Our House Build
Nov 1st 2006, 8:34 am
#1
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Our House Build
Well I have been promising to do this for awhile so here goes 
I tend to ramble in long posts, hence I try not to make them too often so I hope this makes sense 
The whole process started at the beginning of this year when we started getting fed up with being in rented. We had thought we would be looking to buy an established home as both sets of our parents had offered to give us money to help us get on the property ladder. In the end however, John's parents gave us a 5 acre block of land they owned and hence the journey began
We had intended to design the whole house ourselves from scratch but we were having problems designing what we wanted. We started looking around at any (and I mean any!) builder's websites that we could find. We hadn't realised there would be so few designs suitable for our block (I think it came to 5!) as most cater for townhouse size blocks and they wouldn't have looked right on a bigger block. We eventually settled on a design by JG King and arranged to go see it.
I have to say that the initial planning stages with our salesman for the area we are building in was excellent except for a few minor things. We moved a few doors around and thought that it was commonsense that the light switches would move as well for example but they stayed where they were! From this stage forward we were very careful to specify everything that needed doing, even if it seemed obvious to us. They were also very happy for us to delay the start of the build for 5 months as we weren't yet in a position to go ahead as we wanted to start in the next tax year (ie July).
Building proper started in the middle of July and I have to say that at the beginning it was very slow. The builder sub contracts out to a contractor who then sub contracts the work so we end up several people removed from those actually doing the job which makes it hard to get in touch with them. For example, a few months ago we had gale force wingds that blew the polystyrene blocks for the slabs all over the town so we called our building supervisor to sort it out and he told us it wasn't his problem it was the people who had been contracted to do the slab who had to sort it out. Needless to say we ended up spending an afternoon tidying it up. It took 5 weeks with one thing and another before the slab was poured. We then had further delays with the steel frame going up although this was due to the guy doing our frame undergoing tests as he has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer so our house is likely the last he will ever work on
Well we have just had 2 days of the roofers putting the roof on, the bricks have been delivered and for the last few weeks there has been someone working on site everyday so it seems to be full steam ahead now we have got over the initial delays Attached is a pic of progress up to yesterday, for more pics click here
I tend to ramble in long posts, hence I try not to make them too often so I hope this makes sense The whole process started at the beginning of this year when we started getting fed up with being in rented. We had thought we would be looking to buy an established home as both sets of our parents had offered to give us money to help us get on the property ladder. In the end however, John's parents gave us a 5 acre block of land they owned and hence the journey began
We had intended to design the whole house ourselves from scratch but we were having problems designing what we wanted. We started looking around at any (and I mean any!) builder's websites that we could find. We hadn't realised there would be so few designs suitable for our block (I think it came to 5!) as most cater for townhouse size blocks and they wouldn't have looked right on a bigger block. We eventually settled on a design by JG King and arranged to go see it.
I have to say that the initial planning stages with our salesman for the area we are building in was excellent except for a few minor things. We moved a few doors around and thought that it was commonsense that the light switches would move as well for example but they stayed where they were! From this stage forward we were very careful to specify everything that needed doing, even if it seemed obvious to us. They were also very happy for us to delay the start of the build for 5 months as we weren't yet in a position to go ahead as we wanted to start in the next tax year (ie July).
Building proper started in the middle of July and I have to say that at the beginning it was very slow. The builder sub contracts out to a contractor who then sub contracts the work so we end up several people removed from those actually doing the job which makes it hard to get in touch with them. For example, a few months ago we had gale force wingds that blew the polystyrene blocks for the slabs all over the town so we called our building supervisor to sort it out and he told us it wasn't his problem it was the people who had been contracted to do the slab who had to sort it out. Needless to say we ended up spending an afternoon tidying it up. It took 5 weeks with one thing and another before the slab was poured. We then had further delays with the steel frame going up although this was due to the guy doing our frame undergoing tests as he has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer so our house is likely the last he will ever work on
Well we have just had 2 days of the roofers putting the roof on, the bricks have been delivered and for the last few weeks there has been someone working on site everyday so it seems to be full steam ahead now we have got over the initial delays
Attached is a pic of progress up to yesterday, for more pics click here
Nov 1st 2006, 9:16 am
#2
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Re: Our House Build
How lovely to be given such a wonderful present! Wow!
That's looking excellent. Keep us up to date.
That's looking excellent. Keep us up to date.
