All the essentials

While we wait for the plans to be drawn I’m going through my lists and checking them twice. We’ll only get one “free” shot at changes to the plans after they’re drawn, so I’m trying to make sure we’ve thought of everything. This list is doomed to fail because “everything” will definitely have changed by the time the house is built and hindsight kicks in! But, here we go anyway. First, let’s cover what we get as standard.

At the moment, Wisdom Homes has two “collections” of house plans. There is the Smart Collection and the Prestige Collection. The Smart Collection has the more affordable base prices and generally includes smaller houses suited to lot frontages between 10 and 13.5m. The exception is the Cornerstone 26 which, as the name suggests, is designed to suit a corner block with 15m frontages. There is a brochure for each house plan and on the back of that is a list of the standard inclusions. Plus, with the Smart Collection you’ll receive the Smart Essentials Package of inclusions that are provided at no extra charge. When I say no extra charge I mean you’re paying for it somewhere, they just aren’t going to point out where. Similarly, the Prestige Collection has a Prestige Essentials Package, which is slightly plusher.

In case you’re curious, here is a merged list of the standard inclusions and the smart essentials that we will receive with the Cornerstone 26, as at the time we requested the tender (18 May 2013). A fair few of the items are being advertised as smart essential upgrades but they were already included in the standard inclusions list. I’ve put an asterisk (*) next to the ones that really were an upgrade of sorts. I’ve left out the daggy ones like “contemporary kitchen design” – you know, opposed to a design from 1852.

As well as these, we also signed up for two promotional upgrades: a fully ducted air conditioner for $5,990 (valued at $14,990) and a free roof upgrade to either Colorbond or the Bristile Prestige range flat profile shingle roof tiles (we went for the roof tiles but have umed and ahhed about this since).

Termite protection

• termite treatment system to BCA requirements
• Blue Hyne T2 termite resistant timber frames *
• Reticulated termite treatment system to the perimeter of the home *

Bricks

• extensive brick selection from builders ‘Inclusive’ range
• brickwork above garage doors *
• off white mortar to brickwork *

Floor coverings

• ceramic tiles to the entry, foyer, kitchen, dining and leisure room from the builder’s standard range tile allowance (25$/m²) (I had to ask if they missed out bathroom tiles on purpose- apparently they do actually include those!)
• 50/50 wool blend carpet to remainder of the home (excluding wet areas)

Concrete

• class ‘M’ concrete slab
• concrete to front porch including ceramic tiles over ($25/m² tile allowance)

Roof

• Bristile flat profile ‘Classic’ range roof tiles in lieu of traditional range roof tiles *
• 22.5 degree roof pitch *
• 450 mm wide eaves including eaves soffit lining
• Colorbond fascia and gutter *
• fire retardant sarking to underside of roof tiles *
• upgrade of ceiling insulation to R3.5 (from R3.0) *
• whirlybird roof ventilator for better cooling and efficiency *
• Colorbond fascia and gutter

Garage

• plasterboard lined interior to garage *
• single skin brickwork
• auto garage door opener including 2 x transmitter units and wall switch *
• sectional overhead Colorbond garage door *

Windows

• aluminium sliding windows throughout
• keyed window and external door locks throughout *

Other exterior items

• 3 x exterior garden taps *
• Trend aluminium stacker door to outdoor leisure area *
• upgrade of wall insulation to R2.0 (from R1.5) *
• decorative slimline corrugated steel above ground 3000 litre rain water tank in lieu of plastic *

Ceilings/cornice

• 2440mm high ceilings throughout with 90mm cove cornice
• decorative “tempo” cornices to ground floor living areas, master suite and ensuite *
• decorative half splayed 90mm high skirting boards and 67mm wide architraves *

Electrical

• general power points throughout room as per electrical diagram
• direct wired smoke detectors with battery backup as per plans
• rangehood exhaust fan to kitchen (externally ducted)
• combination fan-light-heater to bathroom and ensuite
• exhaust fan to fully enclosed WC (no window)
• standard bayonet type lighting throughout
• security alarm system including LCD code pad *
• slimline Clipsal double power points and switches throughout *
• 2 x television points to your preferred location *
• 2 x telephone points to your preferred location *

Natural gas

• natural gas provision to cooktop and hot water system
• gas bayonet point to living area *

Hot water

• gas hot water unit (no controllers)
• 5 star rated gas instantaneous hot water system *
• recess box for gas instantaneous hot water system *

Doors and door furniture

• Hume VERV range 820 x 2040mm front door (in lieu of 4 panel with glazed sidelights, paint finish) *
• Gainsborough tri-lock lever entrance set to front door *
• fully glazed laundry door with timber surround, paint finish
• standard lock set to laundry
• flush panel hollow core internal dors, paint finish
• designer Gainsbourough Lianna internal door lever handles *
• bar handles to kitchen pantry, linen and robe doors in lieu of knobs *
• door stops to internal access doors
• keyed lock to external sliding doors

Kitchen and kitchen appliances

• Essastone benchtop to kitchen (20mm thick – standard range) in lieu of laminated benchtop *
• decorative glass splashback to kitchen (in lieu of standard tiles) *
• laminated overhead kitchen cupboards to both sides of rangehood including bulkhead over *
• Blanco double bowl stainless steel sink (Model BTIPO8S) *
• laminated overhead cupboard above fridge space *
• set of pot drawers *
• designer Caroma Quatro mixer tap to kitchen sink *
• laminated doors and end panels including squareform
• white melamine lined interior
• designer metal handles from an extensive builders collection
• melamine timbergrain shelving to pantry (in lieu of standard wire shelving) *
• Blanco 900mm stainless steel freestanding cooker (Model FD9045WX) *
• Blanco feature 900mm wide stainless steel rangehood (MODEl BRCE90X) *
• Blanco stainless steel dishwasher (Model DWF6XP) *

Bathroom

• semi-frameless shower screens to showers *
• designer vitreous china toilet suites with square style cistern and soft close seats *
• stylish counter mounted or semi recessed vanity basins (subject to design) *
• designer floating vanity units with laminated squareform tops
• decorative tiled shower niches to all shower recesses *
• polished edge frameless mirrors to bathroom and ensuites
• stylish Caroma Quatro mizer tap sets to all vanity basins *
• Caroma Quarto bath and shower mixer sets to all bathrooms *
• Caroma Quatro handheld shower and rail kits to all shower recesses *
• feature towel rails and accessories to bathrooms and ensuite
• Stylus Newbury bath *
• chrome fore wastes to wet areas *
• chrome push plugs to vanity basins *
• 3 in 1 fan light heater to bathrooms
• tiling to bath area and shower recess from builders standard range
• skirting tiles to bathroom, ensuite and WC from builders standard range
• floor tiles to bathroom, ensuite and WC from builders standard range

Landry

• 45 litre stainless steel laundry tub with white metal cabinet (freestanding)
• mixer tap *
• hot and cold washing machine taps with screw hose fittings
• skirting tiles to laundry from builders standard range
• floor tiles to laundry from builders standard range

other internal features

• ventilated wire type shelving systems to linen and robes
• Taubmans three coat paint system to walls throughout in lieu of two coat system * (one colour only to walls, doors, skirting boards and architraves)
• flat acrylic paint to all ceilings in ceiling white only
• gloss enamel paint to interior timber and doors
• acrylic finish to exterior timber and metal work
• down pipes, meter box and infills painted to blend with brickwork
• designer stair upgrade to stainless steel bar balusters and squared handrail * (in lieu of decorative iron with timber handrail)

All the standard site costs, fees, approvals, scaffolding, cleaning, insurance and warranty are also included.

Batteries? Probably not.