Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Dec 24, 2009 6:35 am I have been looking to build a new house in SE suburbs of Melbourne but I am worried about how long it will take, as I allready have a big enough morgage to pay, I want the house built as quick as possible so I can sell my old one. I like the floorplans of NBG but have heard they are notoriously slow in getting plans approved and to actually start building. Is it likely I will be able to have the building contract changed in my favour to force NGB to start building or even finish the house by a reasonable date, or will they just tell me to get stuffed? Can anyone else recommend a good builder in SE Melbourne that was fast and easy to deal with? Cheers and Merry Christmas Re: Building Contracts - Can they be changed? 2Dec 24, 2009 7:56 am My sermon from the mount on contracts...viewtopic.php?f=31&t=27388&p=374853#p374853 You can't force the builder...nor should you be able to...contracts are negotiated but you'll need a lot of intestinal fortitude to do it. From the sermon: to_do_list "standard" building contracts can be changed by mutual agreement, they are not carved in stone, written in holy script, or blessed by the pope, never to be amended So you could negotiate with the builder to say "foundation stage must commence within xx days of granting of possession of site by owner". Builders will often remain vague about site start definition...installation of the portaloo is technically site start...it's called preliminary works. Doesn't mean the slab will be started the next day. But you also have to pick your battles...what will you dies in the ditch for...for me it was more important to have the liquidated damages clause stronger rather than the site start as I was not time constrained, I wanted to tie the builder down to an end point once site start had commenced. I was also insistent on eliminating the vagueness inherent in the standard contract. Cheers, Mike mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Building Contracts - Can they be changed? 3Dec 24, 2009 11:48 am Places who we're building with used the HIA standard contract as the base contract, within it they specify that once all permits and provisions from the client have been supplied they're required to begin within 21 days else they pay damages. They have a specifed completion of around 150 days iirc (i dont have the contract in front of me for the exact number) which allows for 50 days or so of no work due to weekends, bad weather and publc holidays. if you build falls over xmas which ours won't they also have a clause to add an extra 28 days for xmas shutdown. They do however also have a clause which allows for the increase in bad weather days above that allowed for as they occur any other extensions iirc are only by way of variation. As tdl says its up to what is in the contract, that and the consideration that a large volume builder is in all likelyhood more able to complete a build faster than a small company which doesnt have the same 'pool' size of contractors available. Especially if you choose straight off the plan without any design changes. Our Build - Places Fairhaven 23+ - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28045 Our Landscaping - Belial's Backyard - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45375 Re: Building Contracts - Can they be changed? 4Dec 25, 2009 8:39 am Thanks guys, I am more concerned with the time between paying our deposit and getting the plans drawn up and submitted to council for approval. I have read some people had to wait over a year before they got council approval! I will try to find a plan that I dont have to change, that seems to make things go quicker. Cheers Paul Industry type domestic contracts are prepared by industry bodies for the benefit of the builders. This means that if you are the owner watch out. One of the points is… 0 3235 Ask the council if there is a chance of getting build over easement exemption. Sometimes easements are unused and 24cm is not all that much. Good luck. And yes any builder… 2 13781 MBA and HIA both have sub contract agreements, check them out 2 7317 |