We are building VANCOUVER 33 with PORTER DAVIS

suzane · Jul 22, 2017 11:18 am

hi guys
i am building vancouver 29,so far i don't have very good experience so far because my sales consultant was not that good and helpful. Now i am going for my tender appointment in 10 days time and i am very nervous because i am first home buyer,i have no idea.Can you please help me with colour selection and any changes i have to consider. if you guys can send me your selection pics that will great and helpful.
thanks...

Sgene85 · Jul 24, 2017 12:58 pm

Hey Suzane! Great to hear that you're building the Vancouver, its an awesome home!

I believe the process has changed since.. We had our selections first, then tender and contract signing..

Don't be nervous, try to visit WOS as much as you can before tender as this will help you in making your selections etc. I can't really assist with selections as it really depends on what style you're into.. We have gone for french industrial so there will be a lot of blacks, greys, red.

We havent started building yet but you can check our my instagram sgeneroso to get an idea on our plans

Good luck!

Sgene85 · Jul 24, 2017 1:19 pm

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

Hey all,

An update regarding our Vancouver 33 build, unfortunately not a positive one.

I spoke to our BC on Wednesday, all documents are basically ready..

However upon the surveyor reviewing the drawings, apparently our build is outside the building envelope.

This was due to a change PD made months ago to make the portico slightly bigger to obtain approval from the developer.

So basically we have 3 options.

Option 1 – to apply for a dispensation to the council hoping that this will be approved.

Option 2- Reduce entry by 720mm

Option 3 – change façades that will abide by the developer guidelines

We do not like Option 2 for a number of reasons i.e. the front entry door is too close to the master bedroom door.

At the moment, we are inclined to taking option 1 and at the same time work on plan b re changing façades while waiting for council’s decision.

Has anyone had any experience with regards to applying dispensation from the council? Apparently this takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks.

Hurrow · Jul 24, 2017 1:48 pm

Just double checking that picture isn't actually of your home right, pretty sure you're at about the same stage as us ie construction hasn't started? I don't know if it's an option or not but have you got room to move the house back by 720mm? Also it may not be all developers but I'm fairly sure that with our development the portico can extend outside the building envelope so long as it's no more than a certain distance, or are you already beyond that?

We're having to make our portico bigger as well so I'll have to check with PD that they're not making those errors with our house when they do it!

If you go for either option 2 or 3 you will probably need to get new plans/engineering done is my understanding, we are in the process of changing our facade and have had to get new engineering and plans done up which two weeks later we are still waiting to hear about. Either of these would also need new energy ratings to be done as well, and you'd have to hope that PD will pick up the cost for all of that given it sounds like it is their error.

Going for option 1 probably makes the most sense but I'd be doubtful that PD will be actively working on option 3 for you at the same time as it would require getting all the work done which would cost them money and time they could be using on other houses. Have you tried calling your council to find out what the process looks like and your likelihood of success?

Edit: Just looking at the guidelines for my development, porches and verandahs to a maximum height of 4m may encroach into the specified front street setback distances by no more than 1000mm. Just in case you and PD haven't checked this I'd be having a look at the guidelines for your place to potentially prevent having to worry about all of the above!

Sgene85 · Jul 24, 2017 3:15 pm

Hey Hurrow, the photo is from Vancouver display in Werribee. The red line represents the Main entry door and the yellow line represents the door when you opened on the proposed change (option 2).

Unfortunately movie the house back is not an option..

We definitely do not like option 2 so it will either be option 1 or 3. Yes, I agree with you, I dont think they will waste time on working on option 3 while working on option one, so we'll see how we go. Either option will require new engineering plans , energy rating etc, I will most definitely have something to say if they ask us to cover the cost.

Thanks for the tips

Hurrow · Jul 24, 2017 3:19 pm

I was pretty sure you weren't anywhere near having a finished house so the photo threw me a bit! Did you end up having a look at the new Vancouver in Armstrong Creek?

