We are land owners!!
Jun 17th 2009, 5:25 am
#16
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Location: Inglewood in New Plymouth
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Re: We are land owners!!
Excellent, they have told us it will take 20 weeks from the dig. So we hope to be in by Christmas, pushing it, but fingers crossed. It will be great if we are as both our mothers are coming over for Christmas for the first time, so it will be great to celebrate in our new house. Keep us all updated on your progress, it's good we can share the experience with everyone.
Jun 17th 2009, 8:29 am
#17
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Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Wellington!!!
Posts: 31
Re: We are land owners!!
With a bit of tweaking for those personal details that's going to be a lovely house! Really happy for you. Do let us know how it all goes.
Jun 18th 2009, 12:24 am
#18
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Re: We are land owners!!
I'm with Wiz on this. I'm just a wee bit envious. I wanted to build bu we ended up buying a 30yr old house.
Husband plumbs for Gardners and their houses always look fine to me.
I am going to just love this thread and the progress you both make with the build.
Plenty of pictures please for me to drool over.
Yours
Green with a bit of envy
Husband plumbs for Gardners and their houses always look fine to me.
I am going to just love this thread and the progress you both make with the build.
Plenty of pictures please for me to drool over.
Yours
Green with a bit of envy
Jun 18th 2009, 8:09 am
#19
Danni
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Christchurch
Posts: 85
Re: We are land owners!!
Hi all, well so far so good, we have now finalized the floor plans for the house, I have attached it. We have paid our deposit to the Builders, we have chosen GJ Gardeners to do our work. They will now go and get planning permission from the council, hopefully this will only take approx 4 weeks then the build starts. In the meantime we will sit down with them and choose all the finishing touches, we have gone for the bigger bath, as hubby is 6ft 4 and wants to lay down in it! We design the kitchen, pick where we want all the lights to go, choose the colours, door handles, tiles etc etc. I was given a tip on here from AlanMac who has built himself, and we can save money on anything, I mean if an electrician can do the wiring cheaper we can choose to go with them and it will get knocked off the price of the house, same with the fencing, driveway etc, so we will look into that.
People are asking us what we paid and how much things are, so i will list it for you, I don't mind you all knowing.
Land = 1200m2 (1/4 acre) = $134,000
House (without drive, landscaping & fencing) = $283,000 - this will change a little if we add anything more or take things away.
The price for the house does include, all carpets, tiles, paint, wood pellet burner, wool insulation, bi-fold doors and basically everything that goes into a house ready for you to move in.
I will let you know the next stage of the build and keep you all updated.
People are asking us what we paid and how much things are, so i will list it for you, I don't mind you all knowing.
Land = 1200m2 (1/4 acre) = $134,000
House (without drive, landscaping & fencing) = $283,000 - this will change a little if we add anything more or take things away.
The price for the house does include, all carpets, tiles, paint, wood pellet burner, wool insulation, bi-fold doors and basically everything that goes into a house ready for you to move in.
I will let you know the next stage of the build and keep you all updated.
Jun 28th 2009, 7:15 am
#20
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Posts: 43
Re: We are land owners!!
The ease of buying land and building your own home is one of the big attractions of NZ for me. It's great to read these threads, they keep me going as I slog away through this economic crisis, waiting for our chance to make the move. I've lived in too many 'almost-right-but-not-quite' houses in my life, and it's definitely time to go for our own design. 
I'll probably work with an architect to design it myself. Presumably it's cheaper to get your own builder and craftsmen and project manage yourself - but how much cheaper will decide whether it's worth the extra trouble (I've run a few construction contracts in my job, and I know they can be a pain).
Not to hijack this marvellous thread, but as anyone gone down this route?
I'll probably work with an architect to design it myself. Presumably it's cheaper to get your own builder and craftsmen and project manage yourself - but how much cheaper will decide whether it's worth the extra trouble (I've run a few construction contracts in my job, and I know they can be a pain).
Not to hijack this marvellous thread, but as anyone gone down this route?
Jun 28th 2009, 7:31 pm
#21
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Location: Rolleston, Canterbury NZ
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Re: We are land owners!!
Yes you can get your own drawings and with the amount of builders looking for work at the moment, getting your own builder is no problem, they are all very used to taking on projects like this.
We went to the Homeshow at the weekend here in Christchurch and ended up buying a Pellet Fire, we have been umming and arrhing about which sort of fire, Pellet v Wood and found pellet to be more efficient on paper etc. Apparently in Sweden it's all the rage. So we managed to get a good deal off a fire at the show, so very pleased with that.
