Saturday 2 November 2013

Just when we thought our time in admin was nearly over.....

Got to stop having expectations about when things should be finalised. Then maybe the constant disappointments won't seem so bad.
This week we were expecting our final drawings for signing off, because we were advised by the builder  that we would have them 10 days after our DA approval. All we got was another list of charges that needed to be paid and advice that the construction certificate wasn't yet ready, after being told it would take a week. It wasn't ready because Wisdom's private certifier had a list of requirements that needed to be met before they would issue it. We did also get a list of final variations to sign off, and oddly enough the list included all the variations that we had already signed off, so not sure why we have to sign them twice. Of course there were mistakes, like a missing $4400 credit for tiled flooring that we weren't having.

These Certifier requirements included:



  1. DESIGN CERTIFICATE – DRIVEWAY GRADIENTS
  2. AMENDED PLANS (final plans will take min. 10 days for Wisdom to draft and then they have to be mistake free so that we can sign off on them before they go to the certifier)
  3. DESIGN CERTIFICATE – STORMWATER (cost $174)
  4. PAYMENT OF FEES TO COUNCIL

  • Vehicle crossing/driveway (Wisdom Homes responsibility, as Wisdom Landscapes will be producing the Driveway)
  • Security Deposit  ($1440.00) (Client responsibility). 
  • Infrastructure Fee ($166.50)  (Clients responsibility).
  • Enforcement Levy ($707.11) (Clients responsibility).
  •  Alignment Levels  (Wisdom Responsibility)
  •  Boundary Levels (Wisdom Responsibility) 
We were told we would have a slab down before Christmas. In fact we were told that we could have a slab 6 weeks after the DA was approved. It is now 3 weeks since DA approval and it will be another 2 weeks before final plans. Then they have to be checked and assuming there will be mistakes, will need to be amended (another 10 days???), than sent off to the certifier so he can complete construction certificate. Then our old house needs to be demolished. I think we will be lucky to have them on site before Christmas.

The time frames Wisdom give you are so unrealistic and that is where the frustration lies. If we were told the worst case scenario then it would come as a pleasant surprise when things were done sooner. We moved out of our old house which is being demolished and took a rental property based on their 6 week post DA time frame and it looks like we will end up wasting thousands of dollars in rent because we did not need to move out so soon.



We look back to the start of the building process and realise how naive we were, and constantly wonder if we have made the right decision in choosing Wisdom Homes, and also wonder how different our experience would have been if we had gone with our other chosen builder.  Wisdom dangled a carrot to get us to sign, which they later tried to take away, unsuccessfully I might add.


3 comments:

  1. Hi gregol02! We are currently in the same boat - I'm waiting for an amended final variation to sign off now too, the admin stuff really has not been fun has it. Anyway, don't lose hope - here's to hoping we'll both have a slab down by Christmas! Sounds like you have a better chance than me, it'll all be worth it in the end don't worry. Good luck!

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  2. Thanks for the support. Good luck to you too. I am just looking forward to falling in love with my house again as soon as the build starts, but really don't think it will be this year as builders stop work on the 20th for a month.

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  3. Hey Greg, no worries - just know you aren't alone! We just got told because of all this rain, it is unlikely we will have slab by Christmas - hope you get better luck than me! :)

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