Final tender? but wait a minute ...

Well we are still waiting for plans to be submitted to council but were given the latest version of our tender with final items added etc. A couple of wins were had, we had originally asked for skinny windows of the double hung variety which were priced around $200-300 per window but changed this to awning style and now these apparently do not incur any cost which should save over $1000... additionally we substituted a larger door 1200mm for the standard door with sidelight (so no sidelight now) and we have been given credit back for this change which was unexpected. However, a big difference was that now we were being charged over $2K for the downstairs bathroom and shower!! We had asked for the shower option in the downstairs bathroom from the start and have been charged previously less than $1000 for changing the configuration and layout of the bathroom from the standard layout, so we thought we'd save that cost by reverting back to the standard layout and were given the impression that this cost would be removed. Now we see that having the standard layout is costing more!

Hubby has raised this with the sales rep who has tried to justify but in the end will ask the draftspeople about this. I have no idea how she can justify it and if they insist on charging us, we will revert back to our cheaper, non standard design! i only hope that if we revert back they do not charge us for changing the plans again as we have already finalised the plans. But we were not given warning that changing back to the standard would cost us even more than how we originally had it!!

Anyway, we'll wait and see what happens, but most unfair if we end up paying more.

Oh we also got charged over $3K for a hydraulic charge system for the sewer which is a new cost but was indicated on previous tender so I guess we will have to wear it.

(Sarcastic) I love how you sign on with builders and then all the little costs come out of the woodwork. By that time you have spent so much time and effort with them that you are compelled to keep going rather than start all over again with a new builder. I'm sure everyone knows its a bit of a rort and that there should be more governance on this.