Building a Home

I keep remembering to post in this thread every time I'm in the shower, then I forget 😂

It its an option, consider upgrading to epoxy grout for your showers. It wasn't an option for our build, but the grout started to fail after 18 months so the builder stripped our shower and had it redone in epoxy. Its waterproof, easier to clean and lasts much better than standard grout. I'm considering paying for our second shower to be done as the quality is much better (though obviously easier if you can have it done in the first place).
 
Have we discussed water tanks yet ?

An absolute must for the garden in SE Qld. Whatever size you are considering, go bigger.
 
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blackcat20 said:
It its an option, consider upgrading to epoxy grout for your showers. It wasn't an option for our build, but the grout started to fail after 18 months so the builder stripped our shower and had it redone in epoxy. Its waterproof, easier to clean and lasts much better than standard grout. I'm considering paying for our second shower to be done as the quality is much better (though obviously easier if you can have it done in the first place).
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Might be late to ask now as we literally had our choices appointment today for all manner of inside/outside details. Electrical is next week. We added a little bit to the cost, but kept it under $10k and are pretty happy about that.

It was a very stressful appointment though. We'd already made a lot of decisions before arriving and were prepared, but the staff were about as helpful as banging your head against a brick wall. I even considered it. At one stage I pretty much had a meltdown from the stress of it all, and I guess they weren't to know I'm autistic and have big issues with the silly demands they were giving me – I've often thought whether it would be easier to wear a badge to advertise the fact, but I digress. Autism = meltdown = not fun.

Eventually we continued but I'm not thrilled with their service and it has pretty much soured my dealings with them... and I have to build a house with them! I could say so much about how poorly they handled their clients today, but it's not the thread.
Major said:
Have we discussed water tanks yet ?
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get me outta here said:
Agree and if I had my time again, I’d put a huge one under the driveway.
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Not sure if it was covered. We looked into it initially, but our builder wants a fortune for something we can get aftermarket at a better price. Our build takes up much of the block and we're not focusing too heavily on garden space/plants. We're actually even considering pavers and pebbles down one side of the house to reduce the amount of lawn, so water usage shouldn't be a huge concern, but I do completely understand that collecting rainwater for the garden is a smart idea.
 
You could have a nice tiny garden with some plants and very small trees such as Japanese Maples and you don’t need to decide straightaway. There’s no need for any grass at all. You might eventually like to grow a few vegetables. So maybe don’t lay pavers and gravel straight away. But it is important to ensure that the builders take away their carp and don’t leave it in your soil and around the house.
 
get me outta here said:
But it is important to ensure that the builders take away their carp and don’t leave it in your soil and around the house.
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That will definitely be happening (them taking away their... fish – as you say ;)) but we will definitely be having some lawn. We actually have a subpod on the way that we will use in a raised bed in the garden, but nothing too ambitious.
 
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Buzzard said:
Compulsory for new builds and some extensions in SA and must be plumbed to at least one sanitary fixture.
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Not sure about all of NSW but I know in Dubbo, and Orange NSW, they are compulsory on new builds. Funniest part for me was our tenants in Dubbo are often disappointed the tank is not plumbed to tap water for drinking, as most of them grew up on tank water.
 
Does anyone have any suggestions for a free tool to plan layouts of rooms (for a PC and not a mac)
 
get me outta here said:
You could have a nice tiny garden with some plants and very small trees such as Japanese Maples and you don’t need to decide straightaway. There’s no need for any grass at all. You might eventually like to grow a few vegetables. So maybe don’t lay pavers and gravel straight away. But it is important to ensure that the builders take away their carp and don’t leave it in your soil and around the house.
Click to expand...

Yep, discovered that when I went to do some work in the back yard of the first house I built, the builder had dug a large hole and buried all the leftovers from building. Concrete, mortar, broken tiles (roof and wall), bricks, plasterboard, timber, plastic pipe off cuts - you name it, it was there.
 
Yes, it needs to be in the contract, especially now that tip fees can be quite expensive depending on where you live.

p--and--t said:
Yep, discovered that when I went to do some work in the back yard of the first house I built, the builder had dug a large hole and buried all the leftovers from building. Concrete, mortar, broken tiles (roof and wall), bricks, plasterboard, timber, plastic pipe off cuts - you name it, it was there.
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I used someone from Air Tasker to remove and dispose of left over builders rubble. While I did get the builder to remove the majority, it wasnt as clean as we'd have liked, so we carted it all into the front yard, then a guy with a bob cat came and removed it.
 
Probably too late, but I'll chime in to agree with @frankie on the gas stove. Our first house was all electric, not induction but a glass stove top. Mr Katie (primary cook of the household) would OFTEN leave a "burner" on. Luckily not often in the mornings/when we were about to leave the house.

Current house had an 800mm wide Eurolec gav oven when we moved in. We replaced with a Smeg 900mm wide, gas stove top and electric oven. Gas all the way is great if that works for you.
We're planning an extension of sorts in the backyard, and will be piping in gas to it for our BBQ and pizza oven. Not sure if we'll put in heaters for the cruel Brisbane winter nights. :P

I hope your shower tiles are not 4cm2 like ours are. I'm sure my cleaner curses the person who planned those tiles!!! Far too much space for mould to grow.
 

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