House Builders / Developers

[JDP]

Guys,

Looking to see if anyone else has went through a similar process and what their findings where etc.....

I've been looking at some of the house.home builders websites for builders in/around Perth, WA and was wondering if nayone has embarked upon a new build in/around Perth prior to moving to OZ. Most of the builders will project a 26Wk build timeline, but I'm not sure if thats just sales talk or representative etc.

Apart form the difficulty in dtermining which area we prefer (I find it very dififcult to determine good/bad distrcits around Perth), most of the new house/home builders have very similar pland/layouts, but dont dwell too much on the quality of the finishings etc. Anyone got any idea on what finishings to expect?

I also like the look of the specific designs from www.lifestyle-homes.com/au, and was wondering if anyone has had any experience or dealings with this builder/developer.

Any advice or details would be appreciated.

Thanx!

[Paul EDGE]

Hi
It May Be Of Some Help, But Since Arriving In Australia A Year Ago I Can Appreciate The Problems You Are describing I Have Therefore Formed A Service Specifically Designed To Address These Problems We Can Advise You On All Manners Of The Process Including Pre Qualification Prior To Arrival For Finance On Residential And Business Properties These Are Just Two Of Our Services Within The Migration Package Other Aspects Include Property Appraisals, Insurance, Investments To Name A Few So If You've Recently Arrived Or Are Thinking Of Making The Move And We Could Be Of Any Help Please Don't Hesitate In Contacting Me On. Paul 07(55552209)

[tisme]

I have built in WA twice. Different builders offer different quality fixtures, usually they offer the very basic fittings and if you want to upgrade them you can, at a cost of course. there's never enough power points so you will need to add more. If you don't like open plan then adding doors and doorways will cost you more and so it goes on and on, getting more and more expensive so you need to add all this cost onto the home of your choice.
26 week build is unrealistic, it will take more like a year. Read the fine print 26 weeks usually means 26 weeks of working days (monday to Friday) and workable days (weather conditions) and availability of materials.

[Tom the Pom]

Originally Posted by tisme

I have built in WA twice. Different builders offer different quality fixtures, usually they offer the very basic fittings and if you want to upgrade them you can, at a cost of course. there's never enough power points so you will need to add more. If you don't like open plan then adding doors and doorways will cost you more and so it goes on and on, getting more and more expensive so you need to add all this cost onto the home of your choice.
26 week build is unrealistic, it will take more like a year. Read the fine print 26 weeks usually means 26 weeks of working days (monday to Friday) and workable days (weather conditions) and availability of materials.

26 weeks seems long enough to build a house and plenty to spare!
Is that timber frame or brick?

I've seen houses built in weeks rather than months - literally from foundations to moving in.

I guess Aussie builders take things a bit easier than us Brits - plus the weather will be a factor.

I was considering building when I get there but a year to finish is WAY too long!!!

[tisme]

Originally Posted by Tom the Pom

26 weeks seems long enough to build a house and plenty to spare!
Is that timber frame or brick?

I've seen houses built in weeks rather than months - literally from foundations to moving in.

I guess Aussie builders take things a bit easier than us Brits - plus the weather will be a factor.

I was considering building when I get there but a year to finish is WAY too long!!!

In WA the majority of homes are built in double brick. A steel or timber framed roof with tiles or corrugated steel on top. The plans can take up to 3 months to get passed through some councils. Then theres the shortage of tradies, which holds things up. Both houses I built took a year, and it's been the same for friends of mine. There is no way you will get a house built in 26 weeks, unless it is a kit home, even then it would be pushing it.

[Tom the Pom]

Crikey!!!

Talk about slow - I'd be chomping at the bit trying to get jobs finished!!!

What are the attitudes of trades over there?
Are they of the opinion - It gets done when it gets done or do they try to keep to targets???

[tisme]

Originally Posted by Tom the Pom

Crikey!!!

Talk about slow - I'd be chomping at the bit trying to get jobs finished!!!

What are the attitudes of trades over there?
Are they of the opinion - It gets done when it gets done or do they try to keep to targets???

It gets done when it gets done. WA stand for Wait Awhile, there is a very laid back attitude here. Some of the tradies call themselves tradies but I very much doubt they are, some of the work that was done on my houses was shocking, but I am good persistant complainer, you have to be with some of the tradies, not all though some do a great job.

[Bobcat]

Originally Posted by Tom the Pom

Crikey!!!

Talk about slow - I'd be chomping at the bit trying to get jobs finished!!!

What are the attitudes of trades over there?
Are they of the opinion - It gets done when it gets done or do they try to keep to targets???

My son and his girlfriend have just received a preliminary set of drawings for their house being built at Somerly; they approached the builder 4 months ago. They got their finance approved 3 months ago.

Builder reckons they will be at lock-up stage come August '08 which is what they were told when they signed up initially. Back in the good old days 10 years ago.............. from sign up to move in took us just over 7 months.................. it was a big house we built ............ 342 m2 under main roof........... and that was with Manor Homes when both tradies and materials were plentiful.

Wish we had kept hold of that house rather than sell it............ we made a big mistake ............ or so I am told every other day! We enjoyed building........... that was our little project and it went fairly smoothly apart from the odd minor hiccup. I advised my lad not to build because of the time-frame involved........... plus the headaches he will no doubt encounter............. his girlfriend's family persuaded him otherwise though ............ they think they are real estate experts?

[tisme]

I don't think I would want to be building a house right now. Due to the lack of tradies you end up with any old person doing so called professional jobs. Our last build was 7 years ago and it wasn't a quality finish. Plunkett Homes, never again.

[Bobcat]

Originally Posted by tisme

I don't think I would want to be building a house right now. Due to the lack of tradies you end up with any old person doing so called professional jobs. Our last build was 7 years ago and it wasn't a quality finish. Plunkett Homes, never again.

It's the luck of the draw i guess possum................ plus a lot depends on the mettle of the supervisor? Sorry you had problems with Plunkett............ I thought they were a decent mob to build with?

With Manor Homes on our build..............I wasn't too happy with a certain section of brickwork so i rang the supervisor............... he was on-site within the hour............ he ended up kicking a wall down and ringing up the brickie to tell him to clear out the tool shed............ he's fired!

I didn't really want that to happen........ but..... Gino told me he won't have substandard tradies working on his site as the company reputation is at stake......... and in his view too the section of dodgy brickwork i had highlighted was not up to standard!

Mind you................. I complained about the plumbing later on into the build............. only to find that's the way we do it down-under. Being a time-served plumber i was very disappointed with the way the plumbing had been thrown in............. in my book it was definitely sub-standard.............. only to find that apparently.........plumbing is slightly different down-under! I found that annoying because i would never put in plumbing systems as rough as that................... yet I'm not qualified to plumb here in Perth?

Getting back to your builder possum..........I have clients who've built with Plunkett more than once............... plus I have sold several Plunkett homes. On the other hand ....... I have come across the odd one or two who were very disgruntled with them?

I think Plunkett were at the forefront with the steel roof truss concept............ not too sure myself if metal roof trusses is the way to go?