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Advantages of the Stedone Homes "Development Cost Estimate" (DCE) process.
The Stedone Homes DCE addresses the cost of the build from the outset, planning for a finished product rather than a pure architectural concept, which may be compromised at a later stage due to budget constraints. The client leaves the DCE meeting with a detailed and accurate overview of what their home on their chosen estate is going to cost. Interiors and finishes are also addressed from the outset, once again planning for a finished product. |
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The DCE document is favoured by the banks over traditional builder quotes as it is transparent and comprehensive rather than being based on PC sums and hidden costs.
Stedone Homes offers the DCE as a free service to any prospective home builder client. If after the DCE the client is satisfied that they would like to take the process to the next stage, they would be required to sign an appointment letter and pay a fee of between R30 000 and 1% of the build value depending on the cost of the proposed home. This appointment fee secures surveys of the client's site, consultation with an architect as well as sketch drawings and consultation with an interior design team. If at this stage the client decides to walk away from Stedone Homes, they take with them all of the above.
Once the client is happy with their house plans, a final price will be calculated by the Stedone Homes quantity surveyor team, (QS team). The client then will sign a fixed price contract for the development of their home.
Comparatively the Stedone Homes process is more cost effective than if one were to go the traditional building method. The upfront cost is less as well as costs throughout the build process are structured so that a client will never be dipping into their pocket looking for cash. The client also has the convenience of dealing with only one company rather than trying to co-ordinate with a multitude of different sub-contractors and suppliers. |
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| BUILDING SEMINARS |
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Stedone Homes Building Seminar at Simbithi |
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On Thursday 14 July Stedone Home's first Building Seminar was held at the Simbithi Golf Club. The evening was aimed at current and potential Simbithi land owners and served to educate and inform them as to all that is involved in building a new home on the estate. In attendance was the Stedone Homes team headed up by Sean Newton as well as guests Llewellyn Cronje of Cronje Associated Architects and Alleta De Lange of Garlicke & Bousfield conveyancing attorneys. The seminar enjoyed a far greater than expected turnout and if nothing else, the attendees all left with a far clearer idea of what building a home actually entails. The main element of the seminar was the Stedone Homes Development Cost Estimate presented by Sean; this was followed by a Q&A session with the experts where attendees could ask questions pertaining to design, finance and other specifics. The overall response to the seminar has been exceptionally good, to the extent that another seminar at Simbithi will be held soon.
To enquire about a seminar on your estate, log onto www.buildingseminar.co.za. |
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| ESTATE OF THE MONTH |
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Mount Richmore Salt Rock, KwaZulu Natal North Coast |
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Mount Richmore Village Estate, a multi billion Rand mixed use development on KZN's North Coast has had a major breakthrough, with two of SA's leading local retail banks approving bond finance for the first residential phase within the Lifestyle Village, Phase 1.
"Having been awarded the building contract in 2009, we are in the process of completing the first phase of 20 apartments as a complement to 6 luxury freestanding homes already completed" says marketing and sales director for Stedone Homes, James Arnott.
"According to the Development Conveyancers, the homes and apartments will be available for transfer in July, with the developer now having concluded all necessary development planning approvals with the local council", concludes Louis Wiesinger of SWO.
Mount Richmore is an exclusive development located in the heart of Salt Rock, just North of Ballito. The estate combines residential, commercial and retail into one, offering a unique coastal lifestyle where residents have access to everything they could possibly desire right on their doorsteps. Entertainment, shopping and social interaction are key aspects of the Mount Richmore philosophy, with the Mount Richmore Boulevard and its fantastic mix of retail stores and restaurants just a short walk away. This secure gated estate boasts a superb location, set amid rolling green hills, just a stone's throw from the beach, and only 15 mins from KSIA.
James Arnott goes on to say, "Mount Richmore's retail and commercial offering will include a chic and trendy urban boulevard along the new Salt Rock Drive. Development will commence with a convenience centre in Phase 1. The developer is also negotiating with the newly formed local rugby club, The Dolphins (spear headed by ex-springbok, AJ Venter) in the hopes that they will establish their new club facility within walking distance of the Mount Richmore Lifestyle Village."
With the bond facility approval in place and construction of Phase 1 well underway, it looks like Mount Richmore is set to become one of the North Coast's signature developments in terms of lifestyle, location and convenience."
"Both architecture and finishes are of exceptional quality and I have no doubt that Johannesburg buyers will be attracted to the modern lifestyle attributes attached to the Mount Richmore brand." |
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| COMPLETE HOMES FOR SALE |
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Simbithi Eco Estate, Lot 576, Dolphin Coast
Nestled in the sought after address on this estate, this wooded site offers tranquil and natural shelter with both valley and ocean views.
Contact our North Coast Development Manager Paul Symes, Cell 082 440 7203 |
Brettenwood Coastal Estate, Lot 211, Dolphin Coast
Dolphin Coast, Kwazulu Natal. This well designed spacious house with spectacular views over a dam promotes outdoor living in the heart of a subtropical landscape. The home has a large covered patio off both the lounge and main bedroom, and an open patio off the dining room is ideal for outdoor living.
Features:
- 3 Bedrooms
- 2 Bathrooms (1 Ensuite)
- Lounge and Dining
- Kitchen, Scullery & Service Yard
- Covered Entertainment Area
- Open Entertainment Area
- Double Garage
Contact our North Coast Development Manager Paul Symes, Cell 082 440 7203 |
Palm Lakes
The 2 bedroom unit is an ideal home for people either entering the property market or retiring.
