Wow - life has been crazy! Where do I start?
Finally we settled on our slice of heaven on 1st October. We were very excited and was told that our slab would most likely be down by Christmas, but of course we were not holding our breath!
Our excitement soon turned to disbelief when we received our soil and engineering reports. We were advised that due to so much fill on the land we had to upgrade (not sure if you call it an upgrade - feels like a downgrade) to a P class slab and that we would also require 52 concrete piers to be placed under the slab with an additional $8,500 price tag! Wow, Merry Christmas to us and there goes my plantation shutters.. :-( We had a friend look over the reports to get a second opinion and he advised pretty much the same - with that amount of fill, this is what would need to be done..
We had a final meeting prior to Christmas with the builder to ensure we were happy with our specifications and also our working drawings. I don't know how but my kitchen island bench went from being 1.45(w) x 2.5(l) down to 1.2(w) x 2.5(l). I was not impressed to say the least as this wasn't the first time changes had been made to our drawings without any communication. Other minor things also needed to be corrected and these were done before we signed off! At this meeting the builder advised that due to being so close to Christmas they wanted to hold off and start fresh when all the tradies returned - which we agreed as we didn't want exposed pipes or a frame sitting their over the shut down period.
To our surprise, our site manager called a few days before Christmas saying that they had cut the site, marked & pegged it out, connected the power and also had the temporary fencing up! He also advised that our piers would be installed today - 18th Jan (not sure if they have been, but will take a drive and check tomorrow), our slab is booked in to be poured on 31st Jan and we should see a frame by the end of the first week of Feb! Wow, we couldn't believe what we were hearing and decided to jump in the car that afternoon and go for a look. Finally, we could see progress.
So hopefully we will be able to see some more progress this week and that the rain holds off for a while so we can start to see it all coming together... what a journey it already has been so far and we know there is just soooooooo much more to come!
Finally we settled on our slice of heaven on 1st October. We were very excited and was told that our slab would most likely be down by Christmas, but of course we were not holding our breath!
Our excitement soon turned to disbelief when we received our soil and engineering reports. We were advised that due to so much fill on the land we had to upgrade (not sure if you call it an upgrade - feels like a downgrade) to a P class slab and that we would also require 52 concrete piers to be placed under the slab with an additional $8,500 price tag! Wow, Merry Christmas to us and there goes my plantation shutters.. :-( We had a friend look over the reports to get a second opinion and he advised pretty much the same - with that amount of fill, this is what would need to be done..
We had a final meeting prior to Christmas with the builder to ensure we were happy with our specifications and also our working drawings. I don't know how but my kitchen island bench went from being 1.45(w) x 2.5(l) down to 1.2(w) x 2.5(l). I was not impressed to say the least as this wasn't the first time changes had been made to our drawings without any communication. Other minor things also needed to be corrected and these were done before we signed off! At this meeting the builder advised that due to being so close to Christmas they wanted to hold off and start fresh when all the tradies returned - which we agreed as we didn't want exposed pipes or a frame sitting their over the shut down period.
To our surprise, our site manager called a few days before Christmas saying that they had cut the site, marked & pegged it out, connected the power and also had the temporary fencing up! He also advised that our piers would be installed today - 18th Jan (not sure if they have been, but will take a drive and check tomorrow), our slab is booked in to be poured on 31st Jan and we should see a frame by the end of the first week of Feb! Wow, we couldn't believe what we were hearing and decided to jump in the car that afternoon and go for a look. Finally, we could see progress.
So hopefully we will be able to see some more progress this week and that the rain holds off for a while so we can start to see it all coming together... what a journey it already has been so far and we know there is just soooooooo much more to come!
Hi Kylie
ReplyDeleteWow, exciting that you finally will be making a start. We hopefully wont be too far behind. We are expecting our final permit to arrive this week and have finalised our drawings and specifications.
We are in the same boat as you, needing a P class slab. Except ours was an additional $12 - $13k. You can't do anything about it though, as the developer has obviously put a lot of fill on the land in 7a and b.
Looking forward to watching your blog progress now with actual development.
Megan
Hi Magan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Wow, you guys got stung also! I think you are right, everyone in 7A & B are going to have to upgrade to a P class slab. Does the $12 to $13k extra you have to pay include the $5k allowed in your quotation? As if we add the $5 allowed then we actually paid $13.5k.. but like you said, what can you do!
We drove out there tonight to have a look and all they have done is spray paint and mark where they will drill the 52 piers.. so that was a little disheartening. We will head out again on Sunday and hopefully see some more progress, but again today I was reassured that the slab would be poured by 31st Jan.. fingers crossed again.
Have you guys been allocated a site supervisor yet? We were allocated a guy named Paul. Does anyone else have him as a site supervisor? Seems nice and is helpful enough so far..
