Planning For A Home Extension There are two main methods involved in planning for a home extension. The first is that owners can consult a registered architect to design the home extension. Typically the owner would then obtain quotes from various builders to carry out the construction. The other method is to use a company which both designs and builds. There is a trend toward this method as the total cost to the owner is invariably cheaper and some design-construct companies, as they are known, have developed a sound reputation through their specialised knowledge and the quality of their design and craftsmanship. Unlike architects, design-construct companies make no money on the design itself; their goal is to achieve the completed home extension within the client’s budget. A consequence of this is that their designs will be inevitably build-able, otherwise their reputation would surely suffer. What about design quality? Architects may argue that "you get what you pay for" and that design-construct companies use designers who are little more than salespeople with an ability to sketch. This may be true in some cases; however professional design-construct companies employ qualified and highly proficient architectural designers who, through a combination of experience and training, are able to produce home extension designs as good or superior to those from a consulting architect. The ultimate case to utilise a design-construct company is one of accountability. There is no buck passing. No confusion about how much the design will actually cost to build. No disconnect between what the designer intended and what the builder thought should be constructed. The responsibility for your home extension lies with one company only. Planning your home extension starts with finding a company you can trust. Dealing With Neighbour Objections to Your Home Addition Plans Under most State planning laws, locals Councils are required to notify neighbours and owners of other nearby properties that may be impacted by the construction of your home addition. These owners are given a certain period of time, call the Notification Period, in which to lodge any objection to the plans that have been lodged with the Development Application. Objections can range from worries about the construction process (noise, traffic, etc), concerns about loss of privacy, loss of views, overshadowing, etc. Councils may have objections of their own – these are not dealt with here. Delays due to objections, whether upheld or not, can be time consuming and costly. It is important therefore to be proactive with your neighbours – communicate your intentions to them, look at it from their point of view and be prepared to modify your design before lodgement where their concerns are reasonable. Being proactive in addressing neighbour concerns before they are notified of your Development Application by Council can save a great deal of time in having your plans approved. There are 3 main aspects to consider here. 1. Communicate – Sound out your neighbours about your home extension plans before the plans are finalised and lodged to Council. It may be that your neighbours have no concerns, or many concerns. Try to think about it from their perspective. If you do not know your neighbour, or even if you have had a negative history, talking about it at this point at the very least gets you forewarned. 2. Compromise – Where possible, find a compromise solution that meets your neighbours concerns without negatively impacting on your own needs. If privacy issues are justified, consider adding privacy screens. Explain to your neighbour what you are doing. It may not meet their full demands, but your neighbour will appreciate your efforts to meet their requirements and it may prevent them objecting. 3. Contend – When your DA submission is being prepared, note all of the compromises you have made to address potential neighbour concerns. If you are expecting your neighbours to complain, have a strategy already in place to deal with the problem. Involving experts in the process can often avoid many of the hassles and costs involved in dealing with neighbour objections. Before engaging an “expert”, however, check his or her credentials, including: * Understanding of Planning Laws and experience with your Council’s specific requirements * Practical knowledge of cost-effective ways to design and build, including alternative options available should objections need to be dealt with Worry-free Home Additions So you’ve had your architect-designed home addition approved for construction and are now ready to engage a builder to do the work. Putting on first floor home additions is for many people one of the largest single investments they will make, second only to the purchase of the house itself. Using the right builder can make the difference between a smooth worry-free experience, and 12 months or more of pure stress. In this article, Paul Petrusma shows how, by selecting the right builder, you can maximise the success of your home improvement project while avoiding unnecessary headaches. 1 Stay in Control of your Budget You will likely have been given a ballpark estimate of the building cost to use as the basis for your project budget. While this is generally a good starting point, each home renovation project is unique and you do not want to be stung with additional costs which were not included in the price. In other words, the devil is in the detail. Obtain a Fixed-Price Quotation. The only way to stay in control of your budget is to insist on a detailed, fixed price Quotation from each Builder that you approach to do the work, a Quotation that specifies everything the Builder will take responsibility for. Read the Quotation document carefully. If it isn’t listed, then it’s not likely to be included. Who will pay for internal painting, inspection for hazardous materials (and removal if found), pest inspection, Council damage deposit, Construction Certificate, final inspection fees, etc? Insist that the builder be specific – for example include window frame colours (non-standard colours are often dearer). Some builders charge a small fee to produce a detailed fixed price Quotation; this is likely to be money well spent given the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your budget cost will not blow out. Prime Cost allowances are typically included in a Quotation for items you will select yourself during construction, such as bathroom hardware. If you select an item more expensive than the allowance, you will be required to pay the balance. If, on the other hand, you select one that is cheaper than the allowance then you should receive a credit for the difference. For a meaningful price comparison between quotations, make sure you include the Prime Cost allowance. Provisional Sums are allowances the Builder has included for works that could not be costed at this time because the scope of the work may not be clear until demolition works are done. It is a “best guess” by the Builder and you will typically be required to pay any amount over the allowance stated (or receive a credit if the actual cost is less than the allowance). If Provisional Sums vary immensely between quotes, ask the Builder why this is the case. 2 Minimise the Problem of Construction Delays & Poor Quality Quality. First floor home additions are a specialised type of construction, employing different techniques and systems than those used for new home construction or ground floor extensions. Don’t leave quality to chance. Here are some ideas: • Check your local Department of Fair Trading for the builder’s rating • Find a builder who has won awards for their home addition projects • Speak to past clients or review client testimonials • Ask the Builder what quality control systems they utilise. For example, do they verify the measurements on the plans you provide in order to minimise potential construction problems? Warranties. While warranties against deficient structural work is provided through NSW legislation, having “minor” defects repaired can be a more arduous process, particularly for problems discovered only after you take occupation of the new room(s). Make sure that your builder provides a minor defects warranty for at least 6 months after completion. Construction Time. The maximum time to build should be written into the building contract. As a guide, expect a $300,000 addition to take up to 5 months to complete. If the contract duration is longer, you may be in for some unwelcome delays… 3 Address Construction Issues Before They Begin Construction Supervisor. You will likely be allocated a Construction Supervisor who will oversee the trade contractors working on your project. The Supervisor’s role is to ensure that construction times and quality are achieved, and that any concerns you may have during construction are heeded. Obtain a commitment that the Supervisor will attend your site on a daily basis during construction and will keep you fully informed on progress. Emergency Contact Numbers. Make sure that the Builder has a 24/7 contact number in case of emergency during construction, such as storm damage. You should also be given back up contact numbers in case you are unable to reach your Construction Supervisor. Protecting Your Belongings. Your roof area and parts of the ground floor will become a construction site. Most builders will not insure against damage to your home contents so it is advisable to remove fragile items such as chandeliers or antiques to avoid the risk of damage. You should also check with the builder as to the precautions to be taken to maintain property security. This article was written by Capecodseo Webmaster |
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