Well we received our tender from Allcastle and really didn't have too much to say as the saleswoman went through the details. I think we were thinking that it was a lot more expensive to Masterton's quote.
Fixed site costs were about 5K but provisional site costs came out to 41K! compared to about 6K provisional site costs from Masterton. The alfresco area attracted the most cost, with the whole thing costing about 20K compared to Masterton's quote of about 8-10K. It was really hard to compare the two tenders as the two companies had different suggestions for ways of doing the alfresco and storm water etc so it made it difficult in the end to decide which company's recommendation was the best.
Additionally, we were concerned about double handling and traffic control as our land is on the main road with no stopping in front. We reminded the Allcastle sales rep who said it shouldn't be a problem although there was a clause to say they could charge if it turned out to cost something. So we asked her to chase it up again as it was costing us several thousand from Masterton for double handling.
Other additional costs from Allcastle were squaring off the rounded corners of the dining area as our council has privacy issues with windows facing neighbours. The quote for squaring off the top and bottom came to more than 10K as well as another 12K for 2.7 metre ceiling height to top and bottom as required by council. Masterton only gave us quote for the bottom at about 5K so i imagine it will turn out less than Allcastle's quote plus the Masterton design does not need any squaring off the corners.
At this point we are heavily leaning to Masterton as the price seems cheaper and includes alfresco plus the inclusions in the Mansion package are also pretty good. They also knocked 5K off the price when we complained about the high site costs. They offered us a deal on airconditioning but as our tender has past the two week due date, they are reconsidering this. Our only drawback with Masterton is they have two kitchen options only, the entertainer or conniseur design. We wanted to have 900mm cooktop and rangehood but this is only available on the conniseur package but we don't want to upgrade totally to this package. We will see on our next meeting whether we can push for this still.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Masterton tender, more like overdone...
Masterton came back to us with their tender after about 10 days. Site cost estimates came to almost 50K! after reading about site costs being about 20-30K, this came as a bit of a shock.
Traffic control and double handling was estimated at just under 10K. Fair enough the block is on the main road where there is no stopping and it is right near traffic lights but still, it was a bit of a blow. They would have to deliver the material round the corner (which thankfully isn't too far as its a narrow block and then move them from there to our site). Alfresco area came back as about 8-10K which i guess isn't too bad as it includes concrete patio, piering and roofing but the costs are just adding up.
We will also need to submit landscape plans to council too so I better ring around for some quotes. Masterton have their landscaper at $490 or so with free amendments if council requires so I will try to beat this... at the rate the costs are adding up, i'm sure little savings here and there will also add up.
We're still waiting on the tender from Allcastle, I'm mainly interested in the site costs. Masterton's design (Fernleigh design btw) seems more modern with style and inclusions compared to Allcastle's Kensington but I"ll wait and see what Allcastle come up with.
Our main requirements are:
Room and shower at ground floor (for convenience for inlaws who have trouble with stairs in old age), 4 BR, lounge area on 1st floor (for when we want to get away from inlaws who are stuck at ground level!) and single garage. We would like double but due to council requirements, garage can't take up more than 50% of frontage so we had to change designs to 1 garage. This has reduced base price from Masterton by just under 3K.
Hubby is wanting a nice decked alfresco outside so we have also asked Allcastle for a quote. He may undertake the decking himself as he thinks of himself as a bit of a handyman. Well, he is... a a bit...
settlement on our land is due at end of July so we still have a few weeks to deliberate on plans and take the contract to a lawyer prior to signing.
Traffic control and double handling was estimated at just under 10K. Fair enough the block is on the main road where there is no stopping and it is right near traffic lights but still, it was a bit of a blow. They would have to deliver the material round the corner (which thankfully isn't too far as its a narrow block and then move them from there to our site). Alfresco area came back as about 8-10K which i guess isn't too bad as it includes concrete patio, piering and roofing but the costs are just adding up.
We will also need to submit landscape plans to council too so I better ring around for some quotes. Masterton have their landscaper at $490 or so with free amendments if council requires so I will try to beat this... at the rate the costs are adding up, i'm sure little savings here and there will also add up.
We're still waiting on the tender from Allcastle, I'm mainly interested in the site costs. Masterton's design (Fernleigh design btw) seems more modern with style and inclusions compared to Allcastle's Kensington but I"ll wait and see what Allcastle come up with.
