Build Time Line

Our Build Log

I'll apologise now for the very long read. :-)

This build log details our build from the onset as best as I can. During the actual building of the house I have dated and also noted the build day number that the event occurred on. Hopefully in the future as someone reads this they will get a good representation of how and when things occur during the building process.

Before we signed with Porter Davis we asked lots of questions to guide us towards a starting price for what we wanted.

• 11th March 2016: Display Home Visit (Waldorf 48, Hyde Park Façade at Williams Landing)
• 12th March 2016: Land became available in our area
• 14th March 2016: Display Home Walkthrough with consultant

The sales Consultant, Rowan, was great. With a moments notice he spent about an hour doing a walk through the display home and pointed out pretty much everything that was included and everything that was extra. He was also very good at providing a brief guide to how much certain upgrades may cost.

• 19th March 2016: Section 32 Land proposed to Sales Consultant
• 28th March 2016: Offer Accepted on Vacant Land Purchase.
• 30th March 2016: Initial quotation competed and deposit paid to Porter Davis.

It was official we would be building a new home for our family to grow. Somewhere amongst all of this we had arranged a World of Style Tour/Visit. We met with Sarah who was amazing and walked through each area with us and explained everything. Fortunately for us she knew the Waldorf at Williams Landing very well because she had worked there for some time. She new all of the colours, selections, upgrades and so on without having to consult files. She also knew all of the value upgrade options that would result in a very similar look and feel to the premium display home upgrades without the steep price tag. At this visit we had pretty much decided on 90% of our choices.

April-May 2016, up to our World of Style appointments, consisted of numerous emails back and forth between us, the Sales Rep and the World of Style Consultant. We had already met with the sales consultant and prepared a base price including all of the upgrades to make our house style similar to the display home. This was a very important time because it set things straight in my mind as to what we could afford and what might out of reach.

• 20th May 2016: World of Style Day 1
• 23rd May 2016: World of Style Day 2

The World of Style appointments were fairly straight forward because we already knew what we wanted. The only bit that got confusing was plumbing selections and what was and wasn't included in the promotions. It seems to get a little lost here with conflicting information and our prior selections weren't actually promo items. As it turned out though, a little bit of questioning goes a long way because well... we are now getting what we initially wanted included as promotion items and upgrades at very good prices.


I'll fill in this gap as I can. Busy, Busy, Busy

• 11th Jan 2017: Start Dates

We have been given a site cut date of 19th Jan 2017 and a slab pour date of 2nd Feb 2017. Lets see if they keep to these dates.

• Day 1 - 19th Jan 2017: Official Site start

Porter Davis came through and actually started on the day they said they would. A toilet and waste cage were delivered to site.

• Day 2 | 20th Jan 2017: Site cut completed
• Day 3 | 21st Jan 2017: Site set out

Preparation for slab and pre-slab were completed. The site was cut and filled as per the excavation drawings. They have also prepared marker pegs to locate the building. It all becomes real at this stage and I can see more accurately where our house will sit on the block rather than just stepping it out. It is all very neat and tidy at this stage

• Day 5 to 6 | 23rd - 24th Jan 2017: Pre-Slab preparation

Piers were drilled and filled with concrete in readiness for the slab. The piers stabilize the slab in the section of fill on the block. I didn't count them but there must be about 20 piers they have done. We also had a temporary fence with site signs installed too.

So far so good and on track for slab pour on the 2nd of Feb 2017 (Edit: Nope not on track anymore - read below)

• Day 7 to 13 | 25th Jan - 31st Jan 2017: Pre-Slab Plumbing/Electrical and ground work

We have had the electrical meterbox installed and wired in. The underground plumbing including groundwater drainage have been installed and some crushed rock has been graded over the site ready for the slab to be boxed up.

• Day 13 | 31st Jan 2017: Fencing Issues

Our neighbor has refused to allow our build to be on the property boundary even though our plans have various approvals. The fencing act has been utilized to stop us from removing part of the fence where our garage wall would be. The result is we are removing 10cm from the overall width of out garage (taken from the 2m garage extension we added) to allow Porter Davis to build inside the boundary fence without its removal. We have been told it shouldn't delay the overall build timeframe but it will adjust the slab schedule by couple of weeks.

We'll see how that goes...

• Day 17 | 4th Feb 2017: Whoops

After all that work and discussion with the neighbours to work around their decision to not allow the fence to come down... It was blown over during strong winds over the weekend. You can't win them all and now they are likely to have a different looking fence where our garage wall stands. Porter Davis will fix the problem because it fell only in the area they had worked at. The fence is colourbond posts, panels and top feature with several parts damaged beyond use and apparently you can't get the same colour anymore so they won't have the consistency they worked to keep. Sorry neighbours.

