Browse Forums Owner Builder Forum 1 Jan 26, 2009 11:28 pm I'm new to this very informative forum, which I disovered while trying to solve the following problem.
I'm interested in land which probably has more fall (probably a little over 2 metres) than the project builders are willing to build on, plus they will only build on a cut and fill which will ruin the use of the block as well as impose extra costs, at least $20,000 and, depending on what problems they encounter once they start digging, possibly up to about $40,000, which is a lot more than I want to spend on a hole in the ground. So I've started to think about being an owner builder to get what I want. I've done a little building but I'm not interested in doing a largish house (about 35 squares) myself as I'd like to finish the project reasonably quickly. I'm considering giving outline plans to a building designer and leaving him to get building permit approval. Then as far as possible I'll use suppliers for the main structural elements who either instal their own products or who can refer me to reliable tradies who will, e.g. factory made stud walls; roof trusses; polyfoam installation and render; roofing; and plastering. I may use kitchen and bathroom companies to supply and instal those elements or I may employ separate trades for the various aspects of those rooms. Plumbing and electrical I'll have to find independently. I would also employ someone like a retired builder to advise me and especially to inspect the work to make sure it is satisfactory before I pay for it. The house will be a conventional rectangular design on stumps and brick piers and beams with particleboard flooring, interior plasterboard with cornice, and probably rendered polyfoam cladding. There won't be any unusual or awkward features for any trades. My main question is: Will I be much better off financially by doing it this way or would it end up costing me about the same as just giving the plans to a builder once the permit is granted? The reason I'm a bit wary of employing a builder is because it'll be a small builder about whom I know nothing, quite possibly picked at random from the phone book or local paper, and I could be worse off if I end up with a dud than keeping control myself. Another question is: On a two metre fall on the long diagonal under a house approximatley 15 x 23 metres, will my type of construction make significant savings over a slab - which is going to be heavier than an M Class - on a cut and fill? Re: Will this owner builder process work? 2Jan 27, 2009 9:46 am Hi PTW you are making your first and biggest mistake. You are assuming the fall of you land. I would be wanting to know exactly how much fall there is before doing anything.
I have seen "perfectly flat level ground" that ended up having 300-600mm fall. Re: Will this owner builder process work? 3Jan 27, 2009 11:16 am borg Hi PTW you are making your first and biggest mistake. You are assuming the fall of you land. I would be wanting to know exactly how much fall there is before doing anything. I have seen "perfectly flat level ground" that ended up having 300-600mm fall. I'm allowing for that. When we built our current home years ago our very experienced builder allowed, by eye, for about four steps on a compound slope. It ended up being thirteen, which was nice for us because he'd locked himself into the price for brick wall and concrete steps to the front door. I've spent a bit of time on the land with tape measures and levels and have a reasonable estimate, but I realise that this is still not as reliable as a proper contour survey. Also, the block next door is on the same slope which is constant and he's cut a pad which comes in around the same fall I've estimated. Re: Will this owner builder process work? 4Jan 27, 2009 11:24 am And I've just found out that the bloke next door got his own pad cut for $6,000.
Like me, he was quoted $20,000 to maybe $40,000 by the builder. Who happens to be one of the two project builders who were candidates to put a house on the land we're interested in, and who is going to build a house similar to the one we're interested in on the pad. Which makes me wonder even more if there are savings to be made by employing my trades direct. Re: Will this owner builder process work? 6Jan 27, 2009 11:49 am ptw I'm new to this very informative forum, which I disovered while trying to solve the following problem. I'm interested in land which probably has more fall (probably a little over 2 metres) than the project builders are willing to build on, plus they will only build on a cut and fill which will ruin the use of the block as well as impose extra costs, at least $20,000 and, depending on what problems they encounter once they start digging, possibly up to about $40,000, which is a lot more than I want to spend on a hole in the ground. So I've started to think about being an owner builder to get what I want. I've done a little building but I'm not interested in doing a largish house (about 35 squares) myself as I'd like to finish the project reasonably quickly. I'm considering giving outline plans to a building designer and leaving him to get building permit approval. Then as far as possible I'll use suppliers for the main structural elements who either instal their own products or who can refer me to reliable tradies who will, e.g. factory made stud walls; roof trusses; polyfoam installation and render; roofing; and plastering. I may use kitchen and bathroom companies to supply and instal those elements or I may employ separate trades for the various aspects of those rooms. Plumbing and electrical I'll have to find independently. I would also employ someone like a retired builder to advise me and especially to inspect the work to make sure it is satisfactory before I pay for it. The house will be a conventional rectangular design on stumps and brick piers and beams with particleboard flooring, interior plasterboard with cornice, and probably rendered polyfoam cladding. There won't be any unusual or awkward features for any trades. My main question is: Will I be much better off financially by doing it this way or would it end up costing me about the same as just giving the plans to a builder once the permit is granted? The reason I'm a bit wary of employing a builder is because it'll be a small builder about whom I know nothing, quite possibly picked at random from the phone book or local paper, and I could be worse off if I end up with a dud than keeping control myself. Another question is: On a two metre fall on the long diagonal under a house approximatley 15 x 23 metres, will my type of construction make significant savings over a slab - which is going to be heavier than an M Class - on a cut and fill? Mate, which part of Melbourne are you in? It sounds like you and I will be doing a very similar build, although we don't have the slope. We will be on steel stumps 80cm up, a steel frame and poly cladding and about the same size house. You will save on stumps over a slab, especially with the fall. Send me a PM, we're in Bayside Melbourne, we may well be able to help each other. Cheers JB Re: Will this owner builder process work? 8Jan 27, 2009 1:29 pm ptw James Bond We will be on steel stumps 80cm up, a steel frame and poly cladding and about the same size house. JB What's the advantage of steel stumps over concrete? One advantage is that the steel stumps are adjustable. This doesn't mean that you can change them once the house is on them!!! - but it's pretty handy for getting the floor exactly level. The stumps are about $40 each - not sure how this compares with concrete as you have to have the concrete pads to bolt the stumps in to anyway. JB 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 22663 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 4242 |