$1,000 worth of Coffee

During the build, we have found most costs to be reasonable. Sometimes they are a little on the expensive side but the costs are always justified.

We have compared 3rd party quotes and other Volume builders prices (Dave made a little comparison spreadsheet up) and are happy to pay for everything in our contract. Everything except for one line.

Just before tender, it was brought to our attention that our slab would need to be upgraded from an M class slab to a PH2 class slab because of the soil our house will be built on P = Problematic. No problems there – we have a house and land package, the cost of the slab upgrade won’t affect us.

Except that we added the alfresco option on to our Advantage house. Meaning that we would have to pay the cost difference for the slab upgrade in the Alfresco area as it falls outside of the House and Land package remit.

 

Our Sales consultant had accounted for this and had budgeted $1,000 for it, letting us know it would come in around the $600 mark, but giving us a bit of fat incase it was slightly more.

During our tender appointment, the cost was revealed to us, the slab upgrade for the Alfresco was $1,620. You could have picked Daves jaw up off the ground it had fallen so far.

 

A little indignant, we did some quick calculations. The Alfresco area is 11.71 square metres, the rest of the ground floor is 158.42 square meters, that would mean that the cost to UPGRADE the standard house footprint from an M class slab to a PH2 class slab would have been $21,916.35!

I didn’t believe it and neither did Dave.

We questioned the costs to the tender presenter, to our BC and later during the contract to our contract presenter. That was the price and they were sticking to it.

It was over $1,000 more then what our Sales Consultant told us it should be. It’s the only price in the contract we do not agree with, but what can you do?

Well, Dave decided he was going to recoup his money one way or another.

In every display centre, they have one house that is set up with a working fridge and a Nespresso coffee maker.

 

Dave decided after the Tender meeting that he was going to drink $1,000 worth of Porter Davis Coffee.

And by Jove, I think he’s going to do it!

 

Almost every weekend we visit a Display centre, to look at kitchens or bathrooms, get landscaping ideas, have a nosey at a new display home opening, and to work out what homes are due to be closed down and what furniture will be going on sale soon. And at every one, Dave drinks a coffee… or three.

We are around the 8-month mark now, 8 months x 4 weekends per month x at least 3 coffees @ $4.50 per cup (for a cafe coffee) is about $500. By the time the build has finished, we would have reclaimed our overpriced slab upgrade.

 

Dave likes the dark green capsules.

More than one couple have mistaken Dave for a Porter Davis employee when they see him at the coffee machine and ask him to make them one as well. This has lead us to some great conversations about the build journey and we’ve met some lovely people along the way.