• Day 27 | 14th Feb 2017: Back on Track

So we are back on track. Porter Davis slab supervisor got the ball rolling for the required changes and the rest of the team kept it moving nicely. If only they worked this quickly all the time. We had a Post contract variation, building variation, re-drawing of plans, re-engineering of changes, re-approval of changes and my signatures along the way. Only 2 weeks and we are back up and running and with no additional days to our contract period.

• Day 29 | 16th Feb 2017: Slab setout

The slab team came in for the day and finished off the slab setout. Wow they work quickly. We already had the groundwork done but none of the slab was prepared due to the issue of 2 weeks prior. In the day they installed all of the side boards, plastic liner, polystyrene pods/waffles, various steel reo and tied it all off as required. Houses aren't all that pretty when their insides are showing. :-)

At this point we had arranged for an inspection to be completed by an house inspection service. Porter Davis were aware but the home inspection service booked us for inspection on the day of the slab pour. I won't name them here but it's not a good start. I didn't want to delay the progress so our slab supervisor met me onsite at 7:30PM and we went over the work that had been done. Although he would no doubt be biased towards upholding the reputation of Porter Davis it was re-assuring to be able to bounce questions off him. We went over all the same sort of items the these home inspections services do. There were a few items that required adjustment and because he was there it got completed on the spot. Overall it wouldn't be my preference on how to inspect the work at important stages but it turned out ok. I'll just see, but, I probably won't use that home inspections service moving forward.

• Day 30 | 17th Feb 2017: Slab pour

Slab was poured today and... yep... it's a big block of concrete. :-) It is interesting to see how it starts to fit within our block. I have a good mental picture of how it will all come together and it is pretty much turning out like it. Upon closer inspection I have requested that the slab supervisor inspect the slab at the boundary of our neighbor. It was supposed to be 100mm from the boundary and it looks suspiciously like it's right on the boundary. It doesn't help that the plans left on site are older plans before the 100mm reduction. This wasn't noticeable when it was inspected prior to pouring because of all the framework and structure around it. Lets see where this goes...

• Day 37 | 24th Feb 2017: Frame Start Date

Got a call from out Site Supervisor today and apparently our frame starts 7th March 2017. A bit of a delay but I was told it wouldn't change the overall build time at all. I asked if the slab had been inspected to see if it is correctly positioned 100mm off the fence and yes it was correctly poured and positioned. They will install the fence shortly after construction of the brickwall of the garage.

• Day 43 | 2nd Mar 2017: Frame Commenced

Our site supervisor called 1st March to tell me that our frame would be starting on 2nd March 2017. It is earlier than planned due to a delay at the other site where the framing team were. I'll get 3-4 days of framing done then there will be a couple of days break while they finish of the other site they are delayed on. And... yes they did start the frame. In 1 day they have completed the floor setout string lines, and built most of the external walls on the lower level. The rest of the lower level walls are built laying on the floor waiting to be stood and nailed into position. It's amazing how quickly it progresses.

• Day 54 | 13th Mar 2017: Scaffolding Installed

Most of the framing has been completed except the areas that require height access safety/work platforms. Scaffolding has been installed around the front Porch area and rear terrace section.

• Day 55 | 14th Mar 2017: Roof Work Platforms Installed

Not much to say here. Roof Work Platforms have been installed in the upper level to allow work access to the roof/gutters area of the house

• Day 56 | 15th Mar 2017: Roof Trusses Installed

And... then the very next day the roof trusses have been installed

• Day 58 | 16th Mar 2017: Frame Complete

Frame Invoice arrived today.

• Day 59 | 17th Mar 2017: Gutter & Eaves Installed

Bang! They are moving quickly now. Roof tiles were delivered onsite. Gutters and eaves were installed.

• Day 62 | 21th Mar 2017: Roof Tiles Installed

Double Bang! It's not slowing at all. The roof tiles that were delivered Friday 17th March are mostly laying on the roof now. There are a few dozen tiles left packaged and a small section of roof without tiles. I'm not sure what's going on there but I'm sure there's a reason. The pointing doesn't appear to be done yet. I guess they are keen to get our build water tight so they don't have issues coming into the wetter months. Windows and external door frames were delivered to site yesterday too.

• Day  64 | 23rd Mar 2017: Framers Back & Air Cond Copper Pipe Rough In

When the frame was built I noticed that the 2 windows in the Theatre weren't the same heights. This was something that out tender presenter had been very specific with to ensure that our windows would all align properly when view from inside and as best as possible from outside. The framers returned today to briefly fix the window height and also the upper level door openings. We had requested 2040mm doors in the upper level but ended up with 2340mm in our contract. The framers fixed it on site today. The A/C crew or maybe plumbers were onsite too doing the rough in for A/C copper lines

• Day 65 | 24th Mar 2017: Windows, External Door Frames and Heater/AC rough in

Most of the windows in the lower level, the door frames for external doorways have been installed. in the upper level only the terrace door has been installed with the other windows and doors waiting until the roof work platform have been removed before they can be installed. The work platforms have been secured through the window and door openings so windows will have to wait. Just when I thought the windows install was enough done I looked up and notice the Heater/AC rough in has been done too. There was great big ducting work hanging in the roof trusses. Much large diameter than I had expected and consuming much of the roof space Additional plumbing and drain pipes have also been installed as well.

