Timeline of significant
events from 4 May 2013 to 3 March 2014, inclusively.
May 2013
04/05/2013: Saw Scott Cam’s McDonald Jones Homes TV Commercial (very
interesting).
04/05/2013: We’re impressed & captivated by McDonald Jones Homes’ (MJH)
website.
06/05/2013: My
initial E-mail enquiry to McDonald Jones Homes (MJH).
07/05/2013: Initial
E-mail response & attached price lists received from MJH.
19/05/2013: Our
first visit to MJH display homes at Homeworld,
Kellyville, NSW (very impressed).
28/05/2013: Informal
meeting with ANZ Bank for our new mortgage for new home – no problems.
June
2013
15/06/2013: Initial
meeting with Max at MJH, Oran Park, & viewed more MJH display homes.
Very
impressed with Max’s friendliness, honesty & professionalism.
Loved
the display homes.
21/06/2013: Received
written provisional loan approval from ANZ Bank (all systems go!).
25/06/2013: Soil
sample testing for the rebuild done by MJH’s contractor (in very poor weather).
30/06/2013: End
of Financial Year. Meeting with Max at
MJH Oran Park.
·
Signed
Preliminary Agreement & paid $3,000.00 deposit on Douglas Chase façade.
·
We
qualified for End of Financial Year free upgrade package, namely, the ‘Impressions’ package (this package
usually costs $4,990.00 & only applicable for the ‘Next Gen’ collection of homes).
·
In
addition, MJH have offered us free
SMEG kitchen appliances (electric oven, gas cooktop, ducted rangehood,
microwave oven & dishwasher).
·
We
are very grateful & thrilled to pieces with the free Impressions package & free SMEG appliances.
·
However,
I’m now concerned about a number of negative posts and criticisms about the current
day standards and quality of [Italian] SMEG appliances that I’ve researched on
various customer forums on the Internet.
If they’re correct, it seems that SMEG has plummeted downhill over the
past 10 years or so. I’m really hoping
we don’t get stuck with costly lemons. I
remember years ago SMEG used to be top-of-the-range appliances & everybody
wanted SMEG (fingers crossed).
August
2013
12/08/2013: 9:30 a.m. Colours Selection meeting at MJH, My Choice Studios, Baulkham Hills. Very long meeting finished at 1:30 p.m. View separate posting regarding our choices
& selections. It seems so long ago
now, I really hope we made the right
selections.
16/08/2013: Signed Variation to Contract Approval for
the additional costs for my requests for double-glazed windows throughout most
of the new home. We have very loud,
noisy neighbours & I wanted double-glazing for its additional thermal &
sound insulation properties. The costs
for the double-glazing appeared to be very reasonable.
21/08/2013: 2 x qualified arborists assessed
trees/shrubs for felling. Both arborists
concurred that there is no need to apply for Council’s permission to fell the
large dead trees at the back of our property.
24/08/2013: Arborist returned to lop & remove the dead
trees & non-native, overgrown shrubs from the front of our property. The place looks like a lunar moonscape. Can’t wait to see how the landscaping will
look when the new place is finished.
29/08/2013: Our landscape design plan was received.
29/08/2013: Meeting with our Client Liaison Officer at
MJH, Baulkham Hills, to review & sign the NSW Plain Language Building
Contract for New Home Construction.
September 2013
20/09/2013: Paid deposit of $1,000.00 to ANA Demolitions
(Baulkham Hills), a subsidiary of Home Force, for the demolition of our of old
home and external sheds. Hoping to get
the place demolished this side of Christmas, all being well.
October 2013
08/10/2013: Signed Variation to Contract for additional
costs. For hygiene reasons, I wanted MJH
to install a small hand basin for washing hands in the toilet/WC. MJH will now install a Caroma Liano Ceramic
Hand Wall Basin & Flickmixer hot & cold water taps. MJH had to increase the overall size of the
toilet to accommodate the hand basin. As
a consequence, we have now lost our Linen Cupboard. Well, there’s only the 2 of us, we can make
do without a Linen Cupboard and there are built-in wardrobes in all the bedrooms.
08/10/2013: Development Application (DA) for the Construction
of the new home lodged with Holroyd City Council by MJH.
11/10/2013: Holroyd City Council notified MJH in writing
that a Statement of Environmental Effects is required within 2 weeks or else
Council will refuse approval for the DA.
14/10/2013: Pete & I lodged our separate Development
Application (DA) for the Demolition work with Holroyd City Council.
21/10/2013: Holroyd City Council notified Pete and I in
writing that the DA for our Demolition work has been approved.
22/10/2013: MJH now slow-off-the-mark. Mark signed another Variation to Contract for
an additional $900.00 for the payment for the Statement of Environmental
Effects as requested by Holroyd City Council on 11/10/2013.