Nov 1st 2006, 9:38 am
#3
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Re: Our House Build
Wow! The house looks massive. And getting a 5 acre block as a present - you lucky devils!
Gina
Gina
Nov 1st 2006, 9:43 am
#4
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Re: Our House Build
Originally Posted by GinaUK
Wow! The house looks massive. And getting a 5 acre block as a present - you lucky devils!
Gina
Gina
It is storage area for my boyfriend's business, we don't have a fleet of cars honest The actual living area is probably only about half of the area of the actual building (everything that has green cladding on)
Nov 1st 2006, 9:45 am
#5
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Re: Our House Build
I look forward to hearing more about the house.
Mandy
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Nov 1st 2006, 9:46 am
#6
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Re: Our House Build
Excellent mate!
I hope you and your family enjoy your life in your new home when its finished.
Just a thought though, the back garden is a bit on the small side!
I hope you and your family enjoy your life in your new home when its finished.
Just a thought though, the back garden is a bit on the small side!
Originally Posted by Teliko21
Well I have been promising to do this for awhile so here goes I tend to ramble in long posts, hence I try not to make them too often so I hope this makes sense
The whole process started at the beginning of this year when we started getting fed up with being in rented. We had thought we would be looking to buy an established home as both sets of our parents had offered to give us money to help us get on the property ladder. In the end however, John's parents gave us a 5 acre block of land they owned and hence the journey began
We had intended to design the whole house ourselves from scratch but we were having problems designing what we wanted. We started looking around at any (and I mean any!) builder's websites that we could find. We hadn't realised there would be so few designs suitable for our block (I think it came to 5!) as most cater for townhouse size blocks and they wouldn't have looked right on a bigger block. We eventually settled on a design by JG King and arranged to go see it.
I have to say that the initial planning stages with our salesman for the area we are building in was excellent except for a few minor things. We moved a few doors around and thought that it was commonsense that the light switches would move as well for example but they stayed where they were! From this stage forward we were very careful to specify everything that needed doing, even if it seemed obvious to us. They were also very happy for us to delay the start of the build for 5 months as we weren't yet in a position to go ahead as we wanted to start in the next tax year (ie July).
Building proper started in the middle of July and I have to say that at the beginning it was very slow. The builder sub contracts out to a contractor who then sub contracts the work so we end up several people removed from those actually doing the job which makes it hard to get in touch with them. For example, a few months ago we had gale force wingds that blew the polystyrene blocks for the slabs all over the town so we called our building supervisor to sort it out and he told us it wasn't his problem it was the people who had been contracted to do the slab who had to sort it out. Needless to say we ended up spending an afternoon tidying it up. It took 5 weeks with one thing and another before the slab was poured. We then had further delays with the steel frame going up although this was due to the guy doing our frame undergoing tests as he has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer so our house is likely the last he will ever work on
Well we have just had 2 days of the roofers putting the roof on, the bricks have been delivered and for the last few weeks there has been someone working on site everyday so it seems to be full steam ahead now we have got over the initial delays Attached is a pic of progress up to yesterday, for more pics click here
I tend to ramble in long posts, hence I try not to make them too often so I hope this makes sense The whole process started at the beginning of this year when we started getting fed up with being in rented. We had thought we would be looking to buy an established home as both sets of our parents had offered to give us money to help us get on the property ladder. In the end however, John's parents gave us a 5 acre block of land they owned and hence the journey began
We had intended to design the whole house ourselves from scratch but we were having problems designing what we wanted. We started looking around at any (and I mean any!) builder's websites that we could find. We hadn't realised there would be so few designs suitable for our block (I think it came to 5!) as most cater for townhouse size blocks and they wouldn't have looked right on a bigger block. We eventually settled on a design by JG King and arranged to go see it.
I have to say that the initial planning stages with our salesman for the area we are building in was excellent except for a few minor things. We moved a few doors around and thought that it was commonsense that the light switches would move as well for example but they stayed where they were! From this stage forward we were very careful to specify everything that needed doing, even if it seemed obvious to us. They were also very happy for us to delay the start of the build for 5 months as we weren't yet in a position to go ahead as we wanted to start in the next tax year (ie July).