• Day 66 | 25th Mar 2017: Plumbing Rough In

I had been very impressed with how tidy the various crews have kept the site. Everything was always stacked and stored neatly and regular site cleans had occurred. And... then the plumbers arrived. :-) We had the plumbing rough in completed today, at least it appears that way. It's a Saturday and until now I hadn't seen any work on Saturdays. I'm not sure how many people were on site today but they have done a lot of work ...and made a great mess in doing so. Nah not really, there is just a bunch of scrap off cuts and waste items laying around. Nothing a quick sweep wont fix. They have done rough in for internal hot and cold taps, various gas points, waste discharge plumbing internal routing through walls and floors, HWS copper piping, HWS solar panel/s rough in .


It has been a busy couple of week on site for our build. Hopefully it stays this way for all of the trades as we progress through our build.

• Day 70 | 29th March 2017: Upper level windows installed

All of the upstairs windows and external doors were installed today. Everything is coming together nicely... Except, you have to keep a keen eye on what is being installed and what you have  selected. I'm not sure how but our timber door upgrade to the balcony door was supposed to be 3 equal sized panels with the center panel sliding for the door opening. We have had a strange 1/2, 1/4, 1/4 door installed with the center 1/4 panel sliding for the opening. It leaves us with and exit space of about 400mm and aesthetically it looks wrong. As it turns out Porter Davis agree and we are getting a replacement door made and installed shortly.

• Day 72 | 31st March 2017: Sisilation Foil Installed

Fairly straight forward day. Our house had it external wall foil wrap done today. It was good to see inside at this point because all of the spaces become much more defined and we got a much better feel for the rooms and space we have.

• Day 75 | 3rd April 2017: Electrical Rough In

Electrical rough in started today. I think it was the L&O team in today. There is a mix of L&O and Argus Technologies completing the electrical/data/tv wiring. They do get a lot done in a short amount of time. I had been past and installed a couple of ceiling and wall noggins over the weekend and located where we wanted the lights and tvs to go. I can then organize for TV's and light fittings to be installed post handover without having to worry about weights and so on.

• Day 76 | 4th April 2017: Ducted Vacuum Rough In & Bricks delivered

The ducted Vacuum rough in was completed today. Looks to be fairly straight forward with pipes running to the various locations for fitoff at the end. It includes a wire that I assume is to control when the unit turns on and off. We have 3 vacuum points in the upstairs area, 2 vacuum points downstairs and a kitchen vacuum kicker to sweep straight into the vacuum. We also opted to upgrade to the deluxe handle and hose set which includes a on/off switch on the handle and a protective soft cover on the hose to protect furniture and walls from being damaged by the hose rubbing past it. At a later date we might buy a 2nd hose set so there is 1 upstairs and 1 down stairs if lugging around 9 meters of hose becomes tedious.

Also, Bricks were deliver to site today along with a pile of sand.

During a discussion today with the site supervisor he is looking at around 12th April to be hanging plaster. We'll see how that goes.

• Day 78 | 6th April 2017: Heating/Cooling Rough In

I think this took the heater/ac crew all of a few hours to complete the rough in. I had called past early morning to take a quick measurement and by lunchtime they had been, roughed in the heater ducts, cleaned up and gone on to the next job.

• Day 79 | 7th April 2017: Insulation Installed

I called past site today quite late to see that the insulation team were still busy finishing off the wall and ceiling insulation. It great to see all the room shapes forming and becoming actual room rather than frames that make up the skeleton of our house. I was lucky to catch working late and after a few minutes talking I was able to organise some additional sound screen acoustic insulation to a added to couple of wall upstairs.

• Day 82 | 10th April 2017: Rough In Site Visit

I had arranged a site visit with the supervisor to do a walk through of the frame and rough in stage. The Argus team were onsite completing several parts of the Data/Alarm and Speakers prewire. There was also a framer there straightening the walls and installing noggins to towels etc before plaster in a few days. He also build the master ensuite spa hob and layer the boarding on the terrace and balcony. The build is starting the get a bit messy with a heap of pre plaster work going on in the last few weeks. There are wood chips, cables and other bits and pieces all around. I guess they must do some sort of clean up soon after the mess making jobs are finished.

• Day 86 | 14th April 2017: Correct Balcony Door Arrived

Not much to say here. The correct Balcony door arrived on site today. I guess they will insall it in the next couple of days before plaster.

< More to come.