Clarendon Boston 35

ad0303 · Jul 20, 2019 4:25 pm

Hi All, I am building Boston 35 with Clarendon and wanted to share ideas and learnings with folks having exp. with Clarend on.

My Journey so far:

17/06/19 - $1000 deposit for Tender
10/07/19 - Went through tender

Not happy with a few charges...$5K to convert powder room into a seoarated shower area, Rainwater tank size and AHD cost. I thought all this should be covered in Std.Site Plus cost

15/07/19 - Go back for another discusiion make a few structural compromises...extend garage by 0.48m to add $7K...make the deposit for contract prep

25/07/19 - Contract presentation...will update on this...

Any suggestions to watch out for??

lozsyd · Jul 26, 2019 7:16 pm

Hi how did your contract presentation go?

I have mine next Friday.

Where about are you building? Sounds like it's a new block? We paid $1450 as it's KDRB for tender.
Did you get the EOFY specials such as upgrade to Miele appliances?

Yeah we got charged 7k to extend garage by 7cm to comply with council regulations. like woot?! i was pretty annoyed but what can I do.
We got charged about 2.5k to put in shower box in the downstairs bathroom. But there was already enough space in that bathroom for a shower box so maybe hence lower?

ad0303 · Jul 26, 2019 8:13 pm

Hi Lozsyd,

Thanks for checking in and sharing the details. I am building in Northwest Sydney. Yes a new land release. Thats a lot of money for 7cm. What design have you chosen? Yes the total cost of shower with an extended powder room is 4k for us. Yes I got the EOFY offer else would not have gone for Clarendon....

Regarding the contract:

1) You dont have to sign it on the same day, they will want it but take it home and read it if you feel like

2) Ensure you get your elevations by EOD tomorrow so that you can chexk elevations...sp. the size, placement of windows, doors, robes, door opening directions etc...everything can be changed as per ur wish...

3) After this every change will be an additional $1500

4) Dont feel bad for making them run around on the day...its ur house and they are paid for this

5) They will say the HIA contract is standard...it is not!! Check with ur broker/advisor on progrese payment schedule...it can be changed if the bank needs it...

6) tge whole thing could take 4 hrs or more

Hope it helps...keep sharing updates!!

lozsyd · Jul 26, 2019 8:30 pm

Great thanks for the update!

We are building Boston 42! Which facade are you going with? We chose Oxford but in reality not happy with any of their facades.
Have you done your brick selection? We are going with Gravel from PGH.

Thanks for the heads up about not having to sign on the day!

I got email saying that they will send contract and plan on Wednesday and the contract appt is on Friday! I just sent them email saying that's not enough time to look through the contract!

Oh I better send the generic contract through they sent me to my banker! I just assumed it was the standard!

Yikes, I'm suppose to go to work after the appointment! I was hoping it will be short and sweet!!

I will let you know how i go with the contract appointment!

KingTaco · Jul 28, 2019 10:06 am

So when we did our contract, the sales consultant went through it with us, and told us where we needed to sign, then let us go away and sign in our own time.

So that first appointment was less than 30 mins, then when we came back I think about a week later with the signed copies, it was again less than 30 mins as the sales consultant went through every page making sure they were signed. Not a long process really.

lozsyd · Jul 28, 2019 11:41 am

Great!
Thanks for that KingTaco!

ad0303 · Jul 28, 2019 6:35 pm

KingTaco

So when we did our contract, the sales consultant went through it with us, and told us where we needed to sign, then let us go away and sign in our own time.

So that first appointment was less than 30 mins, then when we came back I think about a week later with the signed copies, it was again less than 30 mins as the sales consultant went through every page making sure they were signed. Not a long process really.

Yes thats true if you are happy with everything...for a every change that is done on the contract during the discussions, the elevations are reprinted for you to sign.

lozsyd · Jul 29, 2019 11:33 pm

Hi ad0303.

Ive received the architectural plans and revised tender. Picked up another mistake but fixed by end of the the day.

They just sent the standard HIA contract the other week, which I looked over. It seemed pretty standard? I was happy with the stages of payment as it was similar to what the bank had told me about the progress payment.
Also saw that liquidated damages were $100/day which seemed pretty good?

