And here's the long story...
We had asked for prices for things like a frameless shower screen, colourtech kitchen cupboards, driveway and other bits and pieces (BTW - frameless shower screens are very $$!) We just wanted to know what the price of those items were, but it got added to our contract - and subsequently deleted in the Post Contract Variation. So now there is a $23K difference between tender and our final contract ($7K of which is the flooring package that we have removed - but even without that there's a price difference of $15K).
Now our bank isn't happy that their valuation is more than what we are paying PD, so we've had to get quotes asap for carpet and driveway so that we can increase the total up to what it's valued at. Stoopid bank, they would have known earlier than Monday (the day site cut was scheduled) that there was this discrepancy esp as our last meeting with PD where we signed the Final Variation List was three weeks ago! Our Building Coordinator says she has emails to them with the information. Not happy Jan!
We had formal approval (in writing at the start of July) from the bank for the building and construction, the amount of which being higher than what we now need. Our BC has been great and we really believe it's the mortgage coordinator not doing her job - esp as she couldn't give us any clear answers and was saying something about we'll just put it behind us and move on. Right - wonder if she would be happy to pay for us the extra interest we'll have to pay. We think the problem has been our Mortgage Coordinator not submitting the documentation to Bank, our Mortgage Broker has also been a bit vague and apologetic, neither coordinator or broker are willing to accept responsibility - we don't care whose mistake it was, just get it sorted and don't let it happen to someone else.
We know it's not worth getting hot under the collar over. It's just annoying; we're all human and people make mistakes - but it would be nice if they could fix it quickly and waive the extra interest we'll now have to pay - *snort* as if that would happen!
So for anyone just starting out - ensure that if you ask for prices on items - stipulate that you only want the price and that you don't want it added to your contract (if they add it to your contract I'd refuse to sign it.) Actually... I'd refuse to make my contract appointment till I had all the prices and info that I wanted, otherwise they'll say "I've put it in the contract but we can easily take it out" - well from our experience it's easier for everyone if it doesn't get put into the contract in the first place and 'easily take it out' really means it gets put in a post contract variation - so in a sense it's still in the contract.
So there doesn't seem to be anything we can do other than suck it up and get the quotes then sign the paper work. Pathetic!
So on Monday I went to our local carpet store to get quotes on vinyl and carpet. The sales rep talked me out of vinyl planks as so many that they've sold and had installed in our area have not worked so they won't stock it anymore. So we'll go with vinyl in the big rolls. Gerflor have some vinyl that I quite liked. Western Distributors sells Pegulan so we'll have a look at what they have there.
