[Nienke]

Great, the house is finished before christmas!! Have a great time on friday and enjoy your new home! :cheers

[Smiler]

Oh Marie and Dave 4 more sleeps to go. :raebanana

Have a lovely moving in day and enjoy your new home. :D

D x x

[katandbob]

looking good marie, hope you get in soon, look forward to your inside shots

Kat

[pinkpiggy]

Got everything crossed for you for Friday Marie. Good luck.

[Marie P]

We got a door key tonight ,so managed to get in and take some piccies.

The whole house is painted ,just needs the lights and socket covers going in ,toilets ,sinks ,doors rehanging , carpets ,blinds ,oven ,hob ,the drive and front path ,outside lights ...........they have 4 days .........will they do it !!!!

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0849.jpg]

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0861.jpg]

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0848.jpg]

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0851.jpg]

Its all a bit beige at the moment ,but very calming and clutterfree ,how long will that last with my lot

Marie x

[The Hodges]

It looks lovely Marie P and I hope that they do finish it on (the revised) time.

It'll all be worth it in the end.

[willsken]

Looks lovely Marie. Good luck for Friday! Hope all goes smoothly :D

[Marie P]

Lots happened today ,doors were hung ,sockets are on, holes in ceiling for downlights ,alarm connected ,power connected ,bathroom vanities ,toilets ready for installing.

Dave has been down to install the dishwasher.

They say we will complete on friday ,but maybe late afternoon ,so we will move in Saturday and have time on the sunday to clean the rental before the next people move in on monday.

Marie x

[katandbob]

ooh that means XMAS AT CASA PARKERS!!!! well done and I want pics of Xmas dec's....

[pinkpiggy]

Marie, it looks lovely. I bed you can't wait.

[StevieD]

Looking good Marie - I'll leave the bawdy humour out of the thread now.....

[marcia]

Wow Marie - you must be so excited - what a fantastic christmas present -and at least you have your family to help you move too!!

We wish you all the luck in the world in your new home and can't wait to be able to see it in person. :yes

The next few days will be busy and stressful - but moving a few miles will be a piece of cake when you compare it to what you've already done to get to New Zealand. :clap

Loads of love

The Mad Smiths from Palmy!!!!!!!

XXXXXx

[Kim39]

Well lass you are only a few days away from setting foot across the fresh hold and starting the second stage of this new life that you, Dave and the kids wanted.

Just want to wish you all the best wishes that can be thrown at you from down here in TA, and we'll do our best to get up there for a cuppa soon.

Kim

[Marie P]

The next few days will be busy and stressful - but moving a few miles will be a piece of cake when you compare it to what you've already done to get to New Zealand. :clap

Very true Marcia ........I'm so laid back its wednesday and I still havnt started packing :roll Just spent an age on the phone organising phone lines and house insurance .

Today the toilets ,showers ,carpets,washtub went in ,still no lights unless they came later in the day,still no drive or path :no

Oh well I suppose I better start throwing stuff into boxes again ,seems silly just for a 15 minute drive down the road.

Thanks for all your kind wishes ,anyone is welcome to come for a peek and a cuppa.

Marie x

[gil]

Hey Marie, it looks stunning! tomorrow....!!! I'm in the library now, but will ring you soon!

Love

Gil
xx

[Marie P]

The handover is 4pm tomorrow :raebanana

So we will move some stuff tomorrow evening and move in on Saturday .

I went today we have lights ,carpets ,door knobs ,alarm ,sinks ,vanity units. The guy was getting path and drive prepared for pouring the concrete tomorrow .

