, Hope you are travelling well with your building journey? It's being 2 months for us now, since handover with Silkwood Dream and so far so good, we are now living in our beautiful new house, (still can't believe we finally did it) we still have another month before we hand in our maintenance report back to Silkwood. We moved in on Melb Cup day. Currently finishing off some concreting and then onto building a new deck for our Alfresco area and a brick Fence to frame our house off at the front. Will let you know how we go once our 3 month report is complete. Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 7Nov 10, 2015 6:06 pm Hi MezMaz71. Thanks for the update. We've got our colour selection on Saturday. Hopefully things will begin moving along from there. I doubt anything will be completed pre Christmas though. KDR Under the Flight Path - Dennis Family Homes (Hawkesdale) Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 8Jan 19, 2016 7:34 pm Hi MezMaz71. We received a letter in the mail today. Silkwood Dream has gone into liquidation. There goes the 5% deposit paid at contract signing! Hope all is ok with your house. KDR Under the Flight Path - Dennis Family Homes (Hawkesdale) Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 9Jan 19, 2016 8:45 pm OMG! I'm totally shocked! I sent an email early December to silkwood's office manger to seek an extension of an extra month before handing in our 90 day maintenance report, which she said was fine to do so in January, as we had only moved in on Melbourne cup day. Did you get a copy the of the building insurance when you signed your contract. Surely you can get the 5% deposit refunded. Silkwood's building insurance was with QBE (when we signed with them). You should contact them and ask in re: 5% deposit? The certificate should state a policy no. It states on my certificate a name of intermediary being: Mckenzie Ross & co pty ltd located at Lvl 4 La Trobe street, Melbourne. I will need to contact silkwood myself to see where we stand with our 90 day maintenance. Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 10Jan 19, 2016 9:17 pm I thought it was strange as I'd emailed admin & had no reply. We didn't get a copy of the insurance certificate. She said she'd send us a copy. I hope that you don't have too many maintenance issues. I'm just so glad we hadn't started building... KDR Under the Flight Path - Dennis Family Homes (Hawkesdale) Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 12Jan 20, 2016 4:45 pm Hi Rondy, glad I could help in some small way by providing insurance info. I've tried ringing silkwood offices, today, several times and keep getting engaged signal on the phone. My hubby will be in the area tomorrow and he'll drop in to their office in Bundoora & try and find out where we stand with our maintenance report? Re: Silkwood Dream Homes or Zuccala 13Jan 20, 2016 5:41 pm MezMaz71 Hi Rondy, glad I could help in some small way by providing insurance info. I've tried ringing silkwood offices, today, several times and keep getting engaged signal on the phone. My hubby will be in the area tomorrow and he'll drop in to their office in Bundoora & try and find out where we stand with our maintenance report? I'd say they've either got the phones of the hook or they've been disconnected. It will be interesting to see if the offices are open. Hopefully your maintenance issues can be covered by insurance. I hope there are not too many people out there with half built Silkwood Dream houses... I keep thanking my lucky stars that we hadn't actually started to build yet. That would be much more stressful! 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