Choice, choice, choice, decision, decision, decision!!

There are so many things to consider for every decision on every selections....

We finally decided to change tile to floorboard to create a more welcoming and warm house for our guests.  Tiles are too cold in the winter too, so apart from the wet area, we change all the common area downstair into floorboard.  Upstair, study and guest room are carpet.

The hardest things to decide is the electrical.  How are we supposed to know where the powerpoints to be put?  Thank God we have lots of friends who build too, they gave us some critical advice!  The key to know is to picture your house with all your furnitures, fitting, equipments and from there, allocate your powerpoint.  Never put powerpoint right in the corner (adviced by a friend), you'll lose that space for any furniture or equipment.  That friend put one on the corner of her kitchen bench, she can't put microwave on that corner after plug in power; she can't use her second powerpoint (she has double powerpoint at that corner) once the microwave is put in front of the powerpoint.

The other major decision for us is to include the aircon installation in the house with PD.  We went to many air-con installation shop and consult the professional, everyone of them gave the same advice:-

It's critical to have refrigerated air upstair
It's harder to install air con downstair once the house is built
It's more expensive to install after the handover

Letters And Appointments

Two day ago, we received letter from PD about Tender Appointment and Contract Appointment, we're very excited, but also know that there are so many to be decided before the appointments.

Yesterday, building surveyor came to do the measurements (2 hours) and the soil test was also done on the same day!
Today, we also confirmed all the appointments with PD, Hopetoun and National Tile.  We have to mark them on our diary:-

6th Aug - Tender Appointment
17th Aug - National Tile Appointment
21st Aug - Hopetoun and Electrical Appointment
27th Aug - Contract Appointment

Bulk Builder - No Selection?

Who said bulk builder like PD doesn't allow lots of selections and changes?  The range that we're free to select - from tile, roof, bench, sink, toilet, flooring etc etc.......already cost us headache.  I can't imagine if we're getting a custom made house, when there are no boundary for every selection in everything, what will happen to us........

After decided the major structural changes, we have to look around and check the interior selection.  Bearing in mind that even we've lots of choices available, it's all coming down/back to our budget  $$$ !

Today, it's our second visit to Hopetourn and first visit to National Tiles.  We basically knew what we wanted and we listed all our selection according to the Hopetourn selection list.

I think we are very organised!  However our sale consultant said whatever we selected, when come to the selection time, we might change our mind totally after Hopetourn consultant's free interior advice on the day itself.  We'll see!

Our Waldorf 44

Since the $1,000 deposit, we have been checking, looking and thinking of all the structural changes that we need to do before sending for tender agreement.

We decided we don't need so many "lounge, living" area, we need another guest room downstair, so we converted the formal lounge into guest room with semi ensuite.  We then think we need another study area or office area for the master of the house.  So we enclose the terrace and convert it into a "retreat".

We add a wall in front of the stair to block the view of it shown when entering the house.

These are the major structural change of us.

Oops, we haven't yet shown the picture of our Waldorf 44 facade yet......here you go!

And this is the facade we are going for - Manhattan Facade.  Reasons:-

We don't want a balcony!
We could have a bigger rumpus upstair by choosing this facade.
It's the least expensive option.