Week 30: And Still No Keys

Looks like the horrible stories that I have read in the forum has all happened to me.My building journey with Celebration Homes has been a total nightmare, especially this final stretch.The key-handover was scheduled on 4th April 2014 but it did not happen as I did not have a bank cheque with me. I'm officially house-less. I have been booted out from my current rental property as the homeowner is adamant not to extend my lease and I have no keys to my new house.

Put it this way, Celebration Homes and Commonwealth Bank have both let me down tremendously. They do not care about their customers. I am so furious and disappointed with their inefficiency despite giving them ample notice about my house-less situation. If only Celebration Homes were to be upfront and honest that the key handover will not happen from the start. I would have had plan B executed long time ago and not leave everything till so last minute. Thank god for quick availability of self storage warehouses so that there's shelter for my furniture and belongings. As for Commonwealth Bank, I have issued the final progress payment tax invoice to them on 27th March 2014 and yet no progress payment on day 8 today. 

When a control freak and well organised person like me can't execute plans accordingly, it is very frustrating. I have booked in all the contractors this week to complete the house and it is extremely annoying to reschedule them. But what can I do? 

Things that Celebration Homes have done poorly:
1. Inconsistency with the drawing plans and addenda - Make sure you check thoroughly whatever things you've requested at the beginning is all included in the addenda. The site supervisor has not been doing a good job executing the requests.
2. Crossover was requested to be included at the beginning but it has not been done. The request was drawn on the site plan but not included in the addenda. Celebration Homes tried to get away from it but I didn't let them.
3. Water meter stated to be relocated from the driveway and has not been executed.
4. Extra row of tiles not installed in the laundry
5. Bidet/washing unit in the toilet have not been installed.

Frustrated that I can't get into my own house. 

Seriously? Water meter smacked in the driveway??

Week 28: Pending for Pre-Handover Meeting

Colour of choice for the rendering : Toffee and Cream Beige (Solver Paint). I'm glad it turned out like what I've imagined. 

The much anticipated keys-handover should be taking place next week if everything goes smoothly on this Friday's pre-handover meeting. It is important to prepare a check list to ensure all the specifications and modifications of the house have been installed. Just to name a few:

1. make sure all power points and lights are working - bring a hairdryer to test it

2. plumbing system are in place - flush the toilets, check the shower head, check every tapware, check the external tap

3. check if there's insulation in the roof area

4. make sure all the knobs,doors,windows and fly screens are installed properly 

5. check the wardrobe sliding doors

6. make sure there's a downpipe for drainage installed

7. make sure the stove top and oven are working. Check all the cabinets are soft closing

8. make sure brickpaving of driveway, alfresco and crossover are installed

9. make sure there are no cracks in the floor, walls and ceiling. 

 Running through the list with your partner or a friend will ensure that you didn't miss anything before the pre-handover meeting. Better still if you could get somebody to go with you.

It won't be long from now=)

Week 26-27: Lock Up Stage

Finally the windows are up and in the lock up stage. It wouldn't be too long before we have the pre-handover meetings and keys handover with Celebration Homes, hopefully by next Friday.The clock is ticking for me as I will need to vacate my current rental premises by 7th April 2014. Things in life never does turn out as planned sometimes. I was hoping that the rental agent could extend my lease for 2 more weeks to allow some time for me to get this house ready. Unfortunately, the owner was adamant and firm with the vacation date. Looks like I'll be living in the garage for the moment while the other contractors work on the house. I still have lots to be done before the house is completed such as airconditioning, lighting installation, painting, flooring, glass splashback and curtains.

I am glad the exterior look of my house turned out like how I imagined it to be. The external walls have been rendered and I hope when it's all painted, it'll look alright. I'm slightly worried about the colour choice I have made at the pre-start session. Cross fingers it won't be too horrible! 

Floor tiles and wall tiles installed in the ensuite bathroom. I will be choosing # Raw Cotton (Dulux Paint) for the internal wall painting. 

Vanity area in the ensuite bathroom

Bathroom 

Kitchen sink 

Week 25: Installation of Cabinets

What a turn of events! I was actually surprised to see some progress after a few days. Hopefully it won't be too long from now. Cross fingers and hope that I'll get my keys end of March =)

 #Antique Wiluna White selected and installed for the laminex kitchen cabinets

laundry sink and cabinet installed 

#Husk chosen for the front laminex cabinet

cabinet for the bathroom #oyster linea

cabinet for the ensuite bathroom #oyster linea 

ceiling and cornice installed 

cornices done

stock pile of ceramic wall and floor tiles - ready to go! 

a closer look of the selection I've made for the bathroom 

Wall tiles - Lanka Fashion Bone

Feature tiles - #3 Honeycomb

Floor tiles - Lanka M-637 #64 Cinnamon

bathtub and sinks delivered 

Week 23-25: Ceiling, Doors and Window Frames

We are at the 25 week mark now and unfortunately, we're not at the lockup stage yet. Looks like Celebration Homes has failed to deliver the 26 weeks promise of building time. I have sent them an email questioning about their building duration policy but there was no response. Apparently it is very typical of builders to avoid complaints like this. It's been 15 months since I've first signed the preliminary contract with them. The building process has been a long delayed one. I'm just at a stage whereby my patience is running really thin and I just want this process to be over and done with. 

Celebration Homes has been a very disappointing experience thus far. The only good feedback I have for them is the sales consultant whom I've dealt with at the beginning. He was very friendly and easy-going. But once the building contract has been signed, what he promised and what turned out to be are totally different scenarios. During this long painful process of waiting for things to happen, I have paid a tremendous amount of money for the overlapping weekly rental and land loan. I don't even know whether it's feasible to seek for any form of compensation. Well, I wonder if there's anything different that I can do apart from waiting. From their latest update, my house should be ready for pre-handover end of March. Shall wait and see! 

Master bedroom- White gyprock hardwall plaster on the wall. Smooth texture to the wall

2nd bedroom 

Bathroom

Entry door and window frame installed 

Kitchen and living area - Ceiling installed

Long corridor to the garage door

Week 22: Float Stage

Looks like the building process is speeding up. The roof stage has been completed this week and it's proceeded with the plaster floating stage.

Installation of the plaster float (internal grey coat)

More plaster float 

Room 2 

roof timber and electrical wiring 

more roof timber and electrical wiring 

Week 18 - 22: Roof Timber

I'm starting to doubt if Celebration Homes could deliver their promise of completing the house in 4 weeks time. Highly unlikely the way I see it now. Still at the roofing stage. I shall wait and see if miracle will happen.