Even A Good Tradie Does His Homework!

Before starting up your new build, you must line up your team members. The most important part of your team is the trades responsible for works like carpentry, tiling, electrical, plumbing etc...

Few points one should consider before hiring any trades are mentioned below:

1. Recommendation - Before contacting any of the trades ask relatives and friends and seek information about those trades recommended by them. Most of the people prefer the recommended one.

In fact, many owner-builders have experience that recommended choices are always best.

2. Pricing can't be an only deciding factor - Yes, it is required that we should work according to our budget. But, it is not wise that due to a $100 difference you pick the wrong trade. So, it is always advisable that you choose your trades wisely and not only on the basis of money and your budget.

3. Be organised - The most important part of your job is to organise your site according to the order of trades. It helps with the timing of the trades and saves you from doing extra efforts and hard work.

4. Safety is paramount - If you have two or more tradies working together on your site, then it's your duty to keep the site safe and secure so as to avoid an accident.

If you do have tradies working next to other tradies, make sure their way is clean and enough space available for them to pass from.

5. Make Sure Your Trades Are On Time - There is no trick to keep your tradies other than being organized and communicating with each trade.

Here are some more tips for you:

1. Be patient with trades by giving them enough time to do their work.

2. Establish good relationships with your trades by keeping them happy!

3. Be fair and understanding. Regularly communicate with all trades.

4. Ask your trades about their charges whether they charge for an hour, a day, or takes a total charge.

There for it is advisable to do owner builder course to understand these aspects. So, if you are living in New South Wales (NSW) and is planning to be an owner builder then you should try owner builder courses in NSW.

Tips for Owner Builders in Victoria

Being an owner builder in Victoria has its own set of perks. You can supervise the work on your land for yourself. Expenses over labours are cut off and you can be flexible with your timings. But, like there is always a bad side to something good, being owner builder has its own risk factors that need to be taken care of. Since changes in the state based regulations have been initiated, the job of an owner builder demands a lot of attention. You cannot go easy on important stuff and definitely cannot neglect them.

Given below are tips for owner builders in Victoria. They are as follows:

• Get a permit:

The norms set for getting an owner builder permit vary from state to state. These differences are mainly because of the variations in the market value of your property. It also depends upon factors like the training that you are required to do, whether it is you who shall live here after the work is done or you currently live there and also the number of permits that can be granted to individuals over a period of time. Now, if you are not a registered owner builder, then you need to check over that whether the work you’re about to carry out on that land requires an owner builder permit or not. In Victoria, a permit is mandatory if the expenses of your building work are more than $12,000.

• What to expect?

When you get an owner builder permit, you have a huge responsibility of your project on your shoulders. You function as a fully licensed builder. This also serves as an opportunity for unlicensed builders wherein they ask homeowners to apply for permit as an owner builder. They use their permits to cover their works. You should beware of such builders and regulators warn you about them too. You can also talk to your state based authority if any builder asks you to get a permit.

• Is training helpful?

It certainly is. When you work as an owner builder, you’ll have to take care of a number of things at your workplace. You will have to maintain the health and safety of your labours and the location. You should also generate a white card that indicates that your activity is legal. Training is the best option if you wish to understand and manage all of these efficiently.

How to get an Owner Builder Permit in NSW

Introduction:

You need an owner builder permit if the work you are supervising or carrying out yourself crosses an expenditure beyond $10,000 and if you are not a licensed builder. 

You can apply for an owner builder permit under the following circumstances:

• You should be 18 years and above. 
• You have to be the owner or the joint owner of the land you wish to work on. 
• You should hold a Council Development Application approval number or a Complying Development approval number. 

You can apply online as well as in person at a service centre. 

Let us now talk about how one can apply for an owner builder license in NSW:

Online:

• Initially, you have to answer a number of eligibility questions. 
• When the screen shows that you’re eligible enough to get your very own owner builder permit, select the kind of application you want. This kind varies as per the type of land you own. 
• Now, you can log in to your MyServiceNSW account. You can also register yourself there. 
• It is very essential to complete every section of the application you’ve selected. Do so with utmost care. 
• You shall come across questions that help in the verification of your identity. Documents that verify your Australian identity will be needed. 
• The person looking forward for an owner builder permit needs to be fair and transparent when it comes to the documentation work. 
• The allied parties you work with should be mentioned as well. Keep in mind, that the parties should be recognized. 
• Documents need to be scanned and attached. All of them. 
• It is also essential to accept all the terms and conditions and declaration documents. 
• When everything is done and accepted, you can then proceed towards the payments details. 

In person:

When applying in person, you:

• Need to carefully read and get a note of the Owner Builder self assessment tool. 
• Honestly and fairly answer the eligibility questions so that you can move further. 
• Once you get checked for your eligibility, download the form related to your land and fill in the required information. 
• Collect the necessary requirements and documentation and then, book an appointment with the service centre and duly submit your documents at the service centre.

Roles and responsibilities of Owner Builders in Victoria

The task of an Owner Builder in Victoria is the one with a number of responsibilities and roles to be played. Right from the initiation of the construction activity till the time it ends, an owner builder is responsible for all the allied activities that go in the construction site. At the same time, he also has to take care of his co – workers. 

Violation of any of these could lead to some serious consequences against the owner builder. Let us discuss in brief the roles and responsibilities of an owner builder in Victoria. 

