Browse Forums Owner Builder Forum 1 Sep 06, 2014 11:05 pm Hi all, I purchased an old home to knock and rebuild. I have a DA approved, custom design house and expensive quotes from various builders . I am seriously considering the home owner option. I know that I need to do a home owner builder course and find sub-contractors to do specific jobs. I' m asking successful owner builders on this forum to please give me advices on how to recruit and deal with subcontractors and anything else useful. How many quotes should I get for a particular sub-contract job and what things I need to ask of them? How do I know they are doing the job correctly if I have no knowledge of building? Thanks in advance. Re: What is required to become a successful home owner build 2Sep 07, 2014 9:55 am Your Time (To check on the trades you will need to be available at the site during the day). Build time. Booking tradies is difficult (because you are only providing small packages of work tradies will give preference to builders who provide them with regular work) Expect the build to take at least 18 months. I know plenty who have taken over 2 years. Knowledge (to get it right there are hundreds of things to think about e.g On my blog there are over 500 posts on things to think about) A part time course won't give you enough knowledge Contacts. If you haven't got any contacts its much harder to find good tradies, remember its not all about cost, quality and expertise isn't cheap. Cash (it is much harder to get construction finance for an owner builder property so you will need to finance more up front) Ability to handle stress (To deal with the 10-15 different issues a week that need a decision) Finally don't expect to save money - you won't be able to get the discounts for materials and tradies that the big builders can get. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: What is required to become a successful home owner build 4Sep 07, 2014 10:22 pm I agree with Bashworth on all points except for the last one. Yes, volume builders can be cheaper if you build the most basic house. However once you build anything other than the most basic house, especially a custom designed house, you really have to be trying to spend more than what a custom builder will charge. Yes a builder will source materials and labour cheaper than you can. But I've never known a builder to not charge a margin Re: What is required to become a successful home owner build 5Sep 08, 2014 10:21 am bashworth makes some good points, but in my view are unnecessarily skewed towards the negative your time build time -- there are plenty who have taken 2 years, and plenty who have built in 6 months (not inc. paper-work) knowledge -- a person can learn if they are willing and have the time contacts -- get yourself a local building consultant, they will be well connected, steering you towards the right tradies finance stress saving cash -- some save cash when OB, some dont Re: What is required to become a successful home owner build 6Sep 09, 2014 9:02 am Speaking as a successful owner builder I would say YES. Get in there and do it. Do lots, do more than you believe you can, most of it doesn't require a degree or great strength. Get your hands dirty, take control, be involved at every level. This will be your home, for you to live in. Use professionals where you have to but don't be put off by them. It will not be their house, it's not being built for them so don't let them dictate what they want for your home. The end result will be YOUR home, built by you for you and with huge savings. The more that you put in, the more you will get out. This is a once in a life time opportunity. Well, that's certainly been my experience and I would do it again. BTW, I'm not a tradie or involved in the building industry in any way, I'm actually a scientist. Re: What is required to become a successful home owner build 7Sep 09, 2014 10:19 am well said RT, this is exactly the attitude that is required we are so well trained to believe we are incapable of doing something for ourself, housing is so very important, taking just a little bit of control back is a good thing and yes i am well aware it doesnt always work out rosy but it is worth a calculated risk in my view RuffTuff Speaking as a successful owner builder I would say YES. Get in there and do it. Do lots, do more than you believe you can, most of it doesn't require a degree or great strength. Get your hands dirty, take control, be involved at every level. This will be your home, for you to live in. Use professionals where you have to but don't be put off by them. It will not be their house, it's not being built for them so don't let them dictate what they want for your home. The end result will be YOUR home, built by you for you and with huge savings. The more that you put in, the more you will get out. This is a once in a life time opportunity. Well, that's certainly been my experience and I would do it again. BTW, I'm not a tradie or involved in the building industry in any way, I'm actually a scientist. Re: What is required to become a successful home owner build 8Sep 10, 2014 3:17 am Can I add, you also need Desire Determination Drive. Also set a routine of work ethic to follow for the day such as , Daily start up, maybe - a quick clean up, set tools out, lay out materials, commence work. while doing first task, start picturing / planning next. have a fall back task , for when previous task is delayed. At end of day have a Quitting time / procedure , its helps to de stress also by say doing a quick clean up , tools away , any excess materials stored, a too do list for next day, with any new materials needed. Design from top down to ground , build from ground up Following these simple steps will help you mitigate unwanted costs, have your expectations met and give… 0 4519 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 22562 |