23/10/2013: Mark paid Holroyd City Council $1,564.00 for
a kerb & guttering bond (which will be refunded after the construction work
if there is no damage to the kerb & guttering). Also paid $372.60 for a pre-demolition and
post demolition inspection to be conducted by Council.
28/10/2013: Electricals Selection Meeting at MJH My Choice Studios, Baulkham Hills. Meeting went for almost 3 hours. Refer separate posting about our Electrical
Selections. Watch out – it’s very easy
to want to say ‘Yes’ to everything on
offer!
28/10/2013: Holroyd City Council wrote to MJH to remind
MJH that they had failed to provide a Statement of Environmental Effects within
Council’s designated timeframe.
November 2013
01/11/2013: Subsequent to my prompting, MJH contacted
Holroyd City Council & requested a 2 week extension of time to provide the
Statement of Environmental Effects as initially requested by Council back on
11/10/2013. “Not happy Jan!” There goes
our hopes for any demolition & construction work this side of Christmas.
December 2013
10/12/2013: Holroyd City Council wrote to MJH &
notified them that their Development Application (DA) for the Construction work
had now (finally) been approved.
However, Council also notified some 80 special conditions to that DA Approval
(Good grief!).
16/12/2013: MJH received their copy of Holroyd City
Council’s written DA Approval in the mail.
17/12/2013: Our Client Liaison Officer at MJH telephoned
Mark and advised they have now received Council’s DA Approval. Client Liaison Officer advised, “there’s so many extraordinary & unusual
Conditions attached to the DA Approval that MJH have not encountered elsewhere
with any other Councils. It will therefore
take time for MJH to work through all those conditions & advise us
accordingly.”
Some of the special
Conditions included:
·
The
need for Pete & I to provide a signed Statutory Declaration to Council to
confirm that we have consulted the neighbours on our eastern boundary about the
positioning of a small lattice screen measuring 2 metres x 300mm, which must be
erected on top of the pre-existing fence line (directly opposite the single, narrow
row of architecturally-designed windows in the Home Theatre Room) for privacy
screening, otherwise Council would insist on different windows being installed.
That is despite the fact that our modified plans confirmed those windows
will be installed at a raised level of 1500mm above floor level (as per our
requests to MJH for our own “privacy
reasons”). You would need to be
walking on stilts to see the neighbours in their home through those raised
windows and vice versa!
·
Holroyd
City Council also insisted on a small, architecturally-designed, lockable
storage closet to be included in the garage (and not a free-standing cupboard).
No clarifying reasons given.
(When I later queried the reasons for that Condition with Council’s
Senior Town Planner, the Senior Town Planner could not explain or clarify the reasons why, except to say that, “it’s just in case you might need extra
storage space for ‘stuff’”. When I
asked for Council’s definition of “stuff”
the Senior Town Planner clarified, “just
stuff”. I told the Senior Town
Planner that we are also going to be installing a free-standing Stratco Garden
Shed in our backyard and I protested about the need for this ridiculous
Condition. However, to avoid further
frustrating delays & to comply with Council’s Condition, MJH had to modify
the plans to insert an “architecturally-designed
lockable storage closet” in our garage just for “stuff” that we do not want & which Council cannot
explain. The cost for that “stuff” – another Variation to Contract
for the additional amount of $1,005.00!).
·
Council’s
Conditions also referred to the need for us to pay $275.00 to provide a Traffic
Management Plan (even though our property is in a quiet, residential area, the
street is wide, and it is near no main roads, intersections or traffic lights!
·
The
overall wording of Holroyd City Council’s documents and DA Approvals is so
poorly & dreadfully worded & very ambiguous. There is no logic or reasoning for many of
their ridiculous approval Conditions
& bureaucratic bullshit. Those
related problems created enormous confusion, conflict & misunderstandings
which further delayed progress for MJH & us. It feels like we’re dealing with an inept Gestapo!
20/12/2013: Neighbours duly notified & my signed
Statutory Declaration forwarded to our Client Liaison Officer at MJH in
compliance with Holroyd City Council’s ridiculous Condition about the erection
of the lattice privacy screen on top of the eastern boundary fence.
20/12/2013: I contacted our Client Liaison Officer at
MJH. Our Client Liaison Officer
suggested that we might perhaps be on the Construction List for mid to late
January 2014 & she suggested I should contact our Demolition company to
check their availability.
20/12/2013: MJH now closed for Christmas & New Year
Holidays & their Industry Shutdown time.
January 2014
06/01/2014: MJH return to work following their Christmas
& New Year Holidays & their Industry Shutdown time. I’ll let our Client Liaison Officer settle
back in at work & will wait until tomorrow to contact her to query the
status of things.