• The construction activity is not the only work that has to be done. The legal procedures before starting the activity are essential too. It is the owner builder’s responsibility to look into legal matters and fulfil them to avoid trouble and issues in the future. An owner builder should obtain a building permit which clearly shows that he is permissible to construct and build on the land he desires to use. 

• Once the work begins, the owner builder has to make proper arrangements to safeguard the health and safety of his co – workers. He should be answerable to an accident or injury that occurs on the site. He should also make arrangements to treat the injured co – worker by financing him. 

• An owner builder is about to build a house or a building on his land. People or he himself shall stay there. Thus, safety should be at its peak in matters concerning the building of the house or the building. An owner builder should dutifully keep a check on the building materials that are being used. He has to rectify and replace defective or weak building materials. 

• An insurance policy plays a key role in the life of an owner builder, and he simply cannot work without it. He is prone to additional losses during accidents that damage his property if he does not have a hold of an insurance policy. He also has to make sure that all insurance policies and legal documents are in a proper and secured place.

How Much Does it Cost to Build a House in NSW?

A house, especially one’s own, is a cherished dream for all. Everybody has a wish to come back to a place which is their own. But what stands as a major hurdle between this wonderful dream and purchase is the cost. Some can afford the cost of a luxurious bungalow and live there, whereas some really cannot. Whatever be the case, before building the house of your dreams, in NSW, you need to have knowledge of the heavy or not – so – heavy cost that reside below the belt.

This article brings to you the information about the cost you need to bear to build a house in Australia. Also, go through it to find out the cost with respect to per square footage of the area you desire to have and the costs that go hidden but still appear before you.

First, know about your budget. There are number of things, which respect to the article, there are a number beautiful pieces of land but remember, you cannot buy them all. Well yes, you can buy all the wonderful and magical pieces of land if you are millionaire. For a person with a small, limited budget, small property is available too and good news, with a large variety of options. When you select a large land, the building work doubles up, so does the sum crosses your limit line. Stay small but stay satisfied and fulfilled.

Let us now have a look at the allied costs that come along which you really cannot deny.

The land you investigated is the site. The building expenses come later. First is the entry of the site expenses you need to pay when you have decided to buy the property.

Site expenses approximately lie within the range of $10,000 to $70,000.

A house without basic amenities will not function like a house but a factory. In order to install the basics, you need to add $10,000 to your expenses list. For the flooring work and the driveway settings, add another $10,000. The whole sum revolves around $40,000 approximately apart from the building work and expenses.

The overall conclusion, an owner builder in NSW has to incur the cost of $155,000 (Approx.)

FAQs for Building Your New House in NSW

Before building a new house, there are a number of questions that you must know prior to undertaking the task in NSW, Australia. Owner builder in NSW must know given below frequently asked questions

Here are the various questions you may need to ask:

1. Do I need insurance?

Insurance requirements vary from state to state and you must carefully determine what insurance needs.You need, or at least the following policies:

• Work coverage
• Public Risk
• Building
• Illness or injury (loss of income)
• Structural guarantee (Warranty owners' insurance in New South Wales)

2. Can I do it all myself?

No, there are some areas that must be performed by qualified and / or licensed personnel.

The following are the professions that cannot be done by anyone other than the qualified staff:

• Design
• Plumbing
• Sewer system
• Electrical
• Pesticides
• Waterproofing

There are other areas that we strongly recommend that you do not even try unless you have significant experience and / or qualifications and support:

• Roofing
• Bricklaying
• Concreting
• Rendering and internal linings

As with most things, you need to realistically assess your own capabilities, sometimes hiring a mentor for guidance and counselling can be a cost effective solution. When you complete all the work yourself, always consult the manufacturer's recommendations for fixing and finishing.

3. Is there a lower age restriction?
Yes, in all states, the candidate must be at least 18 years old.

4. Are there any restrictions on selling an owner built house?
No, there is no restriction on the sale of a property built by the owner, but in some states and territories a statement must be made about the construction of the notice "purchase agreement" the owner of the buyers.

5. Can I purchase my materials more cheaply?
Yes, this is potentially one of the areas where homebuilders can achieve real savings by putting time into Chase's offerings.

Benefits of Owner Builder Insurances in Australia

As an owner builder, you are responsible for the managing construction or renovation of your home. You will have the pleasure of successfully renovating the home in the way you like. You will also have to face a set of risks and responsibilities. But you can avoid risks by buying a comprehensive owner builder insurance.

As the owner builder in Australia, you are the primary contractor, responsible for appropriate cover. So it is important for you to choose the insurance of construction, which takes care of employees and possible site damages. Select the owner builder insurance in Australia which provides the best protection you need during the construction process. The insurance must be taken before the construction begins.

There are many benefits of owner builder insurance

• Without the site insurance, you may lose the home and may have to pay mortgage too.

• The insurance can prevent you from the effects of many potential liabilities, risks and the exposures when managing building work at the construction site. 

• Prevention includes the damage to on-site accidents, construction materials delivered, as well as the value of the progressive work completed. 

• Insurance companies give proper protection for you in case the workers get injured, killed or die due to any mishaps or the accident on your site. Insurance companies will provide adequate protection and provide the peace of mind, the income protection, and safety, keep you secure, and provide the real benefits.

• Owner Builder Personal Accident and Volunteer Workers provide protection for you and other unpaid workers in case these workers injure themselves and are unable to attend the paid employment. By organizing this type of insurance, you are serving to compensate family, friends and you.

• Construction insurance protects the owner builder during the building process, including theft, fire, damage, water and wind damage.