Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 09, 2016 12:47 pm Hi there. I'm trying to collect some feedback from people who have recently built or are looking to build their own home about the challenges faced and what tools and/or information they could have had during the process which would have made things much easier. Building a new house seems to have so many unknowns which leaves people open for exploitation. Its also difficult to judge whether you're getting a good product and how many added costs there are going to be. I'd really appreciate if anyone would like to share their thoughts and experiences. Did you go with the big project builders or with a small local builder? Did you go through an architect, a draftsperson or direct through the builder for their design? What would you do differently if you could do it all again? I'm thinking there could be a great web tool that can guide people through the unknowns of this process. Thoughts? About me: I'm currently between jobs. My interests are in affordable housing and pre-fabricated construction. I have previously been working as a design and project manager, but I'm currently wanting to explore why it is so challenging to get a house affordably in this country. I have my own thoughts on this but it would be great to get some stories from people on the customer/client side. Thanks guys Re: Building a new house - challenges and how to improve! 2May 17, 2016 8:32 am Hey there. We are just starting out (haven't signed anything) but are using an architect for the concept design, then using our custom builder's designer to draw it up to detail. We have found with a custom builder you have the advantage of a unique one-off design but also the volume processes & selections which can bring the overall cost & hassle down. We are looking at 2-2.5k psqm budget. There is a thread on H1 called "things you forget" which has some wonderful tips for a build that you can get into the plans while it's only on paper. Note it's an epic post but there is a summary, we will be using that for sure. Good luck! Yes well there solution is to blame everyone else while I a 65yr old woman with major medical problems have to just continue to boil water and wash myself in a bucket… 2 16015 If you make sure all taps inside and out are turned off, what does the water meter show if you leave it for a while. 2 20235 13 6632 |