Blog

You have a dream of how you would like your home to look. Before your housing dream can become a reality, you need good documentation to portray the overall characteristics, too effectively “tell your story”. Without this building documentation, those involved in the design and construction of your new home will be unable and unclear to appreciate what you are trying to achieve. It is essential to have your building documentation detailed early in the process to ensure your new home is developed smoothly and according to plan. This documentation will also allow you to smoothly negotiate the complex web of building and development permits ensuring a stress free building experience.

When you decide on building a new home or conducting renovations to your existing home one of the first points of contact is a reputable builder and / or architect within your locality. These contacts will provide you with the assistance needed to make sure all of the documentation is completed thoroughly and professionally. By having someone reputable to assist with the documentation, you can be assured that the documentation will be prepared to a standard that will prevent:

• Building Delays
• Inaccurate Pricing
• Building Disputes
• Additional Work Being Required

Many people are unaware of the documentation that is required for a new home to be constructed and your story told. However the main documents, which will require detailed attention, are:

• Plans / Drawings – These documents will contain detailed graphics of how and where the construction will take place. They will also detail the result of how the new home will look.
• Reports – A series of reports are required, which identify decisions and the data that is required for the decisions that have been made.
• Building Certificates – Building Certificates show that the design and specifications of the new home meet all required standards.
• Specifications – The specifications will detail the required quality, detail of workmanship and the quality of materials to be used in the development.

As you could appreciate, this documentation is best left to the skills of a qualified professional who will be able to offer you the advice needed to make sure that the documentation is completed in a clear and concise fashion. There are also legal requirements when it comes to building documentation that is one of the main reasons that you should leave the documentation to a qualified professional. A reputable builder in your location will be aware of all the requirements of planning authorities and also building and plumbing permit authorities allowing you the peace of mind that nothing will be left to chance.

Good building documentation is essential for the start up, process and completion of a great new home or home renovation. The use of a reputable people in ensuring your building documentation is all in order will ensure that your building process becomes so much easier. When deciding upon a builder for unique building needs, make sure your choice reflects the builders ability to assist you through the building documentation stage. Reputable builders realise that good documentation is equally as important as good craftsmanship and the quality of your building design will be reflected in the building documentation skills of your builder.

Good communication in the form of effective documents will be the best investment you can make, for your peace of mind and that of the people you deal with.

The Importance of Good Documentation = Great Job (30 KB)

In recent years many new home buyers are looking to go ‘green’ with their new homes. There are quite a number of different design features needed when you are going to build a ‘green’ home and it pays to have a very good knowledge of what is needed because there are some quite strict regulations about what is ‘green’ and what is not.

There are indications that the request for a ‘green’ home is going to become more and more prominent as years go by and any builder worth their income will have researched exactly what to put in a ‘green’ home and how to design it so that all the best advantages are taken care of.

The design and products used are paramount to the success of owning and living in a ‘green’ home.

Building for temperature control

One consideration with building a ‘green’ home is finding the right block of land, or should I say finding a block of land that is facing in the right direction. The idea behind a ‘green’ home is not to use air conditioning or have heating, so it is important that the home is facing north to catch the winter sun and that the layout of the rooms within the house utilise the best use of the winter sun and also the summer breezes.

Window placement, size, structure and coverings also have significant impact on the home. Windows need to be large, allow good light, opening sufficiently to allow the breeze through the home, usually have double glazing and have window treatments that cut out the light at night.

What are other features of an eco friendly home?

• The use of environmentally friendly products
• A carefully designed home with northern aspect
• An outdoor living area protected from wind and rain
• Light coloured roof
• Cross ventilation throughout the house
• Solar heating, especially hot water
• Fully insulated ceilings and walls
• CFL lighting
• Living room facing north
• Garage not directly leading into the house
• Big eaves
• Water tanks

Planning an eco friendly home

If owning an eco friendly home is your dream then sit down with an experienced builder who will be able to talk to you about how a house can be designed to fall within the requirements of a ‘green’ home.

It is not all about the design when building it also comes down to the fact that eco friendly homes use building products that have reduced chemical emissions.

The cost to build a ‘green’ home can be substantially more initially but the savings can be huge over time. Savings are in the nature of power, water and very much in the healthier lifestyle experienced by the family. Another benefit that has not been mentioned either, is the fact that ‘green’ homes have a better than average resale value.

Employing A Builder To Build A ‘Green’ Home (27 KB)

Whether you are living in warm or cold Australian climates timber cladding offers you an economically beneficial comfort. Implementing timber cladding into your home design to ensure that you are provided with year round thermal protection ensuring that you are comfortable regardless of the seasons. Timber cladding is one of the most economical and flexible home building materials in use today and can be used to provide you with a building look which will meet your unique needs.

When considering your new home design you need to consider a product that will allow you to achieve your building dreams with minimal expense. Timber cladding is a product which will allow you to achieve this result and provide you the ability to portray your own style and personality in your new home. While there are many products which can be used to provide a housing finish timber cladding provides a professional finish with the added bonus of being flexible and resilient to the stresses of foundation and natural seismic movements.

Each year more and more Australians are realizing the benefits of using timber cladding to provide for their housing needs. However, even though timber cladding is in high demand the finish that a professional builder can provide for you will ensure that you retain the freedom to achieve a unique look. With a wide range of timber cladding products available there is a product which you can be sure will meet your design needs whether it be solid timber boarding or timber shingles.

