Browse Forums Building A New House Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 5Jun 29, 2008 11:28 pm 'We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.' - Winston Churchill Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 8Jul 02, 2008 8:07 am I'm just doing minor reno stuff around the house more like robes, garage storage etc, nothing in comparison but I feel your weary bones. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 9Jul 02, 2008 8:44 am Hello Zonk
We are about to start as owner builders, just getting engineering done on our design now. May I ask how much you believe you saved by installing the ducted VAC yourselves? We have been quoted less than $2000 for supply and install. Thanks Simon Building an architect designed home out of Insulated Concrete Forms on acreage in semi-rural SE Melbourne. Developer approval obtained, engineering complete, getting quotes Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 10Jul 02, 2008 11:12 am Hi simon,
Unit cost will be around 1100. (including "deluxe tools", vacpan and 3 points- 4 points in total) It would have been an extra $300 to install, which DH basically did in less than 1 day. pirahna...I dont have a blog, I have got a few updated pics which I will post later on Jo update 11Jul 06, 2008 10:11 pm its all taking off now the roof tiles are nearly complete,(phew) and DH has put up blue board this weekend throughtout the alfresco walls, he has also installed the 2 big double sliding doors to the alfresco, from the kitchen and the rumpus room. he has now completed the installation of the ducted vacuum.
he also had 1 1/2 metres of concrete delivered, and has boxed up the pool and concreted from a step down from the alfresco to the pool. excess concrete was used for the base of our letterbox noggins are now all in for ducted vacuum, rangehood,towel rails, toilet holders etc etc we have bought external doors and fittings (handles,hinges etc)(bowens and bunnings) ...BTW "doors plus" prices are exhorbitent(sp) to pay for their advertising, and I have also bought rangehood,dishwasher,cooktop and sink...all sitting in our spare room just the oven to go... next w/end we have a skip and bobcat coming in..the bobcat will level our garage floor and load up the skip...we have 2 huge piles of building refuse out the front over the next3-4 weeks our garage floor will be concreted, DH will bag the garage walls and continue to wrap up and brick the exterior DS,DH and friend will install laundry door and front door DS will do what ever you have to do to the frame to straighten it out to prepare for plaster. our nephew is coming t/row to consult on flat packing kitchen ,laundry and bathrooms, he is a cabinet maker by trade and currently working as a glazier...he will supply glass for sidelight(front door) and splashback as well so maybe lockup maybe in 4 weeks or so (yay) its a BIG achievement for my DH I cant post pics ATM cause camera says "card error" and pc freezes up when we try and access the SD card any tips anyone? can you ressurect a SD card, or clean it to make it respond? Jo Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 12Jul 07, 2008 7:47 am Jo
Can't help you with the camera card sorry, but just wanted to say well done so far, we are really just starting on this OB journey, trying to decide how much to do ourselves and how much to subcontract, and all advice from those who have already been down the path is much appreciated. Would your OH need a labourer for a day or two? I would offer my services as I'm sure there's loads I could learn from helping? Simon Building an architect designed home out of Insulated Concrete Forms on acreage in semi-rural SE Melbourne. Developer approval obtained, engineering complete, getting quotes Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 13Jul 07, 2008 9:47 pm simon DH is asleep atm, worn out of course.
I dont think labouring would help unless you would like to be a bricky labourer. we have more or less finished our frame, and are nearly at lock up. the problem is that all DH`s knowledge is in his head and when he talks about it, I dont have a clue what he is talking about, and he is not great at communicating and teaching. so even if you came on site with him, I doubt you would learn much... sorry... I could try and help with guestimates re cost and what you need to contract out and what you can do yourself. please feel free to ask me anything about these details, Jo Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 14Jul 08, 2008 10:15 am Hi Jo
I just read your posts ... Wow!! I can appreciate where you guys are coming from. We're not OBs but we're doing everything else besides building the house. DH is an electrician and he installed our ducted air-con all by himself. He did the tiling in and out of the house. Everything else, I helped him with landscape and other reno work - so, I know how tired you must feel Well, yours is probably on a larger scale. You're not saving a few cents hun You're saving thousands. DH always said - the best work is when you do it yourself cos' you know what's going into it and dedication put into it. DH comes home from work and he goes straight outside to work on landscape. On weekends, I help him and our little apprentice Son who seems to be picking up Daddy's natural traits. Your DH sounds like mine too ... my DH is a man of few words but I think he's one of the smartest people I know. I'm the talker (can't you tell?) I'm sure all will go well for you - keep us updated. I will look forward to your pics, stories whatever ... who knows, I may even pick your brain sometimes cos' we've been discussing of building our own home .. for the next house. My Father-In-Law built all his houses when he was in England and also here in Sydney. That's where DH learnt a lot from Big hug from me I think, therefore, I am! Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 15Jul 11, 2008 9:12 pm thanks for your supportive post TJ175
roof tile co rang me on wed....."just ringing to see when you will pay the completion payment" me"oh! is it finished then?" knowing thats it not roof tile co"yes" me oh, "last I heard they were going to cut the valleys last sat/sunday but we were there both days and there were no roof tilers there" roof tile co "oh let me make a phone call and I will call you back" roof tile co calls back...."blah blah blah its not finished ,probably will be today though!" me "thats terrific, talk to you soon!" roof tiling co "ohhh...ok" BUT today DH went on site and indeed, they are now finished (well of course they are ,NOW they have good reason to chase the final payment) from deposit to completion for roof tilers has been 3 months DH has told me that mirvac tilers complete an average house in 2 days. this w/end we have a bobcat coming in to level the garage floor, push dirt from where it shouldnt be to where it shoud and have a skip delivered so the bobcat can load into the skip the building rubble DH has ordered sand cement to continue to brick up the house I am taking a trip to johnson tiles in bayswater to try to make some decisions re: wet area tiles and floor tiles edited to add my FIL was a bricklayer all his life...born in leeds and emigrated to oz decades ago my fil and dh worked together bricklaying from the moment they emigrated to OZ my FIL retired from bricklaying 10 years ago but died from lung cancer on 11/5/2008 my DH is still bricklaying for mirvac at watergardens (waterways?) I saw another post here today with a grey haired man bricklaying and it so reminded me of my FIL Jo Jo Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 16Jul 12, 2008 12:08 am Well done Jo, you and your DH are going to be able to sit back in the years to come and say "we built this" what an accomplishment!!!!
Wish you had photos! Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 18Jul 13, 2008 7:08 pm Hey Zonk I know how you feel I'm OB'ing my place and I had similar problems with one of my subbies but mine was with the restumpers and I couldn't do anything till they had finished.... anyway I've already had my rant on this site so I wount bore you with it..
Good luck and don't let anyone pester you with how it would be easier to get a builder to do it all. We know the reasons why we are doing the harder way and if they are to stuipid to work it out them selves then they're idiots. Re: not your usual sunday unless you are an owner builder 19Jul 13, 2008 10:19 pm Quote: Good luck and don't let anyone pester you with how it would be easier to get a builder to do it all hey draconis, no one is pestering us about that..I must be lucky this week we are ordering 5 metres of concrete for the garage floor 2 be delivered sat my DH is going to work this week and the following week he is going to take a week of work (bricklaying at watergardens...mirvac) in that week we expect he will fully brick the house and install all external doors we MAY have lock up in 2-3 weeks Hi VK, Think it's worth investing time in an Owner Builder course to equip you with basic knowledge on Australian Building Industry and its regulations. Also, I suggest… 11 23751 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 4255 |