Good luck with it all, hopefully the council comes back fairly quickly and says that it's doable for you in which case it's presumably a fairly simple process although as per usual it pushed back the timeline a bit.

Sgene85 · Jul 24, 2017 3:26 pm

Haha, yea well if this thing didnt come up we would have been at construction at the end of this week.

Yea, we saw it last week, looks pretty good. We love what they did with the lounge area with the raised ceiling.

Thank you. Fingers crossed.. As much as its annoying its getting delayed, the weeks of potential delay will be nothing I guess as long as we're happy with the final product.

How's your build coming along? Are you guys close to site start?

Hurrow · Jul 24, 2017 3:32 pm

We have an issue where the developer doesn't like our facade so we have had to change it, PD are redoing the plans/engineering/energy etc at the moment. It was supposed to be done by middle/end of last week but I still haven't heard anything back from our BC despite emails, phone calls etc. Once that's done we need developer approval and then building surveyor approval, after that we are hopefully on our way to construction.

As you say the delays now are annoying but given we'll hopefully be in the house for 20 years or more so long as the finished product is what we want and it's roughly on time with how long we thought it would take then it's best not to get too wound up about these things.

inexp_user · Jul 24, 2017 6:14 pm

Hi guys, I have just created a Facebook group for people building or planning to build with Porter Davis. Feel free to join the community. I'm hoping it will be a place to ask questions, provide hints and tips based on experience. the link is:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/853390798159713/

lizbf85 · Aug 03, 2017 12:23 pm

Sgene85

Our initial site start was March 2017 but that was based on the original time frame that our block would title Dec 2016. That obviously didn't happen.

My estimate is that we will start around July.

Thanks all

did you start in July???

nikil · Aug 03, 2017 5:44 pm

Hi Liz, Sgene hasn't started yet either but I think he is close. How long did it take you from planning permit approval to site start?

Sgene85 · Aug 14, 2017 5:39 pm

We ended up going for the option of applying for a dispensation. We are .6% over the building envelope. PD phoned our council who said it should be approved without issues. Fingers crossed it comes back approved asap..

When we receive approval, then surveyor will need to review again then issue building permit.

Hurrow · Aug 14, 2017 5:43 pm

Good luck, hopefully it gets approved nice and quickly and you can start the build!

nikil · Aug 14, 2017 5:50 pm

Fingers crossed you get it approved quickly, call the council yourself and find out the name of the person looking after it and speak to them directly.

Sgene85 · Aug 14, 2017 6:00 pm

Thanks Hurrow / Nikki. It was last Thursday when we decided to go dispensation. I will call council towards the end of the week and follow it up

nikil · Aug 14, 2017 6:15 pm

I wish I had your patience. I'd have called them Friday

lizbf85 · Aug 15, 2017 5:37 pm

nikil

Hi Liz, Sgene hasn't started yet either but I think he is close. How long did it take you from planning permit approval to site start?

ummm a few weeks i think. we got transferred to construction then had to wait till we got a call from the slab guy.. more waiting

nikil · Aug 15, 2017 6:09 pm

I just love waiting...

When you had your fireplace installed after handover, was it a simple process? Did they damage the plaster or anything?

Sgene85 · Aug 15, 2017 6:30 pm

Nikki haha. I called council today. They received the application today! grrr. They said ours is a pretty straight forward application because its a new estate and no existing neighbours.. They hope to approve dispensation within the next 1-2 weeks. It better be this week.

Ooh a fireplace! I'd love a fireplace in our lounge room. Is it expensive?

nikil · Aug 15, 2017 7:00 pm

Sgene85

Nikki haha. I called council today. They received the application today! grrr. They said ours is a pretty straight forward application because its a new estate and no existing neighbours.. They hope to approve dispensation within the next 1-2 weeks. It better be this week.

Ooh a fireplace! I'd love a fireplace in our lounge room. Is it expensive?

We are planning to do one post handover as our PD sales consultant said it will be much cheaper as PD charge way to much to do it!