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Guide to Planning and Building a Home on a Budget
Guide to Planning and Building a Home on a Budget
Guide to Planning and Building a Home on a Budget
Ebook252 pages1 hour

Guide to Planning and Building a Home on a Budget

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About this ebook

Looking to build a new home in Australia? 

 

Guide to Planning and Building a Home on a Budget: Cost Effective Project Homes in Australia goes through the key considerations and common pitfalls that can save you a lot of stress, headaches, and money. 

 

Inside this book Andrew provides practical guides and checklists on: Choosing a builder and home design, how to review a tender, how to read and modify plans, planning for the colours appointment, preparing an electrical plan, getting ready for construction and understanding defecting.

 

Straightforward and simple, this book is the tool to get you started on the journey of planning a new building

 

 

LanguageEnglish
PublisherAndrew Chung
Release dateDec 29, 2020
ISBN9781393305408
Guide to Planning and Building a Home on a Budget

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a concise and helpful guide that gives some much needed clarity on a process that is so often shrouded in complexity. It will help me make more informed decisions and save me money, time and also save me from potential regret.

Book preview

Guide to Planning and Building a Home on a Budget - Andrew Chung

Contents

Contents 3

About the Author 8

Preface 9

Understanding how the project home industry works 10

Cost Effectiveness 10

Customer Service 10

Quality 10

Escalation 10

Process 11

General project home checklist 11

Finding the right builder and home design for you 13

See which builders work in your area 13

Display Homes 13

Websites 13

Access to light and ventilation 13

Sunlight and Daylight 14

Sunlight, Daylight and Ventilation 14

Ventilation 14

Building Depth 14

Home Size 15

Small 25-28 squares 15

Medium 30-35 squares 15

Large 35-45 squares 15

Street Appeal / Facade / External Design 16

Privacy 16

Within your home 17

Neighbours 17

Internal / External transition 17

Comparative Cost 17

Web forums / reviews 18

Construction time / liquidated damages 18

Flexibility 19

Checklist 19

What Sales Consultants can’t tell you 20

Own Family needs / Future needs 20

Project types of uses 20

Project future life stages 20

Future proof for multigenerational living 20

Future proof for work from home or home business 20

Prospective resale 21

Seeking appraisals 21

Neighbourhood comparisons 21

Opportunity Cost 21

Upgrade by selling and moving 22

Do nothing 22

Stop Gap renovation 22

Extension 22

Develop project home 22

Develop custom design home 22

Development Controls 23

What controls apply to the site 23

Setbacks 23

Height 23

Shadow 23

Landscape area 23

Special Note on Trees 23

Stormwater detention 24

Taking into account neighbours redevelopment 24

Siting 24

Slope 24

Entry 24

Cut and Fill 24

Resettlement plan 25

Renting duration 25

Inspections 25

Preparing mentally for moving 25

Storage 25

Relationships 26

Checklist 26

Getting your requirements in the Tender 27

What is Tender? 27

Why is this process important 27

Sales Consultant 27

Base price and Inclusions 27

Drawings 27

Tender Options / Variations 28

Adding 28

Subtracting 28

Modifying 28

Internal Planning 28

Garage 28

Facade options 30

Site statutory requirements 30

Site physical constraints 30

Street appeal / streetscape context / visual interest 30

Materials 30

Face brick 30

Painted and Bagged brick 30

Rendered brick 30

Hebel 31

Weatherboard wall panelling 31

Timber Composite 31

Fibre Cement 31

Sunlight and daylight 31

Outlook / privacy 31

Balconies 31

Miscellaneous items 31

Additional Costs 32

Landscaping 32

Window Coverings 32

Flooring 32

Stormwater detention / easement 32

Tender Period 32

Cost for going over 33

Extending expiry date 33

Tender Checklist 33

Understanding Plans 34

Scale 34

Context 34

Alignments 34

Terminology 35

Manage Change 35

Windows 35

Size 35

Window Types 35

Fixed 36

Sliding 36

Awning 36

Louvred 36

Insulation value 36

Doors and hardware 36

Front door 36

Swing 36

Sliding / stacking 37

Bifold 37

Acoustic / privacy 37

Connections / transitions 37

Storage 37