Our main requirements are:
Room and shower at ground floor (for convenience for inlaws who have trouble with stairs in old age), 4 BR, lounge area on 1st floor (for when we want to get away from inlaws who are stuck at ground level!) and single garage. We would like double but due to council requirements, garage can't take up more than 50% of frontage so we had to change designs to 1 garage. This has reduced base price from Masterton by just under 3K.
Hubby is wanting a nice decked alfresco outside so we have also asked Allcastle for a quote. He may undertake the decking himself as he thinks of himself as a bit of a handyman. Well, he is... a a bit...
settlement on our land is due at end of July so we still have a few weeks to deliberate on plans and take the contract to a lawyer prior to signing.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Melancholy Musings...
have been reading a few blogs from homeone and getting short of depressed. Well maybe i should be more optimistic and say i'm becoming better informed. I had originally given a period of about a year to go through council and building and thought that this even had some buffer for delays but noooo.... I think it will be incredible if it does get completed within a year.
More often than not, home building blogs start well enough. Happy visions are expressed of dream homes, fantastic colour schemes and dazzling pictures of the display house of their choice. Then reality hits as council regulation after council regulation knocks them down a notch or two. After several submissions and reports required by council, finally! An approval to build is received. Then much waiting occurs for the all important slab. I'll admit, this is a point to get excited about and I will do much the same when my turn comes along! 1 step forward, 3 steps back, we get to some sort of structure being erected and the finish line seems achievable. For those with attention to detail, many pictures of the stages of their home are provided as well as minor flaws and deviations from the plan. These are much appreciated for myself as armed with this knowledge, I too intend to check that every nook and cranny is as it should be. I paid for it dammit! At this point, some blogs trail off, never to return, at which point I assume that the authors are either living the dream now or have written woeful scripts of endless phone tags and playing the waiting game for issues to be resolved.
I digress, I will go on in this quest and reign supreme! Because like everyone else, I've already bought the land and got no choice now!
More often than not, home building blogs start well enough. Happy visions are expressed of dream homes, fantastic colour schemes and dazzling pictures of the display house of their choice. Then reality hits as council regulation after council regulation knocks them down a notch or two. After several submissions and reports required by council, finally! An approval to build is received. Then much waiting occurs for the all important slab. I'll admit, this is a point to get excited about and I will do much the same when my turn comes along! 1 step forward, 3 steps back, we get to some sort of structure being erected and the finish line seems achievable. For those with attention to detail, many pictures of the stages of their home are provided as well as minor flaws and deviations from the plan. These are much appreciated for myself as armed with this knowledge, I too intend to check that every nook and cranny is as it should be. I paid for it dammit! At this point, some blogs trail off, never to return, at which point I assume that the authors are either living the dream now or have written woeful scripts of endless phone tags and playing the waiting game for issues to be resolved.
I digress, I will go on in this quest and reign supreme! Because like everyone else, I've already bought the land and got no choice now!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Welcome!
Hi,
This is my first blog entry so please be patient. After seeing several other blogs on people's experience with home building i was inspired to write my own. Hopefully I can keep it up!
Anyway at this stage we have exchanged contracts for a narrow piece of land so we are committed to building. No turning back now?!
We have also requested site inspections from Masterton and Allcastle. Masterton claimed to give free site inspections but upon further conversation, this 'free' inspection does not include a contour survey which will cost $650 later on! Allcastle site inspection cost $500 but does include a contour survey.
My advice:
If you think you will want to get a few site inspections from several builders, purchase a contour survey of your own that is of a standard that can be supplied with a DA to council and give copies of this to the home builder otherwise you could be paying a number of builders to obtain their own contour survey which they may not hand over to you. I rang around two places and the prices i got was $900 and $1300 so do shop around.
au revoir!
This is my first blog entry so please be patient. After seeing several other blogs on people's experience with home building i was inspired to write my own. Hopefully I can keep it up!
Anyway at this stage we have exchanged contracts for a narrow piece of land so we are committed to building. No turning back now?!
We have also requested site inspections from Masterton and Allcastle. Masterton claimed to give free site inspections but upon further conversation, this 'free' inspection does not include a contour survey which will cost $650 later on! Allcastle site inspection cost $500 but does include a contour survey.
My advice:
If you think you will want to get a few site inspections from several builders, purchase a contour survey of your own that is of a standard that can be supplied with a DA to council and give copies of this to the home builder otherwise you could be paying a number of builders to obtain their own contour survey which they may not hand over to you. I rang around two places and the prices i got was $900 and $1300 so do shop around.
au revoir!
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