Browse Forums Owner Builder Forum Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 9Feb 27, 2018 10:12 pm The main development Looks great! I really like the off-angle roof and post with the alfresco and entry detail. The floorplan and windows also look well thought out. What's the block look like now? I can't quite get my head around the 10x scale of a typical suburban block Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 10Feb 28, 2018 8:25 am Thanks for your comments SteveMc. The previous version of the house looked a bit dull, so that's why the designer came up with the idea of the slanted posts and the porch roof. The lifted central pod roof was my idea to break up a large roof expanse. It also provides an opportunity to hide the external motor of the Schweigen rangehood on the r/h vertical wall of that pod. I will post some pics of the block today. Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 11Feb 28, 2018 9:15 am Some block pics: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ From the road, before driveway was bitumenised by the developer. He likes to do things thoroughly.Area to left has now largely been filled and levelled to building envelope level.House will be approximately where the largest of the three lumps of dirt is at the rear, the flat just behind the lump closest to the camera. The block curves around to the right up a slope, which will be scappoped out to fit the garage, which which be straight ahead of the driveway on an angle. There are now several new houses after the last fence on the right - they face away from me to the next street. Woolies, the servo and a small group of shops is about 600m from the camera up the road to the left. Although blocks on this estate are larger than the current trend (750 to 1000 sq m), mine is the only one much larger. But I only paid $10k more than the next dearest one, and mine has a much better aspect plus space for everything I want. The bushland is a nature corridor to Queems Lake, about 500m away, as well as watercourse off North Brother mountain. So it will never be developed. The view over bushland to North Brother: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ This is from roughly where the garage will be and the house will be in front of this, with the Al Fresco facing the mountain. It is not the best solar facing, which would be to the left, but the view to me is the best best feature of the block so it is a compromise. The climate here is so temperate, though, that it is less of an issue. Winters are really mild (shorts and t-shirts are worn almost every day of the year, with perhaps a zipup top carried in case, long trousers usually only worn at night in winter or for "occasions". A huge change from Canberra, where I lived for many years (guess why I came here?). BTW, the block has had a lot of levelling and geotech work done by the developer, at significant expense - he was considering building on it for himself. This photo was prior to registration, and a change in the statewide coefficient for calculation of the 100 year flood level caused the council to reassess the level for the build area n- over 650 sq m in size. The developer then added a further 30cm. Soil tests sho=wed thes was properly compacted and an M slab with no special requirements (eg piers, wider footings, tougher grade concrete) can be used. This as saved me a large amount of money. One half of the granny flat, though since we moved it further away from the house for privacy, is on a section of possibly uncontrolled fill. So we need to get another soil test done, but it can't happen until March 9, so that is delaying submission of the engineering docs for the Construction Certificate. So I can't even get final quotes for the slabs etc yet, and get under way for probably 608 weeks. The big problem for me is going to be getting tradies. The building trade here is going gangbusters, and tradies seem to hate owner builders. I worry that I won't be able to get people interested in working for me, despite the fact I am organised and have the cash, and it is an easy site. Any tips on how to find tradies who are happy to work with owner builders - and not overcharge? Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 12Feb 28, 2018 10:45 am powerd The big problem for me is going to be getting tradies. The building trade here is going gangbusters, and tradies seem to hate owner builders. I worry that I won't be able to get people interested in working for me, despite the fact I am organised and have the cash, and it is an easy site. Any tips on how to find tradies who are happy to work with owner builders - and not overcharge? Yep, that's the problem with trade shortages in a boom market = Ridiculously high prices, encouraging shortcuts, non-compliance,poor workmanship, etc,etc That might be your spin on it but this is how tradies will see it. 1. Fancy Architectural BIM rendered drawings, where the clients (OBs) pay heaps to the designer for images (who in turn reality don't know how to build it) trying to push them down on a $/m2 rate 2. Tradies aren't interested in Fixing up designers mistake on site during construction, lol it makes no difference how realistic the shadowing looks on planning documents.. Do you have anything else to put up, ie data, quants, budget$? 3. Hmm. Organised, I don't thinks so?, unless you have full production Bim engineering & Construction drawings Certified 4.You will soon run out of cash when you hit difficulties on site and unscrupulous contractors come after you with post contract variations increases 5. Use 3 to convince them you are not a difficult build Also You might want to consider limiting their time (your const) on site with prefab components..just a thought Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 13Feb 28, 2018 9:11 pm StructuralBIMGuy. Thanks for your comments. I will respond as best I can. 1. My designer, after 20 years in the business a seems to be well aware of how to construct this design, quite interested in fact. He was recommended by local builders, trades and the council. He was happy to work through the design and use of lightweight, standardised (eg windows) build products with me, including simplifying the design to make the build process easier, and dealing with some difficult BAL issues.. It is a straightforward slab, electrical wiring and connections are easy and standard plumbing. Nothing difficult in my design at all, except maybe for some electricians who can't be bothered working out how to chase cabling through the Versiclad SIP roof panel - it isn't hard. I hope to use one who has done it before. 