TomCat's new digs!

[blackcat20]

We are also getting a house built. There is certainly a mass of info to read. One web site/forum I stumbled on had a thread titled "Things You Forget" with a massive amount of suggestions. On page 32 post number 625 there is a bit of a summary-might be useful reading View topic - Things you forget - summary page 32 • Home Renovation & Building Forum

I've read that list, its very useful. I think we've thought of everything but we aren't at contract yet so we still have time to make changes. I'm still trying to get them to price a niche in the ensuite shower.

 

[RB]

I've read that list, its very useful. I think we've thought of everything but we aren't at contract yet so we still have time to make changes. I'm still trying to get them to price a niche in the ensuite shower.

I think we ended up about $350 each one for ours-can find details later.

 

[Denali]

To niche or not to niche.

First I loved the niche but now Im not so sure.

But pot draws in the kitchen, sharknose kitchen pot draws, I must have.

 

[blackcat20]

I think we ended up about $350 each one for ours-can find details later.

They quoted about that for a square one but they wont reduce the height to make it a rectangle for me. The other option is a long one full length but Im having trouble getting the price out of them.

 

[blackcat20]

To niche or not to niche.

First I loved the niche but now Im not so sure.

But pot draws in the kitchen, sharknose kitchen pot draws, I must have.

We get big soft-close pot drawers.

 

[Denali]

We get big soft-close pot drawers.

Thats so sexy

My husband doesnt understand pot draws but says "whatever makes you happy, Hon".

 

[Deleted member]

Pot drawers are a god send.
Soft close are even better.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

They quoted about that for a square one but they wont reduce the height to make it a rectangle for me. The other option is a long one full length but Im having trouble getting the price out of them.

We're owner building so if we want niches, we get niches (I love 'em, not just for shower use but for art works as well), but if the builder causes too much grief, perhaps a leaf out of Conrad Rangali's book may suffice? If you can't have a niche, use a box! I really like this concept, but I would prefer a niche.

 

[RAM]

Not news for some but the following saying is widely heard on building sites....

Architect's dream and builder's nightmare

which turns into Customer's angst/money pit.

Trouble with theory vs reality.

Small sample size admittedly but result was pathetic. Attitude "You don't know what you really need/want." Yes Sir Humphrey? Yes Minister!

Gave architects a chance on last renovations via Archicentre (NSW). Supposedly referred to architect with most experience in the design we outlined in application (see items below).

Gave detailed list of 5 most important aspects we wished to achieve. Design came back with 4 non-existent.

• Large Walk-in-pantry, ideally 2m x 1m minimum, double doors, height 2.6m minimum. Architect - 0.6m x 0.8m x 2m = FAIL
• Ability to close off areas of house to actively manage heating/cooling aka doors in walls not large open areas. Architect - 2 large open plan areas approx 75% of floor space and 3 rooms on ground floor. One door between open plan & rooms, one door between open to open plan areas= FAIL
• Kitchen on N side, with sink under N window - DONE
• Separate laundry with small bathroom off it - Architect - Cupboard off kitchen area containing washer on floor and dryer over the top, no separate laundry cabinet, no bathroom = FAIL
• Ability to access small bathroom off laundry with minimal distance from rear entrance (so beach sand etc not trekked through house). Architect - no rear bathroom off laundry, or anywhere else for that matter = FAIL

 

[Flying mermaid]

Some of the "fun" things that happened when we built the first house

- brick layers started doing the footings. Mr FM to me - they don't look like our bricks. Me. I am sure they know what they are doing - maybe they use different bricks in those little trenches and then change to our bricks later. When the bricks got higher we finally checked with the builder and found the wrongs bricks had been delivered. It was OK as we liked the bricks so just swapped to those.

- the night before the concrete slab was poured we walked around. We had a two person sunken bath in the main bathroom (this was pre kids and we were impractical ). Mr FM - that doesn't look like a big enough hole for the bath. Me - I am sure they know what they are doing - maybe it just looks smaller? Builders assistant comes over and assures us hole is right size. I was carrying a folder with pictures of all sorts of things in it. I pull a picture of the bath out and show it to him. OH! It is a big bath.... the solution was to put a wooden frame of the right size down and then pour the concrete. Bath then ended up in the wrong place which caused plumbing problems and there was a brick wall running through the middle. They did everything, including all the tiling and then brought a jack hammer in to remove the brick wall.....

i had all different colour light light switches and power points for different rooms. The night before I sorted them all into plastic bags and put the room description on and then put each bag in the correct room. I was talking to the builder when the electrician came to me - he had ripped open all the bags, put everything in a big box and wanted to know what room they went in....

