After reading through quite a few threads I think it's time to dip my toes in the water here. We're right at the beginning of the process; we have purchased land in south east Melbourne but it isn't due to title until November (and hopefully doesn't run late).
After looking at the Merricks, we went with the Winchester 28 as the master is larger and we didn't see the need for three loungerooms. The smaller footprint also means we will have a decent backyard on our 420sqm block. We're going with the basic Aspire facade to keep costs down and splurging instead on a few upgrades.
We've added on the outdoor room at the back and increased the shower in the ensuite, and added the window splashback to the kitchen (which was strangely cheaper than adding a glass splashback).
We've done a tour of Studio M already so just waiting for it all to progress to the next stage now.
Timeline:
25/2/17: first appointment with Metricon (paid holding deposit)
3/3/17: second appointment with Metricon
19/3/17: signed land contract, paid deposit
6/6/17: got married!
7/6/17: sale officially accepted
29/7/17: Studio M selections
2/8/17: Electrical appointment
6/9/17: cancelled contract appointment (docs not ready)
3/10/17: contract appointment
22/11/17: loan application submitted
9/1/18: SOC issued
15/1/18: land titled
29/1/18: settlement
14/2/18: revised plans submitted to Estate review panel
16/2/18: developer approval received
14/3/18: final colours signed off
29/3/18: final electricals signed off
4/4/18: final plans due
6/4/18: final plans signed off
12/4/18: build permit approved
13/4/18: handed over to construction (with one variation pending)
3/5/18: final date to commence as per contract but have gone back to engineering to add in stud walls
10/5/18: Notice to comply from council
16/5/18: site cut completed
23/5/18: slab poured
19/6/18: framing complete
24/6/18: fascias and gutters done, plumbing roughed in
25/6/18: roofing done, windows in
14/7/18: bricking mostly complete
20/7/18: plaster complete
27/7/18: cabinetry complete
30/7/18: lock up complete
31/7/18: fixing complete
28/8/18: tiling complete
2/9/18: electrical and plumbing fitoff complete
14/9/18: PCI
24/10/18: Occupancy certificate received
9/11/18: HANDOVER!
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Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Metricon Winchester 28 3Apr 04, 2017 10:33 pm  HFBMPCFollowing as i have LOVED the winchester plan for many years. Is there a display in Vic? Have you done selections yet? There is a display of the 34 out in Tarneit. We actually selected the house before we saw the display and fortunately absolutely loved it. Haven't done selections yet but doing our homework on as many of the options as possible including having some of the brick samples sent to us. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Metricon Winchester 28 4Apr 06, 2017 10:16 am So our list of changes are: Increased ceiling height to lower floor Add outdoor room Increase ensuite shower, change to tiled base Window in lieu of splashback in kitchen Eaves to all upper level (front required for estate) Brick to garage instead of infil (required by estate and looks better anyway) Upgrade front door as per promotion pack to Hume Newington XN5 Storage space under the stairs (need somewhere to keep the wine) Promotional upgrade to caesarstone in kitchen, plus 900mm upright cooker and soft-closing pot drawers Driveaway pack Flooring pack Cooling pack (though may upgrade model) Just waiting to do the contract stuff and selection appointments now though we have a pretty good idea of what things we want. I'm pretty set on the Selkirk Ironstone brick after seeing it on one of the Glendale displays. Will upgrade to Colorbond (probably Monument colour). Taps will all be upgraded to the contemporary style (Mizu Sooth). Happy with the included timber laminate but will need to investigate carpet options. Re: Metricon Winchester 28 5Apr 27, 2017 11:16 am congrats blackcat! Following your thread, looks like an awesome plan! I'm also building a double storey, but in Regional Vic. We should be pretty on par in terms of timing of builds  Re: Metricon Winchester 28 6Apr 27, 2017 11:19 am  elieassi1992congrats blackcat! Following your thread, looks like an awesome plan! I'm also building a double storey, but in Regional Vic. We should be pretty on par in terms of timing of builds The quicker the better given we're living with my mum for the duration...  31 Mar 2010 499 Gold Member Re: Metricon Winchester 28 7Apr 29, 2017 9:02 am  blackcat20 HFBMPCFollowing as i have LOVED the winchester plan for many years. Is there a display in Vic? Have you done selections yet? There is a display of the 34 out in Tarneit. We actually selected the house before we saw the display and fortunately absolutely loved it. Haven't done selections yet but doing our homework on as many of the options as possible including having some of the brick samples sent to us. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ How did you go about getting brick samples? is it only Selkirk that do it? My build - viewtopic.php?t=87470 Re: Metricon Winchester 28 8Apr 29, 2017 6:42 pm  emmyawards blackcat20 HFBMPCFollowing as i have LOVED the winchester plan for many years. Is there a display in Vic? Have you done selections yet? There is a display of the 34 out in Tarneit. We actually selected the house before we saw the display and fortunately absolutely loved it. Haven't done selections yet but doing our homework on as many of the options as possible including having some of the brick samples sent to us. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ How did you go about getting brick samples? is it only Selkirk that do it? My build - viewtopic.php?t=87470 I just requested mine through the Selkirk website but I assume the other brick companies offer the same. Otherwise you might need to pop down to their display centres to see if you can get samples. I was pretty sure I wanted Selkirk Ironstone after seeing it on a display but the images from M looked a bit off, so the samples were a great way to confirm it really was the same brick and the one that I wanted. Save Re: Metricon Winchester 28 9May 01, 2017 3:13 pm Another hectic weekend moving out of our current house which was sold recently. Been hard packing up after living in the same house since I was a small child. We have moved in with my mum for the duration of the build, so hoping it all moves along quickly for the sake of my sanity. Doesnt help that we are also planning a wedding, so the last few months has been far more stressful that I would have liked. Our sales rep seems to be snowed under so still waiting for some variations to be sorted (pre-contract) then hopefully our selection appointments will be locked in. Re: Metricon Winchester 28 10May 11, 2017 9:40 am Re: Metricon Winchester 28 11Jun 01, 2017 9:14 pm Apparently there was quite a big boo boo made and M have been busy in the background working to fix it. When we approached them to build, they went through the Estate we liked and selected appropriate blocks of land. We picked one, exchanged contracts, and paid the contract. Turns out the 3D building envelope on the block doesnt allow for the house we're building (or planning to build) and no one picked it up. So M have been busy busting their butts to get the rules changed and get it all approved so we can go ahead with the chosen plan which I'm pretty impressed with. Re: Metricon Winchester 28 12Jun 21, 2017 11:28 am We finally have our selection appointments! Electrical is not until September which is crazy; colours next month. I'm hoping everything will be ready to start building when our land settles (expected November). Popped out to check on progress and its looking good. Our street exists now, though not yet in our stage. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ It's been a crazy few months what with moving house and getting married overseas two weeks ago. Now we can actually focus on this project. The upside of getting married is getting a few gift vouchers; we're going to need a lot of furniture as everything we had was second hand/hand-me-downs. Re: Metricon Winchester 28 13Jun 26, 2017 10:54 am Made the most of a good sale this weekend and picked up pendants for over the kitchen bench. I'd seen these in a non-M display home and the builder would not tell me where they got them. Happened to find them in a local store and just happened to get the last three, on sale. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ They also have a light we'd really like for over the dining table but that will have to wait till the budget allows. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Metricon Winchester 28 14Jun 27, 2017 4:55 pm Congrats on getting married!!! Where O/S did you get married? Love those lights, just gorgeous!! That's awesome M are busting their butts to fix the issue. Hopefully your land titles on schedule. Following along Re: Metricon Winchester 28 15Jun 27, 2017 5:29 pm Lost my post  Anyways... how did I not find your thread before now??? I love your floorplan and that facade... I'd go with those exact colours as the pics XD Congrats on getting married. Nice to see land is progressing, fingers crossed November is your settlement.  D *following*Re: Metricon Winchester 28 16Jun 27, 2017 9:01 pm  charlibearCongrats on getting married!!! Where O/S did you get married? Love those lights, just gorgeous!! That's awesome M are busting their butts to fix the issue. Hopefully your land titles on schedule. Following along Thanks! We got married in Hawaii; my husband is from the US and his family is everywhere so we figured a little spot in the middle was perfect. I've been impressed with M so far; I was a bit worried when I hadn't heard back from them but seems they were busy fixing things. We were introduced to our CSC today who is trying to get us in for an earlier electrical appointment so we can get everything done before land settlement. Re: Metricon Winchester 28 17Jun 27, 2017 9:04 pm  aloenyxLost my post Anyways... how did I not find your thread before now??? I love your floorplan and that facade... I'd go with those exact colours as the pics XD Congrats on getting married. Nice to see land is progressing, fingers crossed November is your settlement. D *following*Thank you We're going a bit darker than the picture; Ironstone bricks and hopefully a light grey up top, though I am eyeing off the weatherboard style cladding. Found a lounge suite I love yesterday and trying to work out if we can make it fit while not losing dining space....drawing it on the plan gives me a vague idea but I think it will be easier once I have a physical space to work with. Save:-D Re: Metricon Winchester 28 18Jun 30, 2017 12:42 pm M have managed to slot us in for an earlier electrical appointment (August) and have locked in our contract appointment for September. Any tips of what to look for/alter in the contract? Re: Metricon Winchester 28 20Jul 06, 2017 3:18 pm Okay so I hate to sound like a mega stalker, but... I think I may know you from another forum... I do believe we may have spent some time together in March getting drunk on free champagne in the First Class lounge in SYD and then on to CHC for more drinking? If so, yay to have stumbled upon your building thread I got someone off Gumtree to do our paving for the alfresco and frontage. Within a week, some of the pavers started moving/wobbling and more and more are cropping up now… 0 14280 With a split-level and an uphill block, I’d be thinking in terraces rather than trying to fight the slope. Low retaining walls to create a couple of flat zones works… 3 5077 To be honest, if you are on that page and still looking to build with them, there's nothing I cant say that's going to change your mind. Good luck. 3 10724 |
