Thread: Owner-Builder

Rod1949,
Don't let me or anyone else talk you out of it if you are really keen to do this thing, and put in a big effort.

I am a registered builder (some would say architect and contractor ) but don't work as a builder. All my houses therefore have technically been "owner built", the last two with a carpenter/foreman - supervisor.

You need to be there. You cannot rely on others to do the right thing...they won't. You need to co-ordinate. You need to order things and follow up.

Will you save money?? Probably not, depending on how well organised you are, except for the work you do yourself, depending on what the current work climate is in your town. You may pick up a few dollars, but remember that if you don't supervise correctly you will be the one coming back to fix the leak in four years time.

In my experience subbies will be thinking that this is a one off, they will have a lot of buggery factor because they are working for an owner builder, and will charge accordingly. You won't get the same rate as they will give a builder for whom they do regular work.

You may be able to buy some things well, but remember that saving twenty or thirty dollars on a toilet pan isn't a big percentage of a couple of hundred thousand :eek: .

So... enjoy it, put your heart into it and get a great deal of satisfaction at the end, but don't do it to save money.

Cheers,

P

Hi Rod,
As midge said, don't do it for the money. I am not a builder, but have been an owner builder. You will end up with a better job..not to mention the satisfaction.

Do your homework and plan. In my building, I also planned and allowed for future maintenance so I could keep the building looking fresh al the time.

You will require local council inspections. Most of these dudes are good. Go out of your way to show them you are doing things correctly. If they have doubts and get their back up, they can make life hell.

Good luck and take your time.

Conwood

I actually work (yes I do work) for the Building Services Authority in Brisbane and our website has a fair bit of info for owner builders. It might not all apply in WA but most of it is pretty commonsense stuff. If you follow the link http://www.bsa.qld.gov.au/consumer/ you'll find a series of Fact Sheets etc which may help. Best wishes.

Graeme Carson

I am in no way a builder (as u might have seen from some of my posts lol) but my sister and her fiance have just started being an owner-builder.

They are going to end up rendering the house and painting the roof tiles so they are saving money buying odd bits and pieces of bricks and tiles. buying out of the quokka from "renovations gone wrong" LOL

The permit is for 2 years... thats in Beldon, WA.

So far they have saved a few thousand dollars.

well worth it I think!

Hi Rob1949,

My wife and I Were ownerbuilders about 3 years ago, We bulit our own home.

We got a brickie in, in which my wife helped with the bricks, we did all the plumbing, ( we got quoted 12500 for the plumbing we did it for 3000 ), elec work ( then got a A grade elec to check and sign off, we helped a chippy with the major frame work.

My wife did all the plastering, skirts etc.

we had a quote off 125000 for a builder to do it to lock up only.

We did the whole thing to moving in with no more to do for the same price that he quoted for lock up only.

It is not easy, but a great learning experience, plus you end up with lots of tools

It took us about 7 mths to do. No regrets at all.

We saved heaps because we did most of it ourselfs and that is where you will save money.

Cheers Guy

For you Mr Midge.










Al

Hey Oz! What is it you linked to that takes half an hour not to load?

P
(who can't even get the confused smiley to load!!)

Must be your Mac.....

Al

hi rod, really envy you doing this. never did it myself but wish i had. every success with project and enjoy you dream home. Dont cockup the workshop whatever you do.
beejay1

Also I think there is some law that if you build your own home, or do any of your own plumbing, electrical, or just about any other work, and then sell your home soon after, YOU are liable for any problems that work creates within 5 years of that work being completed. So if you build, then sell within 5 years, and in that same period the house falls down or has major problems, you are going to have to pay up

Maybe someone else in the know can confirm the time period there. But just something to consider.

Originally Posted by Dean

Maybe someone else in the know can confirm the time period there. But just something to consider.

Six years in Victoria, counted from the date of certificate of occupancy issued by council. Not 6 years and 1 day. DAMHIK.

I believe that it also covers major renovations.


Peter.

Hi Rod Just in the middle of a fairly large extension to the house had a few quotes from builders between $80 to $100k to build the thing. So far have done just about everything ourselves almost to lock up stage, sure is hard bloody work but. Learnt a hell of a lot I didnt know and asked a hell of a lot of questions from everyone that I have come in contact with, like suppliers trademan, buddies, friends or anyone that could shed light on what I needed to know. (worked on the theory that the only dumb question was the one I didnt ask)

One thing I did learn to do is take everything one nail at a time. meaning if you can knock in the first nail why cant you knock in the next ten thousand nails ? (well I`m up to about six thousand now some more to go yet)
Did learn everything is easier if you make everything "straight, level, plumb, square" as you build from the ground up.

Is owner building for everyone ? No.
If you have never used a hammer in your life before can you be a ownerbuilder ? yes.
Do you learn stuff you never dreamed of? yes
Is it hard work? hell yes



A couple of tips I would give

Have patience
Expect the unexpected
Become a weatherman
Have more patience
buy every tool you need (and then built a shed to put them in)
take everything one step at a time
plan, plan, plan,


And on the money side of things may get out of the project for around $30k so I may save a few dollars on the builders quotes ( but expecting the unexpected ) . But its the wealth of knowledge I have learnt that is the real value to me.

Good Luck

an Dial before you dig....DAMHIK


Cheers

Rod

This is the sort of question that people have written books upon. So it is difficult to give advice and keep it concise. I am not really good at keeping things concise so I will just make a few comments off the cuff and not neccessarily in order of importance.

1. SWMBO can never be totally pleased; even the best of them!

2. Ask yourself why you want to do this. Is it a burning desire? Do you want to save money? Both?

3. It is hard work and particularly if you build in town, as opposed to out in the bush, you will need to be well organised.

4. Read up on as much material as you can.

5. Ask as much as advice as you can. The building inspector is a good source but make sure they are sensible questions not information you could have easily obtained elsewhere. In fact a building inspector on your side is invaluable. One against you and you're in deep ****.

6.Where are you going to live while you build? What will it that cost? How long will it take you to build? Will you be working a regular job while you build?

7. How much are you going to do yourself? If you act as the coordinator/fore man, you probably won't save much money. If you do the majority of the work yourself you could save heaps as long as you resist the temptation to be extravagant.

8. What are the finance arrangements? Don't run out of money half way through. You may have to tout around to lending institutions before you find one that likes you as an owner builder.

9. Are you young and fit? It can be hard work. Is SWMBO also young and fit AND willing to help? Can you call on friends/relatives to help you because some jobs, if you are doing the work yourselves, require extra hands.

10. If you stuff something up you have fewer rights of recourse if any.

11. If you decide to do work yourself don't be too pedantic. Evaluate the saving to be made. Do the work you are comfortable with when you can save money and when you can't do either contract it out.

12. Remember that when you get the house to "lock up", it is still less than half built and all the fiddly bits remain. This is as you are starting to wear down a little with the stress of working a job, building and pacifying SWMBO.

13. If this is something you have to get out of your system, go ahead and do it but place yourself in the best possible situation to make it easy. If you think that by sitting down and thinking a little the urge might go away, think good and hard and hope the urge does go away, because it is not for the fainthearted.

The professional builder, with all his resources and working full time, probably takes 3 to 6 months to build. If you can build in 12 months, you have done exceptionally well. It is not impossible, but takes terrific commitment. I personally fell a long, long way short of that.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Paul