I cannot wait to be there ,two more sleeps :nice1

Marie x

[sizzlingbadger]

Great house and the time seems to have flown by since you first started this thread :raebanana

Hope you have lots of happy memories and a great Christmas (is a Christmas tree included as well :D )

[Maggiemoo]

Hi Marie P,

Hope today is going well for you, and good luck in your new house. Hope you've got a nice bottle of bubbly chilling to celebrate with! :raebanana

We will be moving into our new house next Friday - we have also built a brand new house on a sub-division on the outskirts of Tauranga. Just like you, we have been following progress on almost a daily basis - went up today and the shower cubicles were being put in and the wooden venetian blinds had gone up (curtains to follow at beginning of next week). Then that's basically it, just need to get the council inspector in to ensure the build complies with the code of compliance, and hopefully we shall be handed the keys early next Friday. Its so exciting,isn't it? In some ways I don't want to move all our stuff in as it will "clutter the place up" - am thinking of shipping the kids (2 and nearly 1) back to grandma in UK so we don't have to fill the place with their toys (just joking, I think!!!)

Enjoy your 1st weekend in your new home,

Maggie x

[Marie P]

We didn't get the keys yet :no

Everything is almost complete but house needs cleaning ,cleaners are due in 7am saturday and we will move stuff from late morning .

It all looks lovely and clutter free ........I know what you mean Maggiemoo ,all my kids stuff all over the place will ruin the illusion .

The Drive and path were done today too .

Marie x

[willsken]

I bet you can't wait to finally move in. So excited for you! More pics please!! :D

[StevieD]

Marie, a house isn't a home until you have all your bits and family with you. We wish you all a happy time in your new abode. It looks really nice, will be good to see it in the flesh in the not too distant future we hope!

Steve and clan xx

[Trigirl]

It looks perfect Marie. I hope you and your family love living there.

[Marie P]

Hi Everyone ......well we are in !!!

Friday we came at 4pm ,to the stair carpet still being fitted and the house still uncleaned. We were told that the cleaners were going to come in at 7am sat morning ,so we arrived with our first loads around 10am .Dave had a trailer ,my car ,Dads car and a friend of Dave had a big ute ,so between us we had everything in the new house by 6pm ish . My Dad assembled the beds so we were sorted for the night.The shower doors were fitted that day too ,so we couldnt use the showers !
At 2.45 am I heard my Mum shouting ,there was water coming through a light fitting in the family room [My dear old Dad had been snoring ,so she came to sleep on the sofa bed downstairs ],we got a bucket and some towels and Dave switched the water off.
So sunday morning we still couldnt have showers :uhoh ,we got hold of the builders and a plumber was sent out .Imagine the devastation if that had poured water for hours .Mum and I went back to the rental and cleaned the place and Dave did the last run .
Monday ,we got the phoneline and internet back on ,we still have no fence and the garden is a mess.
At 5pm the Big Boss came over and we paid for the house [they hadnt asked for any payments since the completion date got moved],they brought Champagne ,engraved glasses ,2 directors chairs and keyrings.
They will come back to do little odd jobs that need doing .They said that we would be clients of the year if they had a competition !
We are very happy people and it is wonderful to be finally moved in and I have loved opening boxes that I packed over 13 months ago. I will take some photos tomorrow ,but now I am going to crash out on the sofa and look at my lovely view.
Thanks for all your good wishes and thank you to Ivy and Tony who have watched the house being built and kept an eye on everything for us [and for the lovely gifts too ]
Mariex

[Smiler]

Marie

I'm so happy for you. :nice1

I hope all the snags are sorted soon, but until then put your feet up, take pics of the view and post when you can.


ENJOY!!!!!! :cheers:cheers:cheers

[Ana&Steve]

Congratulations! A week before Christmas, what a great memory that will make. :D I'm very happy for you and your family!
Ana

[jubjub]

Marie, glad your leak is sorted, and that you are all in safe and well, cant wait to see the place...

I have been there with both of our new houses with the leaks on the first night, it kind of takes the shine off it a bit.... but you soon get over it!

[Trigirl]

congratulations marie - i hope its a lovely home for you and your family

[Kim39]

Well done to the Parkers, you got there in the end. Come on a little water leak, whats that between builders and clients;) Glad to read all is sorted.