07/01/2014: I contacted our Client Liaison Officer at
MJH. Our Client Liaison Officer advised
that things had stalled because of their recent Industry Shutdown/break &
because MJH & the Private Certifying Authority/CDC Agent are working
through the myriad of Conditions that Holroyd City Council have attached to the
DA Approval.
·
Our
Client Liaison Officer suggested that we might not be ready for Demolition on
20/01/2014 & she suggested I should contact our Demolition company to check
their availability for later dates in early to mid February 2014.
·
Our
Client Liaison Officer also advised that she has now resigned from MJH and will
be leaving work on Friday 10/01/2014.
She will be handing our Job over to one of her colleagues.
07/01/2014: I contacted ANA Demolitions & notified
them about the current status of things.
07/01/2014: ANA Demolitions was very understanding. They promptly notified me that they could
commence demolition (a 5 day job) starting from either the first or second week
in February 2014. They will pencil us in
for those possible dates & I’ll keep them updated.
08/01/2014: Time for Pete & I to seriously find a
rental property ASAP that will be safe, secure, suitable & appropriate for
us & our 2 pet elderly Staffies (who will be 12 years old on 03/03/2014).
14/01/2014: I telephoned MJH to query the status of
things with the new Client Liaison Officer at MJH who is now looking after our
Job. I alerted her to the fact that our
Job is a knock-down & rebuild situation, & that we urgently need to
know when:
·
The
Construction Certificate is due to be issued by the Private Certifying Agent/CDC
Agent;
·
When
we should request AGL to remove our Mains Gas Meter & Gas Service Line (which
has to be done ASAP & which takes AGL at least 10 to 15 working days to
remove the Gas); &
·
If
MJH can now suggest an approximate date for us to reschedule the Demolition
with ANA Demolitions?
·
The
new Client Liaison Officer advised that MJH could not currently confirm when
the application for the Construction Certificate will be lodged with the
Private Certifying Agent/CDC Agent or when they can expect to obtain the
Construction Certificate (which we’re required to have before demolition can commence).
·
I
honestly feel sorry for our new Client Liaison Officer & I sincerely empathise
with her. It seems obvious that she is
coping with her own hefty case load plus she’s inherited half of our previous
Client Liaison Officer’s case load, but at the end of the day, that is not our
problem.
·
This
is really becoming a frustrating Catch-22 nightmare tying to juggle all of this
& liaising with MJH, the demolition company, AGL & Holroyd
Council. I’m ready to kill someone.
·
We
are well outside of the specified 150 days for the commencement of
construction. We will object to paying
$1,000.00 per month in penalty fees to MJH for these matters that have
contributed to, or caused the delays, with the construction of our ‘Douglas’.
18/01/2014: Pete & I inspected a nearby rental
property. It’s a 3 bedroom,
free-standing old home, with undercover carport & spacious fenced yards
(just perfect for the ‘kids’). It’s no
palace but it’ll do & Pete can use his Visual Merchandising skills to dress
it up & make it feel homely. It’s very
handy, less than 2 minutes away from our home by car, it’s about 2 minutes walk
to the local railway station and shops.
It should only be for about 6 months.
We’ll take it. It will be very
easy to stop by & check out the progress of the demolition and building…
if/when it ever starts.
21/01/2014: Pete & I signed a 6 month lease with the
Real Estate Agent in Parramatta for the nearby rental property that we
inspected on 18/01/2014. Even the ‘kids’
(our 2 Staffies) are officially on the lease!
The lease becomes effective from 27/01/2014.
24/01/2014: I picked-up the keys for our nearby rental
property from the Real Estate Agent in Parramatta.
26/01/2014: Australia
Day.
27/01/2014: The lease commences today on our nearby
rental property & we’re still living in our old home. We’re now paying a weekly rent plus a
concurrent, existing mortgage on the old home, ouch.
·
Pete’s
been busy packing for months.
·
We’ll
spend this week moving our boxes & belongings into the rental place.
28/01/2014: MJH finally lodged the application for a
Construction Certificate with a Private Certifying Authority/CDC Agent, namely,
Local Certification Services Pty. Ltd., at Camden.
29/01/2014: Subsequent to my request, we had a
face-to-face meeting with our new Client Liaison Officer at MJH to review the
status of our Job & to see how it’s tracking. The new Client Liaison Officer advised that
the application for a Construction Certificate was lodged on 28/01/2014 &
MJH anticipates receiving the Construction Certificate within approximately 10
days.
30/01/2014: The new Client Liaison Officer phoned at
8:30 a.m. this morning. She was so
excited. She confirmed that the
Construction Certificate has now been issued & received from the Private
Certifying Authority/CDC Agent.
Yippee!!!!!!!!! At last!!!!!!
30/01/2014: I received an E-mail copy of the
Construction Certificate from the Private Certifying Authority/CDC Agent.
