We received a call from tiles to make a meeting with them to go through tile colours and selections.
We set an appointment for Monday 21st Dec.
Sadly electrical didn't ring so I got the number off the Clarendon CSO and rang them direct. They said they were booked out till Christmas.
So I asked the person doing the appointment to ring first thing Monday so I could ask that if any cancellations could they ring us, or to have the earliest meeting in Jan. Otherwise we are being pushed back and back on the start date for building.
The reason for the late phone call re Tiles and Electrical is merely because of Slowness of Clarendon in contacting us when they needed something. Pretty poor.
Gary
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Rang CSO to find out when receive appointment with elec and tiles
Tuesday 15th December
I rang our CSO to find out what was happening and she said she hadn't received the paperwork from Colours yet. She rang back to say she couldn't open my attachments of signed documents so I had to resend them again,with 2 pictures per email as they were large jpegs.
We will be lucky to get an appointment with elect and tiles before Christmas! So much wasted time, i should have phoned the Colour Lady after i sent the emails. Always follow up!
Our aim was to have all meeting done and paper work left with them so they could raise a proper priced contact by mid jan and we give to our bank for finance and they get it back so Clarendon could plan to start on site Feb 1st. We will see.
Overall this has been most disatisfying as the time to get to this point has been far too long. Too many mistakes by clarendon such as with the architect and the people we were dealing with should have followed up on changes by phone call and informed us immediately of any failure to change things.
Of course I am learning that emails are not enough, you need to follow up the next day by phone to see they have received them and that there are no problems.
I rang our CSO to find out what was happening and she said she hadn't received the paperwork from Colours yet. She rang back to say she couldn't open my attachments of signed documents so I had to resend them again,with 2 pictures per email as they were large jpegs.
We will be lucky to get an appointment with elect and tiles before Christmas! So much wasted time, i should have phoned the Colour Lady after i sent the emails. Always follow up!
Our aim was to have all meeting done and paper work left with them so they could raise a proper priced contact by mid jan and we give to our bank for finance and they get it back so Clarendon could plan to start on site Feb 1st. We will see.
Overall this has been most disatisfying as the time to get to this point has been far too long. Too many mistakes by clarendon such as with the architect and the people we were dealing with should have followed up on changes by phone call and informed us immediately of any failure to change things.
Of course I am learning that emails are not enough, you need to follow up the next day by phone to see they have received them and that there are no problems.
Rang CSO to say I'd recieved copy of DA today
Friday 4th Dec
Today in the post I received a copy of our DA from Council saying it had been approved. I rang our CSO to see if they had recieved it, "just that moment", and asked if the colur lady had received our email of signed documents.
I was told that she would speak to the colour lady and find out.
Today in the post I received a copy of our DA from Council saying it had been approved. I rang our CSO to see if they had recieved it, "just that moment", and asked if the colur lady had received our email of signed documents.
I was told that she would speak to the colour lady and find out.
What a different brick colour costs!
Part of the colour ladies job is to send a costing for the non-standard brick colr range you might have selected.
Of course we chose a different non-stand brick didn't we and though it was only 'D' going from standard of 'A' to B C D E F G the increase in cost was considerable.
For a two story house it cost us an extra $5800 just for a different brick.
So beware.
Of course we chose a different non-stand brick didn't we and though it was only 'D' going from standard of 'A' to B C D E F G the increase in cost was considerable.
For a two story house it cost us an extra $5800 just for a different brick.
So beware.
Colur meeting variations to be signed off
Friday 4th December
On friday the 4th we received the variations by email that we to sign off on and fax back.
I received a kitchen variation cost to sign off on as well and as we didn't have a fax machine i scanned the sheets and emailed them back on Dec 10th.
On friday the 4th we received the variations by email that we to sign off on and fax back.
I received a kitchen variation cost to sign off on as well and as we didn't have a fax machine i scanned the sheets and emailed them back on Dec 10th.
Colour Meeting with Clarendon
November 27th Meeting with Colour Girls
On Friday 27th we had a long meeting with the Colour lady whose advice was really helpful. It took 3 hours even though we were prepared with colour for kitchen cupboards, benchtop, walls, skirting boards, ceiling and other things.
It takes a long time and choices about handles etc for cupboards are made here.
We had also wanted slight changes made to our kitchen as the only drawers were 4 drawers for cultery etc. so we added one two drawer instead of a cupboard for pots and pans and that meant clarifying on drawing and detailing the change for the kitchen people. At extra cost mind you.
Normally you need to see the kitchen people about this but it was a minor change and we were assured by sales rep that the colour lady could do it.
The next step we were told is that plans come out of Council and color variations written up and signed off by us and then we get a call from electrical and tiles people for an interview.
I thought 3 or 4 days - not likely.
On Friday 27th we had a long meeting with the Colour lady whose advice was really helpful. It took 3 hours even though we were prepared with colour for kitchen cupboards, benchtop, walls, skirting boards, ceiling and other things.
It takes a long time and choices about handles etc for cupboards are made here.
We had also wanted slight changes made to our kitchen as the only drawers were 4 drawers for cultery etc. so we added one two drawer instead of a cupboard for pots and pans and that meant clarifying on drawing and detailing the change for the kitchen people. At extra cost mind you.
