Browse Forums Owner Builder Forum 1 Apr 27, 2017 9:58 pm I have built two houses with builders in the last 6 years. With the first builder I took care of all the materials as he was very slow and let me basically do some of the work since I wanted the house completed quickly. It gave me an insight on the building process. I had to go and negotiate all the materials call some trades to come. A few reasons why the project might work for me: - Due to a back injury I don't currently work and I would have a year to do full-time building (saving money as a sort of salary would be why I am engaging in the project) - I am a graphic designer and often use 3D software to plan everything that can be planned - Fairly good with tools, woodwork, patching walls, painting, etc.. - No mortgage with the bank due a few good choice in investment (we don't need bank approval) - I know a few trades from when I worked as a graphic designer and also from that first awful builder I worked with I have these two options: - Get a kit home from one of the reputable company and get trades to finish the house doing a few bits ourselves. - Get a builder to build to lockup stage and finish the work myself by hiring trades. I believe a kit homes would be the cheapest and fastest as all the materials would be shipped and ready for the trades to work on. It will have a wholesale discount applied to the material so I wouldn't have to chase discounts from suppliers saving a few headaches. What do you think ? Can it work out ? Re: Kit Home vs Lockup 3Apr 27, 2017 11:01 pm Berek If your back is too bad for normal work, how can you do tradesman work? I have no problem doing tasks that don't require bending or lifting repetitively. As per my original post, I will organize trade to do the work, being an online business owner, I can be on site most of the day if needed as I only need a laptop to work. Re: Kit Home vs Lockup 5Apr 28, 2017 10:23 pm Berek Last house I painted played havoc with my neck and shoulders. Maybe I'm getting old... How will you get wholesale discounts? I think it's the sanding I could paint all day long but the sanding is what kills me. Going with a kit home company would give me bulk discounts although I do understand they have their margins plus save time and headaches getting all the materials together especially the frames since they will be put together in a factory. I understand I have no inside knowledge of building kit homes and I would love to get some insight if someone had experienced it. Re: Kit Home vs Lockup 7Apr 29, 2017 6:29 pm I wouldn't ask the question if I knew... I helped project managing my first house as the builder was very slow but he still did 50% of the work especially build to lockup part. I took over after as he took too many jobs and didn't really focus on our house. The second builder was great so not much to say there. Re: Kit Home vs Lockup 8Apr 30, 2017 8:21 pm I'm about to start organising a kit home so I guess I'll find out soon enough. I'm not sure they'll tell me what they pay for everything but if it works out cheaper than I could get it then it's ok I guess. Re: Kit Home vs Lockup 9May 01, 2017 10:24 pm I contacted a couple that used a builder to build their kit homes today. They invited me to their home and I was impressed by the quality of the house. You wouldn't think it was a kit home if you weren't told. All up they told me they paid 150k to have a basic house finished + 100k for the materials. It brought the cost up to 250k for a 165sqm of living. As an observation, the house finishing was excellent, I would have done some other material and color choices but of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder According to them, the cost of finishing could have been cheaper as they didn't bargain with the builder. The house was erected very quickly (4 months) as all the material were supplied and they didn't need to chase the suppliers. Hi all, We are currently just up to lockup stage. Well our portal says lockup complete but our electrical is being done this week, so in theory, fully completed lockup by… 0 452 We already paid for somfy motors for the blinds. The quote above was purely for “pre-wiring” so the blinds company can install the motors and blinds. That’s why we… 5 17322 10 12607 |