Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Sep 09, 2007 2:58 pm I have an old and presentable federation full brick house. I have planned to build a 210m2 double storey brick veneer extension at the back (105m2 each level) that would leave the old building untouched.
I've seen a couple of project home builders. Their price is close to my budget. However, none are interested in doing an extension. I was told it was much cheaper to knock off the whole house (cost around $13,000) then rebuild a new one. However, I'm used to the house of 3m ceiling, 1.5m above the ground level and reluctant to heed their advice. My question is : Have anyone here been similar to my situation? Were you happy with your custom builder? It seems not everyone in here have had a daunting experience with builders. Have anyone been an owner builder? How much cost per m2 (for the building shell only) did you end up ? Please share your experience? Thank a lot. Re: Custom builder or Owner builder ? 2Sep 09, 2007 7:47 pm My advice - Keep the federation - find the right builder and build what you want.
Custom is going to be harder but - worth it. If the existing is stable and stil good - then you'll be able to continue enjoying it. Patience - lots of talking you should be fine. Re Owner Builder - unless your prepared to put in lots of time and effort - it's not worth it. I spen the day with and architect today and he also used to have a building team to do his pecial projects and he said that he alwasy had issues with tradies not turning up - so now he leaves it to someone else. Steve Re: Custom builder or Owner builder ? 3Sep 11, 2007 4:05 pm Thanks Yak_Chat.
It's all too hard. When going for a builder, you hope that the builder will take the headach from you. But then like some members here, their experience with builder has been quite frustrating. As I'm working full time, I am thinking to do an OB but employing a builder supervisor to look after the work of trademen? At least I can have some control on building materials. Have anyone here been doing this way? I was told some builder may charge up to 10% of the total cost. Is it true? Please share. Re: Custom builder or Owner builder ? 4Sep 11, 2007 4:15 pm Look for a smaller builder. They will take on the job and handle it for you.
As for owner builder, yes, you'll need lots of time to organise getting trades on site at the right times. Not impossible, but it will save you money. But beware you may need to insure yourself and provide a guarantee for works. Check with your local council for what exactly you need to do. Re: Custom builder or Owner builder ? 5Sep 14, 2007 3:25 pm Al - thanks for your info
The following is an interesting article about building your dream home. Maybe of help to novices like me. Building your own home By Pam Walkley, Money Magazine, June 2007 Building your own home is not for the faint-hearted. You may end up with the house of your dreams, but you could encounter a few nightmares along the way. A young couple, Money readers, want to know what is involved, how long it will take and the pros and cons. The biggest plus of building, rather than buying an existing property, is that you can choose exactly what you want as long as it’s within your budget... A major plus of buying something already built is that you can see exactly what you are getting, when you will get it and exactly what it costs. With a new home the basic choices are a project home, a kit home or having an individual home designed by either a draftsman or an architect. Costs vary dramatically, raw figures showing that the cheapest project home costs around $750 a sq m. A one-off architect or custom designed home can cost over $4300 sq m. Buying a project home is one of the easiest and most economical routes to take. There are many reputable project home builders in all states. And there are display villages where you can see the finished products before you buy. Many project homes are now also building to green principles. Some are sold as house and land packages in new subdivisions, but bigger project builders will usually also build on people’s own land. Kit homes are the cheapest option. A very basic 65 sq m two-bedroom, one-bathroom home will cost from $25,331 from Affordable Steel Kit homes (www.askhomes.com.au). This does not include electrical, plumbing, building or site works or items such as kitchen cupboards. These suit people who have the ability to take on the role of owner-builder. Getting your very own dream home designed from scratch by an architect or a draftsman is the most costly way to go, but often it's the most satisfying. Hiring an architect to design and oversee the construction of a home usually costs 10% to 15% of the total expenditure. They argue it's money well spent, as a good architect will maximise the value of your land and make sure building work is high quality carried out efficiently. Bespoke homes usually take longer to build because they are not mass produced, so allow up to a year after approvals. The two keys to success are choosing a good builder and getting the contract right. This should deal with all major issues of concern to the owner and builder, including price, time for completion, allowable causes of delay and treatment of unforeseen conditions. Such a contract is based on a lump sum price, with the builder agreeing to specified work for a specified cost. Because good contracts can be clearly understood by everyone concerned, disputes are less likely. http://money.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=274660 Re: Custom builder or Owner builder ? 6Sep 14, 2007 3:30 pm Another great article.
