If at all possible, invest in or get your draughtsperson to invest in 3D walk-through type software so that you can see how the doors, windows, layouts, etc will actually look. We got this ourselves for our second build and added in furniture, lighting and colours to help us see it as it will be when finished.
However, don't imagine that because you have shown your builder, or draughtsperson your image of how the house will look, that they will take it all in or be able to reproduce it faithfully. Being vigilant throughout will still be necessary as otherwise things will fall through the cracks.
If we ever built again, I would take screen shots of each of my 3D rooms from various angles and include these in my specs (with measurements) as a clear record of what we needed.
In our current build we had designed a kitchen with an extra-wide bench-top and sent a screen shot to the builder, but our failure to include measurements resulted in a standard-width top. This we agreed to as we had failed to communicate our requirement well-enough.
With a concrete floor, sewage and waste-water pipes must be installed at the time of laying the floor (before there are walls to check placement by). We suffered 2 problems with this - a very off-centre toilet waste pipe in our toilet (thankfully an adaptor more or less fixed the problem), and piping for our extractor fan beside the stove taking 2 extra turns to meet the pipe coming out of the floor. The latter issue is yet to be resolved...watch this space!
Other issues we have had with paper vs 3D plans include:
Roof truss designed to cross the roof at exactly the same point as the log-burner flue;
Size and shape of rooms seeming fine on paper, suddenly too large, too small, or awkward shapes when seen in reality;
Location of items such as pictures, TV and stereo not considered in terms of windows, placement of lounge furniture, etc.
Every hour you spend in planning is worthwhile, but I would recommend keeping a paper-trail of your plans and discussions, or even audio recording them so that there is no doubt about what has been agreed on.
Friday, 31 May 2013
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
House Building - Hazards of Drafting - windows & doors
The first opportunity for things to go really awry with a house build (assuming your site has been chosen) is at the drafting stage.
If you can, use an architect, or buy a plan that suits you. But if like us, you are willing to face the challenges of communicating the hand drawn boxes of rooms accurately into the language of drafting, either because of ignorance (as we did the first time), or experience (as we thought the second time) it is worth ensuring you remember certain important considerations...
Windows and doors -
Check that your image and the draughtsperson's correlate. If the room is upstairs and you want big windows, will the roofline allow it? In our first house we were shocked to find that the windows from our bedroom started about 40cm higher up the wall than we had envisaged because the roof of the lower storey required it. Now our place to sit and look out over the garden, required us to stand!
The laundry in our first house also presented problems. This time for the builder: when the windows went in, we discovered that they started too low down the wall to allow installation of the washing machine and tub under them (as planned), so these had to be placed across the room against a solid wall instead.
Windows in our "conservatory" had (in our minds) been full height, in actuality about 20cm at the top was wall.
Doors from the lounge to the "conservatory" that we had envisaged as the same height as external doors were in fact lower. These were bifolds and were so enormous that we took them out within a short time of moving in and sold them for next to nothing.
Ignorance is definitely not bliss when planning your home, more on this next time!
If you can, use an architect, or buy a plan that suits you. But if like us, you are willing to face the challenges of communicating the hand drawn boxes of rooms accurately into the language of drafting, either because of ignorance (as we did the first time), or experience (as we thought the second time) it is worth ensuring you remember certain important considerations...
Windows and doors -
Check that your image and the draughtsperson's correlate. If the room is upstairs and you want big windows, will the roofline allow it? In our first house we were shocked to find that the windows from our bedroom started about 40cm higher up the wall than we had envisaged because the roof of the lower storey required it. Now our place to sit and look out over the garden, required us to stand!
The laundry in our first house also presented problems. This time for the builder: when the windows went in, we discovered that they started too low down the wall to allow installation of the washing machine and tub under them (as planned), so these had to be placed across the room against a solid wall instead.
Windows in our "conservatory" had (in our minds) been full height, in actuality about 20cm at the top was wall.
Doors from the lounge to the "conservatory" that we had envisaged as the same height as external doors were in fact lower. These were bifolds and were so enormous that we took them out within a short time of moving in and sold them for next to nothing.
Ignorance is definitely not bliss when planning your home, more on this next time!
House Building Hassles
We have had the privilege of having 2 homes built to our designs. One a large, two-household home where we had hoped my parents would join us, the other a modest, family-home built behind my parents' existing home when it became apparent they would not be moving!
In the course of these builds there have been many highs and lows. Starting with the realisation that having everything you want is not possible (unless money is no object), building your dream can be both exhilirating and devastating. These emotions often follow each other in quick succession, as you attempt to convey the vision in your mind, clearly and completely to a builder who has their mind full of assumptions about what it is you really want, even if you don't know it.
There are so many aspects to a house build that it offers massive scope for misunderstanding, conflict and complaints.
Perhaps some of our experiences will help those who plan to build to avoid a few of these pitfalls...
In the course of these builds there have been many highs and lows. Starting with the realisation that having everything you want is not possible (unless money is no object), building your dream can be both exhilirating and devastating. These emotions often follow each other in quick succession, as you attempt to convey the vision in your mind, clearly and completely to a builder who has their mind full of assumptions about what it is you really want, even if you don't know it.
There are so many aspects to a house build that it offers massive scope for misunderstanding, conflict and complaints.
Perhaps some of our experiences will help those who plan to build to avoid a few of these pitfalls...
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Jetstar - Success At Last
If you have suffered similar problems with Jetstar and want to know what to do...hold on. In the end, someone listened!
As Stephen (hubby) has a background in international marketing, customer relations and business improvement, he decided it was time for the direct approach, email the CEO.