Kim

[JohnandCathy]

Hi,

Looks and sounds fantastic, good luck I hope your new home is everthing you've dreamt of.

Cathy

[marcia]

Good luck 'the Parkers' in your new home, must feel like you really can settle now in NZ, in your own brand new home, fantastic, and with your family there to help celebrate christmas - I am soooooooo jealous (but in a nice way!) Can't wait to come up and see you all again - when will you have room for 5 more bodies???????????????????

loads of love to you all!

XXXXX

[Nienke]

Congratulations Marie, so happy for you! Have a wonderful christmas in your wonderful new home! :cheers

[StevieD]

Congrats to Marie and Dave!! Enjoy the Christmas with the family in your new home.

Steve and Jan xx

[Caroline and Dave]

We are so happy for you Marie. Now you are at the end of the dream,which is now a reality,we are at the start of it.


Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline :nice1

[Angie and Mick]

All that hard work has paid off. Have a great Christmas and I hope no more un welcome surprises.

:cheers

[Marie P]

I LOVE IT HERE !!!!!

I have to keep pinching myself ,the house is lovely ,we have bought all the things that we wanted ,but thats it now as we are skint :uhoh

Slowly working on the garden ,but with Christmas and New year and more visitors due it can wait till later in January.

It is lovely waking up to the birdsound and the gorgeous view.

I will post some photos soon .

Merry Christmas from the Parkers of Wattle Cove :cheers

[StevieD]

Happy Christmas Parkers!

[pinkpiggy]

A very happy to christmas to you and your family in your fabulous new home.

[Simon S]

Congratulations. We are in the real early stages of applying for the big move. Well done on getting this far, now you can literally build your dream, brick by brick.
All the best. Simon S.

[Babette & Andy]

After all these months of watching it 'grow' - Can't wait to see it for real this afternoon!! Congratulations you guys on making your dream come true.
See you later.

Babette

[marcia]

Come on Marie - get your finger out - we're sitting here in 'suspenders' waiting for the piccies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :laugh

[Marie P]

You wanna see it girlfriend .........then you have to come visit :laugh

Promise I will take some soon ,madness around here at the Mo .......next 5 visitors due to land in an hour :exit

Marie X

[Smiler]

You wanna see it girlfriend .........then you have to come visit :laugh

Marcia, shall we start booking a coach? ;)

Marie, the visitors can wait :p we've been waiting months for these piccies! :D

D x x

[Babette & Andy]

A group of us were over at Single's house this afternoon / evening and took a wonderful stroll around Wattle Cove, ending up at the Parker residence to find . . . . nobody at home!! Here's the photo to prove we were there:-
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a192/BEMMaas/Marieshouse.jpg?t=1167295340

We ofcourse tried to see into the house, but all blinds were closed at the time.

On the way home, after a wonderful meal at Single's house we drove past and had a quick tour. What a wonderful house :yes Ok there were lots of people and suitcases all over the place, but you could see past that. I'm sure that when Marie has come back to earth and gets a minute or two, that she will post photo's of the inside - worth waiting for :yes

Congratulations again guys, you've got yourselves a wonderful house there, at a gorgeous location.

Babette

[Marie P]

I promise to take some photos today ,as one lot of visitors went home yesterday [heartbreaking saying goodbye again ].

Here is a photo of the 12 of us ....

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/DSC_0062-2.jpg]

The house doesnt look like a refugee camp anymore .

We have started with the garden finally ,we hired a rotivator and have top soil to go down .It has taken weeks to get a fencer out to give us a quote and it will be a few weeks to for him to have time to do it .

Just don't expect anyone to be available in January !!!

Marie x

[Andy-Dee]

Hi Marie, please keep the pic's coming would love to see the inside and garden when iis finished.
D

[The Hodges]

Here is a photo of the 12 of us ....