I'm just asking them to put in extension of the cooling off period to 10 working days.

Was there anything you asked them to change on top?

Have you done your colour appointment yet?

ad0303 · Aug 01, 2019 6:57 am

lozsyd

Hi ad0303.

Ive received the architectural plans and revised tender. Picked up another mistake but fixed by end of the the day.

They just sent the standard HIA contract the other week, which I looked over. It seemed pretty standard? I was happy with the stages of payment as it was similar to what the bank had told me about the progress payment.
Also saw that liquidated damages were $100/day which seemed pretty good?

I'm just asking them to put in extension of the cooling off period to 10 working days.

Was there anything you asked them to change on top?

Have you done your colour appointment yet?

Hi Lozsyd,

That is great. Regarding the progress payments the banks don't have an issue it's business for them but the 4th payment states payment on commencement and not completion, never seen a schedule like that before. I have requested them to follow standard industry practice, still waiting to hear from them.

Color appointment is this Friday but have decided on the brick color.

Will keep you posted.

lozsyd · Aug 01, 2019 4:13 pm

hi ad0303

Thanks for the update and thanks for the heads up about the progress payment schedule! I'm emailing my bank to see if they are happy with the percentage.

I'm also thinking of asking them to change the interest charged on late payment from 12% to something more reasonable given that its' the lowest interest rate ever.

How many weeks did they say for completion time? Mine has 46 weeks. expected something around early 40 weeks mark, but guess it's close enough.

Good luck with the colour appointment and let me know how much you end up spending for the upgrades!

KingTaco · Aug 01, 2019 8:14 pm

lozsyd

hi ad0303

Thanks for the update and thanks for the heads up about the progress payment schedule! I'm emailing my bank to see if they are happy with the percentage.

I'm also thinking of asking them to change the interest charged on late payment from 12% to something more reasonable given that its' the lowest interest rate ever.

How many weeks did they say for completion time? Mine has 46 weeks. expected something around early 40 weeks mark, but guess it's close enough.

Good luck with the colour appointment and let me know how much you end up spending for the upgrades!

My contract was for 270 days until completion, however with handover next week, it will have been about 28 weeks or 196 days. Clarendon Qld say 27 weeks is about the average for a 2 storey house the size we're both building

lozsyd · Aug 01, 2019 8:54 pm

Kingtaco how big is your house?? why is it that in QLD houses seem to be built so much faster? haven't heard of 2 storey being build in 28 weeks in sydney with any builder!

Now i'm thinking 46 weeks is wayy too long. my folks built with Masterton with granny flat and their one took less than 11 months!

And yeah, just checked the payment schedule of Masterton. Clarendon's one seem wayyy out of line with the standard.

I will be being the difficult client tomorrow!! Not happy with their contract at all actually. Will seriously consider walking away if they're not gona budge. The building industry is in recession atm not even sure why their completion time is so long.

KingTaco · Aug 01, 2019 9:02 pm

So mine is Madison 35, but with the modifications we made its pushed it up from 320m2 to about 348m2, whatever that is in squares.

Is 46 weeks the contract timeframe or what they're estimating? When they gave me their contract times, they had to start by April this year and finish some wacko time after that - I think in 2020 - and I was almost losing my mind... but then they told me those where the times they had to have started and finished by, otherwise the contract would be breached. In reality, they started late January and handover is early August, so pretty good.

But yeah you'd think with the market the way it is, the building industry would be a little more keen to snap up business and to get it moving through - but obviously not.

lozsyd · Aug 01, 2019 9:11 pm

Ahh i see.
We're going with Boston 42; says 380m2 in the plan.
46 weeks is the contract time. It's whats stated in the HIA contract.
I haven't yet asked how long they're estimating it will take. Will ask tomorrow. keep u posted!

ad0303 · Aug 01, 2019 9:46 pm

lozsyd

Ahh i see.
We're going with Boston 42; says 380m2 in the plan.
46 weeks is the contract time. It's whats stated in the HIA contract.
I haven't yet asked how long they're estimating it will take. Will ask tomorrow. keep u posted!