We have also getting a quote for PVC windows, NZ windows seem only to be Aluminum which get very cold and drip condensation, so I should be getting a quote to instal European PVC windows, should be interesting to see the difference in price, but the quality i'm sure will be much better.
We went to the Homeshow at the weekend here in Christchurch and ended up buying a Pellet Fire, we have been umming and arrhing about which sort of fire, Pellet v Wood and found pellet to be more efficient on paper etc. Apparently in Sweden it's all the rage. So we managed to get a good deal off a fire at the show, so very pleased with that.
We have also getting a quote for PVC windows, NZ windows seem only to be Aluminum which get very cold and drip condensation, so I should be getting a quote to instal European PVC windows, should be interesting to see the difference in price, but the quality i'm sure will be much better.
Jun 28th 2009, 10:12 pm
#22
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Re: We are land owners!!
One thing I have noticed with the alu windows and the pvc ones here is there are no air vents on them, I am looking to retro fit vents to our windows here.
Might be an idea to make sure they have trickle vents installed in them
Might be an idea to make sure they have trickle vents installed in them
Jun 29th 2009, 2:51 am
#23
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Location: Inglewood in New Plymouth
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Re: We are land owners!!
cost 50 bux a window but only 30 a window if they are done while windows being made, def worth it i think , so over the flies lol
we are also getting everywhere in the house apart from bedrooms a polished concrete floor, it will be the same throughout the house.. they hold heat better than tiles and wooden flooring so will help toward heating costs etc, and im so over the carpet in the dining room here.. also looks amazing and has a lifetime gaurentee, will last aslong as the house, just get repolished every few years i
Last edited by CarolineSwan; Jun 29th 2009 at 2:55 am.
Jun 29th 2009, 3:48 am
#24
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Re: We are land owners!!
Great advice from people here, keep them coming, it's great to check new ideas out before the build. (never heard of bug vents before).
Thanks all
Thanks all
Jun 29th 2009, 5:53 am
#25
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Re: We are land owners!!
Neither had I and I'm not building. I want bug vents .
yours
envious BEVS
yours
envious BEVS
Jun 29th 2009, 6:05 am
#26
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Re: We are land owners!!
you can get them put in windows that you already have, this is why its dearer to do this though as they would then have to take out windows , cut glass etc ..
if you do it while building they cut glass accordinly
we are also having an alfreso bit out back that will be covered over and then have the bug doors, you know the type you get in florida villas etc. we are doing this so we can still sit outside in fresh air to eat while raining etc and to have a shaded area. plus means patio doors can be open at all times with no bugs coming in lol. gary will put his pool table in here, when we can affoard to buy it lol
if you do it while building they cut glass accordinly
we are also having an alfreso bit out back that will be covered over and then have the bug doors, you know the type you get in florida villas etc. we are doing this so we can still sit outside in fresh air to eat while raining etc and to have a shaded area. plus means patio doors can be open at all times with no bugs coming in lol. gary will put his pool table in here, when we can affoard to buy it lol
Jun 29th 2009, 6:33 am
#27
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Re: We are land owners!!
Do you have a picture of these bug vents, I can't seem to find anything on them?
Jun 29th 2009, 6:37 am
#28
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Re: We are land owners!!
i have been looking , but cant seem to find the link for it, gary is in hamilton doing his regs exams this week but will get him to dig them out when he gets back for you
Jun 29th 2009, 6:55 am
#29
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Re: We are land owners!!
ok i just text him there, apparently the company that are doing the windows are now putting the vents in this is why cheaper, but he sure the company he first approached was called easy vents .... we having our windows black tinted and the vents will be black to , cant wait to be able to have all the air and no bugs lol
not sure if this is the site, buts they look similar to what gary showed me im sure http://www.joinerydev.com/vents.htm this was the first thing gary researched as he hatesssssss flies and bugs
not sure if this is the site, buts they look similar to what gary showed me im sure http://www.joinerydev.com/vents.htm this was the first thing gary researched as he hatesssssss flies and bugs
Last edited by CarolineSwan; Jun 29th 2009 at 6:58 am.
Jun 29th 2009, 8:06 am
#30
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Location: Lincoln Christchurch
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Re: We are land owners!!
House design looks fantastic especially with the outdoor living area giving you excellent protection from those summer winds.