Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 19, 2015 7:09 pm I've posted a few times in the Porter Davis threads and decided it was time to start our own to tell the story of our build. We're in the very early days now - all too often you'll hear us wishing we could just fast forward a year - but hopefully the patience (or lack thereof!) will be worth it in the end Whilst there are a lot of PD prestige or lifestyle home threads here, I think ours may be the first for "Access" level. Just to introduce us & our build, my husband and I will have been married one year this Saturday. For the past almost-three we've been living in what we've taken to calling our "vertical shoebox" - basically a one bedroom apartment on two levels, kitchen & *tiny* living area downstairs, bathroom & bedroom upstairs. This was a renovators delight that hadn't seen any love since the 80s - Chris basically bought it as a shell & ripped everything out. It's done us well for the past while but there's no denying we've outgrown it now. Initially we were planning on buying around the Seaford area but became disillusioned with what was available in our price bracket. After the experience doing up our current place neither of us was in the mood for a reno anytime soon and the stress etc it would cause. When we realised that for a similar price we could move a little further out to the Cranbourne area and build we decided to go for it. As a newly married couple we're keen for a pup and hopefully a kiddo or two in the coming years, so as I put in this title, this has very much become our 10 year (+!) plan: we're going with a four bedroom two bath two living area plan which will give our family plenty of room to expand and still have a guest room for friends and for my Kiwi parents when they visit. Finding a builder was surprisingly straightforward - we'd heard good things about Porter Davis and they had the floorplan we liked best and we were impressed with the inclusions. We've chosen to build a Livingstone - 23 sq, one storey - I have a chronic illness and I cannot wait to no longer have to deal with the pain of negotiating our stairs. We loved the flow of the bedrooms in particular, with an obvious guest room and the two kid bedrooms (yes, we're looking long term!) close to the bathroom. We've chosen to build with the standard alfresco: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The next stage was to find a place to build. We'd already narrowed our search to Cranbourne based on it's proximity to hubby's parents & my brother, and to our favourite Mornington beaches. We took a drive out there with a shortlist and straight away those at the top fell down the list as we were unimpressed with the closeness of adjacent houses, the way the estates all fronted straight onto the road and their generic feel. "Mayfield" wasn't actually on our originally list but we wanted to view the Livingstone display home, and as soon as we got there we knew it was the right place. We love that the estate starts with natural woodland and that the houses are hidden from the road. There seems to be more space and it has more soul. And it helped that with the display home being there, we really could picture our lives there. Within a couple of weeks we had a deposit down on our land, a 448 sq block with our preferred orientation, the last block PD had available in the release (second group from the bottom) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Our first appointment with our salesperson lasted for two hours and we were impressed with his thoroughness and openness (and his patience, considering we had a list of about 50 questions, intent on not having the wool pulled over our eyes!) He took us through the display pointing out what was and wasn't standard and we walked away with a quote which we weren't expecting so quickly. On 16 February we met with him again for a three hour marathon on site from 7-10pm on a Monday night (phew!) to nail down the finer points. With Access we don't get tender appointment so it was stressed that any structural changes needed to be communicated before we are put in touch with the BC. Currently we are still waiting to be connected to our BC and to tee up our colours appointment. We've already made four or five visits to World of Style and are now eagerly awaiting selections which will help us narrow down pricing further. We *love* the Scandinavian style in the display home for colours and fittings and plan to largely be guided by that. House link: http://www.porterdavis.com.au/homes/access/livingstone Our chosen facade (without the pretties of colourbond roofing & wooden garage door): This gives a good sense of it methinks Land is expected to title in May/June and we're in for a July site start, although I am prepared for and resigned to holdups along the way. Already I've found the community in here has given some wonderful advice and I'm looking forward to recording our progress as it happens Hopefully if there are others looking at the lower-end PD homes, we can connect & offer some mutual support. Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover 10 year plan - Porter Davis Livingstone in SE Melbourne 2Mar 20, 2015 8:13 pm Our current thinking for external and flooring colour selections (we opted not to go for the black aluminium joinery of the display home) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 3Mar 20, 2015 11:00 pm I'm very excited to follow your journey! The Livingstone certainly is a very nice design. Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 4Mar 21, 2015 4:17 pm My neighbour is building the Livingstone in Sydney - by Eden Brae up this way - & it certainly is lovely. They are nearly finished, & it looks awesome, so I hope yours makes you happy when it's done Sent using Tapatalk Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 5Mar 21, 2015 8:59 pm I'm also excited to watch your journey We're also building with PD just around the corner in the Pasadena estate. Good luck with it all Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 7Mar 22, 2015 8:44 am Thanks for your interest We're in limbo at the moment waiting to hear from the BC and to get to our selections appointment, we're more than ready and we really want to get pricing sorted (especially for electrical which is freaking hubby out). Hoping that will happen this week. Yesterday we celebrated our first wedding anniversary and we're really excited about what's to come by the time we get to our second Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 9Mar 23, 2015 6:45 am Very nice! Congrats and can't wait to follow your updates. Great start, thanks for deciding to share your journey. My Waldorf 48 Blog: http://gisbornewillows.blogspot.com.au/ Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 10Mar 23, 2015 12:26 pm Finally heard from our BC! Colours appt at WoS booked in for 20 April & contract signing for 18 May. Actually good timing as we're having a "last hurrah" holiday in Thailand from the 4th-13th April so good to slot it in soon after we get back. What a relief! Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 11Apr 21, 2015 12:45 am So we survived our World of Style appointment, exhausted but happy we got 95% of things covered (forgot a couple of electrical things we will email them to add). Long day, and that's just for our 23 sq single storey - and having done a lot of groundwork first. I can't imagine how the people who first set foot in the showroom for their appointment cope! Electrical came to $6000... painful but not as hideous as I was dreading. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Colours - can't believe this roof tile is the same as the third line here Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Stain for the front door Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We chose one from their website - still waiting for a quote (left panel will be solid glass, timber surround only) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ As a complete novice to electrical, I love how straightforward the process was. Breaking it down room by room helped. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Contract appointment next, on 18 May. Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 12Apr 29, 2015 7:08 pm Just because I like to torture myself, I went on a furniture scouting expedition today. A big, roomy & comfy couch is No.1 on our list of priorities... but now I want our our house built now so we can get the couch of our dreams Couch aside, even after we move in we'll have to make do with odds & ends of existing furniture so we can save up for the good stuff, given we're sinking all our money into the house. Dining room table - RetroJan Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Chairs - but in dark grey - RetroJan Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ More from RetroJan Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The Couch - Freedom Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We're putting in pendants either side of our bed in place of lamps - one potential option. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 14Apr 29, 2015 8:26 pm congrats thewoodies!!! you have got a great plan and beautiful choices.. I would to follow your thread... Good luck with your build. Even I am building in cranbourne in Alarah estate. mine s getting titled in may as well and site start in july... Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 15Jan 28, 2016 11:10 am At long long last.... we're only days away from a slab! Six and a half month delay on title, and all of a sudden we've got action, so exciting! (& actually a bit emotional!) Site start was officially 18 Jan, so barring any issues our 20 weeks is up on 4 June. We moved in with our in-laws last week and are preparing to sell our unit (will move back in briefly after the auction). Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 16Jan 28, 2016 11:32 am Congrats thewoodies Exciting times ahead!! Re: Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 17Jan 30, 2016 9:51 am Slab poured this morning, very impressed they're working on a Saturday. (Originally planned for yesterday but weather was atrocious) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Building Porter Davis "Livingstone" in SE Melbourne 19Feb 03, 2016 7:30 pm So this isn't about the new house as such but our current place goes on the market next week and I just received the photos. Nice to see our hard work pay off. I've put a couple of the originals (from when my husband bought it in 2011) at the end! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Building a Porter Davis Livingstone 23 in Mayfield, Cranbourne East | Our thread 18/05/15 - Contract Signed 24/12/15 - Land Settlement 30/1/16 - Slab poured 9/06/16 - Handover Three options 1 Ask the liquidator 2 Find another PD customer and ask the source of their report 3 Pay for new report 3 14043 custom probably not. Volume, most defiantly, but spec would vary. If youre doing a knock down, there additional costs associated with that that will eat into your budget… 1 10614 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 5152 |