Category Archives: builders

builders, display homes, history

A very successful trip

Another road trip on the weekend, this time to Pakenham – Henty Park Estate and Cardinia Lakes Estate.  We just went to the Premier Builder’s Group homes this time – 3 in each estate.  6 houses in 2 locations sound like a good idea, but by the 6th one it was all a bit of a blur!

But it was worth the trip, despite the weather which was hideous – side ways rain!  We found a design that we like and that we think will fit our budget (although what exactly that amount is, we’re not sure yet).  Its the Hawthorn Attic:
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Source: Premier Builder’s Group
We’re not sure if we’ll be able to do the attic or not.  We also got some good ideas from the other homes.
The sales person was really helpful and Premier provide a detailed costing of all the items in the display home that are extra, so its easy to see what the cost is made up of.  Oscar had a little power nap while we were talking.  They also do floor plan changes and can do the construction in all weatherboard, which is appealing because the one thing I don’t like is how the brick looks around the sides and the back of the house.  I also think the house needs eaves – I don’t know why houses aren’t built with eaves any more, but they look unfinished to me.

The other highlight of the day was lunch at the Pakenham Hotel, Main Street, where apart from the great pub meal, Oscar told everyone he was going to the toilet then ran our shouting about the water that washed his wee away!

Next: one more builder to visit next weekend – back out to Doreen, and a walk through of the Hawthorn Attic to arrange.
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builders, display homes, history

A rode trip

We drove out to Narre Warren last weekend – a 30 minute drive – to have a look at this display home, from the same builder we saw at Laurimar:

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Source: Premier Builders Group

Only, when we got there we discovered it was no longer a display home (Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr).

(I emailed and suggested they update their website,which they have!)
So then we went out to Cranbourne to the Cascades on Clyde estate – another 20 minutes drive. Oscar fell asleep on they way so we had to take it in turns to go inside them all.  Why is it that display homes don’t open until 12 or 1pm on the weekend?  Surely someone has realised that a large percentage of people going through these places have young children who need to sleep at this time otherwise they become very cranky!
We saw a couple more of the Premier Builders Group homes.  One was a brick version of the Delatitte cottage we loved at Laurimar (which also looks fantastic) and another was the brick version of the one at Narre Warren (which was not so impressive).
Fernhaven homes were supposed to have a display home there, but it was also no longer on display.  This time my email has gone unheeded and it is still listed as a display.
Lastly, we went to see Nirvana Park Developments Rose Gum Cottage.  We got there more than an hour after opening time started, but it wasn’t open, so we took turns peering through windows.  Finally, as we were about to drive away, the sales person showed up so we had in a look inside.  You’d think she would be apologetic about keeping us waiting, but she acted as if it was an imposition to open the house up.
Source: Nirvana Park Developments
We liked the floor plan and it had all the traditional features and touches that we want, but the decorating was very odd.  I think they had tried to cram in as many items as possible and it just didn’t work – timber benches and caesar stone style  laminate benches side by side (?).The price is OK though, so we will probably investigate this one further as well.
We’re having a break this weekend, but after that its another rode trip – Pakenham this time.
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builders, display homes, history

That fluttery feeling!

We went to Laurimar today to look at a display home from Premier Builders Group who are one of the builders I found that do period style homes.  They have 2 homes on display at Laurimar, one of them – the Delatite Cottage is part of their cottage series with “weatherboard facades”.  We walked through the other home first, and it was OK, a bit small for us and didn’t have the right feel about it, but the second was a different story.  It was really lovely and sooo well finished.  It had everything we wanted, the period look, stained glass windows, decorative woodwork, picture rails and a traditional look kitchen.  And it gave me the flutters!  I’ve only had the flutters twice before – when we walked into our current house for the first time before we bought it, and when my body decided it wanted to have a baby – and both of those worked out!.

Delatite Cottage.  Source: Premier Builder’s Group

This probably isn’t the house for us as it is double storey (far more space then we need) and will stretch our finances, but there are smaller floor plans in the same style, and the price of those should be within our reach.  Premier also have a lot more display homes out Pakenham / Narre Warren / Cranbourne way, so we will hopefully make a visit there next weekend (with a packed lunch).  There are also another 3 or 4 builders with display homes out this way that we will visit at the same time.

The really interesting thing about Premier’s designs is that they are all brick homes, but there are different facades available, including the Cottage Series which has the composite weatherboard.  Because it was so cold we didn’t go outside the house, so I hadn’t even noticed that it was brick on the sides and back until the sales consultant told us.  This means that we can choose any of Premier’s floor plans and have the cottage facade at the front.

So the possibilities are finally opening up.

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