Back on track

Despite a few obstacles we are back on track. Almost 2 weeks ago now my MB advised that CBA had withdrawn the loan for building the house, which left us with a block of land, lands on foot, a contract requiring us to have moved in by late September and NO MONEY.
So after feeling like the earth had fallen out from beneath me I collected all the paperwork and shot of an email to the MB with what I thought were good reasons to suggest that CBA were being unconscionable. Once I calmed down I realised that my over-reaction may ultimately lead me to cutting my nose of to spite my face and sent another one simply asking for the reasons and retracting my demand that an appeal be lodged immediately.
Well the good news is that one week later the MB emailed to say he had spoken with CBA and it was all worked out, so the loan was back on track and a new application was no longer necessary. But the CBA continues to have some concerns about the delay in commencement and want what documents are available now to be lodged as a sign of good faith from Allworth.

I called Allworth and spoke to our CSO and asked if she would be able to comply with this. She explained that typically the stamped plans, copies of insurances, construction certificate and fixed price contract are not provided to the mortgagor until the contract was signed and all documents provided as one lot. I suggested that because this was a bit to a back to front effort in any event that maybe something could be worked out to satisfy CBA. She is going to look into it.
Whilst I was on the phone I asked where everything was up to as the geo-tech report was provided 2 weeks ago and previously she had told me the engineer's report took 2 weeks, and the construction certificate then takes 1 week. She advised that the engineer's report has not yet been received but she would follow this up.
Since I had this conversation yesterday and I didnt hear back from her today, I will call tomorrow to get an update. But fingers crossed we will be in next Saturday week to sign off which will start the 20 day countdown and hopefully have a start date no later than the week of 7 June 2010.

Geotech update

No update. My solicitor is following up with Mirvac as they haven't provided the report as yet.

End of April

Today I returned from my cruise and went for a drive with the dog to just check out what is going on in our (one-day) new street. The neighbour on one side has slab, frame, bricks, windows - no roof?, but OMG how quickly are they moving. The other neighbour is now 'deposit taken', again OMG. Tomorrow I will be calling the Solicitor to find out if the geotech report was sent to the builder as our rear yard access will be rapidly limited soon and that will make the entertainment area difficult to build once we have handover!!!

Geotech report requested

Last week, just to make things a little more muddy, I received a call from the CSO, apparently considering she's never sent an email or snail mail before. This woman advised me that according to some condition on the title that DA was received subject to compliance with this condition. This condition is that the foundation be built according to a Geotech Report.

What's a Geotech Report? Well buggered if she could tell me except to say that its an assessment of the local conditions and determines how the foundations are prepared. What I found out from the WWW is 'the geotechnical report is the tool used to communicate the site conditions and design and construction recommendations'. So now with both explanations in hand I understand better what she meant. And the only thing I can gather is the reason why it is needed is because that is what is said on the conditions of title.

What the CSO did say is that Council will probably allow access to read only but that makes it difficult as the Engineer won't have it on hand when designing the foundations. Council will apparently claim something under the privacy legislation to prevent a photocopy being taken, as the GR is submitted with the application for subdivision but it has something to do with limiting their liability if the GR is relied upon. And yes well of course it will be relied upon, that is the whole point of this exercise.

So I decided not to call Council and just circumvent the middleman as much as possible and I call Mirvac. Mirvac is happy to give us one, when they receive a written request from my Solicitor to theirs. Right, so I get to fork out probably another $50 for my Solicitor's assistant to write up something to the effect of "My client purchased land from you and in order to commence building needs the Geotech Report as submitted to council and referred to under Condition 3 of the title. My client has been unable to procure a copy of said report from Council. We request that you please forward said report urgently. Regards, etc."

Genius, couldn't be happier. So another week has passed since DA received and now we are waiting on the GR, and then it will still be a week or so to the Engineer's report is ready then another week for the Construction Certificate. Awesome...