Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Jan 12, 2013 10:20 pm Hi there all, I am new to this Forum and have just purchased a property where the House in about 60% finished, my wife and I are fortunate enough to live elsewhere close while we finish it off. It needs a builder which we will get once we get the permits started again as they have lapsed from the previous owner, he basically ran out of steam and financial problems and had to sell. We had an engineer check it all out and he gave it the ok. My question is : Do I have to apply to beome an owner builder or do we just get a builder which I help out with minor labour and minor fix up like putting plaster up as long as i don't do anything that needs a Tradesperson to do. Please forgive what is probably a very basic question but I have to start somewhere. Cheers, Mick. Re: Do I have To Become A Owner Builder ? 5Jan 13, 2013 9:45 pm Yes it will be well over $5,000 and we will be getting a builder, but what advantage do I have if I become an Owner Builder ? If I become an owner Builder I take on all the responsibility of organising everything to do with Builders and Tradesmen, why can't I do that without becoming an OB ? Or do I have to become an OB because we purchased the house not completed ? Re: Do I have To Become A Owner Builder ? 7Jan 13, 2013 10:48 pm Thanks for answering this question I will look into it more but what you are saying is : If I do become an OB a Builder may take on what we want done. We become responsible for what has already been done thus relieving them of any responsibility but they still take responsibility for the work that they will carry out ? So becoming an OB doesn't allow me to do jobs that I couldn't if I wasn't an OB ? The person we purchased it from was a builder and OB. Re: Do I have To Become A Owner Builder ? 10Jan 13, 2013 11:20 pm Thanks again for all your advice, Will seek out the Surveyor. In your experience do you find that people become or want to become OB's so they think they can do everything themselves and it gives them more advantages than people who don't become or want to be OB's ? Thanks for all your help. Cheers, Mick. Re: Do I have To Become A Owner Builder ? 11Jan 14, 2013 9:01 am There can advantages with being an owner builder if you have time, contacts and skills. You can save money by shopping around for materials etc. by second hand / auctions / run outs or just shopping around. If you have skills you can do some work yourself. The builder puts a percentage on for doing the running around and project management, so you will save that amount. You also can make decisions as you go. When a builder is coming in you need to make color / design decisions, often under pressure. You can take your time and do the work progressiveley when an owner builder, as long as you finish before the pwrmit expires. However, it does take time. And if you dont have econtacts for tradies it might be frustrating. So yes, in my opinion, the pro's of being an owner builder is that you may save money, and have flexibility in some decisions. The con's are that it can be time consuming, and it's not hard for the job to drag out... (as per the previous owner) A six month job can become 12...then 18.... Also, if you don't have contacts for tradies and dont have skills to do some work yourself it could end up costing more, instead of saving money. That's just my personal opinion. Others may have other reasons for being (or not being) OB Re: Do I have To Become A Owner Builder ? 12Jan 14, 2013 10:07 am Thanks heaps for all your info, It been great to get some answers that are in depth, even thou they are your own opionions I will take it all on board. You sound like you have experience. Thanks for passing it on to me, it been a great help for the start of our Building Journey. Cheers, mick. Hi VK, I am now retired however I have stood beside over 300 owner builders in the past 18 years that have successfully built their own homes. First of all a building… 10 22561 Hi all. Anyone know when the $11,000 limit was set in legislation for renovations in QLD? Ive been renovating for 5 years now and this was the limit back then. As we know,… 0 4178 |