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/DSC_0062-2.jpg]

Sorry Marie, I can't see the photo, and I very much would like to. Please could you re-post, unless it is just me and then I apologise.

[Marie P]

I see it twice ,the pic I posted and again in your post.

Anyone else see it ?

Marie x

[wiki]

I can see it twice too - but it is a very nice picture!

[The Hodges]

Don't I feel like an idiot as now I see it to. :nice1 It can't be my eyes, well I hope not, the OH works in an opticians... :o Perhaps it is something to do with the firewall at work - IT are always banning websites... t'is so annoying (I know excuses excuses...)

Very nice picture though, thanks for posting it.

[Marie P]

Well we finally got our fence erected yesterday ,so can now enjoy sitting on the patio with some privacy.It is a low fence so we dont lose our view,but the path behind the house is down a slope so people cant see in.

Next step ....the lawn and planting trees and plants [any tips greatly received]

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0185.jpg]

[http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0186.jpg]

[Singel]

Oh, oh.................... our days of trespassing is over ;) :D :laugh

Hmmmm............. maybe we still could look over the low fence (if we smell some barbie) :p

[StevieD]

Coming along nicely guys.... just seems right, big chairs on the patio, and soon you'll have the garden planted. :nice1

[Marie P]

We have been busy each weekend with the gardens ,thought I would give a little update to show what we have been upto.

The grass is coming along slowly ,not much rain and greedy birds are holding it back .

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0305.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0304.jpg

We planted about 12 fruit trees [in the orchard :laugh as we like to call it ].
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0302.jpg

We have just seeded the large garden ,see what happens soon.[the kids may finally get that trampoline we promised them 2 years ago ]

We are loving living here ,our neighbours on one side have moved in ,the house opposite is being built now ,but still nothing happening on the section next door ,I wish they would hurry up and start as I'm fed up of living within a noisy building site .

Marie x

Ps Moorf no package has arrived yet !!!

[speckythecky]

Marie,

Place looks amazing, can't wait to come around for tea, but don't put the kettle on just yet

j

[pinkpiggy]

The garden is coming along beautifully. Building sites are the pits but hopefully you won't have to put up with it for too much longer.

[Marie P]

Some more garden photos.

Fruit trees are growing ,we have some lemons and oranges so far .

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0404.jpg

Dont you love a guy in shorts and gumboots :exit

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c379/wilson1964/IMG_0406.jpg

Still need more seed ,but it is growing well.

We had better buy the kids the Trampoline that we promised them a year and half ago when we sold all their outside toys on E bay.

We used the gas heater on Wednesday night ,we were very cosy and warm .

Marie x

[Marie P]

OMG ........have you seen how many people have viewed this thread :roll

Marie x

[Sam B]

You're almost famous!

[Marie P]

You're almost famous!

And Cosmopolitan ..............:laugh

Marie x

[Marie P]

We have been in the house for 9 months now and we finally got the code of compliance.

We had a battle with everyone along the way about the Development Contribution which was nearly $5000.

At every stage in the beginning from buying the section and to the builders were their any other costs ,everyone told us NO .

Then just as the build started we got this notice,our solicitor and we wrote to all parties involved but we have had to pay it in the end otherwise the council wouldnt give us the Code of compliance :mad:

We also had a problem of a small crack in the driveway and we have fought to get this sorted ,the concrete guy was so laid back saying he would sort it ,but after many phone calls and letters it is done.

So we know feel the house is finished :raebanana

The section next door is being built on now ,it a huge house ,6 bedrooms !!

We are expecting more visitors from the UK to arrive tomorrow :clap

Marie x

PS I love looking back at all the photos .

[Kim39]

Marie

What is a Development contribution, and what does it consist of?

Elaine

[StevieD]

And who is the mysterious guy in the photo Marie???? ;)

[holland]

What a fantastic thread, just spent ages reading it all, your house looks beautiful!