31/01/2014: I received a Tax Invoice via E-mail from MJH
for the remaining balance payment of our deposit, $8,825.36 incl. GST. The payment is due by 07/02/2014.
31/01/2014: A local guy advertising as, ‘A Cheap Man With A Van’, helped Pete
& I move the bulky stuff, furniture, white goods, etc., into our rental
property. It was a stinking hot summer’s
day, almost 39⁰C & 95% humidity. I
felt like I was going to keel-over in that heat. We needed to make about 5 delivery loads over
3 hours in the man’s 2½ Tonne Renault Van.
Thank God the rental property is very close and handy. The old home is now empty & the ‘kids’ are
very bewildered, but they seem to be coping OK.
31/01/2014: Our first night in our rental home. There’s problems with the co-axial external
TV ariel cable. There’s no signal for
the TV. Bugger! We can only watch DVD’s. Hope the Real Estate Agent can get this fixed
for us in time to watch the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.
February 2014
07/02/2014: Follow-up
meeting with the ANZ Bank.
07/02/2014: We paid MJH’s Tax Invoice for the remaining
balance payment of our deposit, $8,825.36 incl. GST.
07/02/2014: I notified ANA Demolitions that we can’t
proceed with Demolition from Monday 10/02/2014 because we’re still waiting for
AGL to disconnect our Mains Gas supply.
We feel awful for stuffing ANA Demolitions around so much with these
delays. Unfortunately, they’re now fully
booked with other jobs and they can’t help with any other alternate dates for
Demolition in February.
07/02/2014: We’ve been concerned about the security of
our mail. I therefore leased a Post
Office Box from the local Australia Post Office and I got the key for it
today. We’ll have all our mail
deliveries redirected to that Post Office Box until we’re ready to move into
our new home.
08/02/2014: The Sochi Winter Olympic Games have commenced
& the TV ariel still hasn’t been fixed.
Arrrggghhh. By the sounds of it,
we haven’t missed much.
10/02/2014: AGL finally removed our Mains Gas Supply
Line and removed our Gas Meter – at a cost of over $1,200.00… ouch. (We’ll have to pay that amount again when we’re
ready to reconnect the Mains Gas to the new home).
22/02/2014: After many sleepless nights worrying about
things, ANA Demolitions phoned on Saturday 22/02/2014. They advised that, all being well and weather
permitting, they will now be able to demolish our old home commencing on &
from Monday 03/03/2014! Fantastic news!
24/02/2014: In accordance with Holroyd Council’s
requirements, I officially notified all our immediate and adjacent neighbours
& Holroyd Council in writing today about the status of the proposed Demolition
that is now due to commence from 03/03/2014 (we’re obliged to give all parties
5 days notice in advance before Demolition commences). I also visited Council to book their
pre-demolition inspection which has to be done by a Council Inspector on the
first day of demolition before demolition work commences. Council will also need to conduct a post
demolition inspection in due course.
25/02/2014: I received an E-mail update from our new
Client Liaison Officer at MJH. She
advised that, all being well, she anticipates MJH will place us on their
Construction List for mid to late March 2014 (fingers crossed), providing the
Demolition work goes as planned. If that transpires, it’s looking like
Construction should be completed within 5 to 6 months (circa August/September
2014, approximately by my estimation).
Bugger. I was hoping we could be
ready to move in by June so that we could hit the Mid Year sales for new
furnishings etc.
25/02/2014: A Mr. Fix-it character arrived today to fix
the TV ariel cable for us in the rental property. We now have Free-To-Air TV working properly
again.
28/02/2014: Pete & I are due to see the ANZ Bank
again to finalise & sign our new mortgage documents for the MJH Douglas. We were supposed to do that on 19/02/2014,
but ANZ Bank postponed and rescheduled the meeting until 28/02/2014. ANZ Bank will also need to issue their ‘Authority to Commence Building’ to MJH
ASAP following that. Our Home Loan
manager at ANZ assures me that all is OK & that the Bank is on track with
things. So far, the Bank has been the
least of our worries (touch wood).
March 2014
03/03/2014: The ‘kids’ birthday! Our 2 Staffies, Buddy & Taz, will be 12
years old on 03/03/2014. They’re brother
& sister from the same litter & we’ve had them since they were only 8
weeks old. Taz is actually an
hermaphrodite (both male & female, so she’s our ‘Special Girl’). They’re
very spoilt Staffies. Buddy is not well
& he’s very crippled-up with debilitating osteoarthritis in his spine &
elbows. All we can do is medicate him
& keep him comfortable. We hope we
can hold onto him until we’re able to move into our new home. They’ve settled into the rental home really
well.
03/03/2014: D-Day!!!! Fingers crossed that ANA Demolitions can finally
proceed with Demolition starting from 03/03/2014 (it will be a 5 day job for
them).