By the time we came to do the extension and second house I was a total control freak who trusted no-one and checked everything (or thought I did).

Another vote for pot drawers - wonderful for Tupperware as well!

 

[blackcat20]

Some of the "fun" things that happened when we built the first house

- brick layers started doing the footings. Mr FM to me - they don't look like our bricks. Me. I am sure they know what they are doing - maybe they use different bricks in those little trenches and then change to our bricks later. When the bricks got higher we finally checked with the builder and found the wrongs bricks had been delivered. It was OK as we liked the bricks so just swapped to those.

- the night before the concrete slab was poured we walked around. We had a two person sunken bath in the main bathroom (this was pre kids and we were impractical ). Mr FM - that doesn't look like a big enough hole for the bath. Me - I am sure they know what they are doing - maybe it just looks smaller? Builders assistant comes over and assures us hole is right size. I was carrying a folder with pictures of all sorts of things in it. I pull a picture of the bath out and show it to him. OH! It is a big bath.... the solution was to put a wooden frame of the right size down and then pour the concrete. Bath then ended up in the wrong place which caused plumbing problems and there was a brick wall running through the middle. They did everything, including all the tiling and then brought a jack hammer in to remove the brick wall.....

i had all different colour light light switches and power points for different rooms. The night before I sorted them all into plastic bags and put the room description on and then put each bag in the correct room. I was talking to the builder when the electrician came to me - he had ripped open all the bags, put everything in a big box and wanted to know what room they went in....

By the time we came to do the extension and second house I was a total control freak who trusted no-one and checked everything (or thought I did).

Another vote for pot drawers - wonderful for Tupperware as well!

Yes I loved my pot drawers. Top one for pots, bottom one for tupperware. We should have two sets of two so plenty of room. I'm most excited for a big walk in pantry; even though our old pantry was very big, things got lost at the back....

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

We built our house 25 years ago. I had 4 pot drawers and a walkin pantry. If I ever have a kitchen make over I would turn all my cupboard into drawers and make the pantry twice the size !
I love the drawers.

 

[blackcat20]

We built our house 25 years ago. I had 4 pot drawers and a walkin pantry. If I ever have a kitchen make over I would turn all my cupboard into drawers and make the pantry twice the size !
I love the drawers.

That reminds me, the bathroom vanity has no drawers! Must see if I can get some as some things are more easily stored/accessed in a drawer rather than a cupboard.

 

[Pushka]

I never understood the 'like' for pot drawers - until I had some installed.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We built our house 25 years ago. I had 4 pot drawers and a walkin pantry. If I ever have a kitchen make over I would turn all my cupboard into drawers and make the pantry twice the size !
I love the drawers.

we have 10 pot drawers in the kitchen plus cutlery drawers - the only cupboards are the ones up high, the ones under the sink and two little niches that couldn't be anything else. You can't lose things in pot drawers ( although the Tupperware lids try very hard).

 

[Deleted member]

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

 

[Denali]

That reminds me, the bathroom vanity has no drawers! Must see if I can get some as some things are more easily stored/accessed in a drawer rather than a cupboard.

Im not a big fan of the just a mirror on the wall these days.

I did see on one of those aussie best home shows, havent investigated it enough to find out if feasible, but around the mirror, there is a picture frame of sorts and the are doors for built in niches into the wall so at least you can put your deodorant and makeup stuff at eye level without having to dig around under the basin.

Under basin vanity draws are a must for me, Im too tall to have to mess around with under basin hidey holes.

 

[Pushka]

Our huge bathroom mirrors and vanity in our rental apartment in Melbourne. Basically from just above tap level to ceiling. And side wall to shower alcove. They hold everything. Love 'em.

 

[love_the_life]

Our huge bathroom mirrors and vanity in our rental apartment in Melbourne. Basically from just above tap level to ceiling. And side wall to shower alcove. They hold everything. Love 'em.

View attachment 97746

That's very similar to our bathrooms - fairly narrow shelves which means I can see everything. No drawers under (I find them too easy to lose junk there). Towels are rolled and sit on shelf under the basin and I have a small cane basket in my bathroom for hairdryer etc.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Something I am quite happy with in the kitchen is the pull out vegetable rack. It sits to the right of the cooktop and I keep all my various bottles in the top rack, so easy to have it open and just grab something when you are cooking.