Corridors 37

Making use of Cavities 37

Joinery walls / AV walls / fireplaces 37

Study Nooks 37

Bulk storage 38

Plans checklist 38

Preparing well for the colours appointment 39

Preparing for Colour appointment 39

Find out whats available 39

Suppliers to visit 39

Brickworks 39

Caesarstone Alexandria 39

Develop colour palette 39

Working with the colour consultant 40

Training and mindset of consultant 40

Facilitate speedy decisions 40

Upgrade variations 40

Buying time 40

Common upgrades 40

Insulation 41

Window and Sliding Door screens 41

Hot Water 41

Air Conditioning 41

Full height tiling 41

Stair 41

Ceiling feature 41

Wardrobe 41

Kitchen and bathroom cupboard finish 41

Island Bench 42

Drawers 42

Fixtures and Fittings 42

Flooring 42

After the colour selections appointment 42

Colours checklist 43

Making sense of contracts 44

Description 44

General outline of a contract 44

Particulars of Contract 44

Progress Payments 44

Excluded Items 45

Description of work 45

Other Contract documents 45

Builder Special Conditions 45

Specification 45

Colour Selections 45

Warranty and Insurance 45

Prime Cost and Provisional Sums 45

Special Conditions 45

Exclusions 45

Construction list / Tender Expiry 45

Other special conditions 46

Signatures 46

Deed of guarantee and indemnity 46

General Conditions 46

Favours Builder 48

Not amendable 48

A few things to look out for 49

Scope for further change 49

Contracts Checklist 49

Planning Approvals 50

Complying Development 50

Development Application 50

Planning approvals checklist 51

Electricals 52

Things to ask for before the appointment 52

How to layout electrical 52

Add on features 53

Future proofing 53

Electricals checklist 54

Demolition 55

Construction - Site Works 56

Stages 56

Independent Review 56

What to look for in inspections 56

Resolving disputes 56

Defects 57

Construction - Site Works Checklist 57

Post Construction 58

Moving in 58

Post Construction works / Landscaping 58

Owners manual 58

Giving back to the building community 58

Post Construction checklist 58

Bonus: Defects Inspections - 90 day Inspection List 59

Intro 59

Timeframe 59

Categories 59

What to look for 59

Summary 63

About the Author

Andrew is an architect with 20 years experience in the building and construction industry.  Andrew has worked on a wide range of building types including residential, commercial, educational and public ranging in construction value from $2m-$500m. 

Andrew has a demanding and fulfilling role in an award winning architectural firm, and is also a professional photographer in weddings, commercial and architectural.

He has first hand knowledge in custom and project home builds as well as renovations, having project managed his own renovation projects.  Andrew has an interest in optimising how our limited resources are utilised, adding value, function and flexibility.

Andrew is interested in how functional and architecturally appropriate housing can be made accessible and cost effective to the general public.

Preface

Complex decision to build

Buying a new home is a significant investment.  There are a lot of risks and rewards, and the process can take a huge financial, time and emotional burden on your family.  There are many decisions to make, many processes and hurdles to pass, and yet there aren't a whole lot of resources out there to help you navigate through. 

Lack of consolidated information

The people you will meet through the process have specific roles to get you from one stage to another ie colour specialists, site supervisors etc.  Project home companies (otherwise known as volume home, or kit home builders) don't necessarily give you access to someone with an overview of the process, or who really understands the needs of your family, or the particularities of your site, or the real estate resale opportunities and constraints of your area.

Take charge

This ebook is a resource for project home buyers and is a culmination of observations, tips and guides to help you step through all the processes and issues involved.  It will help you to setup a budget for the project, and give you information about things to allow for, that project home companies don't necessarily advise.  You'll be able to plan for your project and work out whether

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