Browse Forums Owner Builder Forum 1 Nov 13, 2007 12:15 pm Hi all,
There are a few questions going around the forum at the moment about owner builders and a few people considering it. It seems to me that the biggest hassle is trying to get the permits/certifications through council and basix requirements etc. etc. - basically the paperwork (as with most things nowadays) Is there any way to make this easier? Are there any companies out there that will do it without actually doing any construction? Would architects be of any help here? I guess ideally, once I have a full set of plans I would want to give them to someone and say "here get these approved" and the next I would hear about it is "okay all approved by everyone - go build your dream house" and then organise my own tradies to do the work (which is what OB is all about) After 2 false starts, a year living overseas, two more world trips and 3 years of uncertainty we are now starting the build process again - hopefully for real this time! Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 2Nov 13, 2007 12:31 pm I think you'll find it's the other way around. Paper shuffling is annoying but doable.
Finding a good tradie to do the work, and then to actually turn up when you need them to will be the hard part. A friend of mine did it, and he spent a huge amount of time on the phone organising tradesmen, then going to meet them on site only to get told they had something come up etc. Not impossible, just time consuming. Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 3Nov 13, 2007 12:44 pm Our council provides a checklist of everything that must be completed to lodge a DA (Development Application).
http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au/application_forms/BUILDING%20CHECKLIST.pdf Your council should be able to assist you in lodging the required paperwork. Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 4Nov 13, 2007 1:55 pm One piece of advice for those considering being a home builder - Dont do it!
Unless you can bring skills to the job such as being carpenter and can do a lot of the work yourself then you really wont save any money - not enough anyway to account for the stress and headaches that you WILL encounter. Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 5Nov 13, 2007 2:34 pm Cookiemonster Our council provides a checklist of everything that must be completed to lodge a DA (Development Application). http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au/application_forms/BUILDING%20CHECKLIST.pdf Your council should be able to assist you in lodging the required paperwork. Do you need a professional landscape Plan for Baulkham Hills? Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 6Nov 13, 2007 4:24 pm rldragon2003 Do you need a professional landscape Plan for Baulkham Hills? I believe if your Basix certificate is dependant on particular landscaping to get a pass for the water rating then yes, you need a landscape plan. We passed the Basix requirements independant of landscaping so it wasn't required for us. In essence we can plant what we want, where we want. The only proviso is we must have an outdoor clothes line. Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 7Nov 13, 2007 5:01 pm Al I think you'll find it's the other way around. Paper shuffling is annoying but doable. Finding a good tradie to do the work, and then to actually turn up when you need them to will be the hard part. A friend of mine did it, and he spent a huge amount of time on the phone organising tradesmen, then going to meet them on site only to get told they had something come up etc. Not impossible, just time consuming. Why does that not surprise me????? Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 8Nov 13, 2007 5:04 pm louie One piece of advice for those considering being a home builder - Dont do it! Unless you can bring skills to the job such as being carpenter and can do a lot of the work yourself then you really wont save any money - not enough anyway to account for the stress and headaches that you WILL encounter. The above statement by louie is right. The major benefits from being an OB is to be able to build it yourself…..at least parts of it. Otherwise you are in for a rude surprise with some of your tradies. Good luck. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 9Nov 13, 2007 6:29 pm We have had a good experience (so far) with being owner builders and we have no skills in carpentry etc. we do, however have a father in law who is fantastic and is helping us to project manage. He is in demolition (he keeps joking that to build the house he just need to do the opposite of what he normally does ). We had no problems with council, we just got a draftsman to design our place, a separate engineer to do the footings etc and then submitted it to council. Of course we had to have an OB licence to go with it. That's another story.
We have arranged all of our own tradies and they have all been polite, professional and punctual (that's a lot of p words!). While we might not be saving heaps of cash compared with a project home, we do get exactly what we want. We designed it, we planned it out, we get to choose any tile or tap in any shop. Granted that can be a bit daunting but it is exciting at the same time. I know people who have employed a project manager with their owner builder project who does all the running around for them for 12% of the total price. Some of them have even managed to negotiate excluding the cost of any tradies they 'know' themselves in that total percentage price. This saved them heaps of money and they had their house built in 6 months. I know we are only a small way through our building experience but so far, despite the headaches and the leg work that you have to do, it has all been worth it. Helen Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 10Nov 13, 2007 7:57 pm Thats terrific.
Although I notice you seem to be bringing an asset to the job in the form of your father inlaw as an experienced fellow in the trade? You doing any building yourself? Will keep an eye on your progress. Why did you need to dig such deep foundations btw? Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 11Nov 13, 2007 9:03 pm Muzzman it sounds like you would be better just getting a builder to build your house. The plans/approval side is just part of being an O/B!!
I found the O/B course quite useless - it seems to be designed for people who 'project manage' their job rather than do it themelves. I have done everything except plumbing, hook power up to the board and put the new roof on. ( In NSW you can't do truss/roof work as an O/B) Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 12Nov 13, 2007 9:30 pm Hi Muzzman
You may consider using a registered builder to get your project to lock up, and you arrange plumbers electricians plasterers cabinets etc I have done a couple that way and it works well. You may pay a little more that doing it all yourself but you get the benefit of their expertise and they generally get it done quickly. The builder also has to provide Warranty Insurance on his works. So should anything need rectification he is obliged to correct it. Ask around for competent architectural drafties who can prepare a full set of detailed plans for you. You can then submit these to the Building Surveyor of your choice to obtain your building permit. Councils only get involved if you need a planning permit. Drafties will forward your plans and soil report to a structural engineer to design your slab, and can arrange your Energy Rating. There are a number of companies around who will arrange your contract works and public liability insurances. You will also need a Certificate of Consent from the Building Commission but there is no requirement to undertake any courses. More info on the process is available from the Building Commissions website. It is an interesting way to build a house. An understanding of the building process is a help, but above all you have got to be organised. Good Luck Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 13Nov 14, 2007 8:05 am Thanks all for your thoughts - as always very helpful
shanem - I have heard that a lot of builders won't build just to lock-up because a lot of their mark-up is in the fittings. Who did you build with? Are you in Melbourne? After 2 false starts, a year living overseas, two more world trips and 3 years of uncertainty we are now starting the build process again - hopefully for real this time! Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 14Jan 10, 2008 3:15 pm Hi muzzman
we are owner builders in rowville our draftsman organised to get our plans stamped. you no longer need approval through council, you can use a registered building surveyor, which is what our draftsman organised for us. Regards Jo PS....the draftsman is in Boronia! Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 15Jan 10, 2008 3:18 pm Quote: I guess ideally, once I have a full set of plans I would want to give them to someone and say "here get these approved" and the next I would hear about it is "okay all approved by everyone - go build your dream house" and then organise my own tradies to do the work (which is what OB is all about this is exactly how it happened for us! Re: Owner Builder - any way to make it easier? 16Jan 10, 2008 10:14 pm I think we're in the process of saving an accountant close to $60k assisting him to owner build. I don't want to comment too much becase this isn't an advertisement.
There are always advantages and disadvantages - depends whom you ask. Being in the know does help and there are so many resources (www) to guide/assist you through nowadays it means that you don't necessarily have to be a trade to get the job done from concept to completion. In any case it doesn't hurt to investigate the possibilities. Just because you ask, doesn't mean you have to do. H Thanks for the reply. Had a look at the suggested lot and found other problem on easement, which i will asked in separate thread. 2 18312 3 2976 if i have understood your dimensions correctly my suggestions include using the smallest toilet and wall hung handbasin eg Caroma Urbane with in wall cistern, small wall… 1 8395 |