Denali Demo and Rebuild

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We had a 3hr practical completion walk through and I was exhausted after. We went through every wall, room ect, talking and asking questions and blue taping anything that needs rectification. Thankfully most of it is paint related with only a few small things, like changing the ensuite vanity cupboard door or refreshing the grout in the powder room.

Our paid private inspector will go through on Monday to make his report to cross check and rectifications

We've been given handover date Friday 10th May.

We then went out for lunch and I had a 2hr nap. I said to Mr Denali if a 3hr house meeting exhaust me that much, moving is actually going to be like hitting a wall. I have a list of about a dozen things to organise, like window shutters/sheers, mattress delivery, furniture delivery ect to work on but I did celebrate in buying Tupperware that I did not need!

Garage fitout is still booked for May 1st
 
Denali said:
We had a 3hr practical completion walk through and I was exhausted after. We went through every wall, room ect, talking and asking questions and blue taping anything that needs rectification. Thankfully most of it is paint related with only a few small things, like changing the ensuite vanity cupboard door or refreshing the grout in the powder room.

Our paid private inspector will go through on Monday to make his report to cross check and rectifications

We've been given handover date Friday 10th May.

We then went out for lunch and I had a 2hr nap. I said to Mr Denali if a 3hr house meeting exhaust me that much, moving is actually going to be like hitting a wall. I have a list of about a dozen things to organise, like window shutters/sheers, mattress delivery, furniture delivery ect to work on but I did celebrate in buying Tupperware that I did not need!

Garage fitout is still booked for May 1st
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But once you have moved you have that delightful time ‘playing house’. Putting your things in so the house become a home— cooking a meal— friends over. Enjoy
 
Denali said:
Only variation so far has been a couple of hundred because we needed to add a small bulk head for aircon into master/over the door. Our ceilings are 3.3mtrs so its not noticeable as it went through the top of our linen cupboard for the majority so its unseen. But I also got a couple of hundred refunded to us for a change in overhead kitchen cabinet height as they couldnt do it because of the highlight window we have.

Our sales rep included as many likes and wants into our tender price so no nasty surprises other than the price of everything went up since 2020.

Plus we had a lot of reports done before tender, like hydraulics engineering for site costs. Ive read horror stories of people getting $50-$180K site costs AFTER tender signed/deposit made so you either lose your deposit or figure it out somehow. Our site is a sloping block so didnt want nasty surprises.

The build industry seems to operate on a: cheap list price, medium tender price then once deposit paid, reports ordered to obtain site costs ect and then you get the real build price plus upgrades for contract price.

We refused to go to tender without site costs so the builder engaged a hydraulic engineer and town planner to get a realistic price. You pay for these eventually as part of your build so we told our builder we wouldnt go to tender without these done first. I walked away from 2 other builders that wouldnt do this plus we included so many things in our tender like all double glazing and increased insulation (for BASIX) ect as most have those added after tender.

Example below, theres not a builder in this country that can build you a house for under $300K but people get taken in. Sales rep is "we'll include a $20K allowance for site costs" ect but you have no idea how much its really going to cost. Our site costs were $60K not including all the double glazing, insulation upgrades that we had included in our tender price.

Ive commented on my builders groups we demanded engineering reports before tender and majority had no idea you could do that

View attachment 374839
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Yep

Perfect summary
So you either add a clause saying
“Subject to site costs being less than $40,000” or do what you did and price it properly before starting

They do this stuff lots. Most people build once or twice in their lifetime so are raw novices and “easy targets”

The other thing never mentioned is there’s usually 3-5? Buried profits in the building contract
Cost overruns often the reality
However any smart building coy will build in various contingencies plus inflated pricing on variations and certainly not give you any refund should say you choose a cheaper material than another. Eg roofing. Tiles is much bigger cost including intensive labour plus extra roof strutting to carry the heavier weight. Should you choose corrugated iron. It’s cheaper (lighter weight, less roof strutting, less labour cost) but they generally not reduce your price for the roof - that’s one of the “hidden” profits

The initial cheap price is to get you to sign on cause then you’re “on the hook”
 
Pushka said:
We built our first house in 1977. All we requested was basically walls, floor and a roof, with three bedrooms, family room. Kitchen, laundry with extra WC and bathroom. And a fireplace. Life wa simpler back then.
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When my brother bought his first house, it was a two bedroom fibro and prev owners were two adults and four kids. Kids accepted less back then.

A display home we looked at had five bedrooms, each having its own ensuite. Crazy. I didn't even want two basins in our ensuite as I don't need to clean more bowls 😂
 
Denali said:
When my brother bought his first house, it was a two bedroom fibro and prev owners were two adults and four kids. Kids accepted less back then.

A display home we looked at had five bedrooms, each having its own ensuite. Crazy. I didn't even want two basins in our ensuite as I don't need to clean more bowls 😂
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Funny you mention about the two basins. We have two in the ensuite in the apartment. And one in the holiday place. It's only one basin to clean! Yeah. I don't understand the two basin love. 😂
 
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The privilege of running water cost me $12k Back in 1992.
2 x 10,000 litre concrete tanks, 1 buried the other up the hill (for gravity feed if no power)
Another 10k to have the power brought up from roadway.
Celebrating at the end of this month that we have spent half of our life at the house we built.
IMG_1151.jpeg
 
mrs.dr.ron said:
It is just more to clean !! How often do you both want to clean your teeth at the exact same time ! 🙄
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Well, they do in the movies. Or one will be peeing (well, 🤷‍♀️) and the other one brushing teeth.

But even on the Brit finding houses programmes (I don't watch the American ones) there's often a squeal of delight when two basins are found.

Anyway back to Denali. This thread started around February last year. So likely all done and dusted by mid year 🤞. Now while you were reluctant i think to start this thread, you now have a story to read back over and over when details fade.
 
Our sales rep designed a magazine worthy bathroom. Double shower, double basin, full ledge shelf ect. Broken her heart when we said we wanted a corner spa bath so it's single shower and single basin as I wanted more bench space. Mr Denali really looking forward to the bath now as he enjoys ice baths and magnesium floats
 
Denali said:
Our sales rep designed a magazine worthy bathroom. Double shower, double basin, full ledge shelf ect. Broken her heart when we said we wanted a corner spa bath so it's single shower and single basin as I wanted more bench space. Mr Denali really looking forward to the bath now as he enjoys ice baths and magnesium floats
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Have you started using the Ninja ice maker yet? Its being advertised now and am tempted.
 
We did get a larger basin though. The mirror cabinet is twice the size of our old one and has a power point inside for toothbrushes.

Shutters will hide mum in laws house

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Pushka said:
Have you started using the Ninja ice maker yet? Its being advertised now and am tempted.
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Not yet, still in box like everything else I bought.

We went to Bing Lee yesterday to make final decisions on appliances but not ordered yet as we get more points via online. Inc new blender for Mr Denali
 

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