Browse Forums General Discussion 1 May 17, 2008 3:01 pm Just found this forum and hoping that you can help with an issue the wife and I have. We have an old (but nice) bungalow in Prospect. She loves the house and wants to keep it, I am not fussed either way.
We have plans drawn up that we have worked out ourselves that would make a very good extension, and this would probably suit us for the rest of our days. But it would be cheaper for us to knock it down and build a brand new place. So, what have you done and who did you use to do it?? 1 person tells us to extend with this company, the next person tells us that they are no good and would never use them. Or am I better off taking the job on myself and organising each job myself. An ideas would be appreciated. Thanks. Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 2May 19, 2008 6:08 pm The story so far is that we have got a couple of companies coming over to tell us what they think. AV JENNINGS and Roccas. Has anyone used these? where they any good? should we be looking at a smaller company to manage our renos?? Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 4May 19, 2008 9:18 pm I know of a guy who's based in Stirling who might be interested, one man band and hires in slected contractors and likes to do it sympathetically.
As for the big names, well they are going to use their contractors and put more of an overhead onto their costs. My suggestion is to ask around - see their previous work, ask the people they have done jobs for - and not just their best reference sites and take it from there. Rebuilding wil have a lot of tother costs - rent while your building etc etc. Is the existing house solid and the renos going add value. Steve Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 5May 19, 2008 10:17 pm Thanks for the replies guys.
This guy that is in Stirling, would you have any contact details for him? Basically the house can be lived in while the new addition takes place. Then we can move into the new bit, while the existing house gets a make over to finsih the whole package. So we wouldnt need to rent while it was being done. Surely there is someone in Adelaide who can say, "I used this guy and he was great" or "steer clear of this guy, we got a bum deal" Thanks for your input, we will definately be asking for references and following up on them too. Just have to find someone willing to take on the job. Any ideas??? Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 6May 19, 2008 11:25 pm PM Sent.
As an aside - A bit of forum advice. There are only about 7 or 8 SA based people here, we all do it for fun, and sometimes people only login once a week, fortnight or month if they are busy or away. So a little patience waiting for an answer helps Good luck with your project. And as always, Make sure you make it eco friendly, as energy efficient as possible, and use the sun to it's best effect. Power bills are only going to continue rising. Steve Same problem as you 7May 24, 2008 6:57 pm I have a old but very nice double brick house in woodville, south australia. I and my wife want to extension at our back yard. this extension probably is over 100 sqm. I got a quote from a builder. Shocking. It charge about 2000 dollars per sqm. In that money we can build a very nice new house.
so far, I don't know how to do next. I don't know why extension is so expensive comparing with new house. my extension do not need merge with our old house. Now I start to think whether i can build a new house in my backyard. Now question is, do i need subdivision my land? does builders want to do this? Thanks in advance Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 8May 24, 2008 7:13 pm ATKMan The story so far is that we have got a couple of companies coming over to tell us what they think. AV JENNINGS and Roccas. Has anyone used these? where they any good? should we be looking at a smaller company to manage our renos?? AVJennings????? When did they do renos??? They are looking to get your home knocked down so they can re-build for you! I would look at a smaller private builder for your reno. Can’t help you out with who, not my part of OZ. But ask around, people will always tell you their good and bad experiences with tradesmen. But a small builder seems the way to go here. I’m with your wife, your Bungalow is probably charming and well worth the renovations to it. It’s a shame more people don’t do it. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Same problem as you 9May 24, 2008 7:18 pm pengruijungmail I have a old but very nice double brick house in woodville, south australia. I and my wife want to extension at our back yard. this extension probably is over 100 sqm. I got a quote from a builder. Shocking. It charge about 2000 dollars per sqm. In that money we can build a very nice new house. so far, I don't know how to do next. I don't know why extension is so expensive comparing with new house. my extension do not need merge with our old house. Now I start to think whether i can build a new house in my backyard. Now question is, do i need subdivision my land? does builders want to do this? Thanks in advance Get another quote! It always pays to get a few quotes! Wether you do the extension or knock it down and rebuild depends on you, and how much you like your home or not. A builder will be able to tell you if you need to do a subdivision, it probably depends what you are going to build as your second dwelling on the land. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 10May 24, 2008 9:00 pm AVJennings????? When did they do renos???
They are looking to get your home knocked down so they can re-build for you! http://www.avjhomeimprovements.com.au/ We did a web search and their website impressed us, as it has the old and the new floor plans. Plus we have heard some good repoprts about them. Plus some bad ones too. I guess they realise there is some good money to be made in renovations as well as new homes. Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 11May 24, 2008 9:09 pm Thanks for all the replies. It kinda helps knowing that we are not alone.
Thanks Yak_chat, I will be contacting those people shortly to see if they can help. OK, we had a guy from Roccas home improvements come round last night and he was very helpful and very professional. Liked the plans that we had drawn up and said that it was very do-able. So that made us happy. Very Happy Only thing he didnt really like was that we wanted double brick, just like the rest of the house. But that is one thing that I am sure about, it will be double brick to follow the existing house theme. Our next step he says is to get some plans drawn up at a cost of $500. and from these they will be able to supply a proper quote. But before that happens we have a couple more builders to talk to and get ideas off. 1 comes on monday and the other Tuesday. So I will let you know what happens. So, we have pretty much decided that we will go ahead with the reno's, thus keeping the heritage of the house and the street in tact!!! Hello ATKman, 12May 25, 2008 1:36 pm I will find another builders to have a look and see what happen next. ATKman, let's keep in touch in this forum and share some information.
according to my budget, I just want to have the building shell first, and reno next year. Do you guys think i can get the building shell below 600 dollars per sqm? Thanks Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 13Jul 24, 2014 5:38 pm Well there is nothing like bringing an old thread back from the dead. Forgot that I had even posted on here. Happy to say that the reno is finished. (6 years ago actually) Went with a small one man band builder. Could not be happier, and we have used him a lot more over the years to do other jobs. The house is exactly what we wanted. So if anyone is looking for a builder in Adelaide I highly recommend you have a talk with Stuart from "James General Building". He promised us the house would be done in 6 months and before my first kiddy came along. It was 6 months to the day and 1 week before the baby arrived. Cant recommend doing a reno with a heavily pregnant whiny wife, but probably a lot better than having a new born in the house. Re: Building an Extension in Adelaide. Ideas please?? 14Jul 24, 2014 10:07 pm Just seen this^. My Mum done a double brick extension with this guy in semaphore, he did a great job it's a few years old now and there have been no problems with it at all. I would say both styles you have pictured are steel. The lower chord of the first pic would be a massive lump if made using timber considering the size of the rafters. If… 1 6138 Hi, We have a single story MacDonald Jones house, on a waffle pod slab with steel frame. Are we able to build a second story extension? Other info is we are 900mm from… 0 8443 |