2. Not sure why tradies would have to work out designers mistakes We've worked through all parts and I really can't see what the problem is. I am assembling most of the structure. Frames built by a framing company on a production system, from CAD based on engineering docs. If I want to make changes, which I won't (been through two major extensions which more much more complex, made very few but done easily) then I will have to do it myself in almost all cases. I am responsible for quantities and budget as I am purchasing most of the products, no probs with that. As for budget, well, I don't really have one as I know it will be blown anyway!! Actually I do have a sort of budget, and will track it carefully, but it isn't critical. I am building the house I want. But I am experienced at major procurement, and in negotiating contracts and prices. 3. I refer you to my post above. These plans are being done at the moment but are held up awaiting an extra soil test. I am an experienced project manager on large scale projects. Schedules and cost to be tracked in MS Project. I will be on site working every day. 4. How do you know I will run out of cash? Been peeking in my bank account? Not an issue. If there are any variations they will be agreed, recorded and paid for. If not agreed, not paid. Been there, done that. 5. Agreed. I will try to convince the tradies I need to use that it will be an easy build, show them why and they will be paid immediately on successful completion and sign-off. Hopefully that will help. As for prefab, agree with you. As mentioned earlier, I wanted to use SIPs for the walls and roof but unable to. The frames are pre-built, the roof is large Versiclad SIPs which will be craned onto the flat and house by a roofer experienced in this (only take a day each), rest of structure I am doing in lightweight panelling with experienced friends. Only additional tradies required are for plumbing, electrical and plastering (they're much better and faster than me). Also have access to retired tradies for advice, and no doubt critical comment! Cheers powerd Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 14Mar 01, 2018 8:28 am Good to hear that you are organised OT, From my experience Modelling a project in a 3D Architectural Software program is not the same as building it tho architects will tell you differently. In reality.under the shadow renderings (LOL, that don't mean anything because planners are more concerned with where the shadow is cast on adjoining (no?) buildings), there are Construction & Engineering details, while on site during construction their may be at least 3 alternatives that may require certification, which relates to availability, time, cost etc,etc BTW, I am looking forward to seeing more than architectural renderings from a Construction Project Manager what you put up also helps others.. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 15Mar 01, 2018 5:48 pm SBG - not quite sure what your points are here. The renderings with associated documents submitted are part of the NATHERS assessment (done by an energy rating consultancy) and BASIX to achieve a minimum required standard. The house as built will easily exceed those. THe engineering plans when completed and approved will provide the details to the level required by the slab builder, framing company, roofer,sparky and plumber. The sparky and plumber will do their own designs with me taking a lead role as I know what I want and need. None of these tasks are difficult and none requires any complex onsite decisions, The rest is up to me and, as it has been carefully designed to be a simple build. I would be very surprised, amazed even, if the few subbies I am using, would find this at all unusua or remotely challenging. If they do, I need better subbies. The use of lightweight materials and the design makes the engineering quite simple. If I have missed something, can you please point out specifically what those challenge are in the plans? Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 16Mar 01, 2018 5:52 pm BTW, I am the Constuction Project Manager, Owner Builder, Quantity Surveyor, builder and labourer (with experienced friends), payer and resident. And I am fussy, committed and crazy enough to take this on and achieve a great outcome. I love a challenge. Plenty of people on here have done the same, achieved great results, and inspired me to leap in. Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 17Mar 01, 2018 7:29 pm The renderings are pretty much worthless as far as REAL energy ratings go, tho it looks impressive to the uninformed What nathers doesn't do is air flow (physical fluid and heat transfers combined)..so you literally can open a window and watch the energy calculations Fly out the door.. OT..The only true accurate simulations are Multiphysics CFD->no shadows mate I explain this to energy consultants all the time. hth Looking Fwd to seeing your images, quants, costs & data that you will hopefully share on your 2 year build journey and I will share my simulations, data and proofs these may help you. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 18Mar 01, 2018 8:52 pm Will happily share when available. BTW, it is a temperate climate here, I am not trying to build to a particular rating but the NATHERS assessment was purely to get it approved. I will be installing/fixing to ensure that it is much better insultated than required (in a way most builders don't) and this is unusual for this area. Anyway, cross ventilation and ground connection is more imprtant in this temperate, sometimes more humid, climate which rarely gets cold, and not that hot either. I have used a wide range of sources including CSIRO's work etc to build for this climate and site, but in a flexible, non-star chasing way. As I am retired, I can approach this in an entirely different way to someone who has a srtict budget, a time limit, and banks involved. Or much differently to a typical building business, which builds down to a tight price and low quality.. Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 19Mar 01, 2018 10:07 pm Thanks, when you have the info please post your soil classification & wind rating? , BTW it's possible to use a standard cooker cutter approach for achieving the minimum ratings with glazing & Insulation and save $600 on the energy report. (call me thifty...for others you can buy a lot of extra insulation for $600 if you are on a tight budget) Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Am I crazy? OB near Port Macquarie 20Mar 02, 2018 10:55 am I am now starting the process of prepping for the actual build. Here's what I am working on:
Cheers powerd Well these guys are not looking good... I sent them a written enquiry last week and they have not yet replied. If they cannot respond to a simple… 4 10806 It is in lake macquarie area and dimensions are width 14 m and depth 8 m and the slope is 1/5 going down from the road. 1 7420 I looked into it a few years ago and my conclusion was to just build a carport that will support panels and get a system installed separately. The company I looked at had… 1 6557 |