So, you've read about and heard all the stories in the media and from friends about the nightmares associated with building. Shonky builders, huge delays, unfinished houses, price blow-outs. It doesn't have to be that way.
Building your dream home or investment property can be painless, enjoyable and satisfying.
At Law Property Australia, we will only recommend builders who we believe are able to offer the level of service, the degree of professionalism, the experience and track record to make your building experience as stress-free as possible.
Why build?
The most obvious reason is that to live exactly where you want to, you may need to buy a block of land. By building, you can make best use of the land and achieve the house design to suit your needs.
But also consider:
- • You can choose a design that meets your particular requirements.
- • Most quality builders will work with you to incorporate reasonable structural variations to achieve specific needs, like extra storage, home theatres, luxury ensuite or kitchen upgrades.
- • You can choose you own colour scheme.
- • You can choose your own floor tiles and carpets.
- • Individualise fittings like tapware, bathroom fittings and door furniture.
- • Fit air-conditioning and vacuum systems up front.
- • Choose an exciting façade to add street appeal.
- • Plan your landscaping from the ground up.
- • Save money.
Which builder?
As most houses are built by project builders who specialise in their own range of designs, our comments relate primarily to that group of builders. Therefore, a common starting point is to find a builder with a design that suits your needs. This may not, however, be your preferred builder based on the issues raised later in this discussion. A solution is that designs owned by your preferred builder may well be able to be easily modified to achieve the desired outcome, without breaching any copyright concerns.
It is useful to consider a range of issues in making the final selection of your builder.
- • Do they communicate well and can they demonstrate good administration and construction systems?
- • Can they provide you with a comprehensive up-front estimate?
- • Are they members of the Master Builders Association and/or the Housing Industry Association?
- • Conduct a Building Services Authority building license search.
- • How does the builder rate on various web based consumer feedback sites?
- • Can they provide positive testimonials?
- • Do their display homes and other homes under construction appear to be of high quality?
- • Is the estimate competitive and comprehensive, i.e. does it include everything - like Council fees, earthworks and retaining, all upgrades and variations, and reasonable allowances for prime cost items?
What can you do to help the building process run smoothly?
The key to a smooth building process is to plan and finalise virtually everything up front. Changing anything during construction will definitely cause delays and add cost. Not having all the colours and fittings selected prior to construction will also potentially cause delays and also add cost. The Law Property Australia Building Checklist will help you with this process. In the meantime, here is a quick summary of many of the aspects you should consider to ensure an enjoyable building process.
The land
Make sure you inspect the block with the builder and roughly mark out where the house will be sited. Take note of: slope, rock, views, trees, solar orientation, services, manholes, existing fences and retaining walls, neighbouring houses, future pool position, power poles, street trees, vehicle access issues, street drainage.
The design
As well as basic accommodation needs, think about the layout - main bedroom separate or adjacent to other bedrooms, main bedroom to the front or the rear, location of garage, open space, entertaining areas, open-plan or more formal, storage, furniture constraints, location and size of windows.
The estimate
Make sure that you are comparing 'apples with apples'. Does each builders estimate cover everything necessary to actually complete the home? - Council fees, drafting, insurance, earthworks, drainage, retaining, tree removal, foundation upgrades, structural variations, façade upgrades, fittings upgrades.
The contract
Ensure that you are provided with a fully completed building contract (preferably QMBA or HIA), working drawings and specification prior to construction commencing.
Colour selection and electrical layout
Finalise everything before construction - bricks, roof, paint colours, floor and wall tiles, carpets, window frames, laminates, kitchen and bathroom fittings, light fittings, doors and door furniture. Make sure that specific details of any special items are included - like a non-standard oven or spa bath. The location of all electrical fittings should also be noted prior to construction.
During construction
Make sure that you meet the builder or building supervisor when your project is ready to go to site, just to go over any specific issues and answer any last minute questions or concerns you may have. There are also a number of meetings you should try to organise and attend - the builder should appreciate your involvement at a number of critical stages:
- • just prior to earthworks
- • prior to kitchen being measured - talk to cabinet maker
- • prior to floor tiling
- • prior to painting
- • prior to concreting of driveway and other external works
- • prior to handover
Also during construction, don't be overly concerned at short periods where nothing seems to be happening on site. This can often happen as trades are being organised and materials being ordered. The builder's goal is to reach completion within the time frame noted in the contract.
General
Be organised - start a file
Keep notes of meetings
Keep lines of communication open - stay calm
Follow these general guidelines and the whole process can run smoothly.
FREE building checklist
Our free Building Checklist covers all these issues and is a valuable resource in helping you to achieve an enjoyable building experience.
Click here for your free copy.
Here are three quotes from 19th Century poet and philosopher, John Ruskin which I like.
"The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.""There is hardly anything in the world that some man can't make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are this man's prey."
"It's unwise to pay too much but it's unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do.
The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it's well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better!"
The builders that Law Property Australia works with may not be the cheapest in the marketplace, but we do believe that they offer value. Should price be the major consideration when making possibly one of the most important decisions and largest investments in your life? Perhaps value, quality, service, honesty, integrity and peace of mind should rank higher.
Colin Law
