Homeowners today are building their own homes with assistance from a professional building partner. It is something which is definitely not easy and requires a great deal of hard work.
The following are a few tips to help you get started:
Becoming a successful owner builder
Make sure that you follow these steps to become a successful owner builder:
Try to know as much as possible
For anyone who is looking to construct their home successfully it is important that they should get as much knowledge about construction as possible. In the construction industry knowledge is power. It enables you to make the right decisions at the right time. From choosing the raw materials to deciding upon fittings and fixtures, it can help you a great deal. You have to know about the different aspects of home building to ensure that you build the best possible home within your budget.
You need to polish your knowledge regarding building and construction, keep in mind that you have to get started somewhere. As an owner builder you would come across many contractors or tradies. You need to make sure that you have a good working relationship with all the contractors who you would be working with. This would help make things easier for you in the long run.
However if at any point you feel that you are not on the same wavelength is your contractors you always have the option of looking for someone else to help you. Instead of listening to what the contractor has to say about certain thing make sure that you share your ideas with them so that they can work along your vision. If there is something which is not making sense to you should always question it. If your contractor keeps saying that things can’t be done a certain way you need to be wary of them.
Getting the necessary information for owner builders
There is a whole lot of information you can get your hands on and that too free of cost. Do contact the following resources to get as much information as you require
The local council
You would be visiting many individuals like kitchen manufacturers, plumbers and carpenters. The right person would provide you with all the necessary information and would try to work along with you. Get to know the prices and make the best possible decision.
Getting information from books and websites
There are several websites where you can get the required information on the building processes. Information on plumbing and electrical works. Watch videos and clips to help you get along. You can even get information from the various Australian universities who hand out books for students interested in architecture and residential construction. You can even go through a book called building your own home which is written by George Wilkie. Everything is explained in an easy manner and it is quite simple to follow.
Decide upon your construction budget
The first thing that you need to do is to ensure that you have setup a proper budget for building your new home. If you do not to your proper research it can result in problems in the future. You might have to completely forgo the building of your home because you have gone over budget.
It should be kept in mind that going over budget is common however if you have got things listed down, you can stay within what you have planned. You can minimize the cost by talking to your construction workers on getting raw materials and products which can help save you money.
Get ahead with calculations
You can get help from the construction cost calculator. The results are going to differ based on a number of things like the size of the home and the quality plus the finishing that you are looking for. Other factors which might affect the cost are the complexity of the building and the conditions on which the home is being built.
While calculating you should have a proper idea of the dimensions of your room so that you can click on the right suggested sizes for rooms. You would also need to have a list of all the furniture that you are planning to buy and see whether it would accommodate in the room that you are about to build.
Saving money
The following tips can help you stay within your budget
- You can buy all your supplies from the building supply options which are usually advertised in the local papers or listed in the yellow pages.
- Look for a number of ports. Never settle for anything the first time only. Doing proper research can help you find the right choice of materials.
- You can even go for second hand materials which are in good condition. You can buy stuff for your kitchen for example the equipment and the tiles for the backsplash.
- It is easy to find good stuff at cash and carry outlets. You are bound to find everything from ceramics to building tools and everything in between.
- You can even buy stuff from the lesser name brands. However just make sure that you do not compromise on the quality.
Getting an owner builder insurance
You would also need to research on different insurance policies. These are the policies which would be required if you want to be accepted as the legal owner builder. The policy can vary from one state to another. You can make use of different websites to find insurance brokers within your locality.
Make a checklist
Once you have completed all the research you should start with the planning process. Keep a diary handy and write down all the information that would be needed. All the scheduling and planning should be in one place. The following checklist should help you along:
- Make sure that you read all the informative articles on our website
- Hire a designer to make the plans for your new home. If you are planning to design on your own make sure that you get your hands on eBooks which would allow you to design your own home.
- Have a talk with the on duty building inspector. They will let you know what documents you need to submit your development application. If there are certain things that you do not understand they would explain these things to you. Once the development application has been submitted and approved you would need to obtain a construction certificate as well. Most people prefer submitting both these documents together because they are simply building a straight forward home which would have no impact on the neighbors property.
- Go through the development control plans and the local environment plans to know what kind of documents required to be submitted. Get to know if there are any other regulatory documents which you would need to go through. Your local council will guide you about all these.
- Once you have all the documents approved and stamped you should put out plans for the tender. Your documents should also include building specifications so that all the people who are quoting are doing so for the same details.
- When its comes to choosing your work is you should consider the price as well as their communication skills. After selecting the winning bids it is time to talk about construction cost and savings.
- When you have chosen your contractors and tradespeople you would need to obtain a home warranty insurance as well as your owner builder license. Without all the necessary permits and license in hand you won’t be able to work on the construction site.
Being an owner builder is quite rewarding however you have to keep all of these above mentioned things in mind so that your project is well managed from the very beginning.
Further information and reading
- A do it yourself home design guide
- What you need to avoid when designing your home
State government authority
- Information for owner builders
- Consumer affairs
- Building and construction commission
- Owner builders
- Builders regulation board
- Owner building Tasmania
- The owner builders manual for northern territory
- Owner builder licensing