J x

[culpepper]

we are hoping to go over in about a year and are hoping to get a house built and be virtually mortgage free as we have a huge 4 bed over here but want much smaller over there--any advice? links? info?

[Silverwing86]

Hiya,

Check out Caroline and Dave's threads through the search function on this forum. Here is one of them: http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9378, it has loads of info on everything to do with housing...

Good luck with the process !

Silver

PS sorry, forgot to mention that a general search on 'housing' or 'building a house' on this forum should offer up quite a bit of interesting information....

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi Marie,
If anyone can help with this you can.
We have been told by our council that we will not be able to move into our house when it is built until they have signed it off. Did this happen to you? Going by how fussy our council are it will probably be Xmas next year before we move in.Another long list of questions was produced yesterday so the planning saga still continues. Never mind we will get there eventually. Should be in just before my retirement party :laugh


Dave and Caroline

[Marie P]

Hi Dave and Caroline ,

They did let us move in before the code of compliance was issued ,all the checks had been made but we hadn't paid the bloomin development fees to the council.

We were not 100% sure that we covered by our Insurance with not having the Code of Compliance ,so once we did get it ,I felt much happier.

Has anything started on your place ,has the section been cut yet ??

Best wishes ,

Marie x

[hball]

Hi Caroline and Dave,

Just to let you know, your council was correct in telling you that you cannot move into your house without the Code of Compliance being issued, in fact your building company will be commiting an offence under the Building Act 2004 if they allow you possession before then!

(Without Code of Compliance there may be insurance issues, you may not be able to draw down a mortgage and you will not be able to sell the property.)

An often overlooked point is that if there is any work being completed on site by anyone other than the builder; say patios, driveways, a pool and so on, the Code of Compliance will not be issued until those works are completed as well, so while you may have Practical Completion from the builder (the house is finished and ready to be moved into, and your contract with him is satisfied) you will still not be allowed access until all those other areas are completed as well.

Unfortunately due to overload, the councils are now taking quite a while to process the admin. which precludes the issue of the actual Certificate, and we are talking weeks and not days here.

Now the good news!!! :) There is an allowance in the act for you to enter into an agreement with the builder to take possession on Practical Completion and prior to Code of Compliance being issued. It is dependent on the completion of the sale, in other words you must pay all monies due to the builder under the contract. Easy if you are self funding, not easy if you are obtaining a loan as most lending authorities will only pay out final progress payments on sight of Code of Compliance Certificate!

Hope this helps
Hilary

[Marie P]

It is a year ago today since we moved into the house :raebanana

The Christmas before we had just got here .....

This Christmas is going to be lovely and relaxed ,we have just 4 visitors from home ,not 7 like last year :roll

Happy Christmas everyone :yes

Marie x

[holland]

rrrr Marie...Happy Year Anniversary!!!

Have a great Christmas...you sound so happy

J and G x

[Hannah-NL]

Marie congrats with a wonderful house, I have enjoyed the Parker saga! :)

[Marie P]

Wattle cove is supposed to be shown on Sundays Location Location at 7pm on TV1.

Marie x

[Smiler]

Wattle cove is supposed to be shown on Sundays Location Location at 7pm on TV1.

Marie x

Ohhh is it The Parkers at No 42? :D

[Caroline and Dave]

Just gone through this thread again right from the beginning for the last hour plus and its given us even more confidence . Although it is very stressful, Marie has proved it really is worth doing. Every section is different ,each having their own problems but in the end its well worth it.
Hopefully threads like Ours and Marie's will give people an insight in to what's involved and give you the confidence to take it on.

Dave and Caroline

[batgirl1001]

Can I just ask Marie if it's not too much trouble or too private .....how much did you pay for the section?

Is it a freehold? And how much did you pay for the construction of the house? Did you include an architect plan?

Did you have to install power lines/utilities/phone lines on your own or was it provided for?

Thanks ;)