Good luck with your permit this week. Have they given you guys any other time frames yet?
Hope it all goes smooth and I too are looking forward to following your progress.
I think we might have children around about the same age. I have a 6 & 3 year old - both girls. Have you decided about schools at all?
Hope to speak soon,
Kylie
Hi Kylie
ReplyDeleteYes the 13k includes the $5k allowance, so it seems that our slab upgrade was probably the same. Most likely because we are also building the same house, which is then the same size.
We haven't been allocated a supervisor yet, as they are waiting for the permit to arrive (any day!!!)
Yes fingers crossed that you see something on your drive by on Sunday.
We have 2 children a girl, who is 5.5 and starting school this year and a boy who is 3.5 so going to 3 year old kinder. Laura is starting at Bacchus Marsh Grammar on the 1st Feb. She is super excited to be starting prep! We were sending her there even if we were still at our old house, as they have buses that run there. We are lucky and are renting in Eynesbury, so already settled in to the lifestyle and will be driving her to school. Lucas is going to Bacchus Marsh Kinder. Is your eldest in Prep, or going into grade one? So it seems we definitely have children the same age, which will be good when we are both here, some play dates might be coming up i think :-)
Might see you around stage 7 soon
Megan
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteJust saw this post of yours! Do you get an email alert when someone posts a comment back to you?
So glad to meet someone who has children the same age. Ellie started school last year and goes to Derrimut Primary, which is in the Brimbank Gardens Estate in Derrimut (Deer Park). I have been really impressed with this school. I love their curriculum and their Inquiry based learning approach.
I am a little picky with schools due to being a teacher, so I would love to hear all about Bacchus Marsh Grammar. I was contemplating sending both girls there when our 3.5 year old (Mia) starts in a few years or maybe even waiting until they start high school. Still in two minds. Mia currently goes to daycare in Deer Park so I will be able to drop both of them off on my way to work once in Eynesbury.
Yes, you guys are really lucky to be renting there. Nice and close to watch your house on a day to day basis. Might have to get you to give updates on ours when we can't get up there some weeks.. haha
Some play dates with you guys sound great also. Very excited to be making new friends with our neighbours on this blog and also can't wait to move in and enjoy the beautiful surroundings that we will be able to call home!
If you do see us around Stage 7, please come and say hi and I will also keep an eye out for you guys.. :-)
Speak soon,
Kylie
P.S Just saw where you can get replies sent to email.. hehe
ReplyDeleteHi Kylie
ReplyDeleteHow do you get an email alert? That would make life a bit easier.
Do you teach primary school? Its hard to know where you should send your kids when you have no experience in the area yourself. Can only go on word of mouth and your gut instinct I suppose. We have so far only heard very good things about BMGS, so hopefully it will be a very positive experience. We will soon know, as Laura starts school on Tuesday. I have a friend from Kinder who's child starts at Derrimut this year, and she seems very excited about her choice for him.
It seems our youngest are the same age, as Lucas is 3.5 as well.
Isn't it nice to be meeting people before you move in, makes the transition that much easier.
Don't worry, if I see you checking out your house I will certainly come on over and say "hi". And I am also more than happy to do a drive by and give you an update to save you traveling out to make sure something has happened, when it should. I will be driving by past my own house very soon anyway, so its not like its out the way!!! Nothing worse than coming out expected some movement, to find nothing.
Better get some zzzz's
Chat later
Megan
Hi Kylie! This looks so exciting, congratulations! Your house looks lovely!
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying to get my head around tne blogging thing so please forgive me for not replying to you sooner. It is so good to get in touch with our neighbours! Makes the move across so much easier, we are so impressed with our little community so far. We've lived in Caroline Springs for the past 9 years and Eynesbury is so much warmer in many ways. Confirms in our mind that we've made the right move out there. We're down the other end of Rushworth from you on Lot 7067. Our street number will be 46. We're the first internal block from the corner of Rushworth and Benalla. I hope the developer is good to us also regarding our colour selection. This morning the builder called us to tell us we needed to submit a landscaping plan. Were you asked to do that also? We're scratching our heads tonight trying to put something together. They're keeping us on our toes. We can't wait to get the ball rolling, though, so want the developer's approval quickly. I'll be keeping an eye out for your slab, I'm so excited for you.
I see you're a mum also. I have two children, Aidan who is 9 and Alissa who is 7. Seems we're all travelling to take our kids to school once we move. I'm also a little fussy and our kids are at Gilson College in Taylors Hill where we intend on keeping them at least until Aidan finishes primary school in a three years' time. Not sure about long term though.
I'm looking forward to when we can all meet face to face and building is behind us!
Take care
Anna