About Me

My photo
EDIT - Now a 'work at the local school' mum a few days a week while juggling the job of parenting 3 teenagers! I am a SAHM who does work from home occasionally, dedicated to raising 3 Godly, independent, healthy children. Loving the home building process though it is not without challenges. I have fairly free reign over the creative aspect of the project...just not the financial side!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Pool reflections



Apart from a post to show you our newly laid waterline tiles, I thought I would update you on the latest decisions we had to make on the pool.
A few weeks prior to Christmas, I was surprisingly informed that there was an extra cost to be incurred. The backwash pipe allowance in the contract is for 6m but we would need about 30m to reach the sewer gully. To extend, it would cost about $1200. Upon baulking at paying that, it was suggested that we change to a centrifugal filter - no backwashing required, with Concept picking up the extra $50. Great - signed off on it.
Fast forward to January when our landscaping team asked how we were going to remove waste water from the pool in the case of days of heavy rain. Not sure? was my answer. The Finishing supervisor suggested hooking up a hose, carrying to the stormwater absorption pit and dumping in there. The Director of Concept suggested just letting it overflow and evaporation will do its trick. Neither solution sat comfortably with me at all.
Tim Hayward and his boys suggested getting a plumber to do the pipework as they could not see how it could possibly be $1200 worth and requesting the original filter in the contract. Done! We had a plumber by that afternoon ($250 plus the pipes which are yet to be invoiced) with the job completed.
Well done Hayward Landscaping - not something in their brief but took it on willingly.
I sent an email to Concept Pools informing them of the work completed (installing a gully on the boundary shaft and raising it to the new ground level; run a line to the new gully) so imagine my surprise when I then received the contract variation from THEM for over $1000 to complete the work. Now having sent them photos, I hope that we receive the correct filter to install.

7 comments:

  1. hi have just come across your blog.i noticed a post on all the things not quite right..i am feeling somewhat appreehnsive now as we are jsut about to build with eden brae ..woudldyou do it again?woudl love ot hear your feedback and happy if you want to email me?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Cakethat.
    Absolutely I would do it again. Sorry to scare you and I can understand your apprehension after seeing my post. I started out by saying that I would post everything - good, bad and the ugly.
    Every home is going to have issues with it - minor or major. The items I have listed are quite minor in the scheme of things and easily fixable. I think the sign of a great building company is actually how they fix any problems that arise.
    The building process is going to be a tough one but you are in great hands with Eden Brae Homes.
    Check out www.productreview.com.au for recent reviews on them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Kerith, I was wondering if you had to install on site storm water detention. I saw that you referred to it in your post here. Would you be able to let me know how much eden brae charged you for this?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Susan,
    Hi! Yes, we had to install water detention as our neighbours would not grant us access to their easements. Initially, EBH allowed $7000 in the tender for it. Amount put inot the contract was a whopping $15K. This still remains one of my biggest disappointments with EBH - the variation from tender to contract. Surely they would have a better idea of the cost. It could have meant the difference between us signing with them over another builder. Eg. If Clarendon had quoted $15K and EBH $7K, we probably would have gone with EBH only to have them bump it up a few weeks later, if you know what I mean.
    Good luck

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's more than a 100% increase. I can understand your disappointment. But if it makes you feel any better, EBH have estimated 45k for our storm water detention!!! If in indeed that is how much it is going to cost, it could be the deciding factor for whether we go with EBH or another builder : (

      Delete
    2. Oops! I hope that doesn't double in cost. Ouch! Is it worth getting another tender done with another builder?

      Delete
  5. Hi Kerith, Exactly our thoughts. This time we might get a quote from a custom home builder. With these kind of costs, EBH prices are not looking so competitive anymore. Have you heard of Homestead homes? Regards, Susan

    ReplyDelete