The carpet...

Today we set out to get some carpet quotes to submit to the bank with our building contract. The carpet is one of few items Henley dont include in their package, but we're happy to hunt around ourselves, as we like projects! We need to carpet all the bedrooms, plus the study and living room (pool room).

We visited two Harvey Norman stores, and were quoted two very different prices for the same product! The first quote at Preston came in at just a little over $5,000, and the second at Thomastown came in at under $2,500. Staff at both stores were incredibly helpful and nice to deal with, and were happy to hold pricing until we're ready, which we told them would be approx 10 months!

From Harvey Norman we liked the Adelphi Game Keeper range, colour yet to be decided, but we've narrowed it down to a few that match well with our paint sample we took in. It's 100% solution dyed nylon, with a 15 year warranty.

We also visited Carpet Call in Preston, their quote came in the highest, and we picked another solution dyed nylon in the Azura range in colour Echelon.

The underground water tanks quote...

Today I met with "D" from Underground Water Storage. He found it a bit tricky getting to our block considering our road isn't on the map as yet. Anyway, he was great to deal with, and we have the quote, it was roughly what we thought it would be.

25,000ltr - $19,800
30,000ltr - $22,500

This is for a complete supply and installation. We can save a fair whack of dollars though if we do a bit of work ourselves. We have access to an excavator, so if we dig our own hole, it will save us a whopping $150 per 1000ltrs... so $3750 saved on the 25,000ltr unit, or $4500 on the 30,000ltr unit. Aaron being a plumber, if he hooks up pump etc etc it will save us a little more.

We just need to look into what rebates the council offers also, so hopefully there's some more savings there.

http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/water/water_storages/rainwater_tank_rebates_-_fact_sheet.pdf

The system will be installed after the downpipes etc have been connected to the house once we start the build.

Below is a pic from today. They're still madly working on the road. Cant wait to see it actually sealed!

Carpet quotes tomorrow... oh and off the topic of housebuilding, we need to look into travel insurance for our Europe trip - 11 weeks today til we fly out!

The underground water tanks...

Contacted "D" @ Underground Water Storage today who we met out at the HIA Home Show.

http://www.undergroundwaterstorage.com.au/

He's meeting me out at the block on Friday to talk about their system, and so I can show him where we want our underground storage set up. At the moment we're thinking the front yard. I'm sure he'll give me the best advice on where it will suit. Aaron will be working, so I hope I'll be able to answer all the man questions he may ask me!!

He'll then give us a quote so we can give to the bank with our building contract etc.

The road (update)...

We have progress... a bit of a storm water drain, and some unenthused looking men working in the cold! May not register on some people's excitement levels... but for us it's pretty up there!!

The site costs...

Called S @ Henley today to check on the progress of our contract.

She has requested the contracts by 7th May so she has a week to review them before we go in to sign them on the 14th May.

I queried the fixed price site costs, as we have no idea what they are. She said our sales consultant R should have given these to us. She reviewed our file and said she'd have to look into it for me and advise in the next few days.

After visiting our block and seeing piles and piles of rock dug up from near where the road will be built, we were a bit concerned about being hit up for huge rock removal costs. S assured that we have a fix priced site costs - she'll contact us in the next few days to confirm what it is.

Where's the "Dummies guide to building a house"??