Because your timber cladding will contribute to the overall aesthetics of your new home, you need to work in partnership with your builder so that the timber cladding product that you choose will achieve your desired outcome. Your builder will be able to discuss with you how timber cladding can assist in noise reduction, temperature control, and vapour control giving you the knowledge required to make an informed decision of which timber cladding will meet all of your needs.

Timber cladding has a long history of providing people with home designs that actually provide them with what they want. The biggest benefit of timber cladding is that because of its relative lightweight and ability to provide natural insulation it has the ability to dramatically reduce construction costs. When used in conjunction with a timber-shingled roof, timber cladding removes the need for bulky masonry foundation walls; this alone can reduce construction costs by up to 30%.

Timber cladding is again regaining popularity in the Australian building industry because of the advances in technology that allow timber cladding to meet the changing demands of the community. It is important to remember that should you decide upon timber cladding when building or renovating that you need to choose a reputable builder who is skilled in using timber cladding. With the many advances that have been made in the use of timber cladding you need to be satisfied that your builder has extensive and continued timber cladding experience to make sure that the end result exceeds all of your expectations.

Timber Cladding (23 KB)

When building a new home or having renovations conducted on an existing home, many people will be faced with the decision of choosing between Brick Veneer and Full Brick. For some this choice will be easy, for others they may need the assistance of a qualified builder in making a choice that will result in their dream home. While you may have heard of the terms Brick Veneer and Full Brick, do you really know the difference? This is where a professional builder can help - by explaining the benefits that each can provide you with in your building process. Many Australians do not even realise that they have a choice between Brick Veneer and Full Brick.

Generally, a Full Brick home will consist of an outer brick layer as well as an inner brick layer, this is why it is sometimes referred to as ‘double brick’. In some home designs however, the outer brick is complimented with a other forms of finish rather than using two layers of bricks, so the term double brick is not always correct.

Brick Veneer on the other hand only consists of the outer “skin” of brick. The brick used is not part of the structure to hold the house up as this is taken care of with the timber framing internally. Brick Veneer is used for appearance and aesthetic appeal. Brick Veneer allows you to have the appearance of a brick home but also allows you the benefits that are provided with a home made from timber framing. Brick Veneer is one of the most popular finishes used in modern homes as it is both economical and provides homeowners with the similar comfort and security as a Full Brick home.

To ensure the effectiveness of both Brick Veneer and Full Brick it is important to select a builder who has the experience and ability to construct a quality home with these materials. Ask your builder for details of their experience in using both Brick Veneer and Full Brick – Do they have a successful record of accomplishment in using these materials in your location? A builder with experience in your area will be able to provide you with detailed advice and guidance on whether Brick Veneer or Full Brick will better suit your own individual needs. While both of these materials are capable of providing you with exactly what you want you want the assurance that your builder is skilled in their use.

When selecting a builder, make sure you ask the questions that will allow you to find out which material will allow your housing dreams to become a reality. A reputable builder will liaise with you to find out exactly how to achieve your dreams and will advise you on the most effective use of building materials so you can make informed decisions. Make sure you select your builder wisely, as you will be reliant on your builder for many years of happiness.

Defining Brick Veneer and Full Brick (22 KB)

Whether you are building your own home or conducting renovations to an established home this is likely to be one of your greatest investments. You have a housing vision, but will this become a reality? As an owner builder you will be forced to take on all the risks and responsibilities that would normally be undertaken by a contract builder who has years of experience and knows how to manage all of the risks involved. Before going it alone as an owner builder make sure you find out all that will be involved for you or your home building experience could become the nightmare your Mother always warned you of.

There are many risks involved as an owner builder including:

• Poor estimation leading to higher building costs
• Faulty work and work that is non-compliant with building codes
• Inability to effectively evaluate the work of tradesmen
• Inability to effectively project manage
• Work continuity
• Work completion
• Where is it that you earn your income, can you afford to have your attention taken away from that?

As you could well imagine these are only some of the risks that are involved as an owner builder. While many people may feel comfortable taking responsibility for these risks it is not a decision that should be taken lightly. If you do not feel comfortable dealing with all aspects of the building process or have any reservations about your ability to manage the building process then it may be a more feasible option to use the services of a qualified contract builder.

By using a qualified contract builder you can be assured that the risk you will be gaining the expertise of a professional who has been in the industry for many years. This expertise alone ensures that the builder knows how to go about all of your building needs with the knowledge and experience to make the right decisions bring your building project in on budget. A quality contract builder has the added advantage of knowing industry trends and expectations so will be able to advise you on the best way of managing your building project.

Building a new home means more than simply having a vision of how you want your new home to look. There are many legal and compliance issues which need to be considered and a qualified contract builder will be able to negotiate this complex web of knowledge ensuring that you will be able to make your vision come to life. A qualified contract builder will be able to take you through the home building process with less stress and with the piece of mind that nothing will be left to chance. While many people have shown success as owner builders, many others have faced their worst nightmare. A qualified contract builder has the years of experience to make sure that your home building project runs smoothly and according to your plans. The only choice that you are now left with is choosing the contract builder who will be able to meet your unique needs!

Owner Builder versus Contract Builder (27 KB)