Quick update! We got the keys last Thursday and got a lovely welcome by Rachel, her husband and their dog on the same night. All blinds and curtains are now up. Appliances and furniture are coming in. And we are slowly unpacking!
Internet connection will be up in 30 days!
After the final invoice was paid, we are sort of unsure of what’s gonna happen next. No word from our builder but just a receipt for the payment. We are now running on the second week that I was excited about at final inspection, “hoping to move in” at this mark. Our construction admin have been away sick and our house is still being fixed very sloooowly.
We are now hassling our site supervisor for the second inspection. Once this is done and signed off, settlement will be four days after. My patience is running out after the final inspection. Honestly, once I stepped my feet inside the house that day, I didn’t want to leave and start moving the same day. Not even full two weeks and it feels like forever. This stage is definitely the hardest! haha
Also, we started paying the full repayment amount today.
This will be the third time I’m experiencing moving. First was in Philippines, when my whole family moved from my mum’s hometown to my dad’s – about an hour drive. Then it was my move from Philippines to Australia to be with my husband. Now we’ll be both moving in our own home.
But it is not all about excitement, moving also involves a lot of work and organization! Below are the things in mind:
Moving Currently Owned Items
I’ve been thinking of how to pack items we have and seriously thought this is the main thing we should be concerned about. Turns out there are more important things on the list. With a plan, assuming we’ll be moving before winter, we already packed our thick clothing. Problem is, it is only April and I already need my coat! Current solution: layering. Too lazy to take it out again! Other items that we’re given as a present and those we bought are also packed ready to be loaded on a moving vehicle! We thankfully bought a second hand car with a tow bar and a friend who is willing to lend his trailer. This problem, solved too! The biggest items to move would be my boxing day purchase – a peacock chair; our bed and maybe our wardrobe.
Handover Date
The house is almost finished, final invoice have been paid but handover date is still questionable. One thing is for sure, it will be on a Thursday as they only install appliances on Thursdays. We’ll see today if there will be any update from them as they’re still working on some issue that we want fixed and yes we already gave them the payment. Bank error or maybe my error. I advised bank to hold it ’til further notice. But they didn’t. I should’ve asked for a cheque payment and hold it ourselves instead of the direct debit. Our builder seem true to their words so we’ll see.
Fence
With one neighbor approval to go, our fence is set to be built in two weeks. One of our neighbors somehow doesn’t have the correct address in the council database and we have no idea how to get in touch with them. We’re taking the chance of putting it up and ask them for their share later. If any of you are planning to have fences up to secure your property, get your neighbor’s details as early as possible – lock up stage the latest. You never know what issues that can come up.
Driveway
We didn’t include driveway in our building contract, it’s cheaper to do it separately. But the person doing the driveway for our builder mistakenly started our driveway. He, then, contacted us directly if we want to continue it with him. Price seems reasonable so we went ahead. All prep work have started and he just needed to pour concrete after handover.
Appliances and Furniture
Living room furniture, fridge and washing machine have been bought last January (Australia Day Sale). And all is in the store warehouse, ready for delivery. Only concern is timing them to be delivered before concrete is poured so it’s easy to get into the house.
NBN
Our area has been connected with NBN recently and we’ll contact a provider after handover. Hoping it won’t take more than 30 days.. You know what they say these days, a house is not a home without internet connection!
Rubbish Bins
We need to order rubbish bins from the council. As you can see with this post, I am sort of a planner type of woman. Because bins are important! haha Once we get a handover date, I’ll order them online. It takes 5 business days for the delivery.
Curtains, Mailbox, House Number, Clothesline, Antenna, etc.
These are the things we need. Not necessarily on the first day but maybe on the first month. They’re not included on our contract as well. After all these essentials are ticked off the list, it’ll be an exciting decorating journey 😉
Defects
Our builder have started retouching the paint around the house. Lucky for us, that is the major problem for now. This might be the result of having your own independent inspector and checking your house everyday. But we will still look out for imperfections for the 90-day maintenance period.
Aside from the paint, things that need to be fixed are below.
They might look major to some people but our builder have been very good in rectifying issues that were on our inspector’s report. We’re expecting them to be the same at this last stage! We’ll hold the final payment until these issues are rectified. Let’s see on the next inspection.
Preparations we did
As previously mentioned, we have our own inspector. That took half the stress if not more. We are also properly informed even neither my husband nor I have any experience in building industry because of the inspection checklist by Brian Ashworth. It is true that there will be a need for red stickers, so bring your own. We have our ladder to check the high places (top of doors, ceiling insulation, etc), cloth for cleaning benchtops, glass windows, mirrors to check for scratches or something worse. More tips on his checklist! Buy it for only 4$.
Photos
Also I got no good photos. Just walls with red stickers – we were too occupied looking for defects. But we went home with these..
Update: Final Inspection on Thursday!
Not sure why I feel this way, either I’m not excited or I’ve been excited this whole time I couldn’t feel any difference?! haha We just got a word today from our site supervisor that we’ll be having our final inspection next week, now we’re waiting for our building administrator to set a date. Reading thru Eight Homes’ stages of construction and considering the Certificate of Occupancy will be released by the end of the month, we’ll be at handover stage next week! This stage will also include the final payment. Based on my workmates previous experience with Eight Homes, it would take them another two weeks before the settlement date but that would still depend on how much issues are needed to be rectified.
Also, their own building inspection happened today 🙂 Now we’re up to organizing our own private building inspector, fencing, driveway, landscape, mailbox, insurance – The list goes on!
La Casa Laguerta 