Perth Residential Design PRD
- Thread starter Chomp
- Start date
Hi Ace, yes that is them, just wondering if you had a good experience or not ?
Yes no complaints from my side. Did everything they said they would. Sorted out any problems that arose. And helped with sorting out the da etc.
Renegotiated the tenders after the first round to make them more competative and to get them to price match to get the best prices.
Ensured everything was included in the contract and that the tenders were apples for apples.
Advised on pros and cons of each builder ie times to site, service etc.
Slabs down so they have been paid, but still in touch to make sure theres no problems etc which is good.
So I would probably use them again if i wasnt going to do it all myself.
Any more specific questions i am happy to answer.
Not quotes as such but i did some talking through other avenues to get an idea.
Hi HD_ACE
This is also something i am interested in doing myself. Are there any tips you could share that you learned from PRD?
i.e
Thanks
This is also something i am interested in doing myself. Are there any tips you could share that you learned from PRD?
i.e
- What conditions do you add to make the contract water tight?
- How can you easily compare apples for apples
- How do you write the tender so the builder knows exactly what you want and you get back and apples for apples response?
Thanks
I wasn't happy to be honest;
Initial Budget - was way off the mark, pricing came in around 60k more.
Design - poor, I actually posted it on here and no one liked it, everyone I worked with hated it as well so its not just me.
Competitive Pricing - they state they can get you competitive pricing as they give so much work to a certain builder, I thought it was expensive and got a second quote which was much more realistic.
Left things out of the contract such as landscaping, air conditioning, allowance for developers contribution, building licence fees, its not what they tell you its what they leave out.
The claim the drawings are yours and you can take them with you if you aren't happy, turns out this is not the case and they want extra money for a "licence" to use them.
So in Summary-
Go to a designer or look on new places for sale in the area you are thinking of building, go through those houses and find out who the designer was.
Pay for your drawings up front your self, get the designer to advise you on finishes and then go out to builders from there.
Chomp
Initial Budget - was way off the mark, pricing came in around 60k more.
Design - poor, I actually posted it on here and no one liked it, everyone I worked with hated it as well so its not just me.
Competitive Pricing - they state they can get you competitive pricing as they give so much work to a certain builder, I thought it was expensive and got a second quote which was much more realistic.
Left things out of the contract such as landscaping, air conditioning, allowance for developers contribution, building licence fees, its not what they tell you its what they leave out.
The claim the drawings are yours and you can take them with you if you aren't happy, turns out this is not the case and they want extra money for a "licence" to use them.
So in Summary-
Go to a designer or look on new places for sale in the area you are thinking of building, go through those houses and find out who the designer was.
Pay for your drawings up front your self, get the designer to advise you on finishes and then go out to builders from there.
Chomp
Well basically you will add a spec sheet to the tender specifying everything.
So you would include what you want ie glass door robes, pivot shower doors, stanford doors, size of aircon units and appliances ( then you just compare brands between builders) flooring, size of tiling. Specify if it will all be from the builders standard range, no of power points, type of lighting etc
Habe another sheet to price upgrades on ie 31c ceilings, bigger appliances, downlights, stone bench tops, types of cupboards. Some builders charge alot more for these little upgrades and others dont.
The base build will be quoted off the plans and soil reports etc.
And then just need to include allowences in the contract for say landscaping, fencing, headworks etc
Next time i will be geting the plans drawn seperatly myself and then probably shop them with builders myself with my own spec sheets etc
Hope that helps.
Well that does sound like poor service. But is nothing like my experience. I had landscaping and aircon and subdivision costs etc all included. My cost did come back a little higher than first discussed but that was because of upgrades and changes.
Also i was told from the start plans would have to be bought if used another builder, bit not if you didnt go through with it.
So where to from here with you now?
