Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 5Nov 07, 2015 8:53 pm Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 7Nov 08, 2015 6:19 am Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 8Nov 12, 2015 9:50 pm Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 10Nov 13, 2015 7:30 am Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 11Nov 13, 2015 7:58 am Halcyon Hitting our first hurdle! Our contract signing is meant to take place next week, but we've been trying to make sure our floor plan is sorted beforehand. A month before gallery we decided to change to the butlers pantry but keep it in line with the extended garage (as opposed to the extra cupboards we originally opted for in the standard pantry, which worked out the same price anyway), and we're told that's no problem they'll change it over. When we get to the gallery appointment the floorplan hasn't been changed, we could still work around it though, so after chasing it up and a few unreturned emails, turns out we'd still have to cut into our kitchen by 30cm shortening our pot drawers on one side, making it lopsided, which would drive me nuts, but to fix it by moving it further out would be an extra 3k because it "wasn't standard." We've gone back to them today proposing to ditch the butlers pantry upgrade and extend the original pantry with the butlers pantry layout (bench on one side, open shelving on the other) so will have to wait and see if that's suitable. But I think really were most annoyed that when the issue first arose we weren't contacted to work it out, but it's good, I suppose, to learn sooner rather than later that it's not safe to assume these things will work themselves out! Compared to some of the issues I've heard other people experiencing with their builds and planning I'm sure I shouldn't be complaining, but it definitely helps to vent. But I'm sure there will be plenty more positives to post about along the way! viewtopic.php?t=80646 Things get lost in translation sometimes, it's frustrating. We had a question about the locks on some of the doors but they somehow thought we were asking for the back garage door to be turned into a sliding glass door or something? I don't even know, but unsurprisingly they came back with "no we can't do that" and we just decided to drop the issue because it was too much hassle to explain what we really meant. We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 12Nov 13, 2015 8:14 am I was given 27 weeks from the day they break ground. The usual is 26 weeks but I had in my contract that I wanted the slab left for minimum of 7 days before it was built on. That added a week to the build period because I wanted my slab cured, how ridiculous that it extra to have it built to NCC 2015 code in the first place. The NCC 2015 stated the slab should be cured but no builders seem to comply with that. Minimum curing period should be 7 days. I had in my contract that I wanted the option of increasing slab top thickness and steel reo used in slab and the MPa of the concrete as well after I was given the minimum slab engineering which comes after soil and site tests are in. I went with 100mm thick top, all the "recommended by engineer extra steel bars" and with 25MPa concrete versus the recommended minimum of 20 MPa concrete as my slab on a H2 site was my biggest concern. That added about an extra $5000 or so to the build. Don't quote me on that extra cost off the top of my head but something like that. I considered it money well spent. Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 13Nov 13, 2015 8:20 am Megera Things get lost in translation sometimes, it's frustrating. We had a question about the locks on some of the doors but they somehow thought we were asking for the back garage door to be turned into a sliding glass door or something? I don't even know, but unsurprisingly they came back with "no we can't do that" and we just decided to drop the issue because it was too much hassle to explain what we really meant. Hahaha! Shouldn't laugh because that has got to be frustrating, but how locks turn into sliding doors, must have been an off day! I think the communication is pretty bad, our CSC is 2 hours away from us so all our communication is through phone and email, then she has to relay that to the estimating department, so we're trying to make sure the CSC understands what we mean (we've been emailing diagrams and sketches haha) so she can get it right to the estimation guys. It's a bit of Chinese whispers sometimes!! Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 14Nov 13, 2015 8:25 am goody59 I was given 27 weeks from the day they break ground. The usual is 26 weeks but I had in my contract that I wanted the slab left for minimum of 7 days before it was built on. That added a week to the build period because I wanted my slab cured, how ridiculous that it extra to have it built to NCC 2015 code in the first place. The NCC 2015 stated the slab should be cured but no builders seem to comply with that. Minimum curing period should be 7 days. I had in my contract that I wanted the option of increasing slab top thickness and steel reo used in slab and the MPa of the concrete as well after I was given the minimum slab engineering which comes after soil and site tests are in. I went with 100mm thick top, all the "recommended by engineer extra steel bars" and with 25MPa concrete versus the recommended minimum of 20 MPa concrete as my slab on a H2 site was my biggest concern. That added about an extra $5000 or so to the build. Don't quote me on that extra cost off the top of my head but something like that. I considered it money well spent. Wow! We'll definitely be asking all the technical questions, we're expecting a H2 site, but they really need to get the slab right, that's the most important part! viewtopic.php?t=80646 Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 15Nov 13, 2015 8:27 am Another thing, don't assume your SS knows your house and what is required in the build. They don't. Visit often with plans and specs in hand. You will know what is in the contract he won't. He is SS for 11 other houses (That is the case here in Melbourne) He will know a lot of things but when doing 12 houses at once, things get confusing between one build and another. You the owner needs to look, compare to plans and specs and speak out if it appears not quite right. Ask questions via email to keep a record of questions and responses just for the record. Word of mouth is soon forgotten. Even when you try doing all this above you will find that things still go wrong. It has happened to me on a number of accounts. Visit site often and look and tick off the boxes in your head or on some list you make to check. My slab was still not quite right in one short dimension, my waste was in wrong location in the bathroom, a window was put in too high in Butler's pantry as we ordered a double hung window for a servery but it was put in wrong height and the prep work for the timber servery was not done so we scrapped the servery idea and now have a double hung window put in too high for its intended purpose that we paid an extra $1000 for nothing really. Sorry, they are giving us $160 back as a variation for their stuff up. In summary, visit often, look hard and don't assume they know what they are doing. Ask questions. It is a big investment. Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 16Nov 13, 2015 8:32 am That's definitely good to know, thanks Goody! Did you have an independent builder do any inspections along the way? viewtopic.php?t=80646 Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 17Nov 13, 2015 8:37 am viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64836
Being on a H2 site this topic needs to be read from page 1 to the very last post. Slab heave can be avoided if care is taken. That care needs to be taken by builder from the slab is poured and continued by you after handover. Make builder 100% sure that you will be on the look out for site drainage from the day slab is poured and that you take photos of everything from the first day site is cut. Take hundreds of photos of everything like site cut, slab preparation of steel and form work, pipe locations and pipe penetrations, slab rebates, frame, trusses, plumbing location, electrical location all before plastering. It is what is under the plaster that you need to record. Do not allow any water to pool against slab or stay onsite from day 1. Get temporary downpipes placed into storm water from the day the roof is on. Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 18Nov 13, 2015 8:40 am Halcyon That's definitely good to know, thanks Goody! Did you have an independent builder do any inspections along the way? viewtopic.php?t=80646 I did but unfortunately that didn't work out so well in the first instance. It was a prepour of slab inspection. I had a retired building inspector who is a friend of mine come with me after that for the other stages up until lock up. Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 19Nov 13, 2015 8:58 am Thanks Goody, you're a champion! You must have been a builder in a past life I'll have a read tonight, my partner will want to read it as well. His dad is an ex builder so we'll be taking him on inspections for sure, I haven't asked him about slabs yet but I'll be curious to see what he thinks. viewtopic.php?t=80646 Building Simonds Hudson viewtopic.php?f=31&t=80646 Re: Building Simonds Hudson in Warrnambool Vic 20Nov 13, 2015 9:19 am I was anal about my slab. To me that is more important than anything else, especially on a H2 site and using waffle pod slab which I was against in the beginning as I thought I was getting a stiffened beam conventional raft slab. I have posted this before: We hired Darbecca to do every stage inspection, and I strongly recommend them to anyone that asks me. They were amazing. Thorough reports… 2 4503 go upvc window frames ensure insulation under colorbond. not just sarking, lighter color roof also not sure if you have seen this viewtopic.php?t=5823 last couple of pages… 4 110566 |