Hi lozsyd,

This is how they play with us under the context of 'standard contract'. My house is 386 sqm with the changes and the contract says 42 weeks. I am going in tomorrow for my colors selection tomorrow, might bump into you and I am going to get the progress payment changed too no matter what...QLD is very different to NSW for all factors tgat would determine actual build pace...labor being the big one.

lozsyd · Aug 02, 2019 9:41 pm

hi ad0303
how did you go today?

So the contract presenter said she can't change the contract and when i brought up the issue of the payment schedule not being in line with the industry standard, she did acknowledge that this issue has been raised before by clients. She said they actually have separate payment schedule with NAB only and other banks normally accept their schedule. We're with another bank and she said they normally are happy with the schedule. Anyway the bank will decide if they're happy with it or not and they obviously will be forced to amend it if the bank ain't happy cuz otherwise they won't be getting our/bank's money!! :-?

also just found out today our build is total of 440m2 including alfresco. so maybe why its 46 weeks.

Asked about QLD time being faster and she wasn't sure but thought maybe weather ? less rain? Also when I asked why the build time is still taking so long despite the building boom being over she said there are still fair few projects going on when ppl signed up when there was the building boom so construction side of things isn't really that much quieter compared to before.

ad0303 · Aug 03, 2019 9:06 pm

lozsyd

hi ad0303
how did you go today?

So the contract presenter said she can't change the contract and when i brought up the issue of the payment schedule not being in line with the industry standard, she did acknowledge that this issue has been raised before by clients. She said they actually have separate payment schedule with NAB only and other banks normally accept their schedule. We're with another bank and she said they normally are happy with the schedule. Anyway the bank will decide if they're happy with it or not and they obviously will be forced to amend it if the bank ain't happy cuz otherwise they won't be getting our/bank's money!! :-?

also just found out today our build is total of 440m2 including alfresco. so maybe why its 46 weeks.

Asked about QLD time being faster and she wasn't sure but thought maybe weather ? less rain? Also when I asked why the build time is still taking so long despite the building boom being over she said there are still fair few projects going on when ppl signed up when there was the building boom so construction side of things isn't really that much quieter compared to before.

Hi Lozsyd,

The experience is odd but expected.

You see all tge marketing gimmicks being pkayed right in front of you.

Here are the charges:

$870 for shifting the doubke bowl sink from kitchen to butler pantry

$300 for the true waterfall edge with corner edges....we were told before signing there is no extra charge for it

$400 for stairs if you change from carpet to timber just for cutting 1cm off from the step lip

$5400 for AC...i am reading through the previous blogs apparently thereis no fixed price upgrade...pure scam...people have paid $3300 2yrs back...

I will need to go back on Monday and have a proper conversation with this guy Shane from Penrith Air...

lozsyd · Aug 04, 2019 8:47 pm

Hi ad0303

Woot?? isn't aircon included in the contract? I'm just checking mine now and it says fully ducted aircon included in the sapphire inclusions??

Oh i did not know they charged for those things either!! gosh more $$$ to be factored in!

Which brick did you end up going with?
I'm getting close to locking in my demo ppl. Have you gotten quotes yet? I've got quotes from Site demo, Eco demo and home demolition. Site demo surprisingly came out cheapest. Even the contract presenter was surprised cuz apparently they tend to be the most expensive!

Chellos · Aug 04, 2019 9:36 pm

Hey Loz, we're doing a Boston 36 KDR in Sydney.

About $5500 is on the money for a/c upgrade, the standard inclusion Temperzone has it's limitations which is why most people upgrade.

For demo we go quotes from 3, Demolition1 (Daniel) was by far the best, Site were next best but still more than 2k extra. Will send you a PM with some info you may be very interested in...

Cheers

ad0303 · Aug 04, 2019 10:13 pm

Hi Lozsyd & Chellos,

Apologies I should have mentioned that the cost for AC is an upgrade to standard Temperzone.

Chellos, how much did you shell out for the AC? What is the model?

Lozsyd, just so you are aware, the kitchen guy told us we will have to compromise on 50mm of the benchtop as the max they can do without a join is 3m....did Clarendon ever mention that? They never did...

Another unexpected cost is recessed slider door, costed us $1100. Reading comments usually its not charged for or is under $500

Rest is all manageable....