Display home comparisons and value

[fredo]

Hi All
Has anyone sat down and compared the best value for your buck with display homes, considering the extras and inclusions that are offered with all sorts of inducements Looking to build 21square inc double garage

The web sites are not all that friendly, I have viewed Devine, Simonds, AVJ
and thought may be porter davis but they are in a different league

Any help would be greatly appreciated Victoria Melbourne

Fredo

 

[JP1746]

Hi All
Has anyone sat down and compared the best value for your buck with display homes, considering the extras and inclusions that are offered with all sorts of inducements Looking to build 21square inc double garage

The web sites are not all that friendly, I have viewed Devine, Simonds, AVJ
and thought may be porter davis but they are in a different league

Any help would be greatly appreciated Victoria Melbourne

Fredo

In NSW (Sydney / Newcastle) I've built around 30 project homes in the last 20 years. Some points for you;

- Different builders value for money, ie, who builds best house at cheapest price, goes in cycles. One year builder A is best, another year vuilder B is best. I have to check them all (or most) out individually, every time I build.

- DON'T go for luxury packages, Platinum packages, etc, unless the extras being offered are a promotion, and are in the style of $15,000 worht of extras for $2,500 or such

- Reduce the equation to dollars per sqare metre for middle of the road stuff, quality, etc.

- If you are building for 'spec'. ie resale, minimum 4 besrooms, double garage, AND rumpus room. It is incredible what a difference to the saleability that rumpus room makes

- Ultimaltely, I've found that no builder is consistently better (for similar price per metre) than another. Quality is extremely dependent on the tradesmen you get on the day.

- Insepct your builing regularly, but DON'T breathe down the tradesmens neck or treat them like serfs. They can get pretty narky, and even deliberately stuff something up, if you make 'em hate you.

- Project home builders have excellent economies of scale, and it is hardly worth doing it yourself. I've done the equation many tines, and project home building always won out, when compared to owner builbing, taking time, etc, into account - and if anything does go wrong, I have never yet come across one who doesn't make good (though sometimes with some pressure required).

Good Luck. If you need any more specifics, please ask.

JamesP

 

[XBenX]

Thanks for the info james.

Who have you used recently for your projects?

 

[JP1746]

Thanks for the info james.

Who have you used recently for your projects?

Most recent (6 mths ago) was Dommaine Homes (actually part of Clarendon Homes, as is Bellvale Homes).

Previous to that (18 mths ago) was Clarendon Homes.

Previous Beechwood Homes (3 in a row)

Previous Masterton Homes (2 in a row)

... etc.

As I said, they all need to be checked out every time, as their 'dollar for sq m value changed regularly ... waxes and wains.

Here's another tip - notice how many Project home builders are building places without eaves these days ? I think they look bloody awful, and have always paid a few grand extra to have eaves all round. Makes a big diference to resale prospects, particularly if your buyer is a second time rounder, or elderly, etc.

In any case, even if you intend to live in the house yourself, it makes significant enegry efficiency common sense to have eaves !

 

[jahn]

Hi Jp1746
Glad to hear another, comment on those brick boxes with small hats, they call houses.
I was told last week by a RE agent the reason (according to him)
"The blocks are getting smaller, and the houses bigger, so somethings got to give. Wouldn't you rather have a bigger house?. I would."
Actually I would rather have a nice looking bigger house with a yard.
PS Thought the real reason was the cost.
Thanks for you previous info
jahn

 

[JP1746]

Hi Jp1746
Glad to hear another, comment on those brick boxes with small hats, they call houses.
I was told last week by a RE agent the reason (according to him)
"The blocks are getting smaller, and the houses bigger, so somethings got to give. Wouldn't you rather have a bigger house?. I would."
Actually I would rather have a nice looking bigger house with a yard.
PS Thought the real reason was the cost.
Thanks for you previous info
jahn

Hi jahn;

Yep - the main reason is the cost, or rather, getting maximum floor space for the same footprint.

Works this way - eaves are usually 450mm all round (though years ago they were 600mm). Now, keep the same footprint and take the walls out to right under the gutters - hey presto, you've gained possibly an extra 25 sq m for not much more cost, ie, perhaps a hundred more bricks, several cubic metres more comcrete for the slab, etc.

Thus one ends up with more floor space, but hell - I think your description is ecxellent - brick boxes with small hats !

There's a very good reason why houses have evolved over thousands of years with eaves, and it primarily has to do with energy efficiency.

I have NEVER built a house without eaves, and I can tell you, it makes a significant difference in the resale. I would urge any home builder to have eaves.


Cheers !

 

[jazzlobber]

apparently i read on an australian sustainability website that a 600mm eaves protects all the vertical walls i.e. that you have windows on from the summer solar gains, thus the overhanging eaves acts as a shading device, i'm not sure how much it reflects in the resale price but on pure energy efficiency terms you'll be cooler in summer with eaves than with none on your home.

one example i've seen of a house with tuscan facade that has eaves costs about 6k more than facade option with no eaves.

payes yer money and takes yer chance or choice as the case may be

the eaves allow the winter sun the penetrate as the sun is lower in the sky and the angle is not an issue

would depend on latitude of location of course, but similar for all australia i'd imagine

my 2c worth

 

[yadreamin]

Hi JP1746
Sounds like you would know the building game inside out.30 homes in 20 years is quite an effort.Well done.
Do you build and hold or do you onsell your project homes?
If you sell do you completely finish them ie,garden,carpet paint curtains?
Do you find it a much cheaper option to build than to buy established?
Do you build mainly in new estates?
You dont have to answer my questions if you dont want too but l am genuinly interested in the stratergy you use.
Is your story already somewhere on the forum?[save you redoing it here]

cheers yadreamin