Well, very soon after he sent a summary of our Jetstar-related woes and mentioned our claim (already lodged) for clothing etc, we received a direct credit payment of the sum claimed (and no we did not inflate the figures, I always shop for bargains!). On top of that we received a Jetstar travel voucher.
Some time later we received a second payment for the clothing, etc and notified the CEO requesting he let us know where to direct it back to. This he never did, but we received another travel voucher. In the end we had the equivalent of our return flights refunded to us in these ways.
Of course we hope Jetstar took our constructive suggestions to heart, so that these disruptive and upsetting events are not repeated for other customers. I suspect that may not be the case as several friends have complained about their experiences with Jetstar since then.
If you've been in a similar situation, don't give up. Don't accept bad service or lazy responses from businesses that are taking your money (even if it is only a little of your money, after all the business sets the price). You are keeping them in work and in business. Keep creatively, respectfully, patiently complaining.
As Stephen (hubby) has a background in international marketing, customer relations and business improvement, he decided it was time for the direct approach, email the CEO.
Well, very soon after he sent a summary of our Jetstar-related woes and mentioned our claim (already lodged) for clothing etc, we received a direct credit payment of the sum claimed (and no we did not inflate the figures, I always shop for bargains!). On top of that we received a Jetstar travel voucher.
Some time later we received a second payment for the clothing, etc and notified the CEO requesting he let us know where to direct it back to. This he never did, but we received another travel voucher. In the end we had the equivalent of our return flights refunded to us in these ways.
Of course we hope Jetstar took our constructive suggestions to heart, so that these disruptive and upsetting events are not repeated for other customers. I suspect that may not be the case as several friends have complained about their experiences with Jetstar since then.
If you've been in a similar situation, don't give up. Don't accept bad service or lazy responses from businesses that are taking your money (even if it is only a little of your money, after all the business sets the price). You are keeping them in work and in business. Keep creatively, respectfully, patiently complaining.
Jetstar - Upgrade Anyone? Well Maybe Not.
Just before we were to return to NZ, we got a text alert that we could upgrade to business or first class for next to nothing. "Hooray!" we thought let's do it! But when we tried to take advantage of this great offer, we were informed that the call centre knew nothing of it!
Home we went in economy, our chance for an upgrade gone.
On our return to Auckland, after extensive enquiries and much waste of time it was discovered that #1 son's bag was still there. It had been there all along and despite our many phone calls and good description of its distinctive colour, no Jetstar staff member had found it (one can assume no-one looked). As it had gone to "the other side", it had to come back through Customs. When that was accomplished and we got it back, several items were missing.
By this time we were seething. What had been a fantastic and exciting opportunity to take the whole family overseas, was marred by the amount of time and effort we had to expend attempting to get (for the airline, but not for us) minor problems successfully sorted out.
It was time to go to the top...
Home we went in economy, our chance for an upgrade gone.
On our return to Auckland, after extensive enquiries and much waste of time it was discovered that #1 son's bag was still there. It had been there all along and despite our many phone calls and good description of its distinctive colour, no Jetstar staff member had found it (one can assume no-one looked). As it had gone to "the other side", it had to come back through Customs. When that was accomplished and we got it back, several items were missing.
By this time we were seething. What had been a fantastic and exciting opportunity to take the whole family overseas, was marred by the amount of time and effort we had to expend attempting to get (for the airline, but not for us) minor problems successfully sorted out.
It was time to go to the top...
Jetstar - The Cancelled Flight
Having lost my son's bag, we spent a makeshift night (2 boys sharing one set of not exactly fitting clothes) in Singapore before we checked in for our onward flight to Malaysia (also with Jetstar). We were informed when we arrived to check in that the flight was cancelled, we were not happy.
We approached the counter and requested they book us on any alternative flight that day. This they thankfully did (after some negotiation - during which they offered to put us up for the night in Singapore) but since it did not depart till 10:30pm, we had 3 tired, hungry kids to entertain from midday (original flight time) till 10:30! We requested a food voucher and somewhere to relax, and were finally given a voucher sufficient to cover one cheap meal for the 6 of us without drinks.
For the rest it was chairs or the floor!
Needless to say we were all shattered when we arrived after midnight in Malaysia.
We approached the counter and requested they book us on any alternative flight that day. This they thankfully did (after some negotiation - during which they offered to put us up for the night in Singapore) but since it did not depart till 10:30pm, we had 3 tired, hungry kids to entertain from midday (original flight time) till 10:30! We requested a food voucher and somewhere to relax, and were finally given a voucher sufficient to cover one cheap meal for the 6 of us without drinks.
For the rest it was chairs or the floor!
Needless to say we were all shattered when we arrived after midnight in Malaysia.
Jetstar...How it Began
We had booked a very cheap overseas holiday with Jetstar - all the way to Singapore and back for less than our domestic connection.
On arrival son #1's bag did not appear. We reported the problem at the Jetstar baggage counter at Changi and tried to connect by phone with someone/anyone who could offer some solution. This continued with no result over the whole holiday! We tried numerous different numbers and passed through Singapore Airport at least 3 more times during our break (each time checking at the baggage counter) but despite repeated phone calls to Jetstar call centres in Oz, NZ, Philippines, etc the bag could not be located.
On arrival son #1's bag did not appear. We reported the problem at the Jetstar baggage counter at Changi and tried to connect by phone with someone/anyone who could offer some solution. This continued with no result over the whole holiday! We tried numerous different numbers and passed through Singapore Airport at least 3 more times during our break (each time checking at the baggage counter) but despite repeated phone calls to Jetstar call centres in Oz, NZ, Philippines, etc the bag could not be located.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)