The plan has been cleverly set out to accommodate a future extension without disruption to your living. The pergola patio is transformed into a covered patio and the yard area becomes a dining room linking the initial two bedroom unit to the new third bedroom wing (with an en-suite and walk-in dressing room).
The extension is literally a "clip-on" element that can be built with little or no disruption at all to your living.
Where budget is initially constrained, this is the perfect home to invest in. Two bedroom homes are not usually favoured by buyers as they believe that there is less of a resale return as opposed to a three bedroom unit investment.
This home allows investors to start small start small and grow when the need arises, or when the budget can accommodate it.
Contact our North Coast Development Manager Paul Symes, Cell 082 440 7203 |
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| FINISHED HOME PROFILE |
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Phase 1, Now Selling!
Free standing homes and luxurious 1,2 and 3 bedroom apartments for sale on the Mt Richmore Village Estate.
With a starting price of R1.69 million for a home and R995,000 for an apartment there's something for everyone, first time home owners, property investors, singles, retired couples and families!
Click Here to view a virtual tour of one of their stunning apartments.
Contact On-site Sales Agent
Call 072 623 1343 for more information. |
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| LIFESTYLE EVENTS |
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Garlington Time Trial
The Garlington Time trial, held every Wednesday at the beautiful Garlington Estate, Hilton, KZN got off to a wicked start when 24 enthusiastic athletes participated in this weekly fun run proudly sponsored by Stedone Homes.
Positioning themselves firmly on the leaderboard were Daemon McClunan who topped the leader board at 23.25.00 and Stefan Botes who came in a close second at 23.33.00 clearly setting the pace for those who wish to take the trial on as a more serious form of health and fitness during the Midlands winter months.
Kick off is at 5.30 pm, so if you like a challenge, fancy seeing your name on the leader board and winning a Stedone Homes running shirt, amongst other prizes, then contact Andrew Morphew, Stedone Homes Development Manager on 083 253 9244 for more information.
Please note that due to the lack of daylight hours we advise wearing reflctive gear and if possible a headlamp while doing the run. |
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Paddle Challenge Ski Fishing Competition 2011
On 10th July our Development Manager for Umhlanga, Martin du Plessis partook in the Paddle Challenge Ski Fishing Competition, which supported and raised funds to save Vetchs Pier, Durban while raising awareness on the importance of our natural marine resources in the area.
The Competition was held over a two day duration covering a distance of 46km, day one saw the 21km stretch from Salt Rock to Umdloti and day two was 25km from Umdloti to Durban (Vetch's Beach), with a prize giving taking place in the afternoon of day 2, rewarding the best anglers from the course of the event.
For more information and future "Save Vetchs Pier" events log onto www.paddlechallenge.co.za |
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BUILDING MATTERS |
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Investing on an Estate
When investing on an Estate the first things that naturally come to mind are the safety factors, pedestrian-friendly open spaces, the exclusivity and elevating your social status, but beyond that there is far more. They are an invitation not only to those who value living within an elite community but also to those who are in the market for a premium property for investment.
All Plans have to be approved by the Home Owners Association (Freehold & sectional title), if your plans |
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meets the standard estate architectural guidelines and protocols, they are then forwarded to the local municipality in terms of national and regional building regulations, and once passed by the municipality an official vacant site hand over is done so that your construction phase can commence.
Generally the build quality on estates is superior, because of the additional policing and stricter control measures in place on an estate. Building contractors are chosen on merit and then accepted on to the estates contractor's panel. This policing is carried out by the by the estates manager who makes sure that all houses are built according to the passed plans and the correct quality. This means the homeowner is provided with a better end product and increased value for money. Homeowners in these neighbourhoods also generally have a higher pride of ownership, and keep their homes in good condition. Along with that, the demand is higher within estates, because of our high crime rate, which increases property values.
Graham Mockridge
Stedone Homes Construction Director
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| SUSTAINABLE LIVING TIPS |
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Heat Pumps
Everyone needs to look for ways to reduce the amount of power they use in heating domestic water - for their own sakes.
On average about 40% of a normal household's electricity bill can be attributed to heating water. That's a number worth bearing in mind.
Heat pumps are basically air-conditioning units that extract heat from the ambient air using a heat exchanger. The results are impressive with heat pumps typically producing 3kw of heat with 1kw of electricity - a normal geyser will only produce 1kw of heat for every 1kw of electricity. The graph below shows the difference in consumption between a regular geyser, a solar setup and a heat pump.
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Another interesting fact to be taken from the graph is that as the number of users increases there is a point at which a heat pump actually uses less electricity than a standard solar instillation.
Heat pumps have been in use for years in typically commercial applications and are now, with the Eskom rebates on offer, coming to the forefront as a domestic water heating solution.
One of the gripes I have with solar instillations is that they don't fit with a modern households consumption patterns. If you think about it most households consume hot water in the evening and morning. Between and during this time there is no sunlight and therefore the backup electric element is called upon to do the work. My other gripe, being from misty Hilton, unless you have direct sunlight the system doesn't work, so what happens on those overcast days? Heat pumps don't rely on the weather or sun and work all the time.
Whether you decide a solar instillation or a heat pump is the better solution for you one thing is clear - you have to do something.
Andrew Morphew
Stedone Homes, PMB/Midlands Development Manager
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OUR DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS
& CONSULTANTS |
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