Normally you need to see the kitchen people about this but it was a minor change and we were assured by sales rep that the colour lady could do it.
The next step we were told is that plans come out of Council and color variations written up and signed off by us and then we get a call from electrical and tiles people for an interview.
I thought 3 or 4 days - not likely.
November 16th Plans finally submitted for DA
November 16th plans finally submitted to Council for DA.
Speaking to council I found that although they say 5-6 weeks for the DA it should only take a little over 2 weeks, our Council works well on such DA's. It takes just over 2 weeks because it's a two storey house which requires them to send letters to surrounding properties, whereas a one story house would only take 1 week as doesn't need to normally inform neighbors.
During this time we hope the color people will contact us for that appointment and we can get that out of the way.
Speaking to council I found that although they say 5-6 weeks for the DA it should only take a little over 2 weeks, our Council works well on such DA's. It takes just over 2 weeks because it's a two storey house which requires them to send letters to surrounding properties, whereas a one story house would only take 1 week as doesn't need to normally inform neighbors.
During this time we hope the color people will contact us for that appointment and we can get that out of the way.
Monday 2nd November call from Clarendon
Monday 2nd November
Received a call from the clarendon Saleman re plans are now fixed.
I reiterated what a wasted ammount of time this had been, and only resolved when our CSO had escallated the issue.
Received a call from the clarendon Saleman re plans are now fixed.
I reiterated what a wasted ammount of time this had been, and only resolved when our CSO had escallated the issue.
Sat 31st October - phone call from salesman
Friday 31st October
Received a phone call from clarendon salesman saying he'd be on site in Sydney on monday and would meet with the architect and fix it. And ring me on monday.
Received a phone call from clarendon salesman saying he'd be on site in Sydney on monday and would meet with the architect and fix it. And ring me on monday.
Friday 30th Oct Phone call re fixing plans
Friday 30th October
I received a phone call from our CSO saying the saleman would phone us to fix up the plan errors.
I received a phone call from our CSO saying the saleman would phone us to fix up the plan errors.
Plans also showed different water tank size and brick colour
I emailed clarendon again mentioning that in the plans it indicated a 3000l watertank whereas their own basix documentation declares it will be a 4000l tank as per provisional allowance.
Along with saying that the brick colur was dark where the range we selected were definitely light.
They said that these had not bearing on the outcome of the DA and would be adjusted later on.
Along with saying that the brick colur was dark where the range we selected were definitely light.
They said that these had not bearing on the outcome of the DA and would be adjusted later on.
Oct 27th - Plans still wrong
October 27th
Call from our CSO, saying she'd email me a copy of plans today. I checked and they were still wrong.
The architect still had not fixed the gable of the garage and still had mismatched windows in rear main bedroom suite. Makes you wonder if the architect even bothered to read the note requesting these be changed.
Call from our CSO, saying she'd email me a copy of plans today. I checked and they were still wrong.
The architect still had not fixed the gable of the garage and still had mismatched windows in rear main bedroom suite. Makes you wonder if the architect even bothered to read the note requesting these be changed.
Monday 26th October Follow up Clarendon re where plans up to
October 26th
I rang Clarendon as we had agreed that I would see the plans before they were presented to Council for DA and hadn't heard yet what was happening. A concern as we wanted those major changes fixed.
I rang Clarendon as we had agreed that I would see the plans before they were presented to Council for DA and hadn't heard yet what was happening. A concern as we wanted those major changes fixed.
Oct 11th phone call re garage gable
October 11th phone call
On Oct 11th spoke with Clarendon sales man and he saw no reason for not having original gable and windows could be 1009
On Oct 11th spoke with Clarendon sales man and he saw no reason for not having original gable and windows could be 1009
Oct 10th meeting with Clarendon re see Tender and Plans
October 10th 2009On Oct 10th we met with Clarendon to go over the proper plans and Tender.
This consumed about 3 hours but we pointed out mistakes on the plan which were crucical to deal with.
1. Because of the garage being lengthened to fit 2 cars and be able to get in and out of the cars, the architect had redrawn the garage roof line from that of original drawings of Kingston fascade to a gable that went from left up to a pinacle and then horizontaly across, as shown in above plan. This of course changed the windows on the front of the rumpus room from 1209 to 0609 which changed the fascade without any real building reason for doing so.
This consumed about 3 hours but we pointed out mistakes on the plan which were crucical to deal with.
1. Because of the garage being lengthened to fit 2 cars and be able to get in and out of the cars, the architect had redrawn the garage roof line from that of original drawings of Kingston fascade to a gable that went from left up to a pinacle and then horizontaly across, as shown in above plan. This of course changed the windows on the front of the rumpus room from 1209 to 0609 which changed the fascade without any real building reason for doing so.
2. The second grave error that the architect did was to put two non-matching sized windows in rear main bedroom suite due to addition of alfresco. Why would a person put in unmatched windows? It beggars belief.
So we pointed out these in detail and discussed and she made notes to send to architect. She said she would discuss with the other salesman on the next day, Sunday.
Catching up on all the drama
Sorry but I have been very busy of late - some it it due to trying to correct mistakes in paperwork as i list above. Hope this all is a warning to you if you build. don't merely reply with and email and atachments but ring to see if they got it and acted upon it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)