I know this forum is for renovations but I have a question about our house that we are building. So this is for everyone who has already built. Our builders are obviously trying to protect themselves and I don't believe them when they say that our house will be ready Mid to End of April. Currently they are passed lock up stage. The kitchen cupboards are in, tiles done, first coat of paint is on, paving is done so they don't have that much to do. Bath and showers are in too. Can it really take another ten weeks to finish off the house?
Hi Miss H. Just wondering how it's all going for you? Have you been given any closer dates yet? And what stage are they up to now?
It's so exciting watching and hearing of these house builds. Our own has just reached lockup (yesterday), and the kitchen was delivered at the same time (it should be installed next week). So I LOVE seeing the progress of other builds. If they're ahead of mine it's kind of like looking into the future and seeing what we have to look forward to. If they're behind, it reminds me of the excitement we had at those stages =)
They are estimating the end of March. We live a good 60km away so we don't get to look very often. The girls get very upset travelling so far to look at a house and then back again! We had a look last weekend and they have just the following left to do:
garage door, door handles, shower doors, finish painting (undercoats done), tile kitchen floor, put walls up, grass down, paint render in front, put in stove and hob, carpets, flyscreens and blinds.
Everything else is done - plumbing, electrical, paving etc. We don't think there is so much to be done if all the tradies work together but I suppose that is not how it is done.
The problem is that DH is going overseas from the end of the month for a month so if they finish after that, he won't be here to sign for the last payment. Does he have to sign do you know? He said he is happy with me doing the inspection but I don't know if the bank will allow just one signature. So if they don't, then we will have to wait until he is back and then another 2 weeks for the bank to pay so we can get the keys. Aaaargh! I hate waiting, I just want to be in!
Usually it is fine (i'm thinking in normal pre-built house sales at least) that it is ok for you to sign (as long as you are on the original contract) and that you act as garuantor of DH. then when he gets back you can transfer it back across or if you prefer have him added.
End of March is so soon!! Wow =)) You'll be in your shiny new house before you know it =)
I think you should be able to speak to you bank about your situation re. DH and work. If there is anything that I have learned in my lifetime, it is that somebody (or a lot of somebodies) have probably been there and done that long before me, so it's worth checking and saving reinventing the wheel (so to speak). You will probably find that your bank has processes in place to cover exactly what you're facing - be it DH signing forms or something giving you complete power of attourney in his absense, or even him signing his portion of the final funds release statements and then you signing closer to the date (or both signing but ensuring that the funds are not released until a certain date). There will be *something* that they can do. You should ask them before he leaves, though, just in case they need him to do something. Most people run into problems when they leave it until too late and find that they physically cannot perform the required tasks.
Having said all of that, here's hoping that you have handover before your DH leaves. THAT is something worth celebrating together =)))
Do you have a blog or anything that you are willing to share that shows the progress of your house?
Yes, it would be really amazing if they would finish soon. I really want to be in before term 2 starts so that my daughter can start all the new things from the beginning of the term i.e. playgroup, dancing classes, Kindy etc.
I don't blog but I can keep you updated. We will only go again next weekend to see how far they are again so I will let you know. What type of house are you building? Ours is a three bedroom, 2 bath with under cover alfresco. They started building mid November and our contract says they have 12 months to complete but it looks as they they will never reach that!
It took us 10 days from Lock-Up inspection to handover!!
Why the wait?? If you find something wrong during hte final inspection, they will fix it (by law) but it shoudn't have taken anywhere near that long!
Hope you got your kichen in the end - never accept anything that is wrong according to the plan/contract you signed for adn make sure your inspection is thorough - the doors close and fit properly, the windows are set square in the wall (sounds stupid but some of ours aren't) the lights are wired correctly and the pipes t the dishwasher are hot not cold..(der!! But the builder screwed that up too!!)
Anyway, hope you have your house intact, on time, and on plan very soon!!
They said the end of this month but with the big storm that hit they have had to move their contractors to other sites to fix damage. I don't see why though as all they have to do in our house is grass, carpets, blinds and garage door. All they did in 1 week is fit the flyscreens. We gave notice on our rental so now I am sitting on edge hoping they finish. The manager did say they will finish the first week of April. I hope they don't do only 1 thing a week again!
Keystart says they take 5 working days to pay so hopefully they do.
With Keystart, when you do get the call from the builder to say you can come and hand over, call Keystart and let them know. Tell them you want to come and collect the final payment cheque directly - you need to into the office in StGeorge's Tce and collect it - so you can take it directly to the builder (Are you using Homebuyers?). Then take the final payment straight to your builder, sign the handover and take your keys - all in one day. Otherwise the post it between each other and it is a whole big waste of time - especially if you need to be out ouf your rental.
We moved into the house last June.
Sorry, I mmisunderstood your earlier post - it did take 3 weeks from memory from lock up to practical completion. Then 10 days from our final inspection to handover.
Hoping you're in your lovely new home miss h!! Looking forward to an update =)))
As for us, looking more and more like it will be one delay after another... Our contracted completion date is in 29 days, but the second fix carpenter said he'd estimate >3 months given the current backload of work and the unfixed errors in our build. Feeling like I've had the wind knocked out of me a bit today!
On a happy note, my stone benchtops were installed today! Yay =)))))
GG - shouldn't be long until your site start now!!
Hi SW. We were told they would be finished the end of last month but they still haven't put the carpets and blinds in and there are some small things they need to fix in the house. The landscaping is going to take much longer still. Our lease is finished on the 19th so we are going to move in finished or not. They say the house will be finished by then except the lanscaping but we will have to live with sand for a while. I need to submit the final paperwork to Keystart today in order for them to pay by the 19th so I'm really on edge. I don't want to live on the street for a few weeks! Our contracted date is only in October so we don't really have a leg to stand on as they actualy went much faster than they had to. I hope your things get sorted out quickly and YAY! for stone benchtops!
We moved in last Tuesday, without Keystart paying! The builders let us move in before payment was made as they had messed up. The window coverings only came in on Wednesday and the bank would not pay until they were in. So we are living for free ATM. No rent and no bond as they still have not paid. There were still a few small things to fix when we moved in but they were done the next day. How has it been going your side?
YAY!!!!! Congrats!!! =))) What a massive relief for you =)
Ours has all but come to a complete halt. I suspect that our site supervisor is doing it deliberately to $%^&* me off. I made (yet another) official complaint against him after he physically assaulted one of the contractors onsite at my house!! There are so many choice words that I could use to describe the man, none of them are forum-friendly. So yeah, I think we're still a few months off. Our contracted completion date is in 8 days - no chance.
So... Come on then... Since I can't live the excitement you'll have to share yours How does it feel? =)))) SO rapt for you!
How long still do you think?
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How does it feel? =)))) SO rapt for you!
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