The question is how you can find a good builder. Choosing a builder and tradesmen March 2007 By Sarah Mills Disaster stories involving tradesmen are legend. Botchy work, ******* materials, brutish behaviour and the tradesman's ghost (the one whose presence is felt in the fact that your former life is buried beneath the demolished living room) are just a few that come to mind. These not only cost you money, they can be the source of considerable emotional stress. The single most important decision you will make when renovating is choosing the builder. The success or failure of the entire project will hinge on this choice. You are literally at the mercy of this person, and can be for years. Builders not only supply their own labour and craft, they oversee all parts of the construction. They co-ordinate all the tradesmen such as plumbers, tilers and roofers (this normally comprises about 25 percent of their bill) and ensure the building complies with the development plans. There are four things you should look for in a builder: Quality — Some builders are very good at their trade, some are not so good, some are downright hopeless and others are quite simply *. Poor construction could result in a demolition order being placed on your property or losses that you may never recoup. So you need to find a builder who takes pride in his work and has a reputation for providing quality. Efficiency — They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but you don't want to wait that long to take possession of a fine piece of craftsmanship. The builder must be able to produce quality work, to budget and within a reasonable time frame. Reliability — It is one thing to be consistent but slow, another altogether to be inconsistent and unreliable. The last thing you want is a builder who doesn't turn up for weeks, leaving you in limbo. Character — You will have a very close relationship with your builder during the renovation period so compatibility is a key consideration. He will spend a lot of time in your house at a stressful period of your life so it is important you like each other. Some builders develop such close relationships with their clients they have even been appointed godparents or best men. So how do you find the perfect builder? It is not an easy task. Good tradesmen are in demand. They can pick and choose the jobs they take on, particularly in buoyant economic times, so the first rule of thumb is to make it worth their while. You are competing with others for their services and will have to pay above average to obtain a quality outcome. The rewards, however, should more than compensate for this. The following tips may help with choosing and dealing with builders. Ask friends and family for references. Certain builders will have a reputation for excellence and others for ** workmanship or behaviour. It should narrow down the field to a few good men or at least eliminate the worst. Make sure you get a builder who specialises in your type of renovation. Some, for example, specialise in period buildings and have passion and experience in sympathetic renovations. Ask for examples of their work. Knock on the doors of these houses to gain a reference. Ask for a quote. This should list materials and their price as well as labour estimates. That way, the builder can't suddenly change his or her mind and use the old ceiling instead of replacing it. Compiling a quote can take days, so many builders have started charging for this service. If the builder has a good reputation, it is probably worth paying for this. Even if he or she is unavailable to do the work, it can provide a good "genuine" estimate to use when examining other quotes. Make sure the builder or trade contractor is licensed — ask to see their licence or, better still, check with Builders Licensing Australia's website, which will direct you to online licence searching facilities for each state. Make sure they have home warranty insurance — again, ask to see proof. If a builder pressures you to get an owner-builder licence, it could be problematic. It would suggest he lacks his own licence or insurance. This is not always meaningful. For example, when insurance giant HIH collapsed, builders were being asked to pay $100,000 to insurers for collateral, which for many was simply unacceptable. If you are unsure, do more extensive background checks. Ask your builder what other jobs he has on, to get a feel for his workload. If he is juggling too many balls, you might be the one that gets dropped. Will the builder be supervising the job? If not, who will be? Again, get reference checks. Ask for start and completion times and try and get a contract schedule in place. Ask what happens if the work is defective. Make it clear in the contract with the builder that he is responsible for cleaning the site. The last thing you want is to find yourself landed with the task of cleaning up after the job is done. This can be expensive. Only pay in progress payments. Payment is your leverage in the relationship so don't throw it away. If you are dissatisfied with some aspect of the workmanship, you have some fallback. Sign a contract, never have a verbal agreement as it severely limits your redress in the event of poor workmanship. Check their work in progress. Even the best builders can make mistakes. A second set of eyes can be invaluable. By checking, you also make sure that you are not diddled. If the quote included materials for new steps, make sure you don't get recycled ones. If it stipulated hard wood, make sure the builder isn't using pine. By checking, it also helps you avoid crossed wires. You may have stipulated polished concrete, but the builder might have understood you to mean plain concrete. Re: Custom builder or Owner builder ? 7Apr 14, 2010 10:00 am Wow thank you so much for this article IM a first time renovator and this is great information Candi ************* First time renovator VIC Re: Custom builder or Owner builder ? 8Apr 14, 2010 1:56 pm Owner building is tiring, takes forever and is stressful. And mind you, we havent even started the actual build yet! Just do your research and know what you're getting yourself in for Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Hi Mofflepop, I would recommend finding a building designer to prepare plans, they should design to your specified budget. The benefit is you can tender the project out… 9 27254 Hello Team, I'm a new builder and I would like to apologise upfront if this question has already been asked and answered. We are 3 friends and each of us are looking to… 0 3007 Nothing yet, have been distracted this year with work related projects and a new kid but hoping to start building one way or another early next year. Will keep you posted 3 17963 |