Building proper started in the middle of July and I have to say that at the beginning it was very slow. The builder sub contracts out to a contractor who then sub contracts the work so we end up several people removed from those actually doing the job which makes it hard to get in touch with them. For example, a few months ago we had gale force wingds that blew the polystyrene blocks for the slabs all over the town so we called our building supervisor to sort it out and he told us it wasn't his problem it was the people who had been contracted to do the slab who had to sort it out. Needless to say we ended up spending an afternoon tidying it up. It took 5 weeks with one thing and another before the slab was poured. We then had further delays with the steel frame going up although this was due to the guy doing our frame undergoing tests as he has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer so our house is likely the last he will ever work on
Well we have just had 2 days of the roofers putting the roof on, the bricks have been delivered and for the last few weeks there has been someone working on site everyday so it seems to be full steam ahead now we have got over the initial delays
Attached is a pic of progress up to yesterday, for more pics click here
Nov 1st 2006, 9:48 am
#7
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Re: Our House Build
Originally Posted by Sunny_Glesga
Excellent mate!
I hope you and your family enjoy your life in your new home when its finished.
Just a thought though, the back garden is a bit on the small side!
I hope you and your family enjoy your life in your new home when its finished.
Just a thought though, the back garden is a bit on the small side!
The garden is Johns problem I wouldn't know where to start
Nov 1st 2006, 9:57 am
#8
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Location: Somers;Mornington Peninsula
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Re: Our House Build
hOPE YOU DONT MIND ME ASKING WHAT SORT OF TOTAL BUILD COSTS DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE LOOKING AT?
Nov 1st 2006, 10:00 am
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Re: Our House Build
Originally Posted by farrierswife
hOPE YOU DONT MIND ME ASKING WHAT SORT OF TOTAL BUILD COSTS DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE LOOKING AT?
It is approx $240,000. Would have been about $20,000 less without the changes to the garage but that still worked out cheaper than a big shed
PS Where in Somerset are you from, I lived in and around Taunton from the age of 4 up to 18 when I came over here to Oz
Nov 1st 2006, 10:03 am
#10
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Re: Our House Build
Originally Posted by Teliko21
We know what our total is, I don't think it will change now. There was a possibility the prices would change if the prices of materials went up but I think we are safe now, all the things subject to change have been delivered.
It is approx $240,000. Would have been about $20,000 less without the changes to the garage but that still worked out cheaper than a big shed
PS Where in Somerset are you from, I lived in and around Taunton from the age of 4 up to 18 when I came over here to Oz
It is approx $240,000. Would have been about $20,000 less without the changes to the garage but that still worked out cheaper than a big shed
PS Where in Somerset are you from, I lived in and around Taunton from the age of 4 up to 18 when I came over here to Oz
jUST UP THE ROAD THEN WE ARE IN cHEDDAR
What made you go for a single storey?We are looking at coming over early 2007 and would like to self build(need a 5 bedroom home)on a plot of about 5 acres too
Nov 1st 2006, 10:06 am
#11
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Re: Our House Build
Originally Posted by farrierswife
small world
jUST UP THE ROAD THEN WE ARE IN cHEDDAR
What made you go for a single storey?We are looking at coming over early 2007 and would like to self build(need a 5 bedroom home)on a plot of about 5 acres too
jUST UP THE ROAD THEN WE ARE IN cHEDDAR
What made you go for a single storey?We are looking at coming over early 2007 and would like to self build(need a 5 bedroom home)on a plot of about 5 acres too
This house is 4 bedrooms although even that is overkill as it is just the 2 of us and long may that continue
Last edited by Teliko21; Nov 1st 2006 at 10:10 am.
Nov 1st 2006, 10:12 am
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Re: Our House Build
I like the archetyal homestead style ie. long and narrow, with a clean roof line. Beats any McMansion hands down!
Nov 1st 2006, 10:13 am
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Re: Our House Build
Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack
I like the archetyal homestead style ie. long and narrow, with a clean roof line. Beats any McMansion hands down!
There are some real shockers about 
Mar 18th 2007, 1:05 am
#14
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Re: Our House Build
Some updated pics. We will be moving in in a few weeks. Things left on the to do list are paint touch ups, a bit more staining, finish the tiling, carpets the installation of garage door and installation of hot water system and stove on handover day.
There are plenty more pics here if anyone is interested
There are plenty more pics here if anyone is interested
Mar 18th 2007, 1:11 am
#15
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Re: Our House Build
Wow it's shaping up really well. Love the bay in the kitchen - will you have your table there?
looks great
shears
looks great
shears