One of the toughest challenges as an owner builder
is staying on schedule and on budget. This week
Rebecca Harris meets owner builder Robert Zappia
who reveals his secrets on how he’s managed to stay
ahead of the game.
Robert is halfway through his dream, and the first home he has ever built. His decision to owner
build is based on a simple philosophy “Why pay a builder $200,000 to get him to look after it when I
can do it myself?” He is ahead of schedule and right on budget.
Robert’s tips for staying on track are fairly simple. He says one of the easiest steps to take is to
spend as much time on site as possible, so that you’re on hand to answer any questions your
tradies may have straight away. You should also plan ahead and organise tradies in advance, and
then keep on top of things and don’t waste a single day.
Consider giving your tradies a deposit before they even ask for it - a happy tradie means a happy
site, and a good rapport with your tradies will make life a lot easier. You should choose and hire
your tradies on the quality of their past work, and on word of mouth recommendations.
The easiest way to save yourself money, Robert says, is to stay on schedule. Get quotes for
everything, including how long it will all take, and keep some money aside as a contingency
budget, to keep things moving along at the pace you want.
In the DIY Workshop Darren Baensch is joined by a
waterproofing expert, Steve Hagerty from Dunlop DIY,
and gets all the tips to keep you high and dry.
Waterproofing is vitally important in bathrooms, kitchens and
anywhere there is moisture in your home. This is something owner
builders can do themselves, to save money, or you can call in a
professional.
Your best bet is to get a waterproofing kit, which will include all the
materials you’ll need, as well as a step-by-step manual. Each kit
should be enough to cover six square metres. It is absolutely
imperative that you read the instructions - if you get this wrong, you’ll
be in a world of pain when it comes time to pull down the wall and start
again because it got damp.
Waterproofing is easy, once you
are clear on the instructions. First step is to clean the walls and floors,
before spreading your primer. Seal the vertical and floor junctions with
neutral Silicone - not acidic Silicone - and ensure you reinforce the film
to 1.2mm thickness to stop water vapour creeping through. The wall
and floor junctions are the most critical points in waterproofing, so pay
close attention to them while you work. Let the membrane dry for 24 -
48 hours, depending on the weather
conditions, and then apply another coat.
If you’ve done a six square metre area (the area specified by the kit) and
you have materials left over, it’s odds-on that you haven’t put enough down
to seal the area properly. Ensure that the membrane is completely dry
before you apply another coat - you can do this by pushing your finger into
the thickest part of the membrane. If it springs back, it’s ready to go - if not,
leave it for a few more hours and test it again.
Council must approve the waterproofing
before you put your tiles down. Check
with your local council for standards.
For more information visit www.dunlopdiy.com
Licensed builder Luke Van Dyck goes out On
Site to tell you all about a very important stage
in every building project - Lock Up.
What is Lock Up?
Lock Up is the stage of building when your house is
completely waterproofed and secure. The windows
and doors should all be in, the roof is on, the gutters and
downpipes are connected and the whole outside is lined and
weather proof. It’s important to check for leaks, once you have
your roof and windows installed.
Reaching this stage enables you to have all of your PCIs (prime
cost items) on site. This includes toilets, bath tops, ovens and
cook tops. They can now be set out for all of your various tradies to come in and install. You can
have your air conditioning, electrical and plumbing all in at once.
This is also the time that you can have your insulation put in throughout your walls, gyprocking can
start, and internal linings and staircases can be installed.
Reaching Lock Up ensures you and your subcontractors can keep working, even in bad weather.
Our owner builder’s lock up
Robert is about halfway through building his home and is almost
at the lock up stage. He is currently waiting for the gyprocker,
once the glass for his bi-fold doors arrives for installation, and
he gets his front door on, he will be at lock up. It has rained
quite heavily during the building phase - a pain for the builders,
but a good test and sign that his waterproofing has no leaks.
Adam Richards meets an expert in Off Site Basics, Phil Graf
from Buildsafe Insurance Brokers, to give you the tools to
keep you on budget and in control of your project.
Mistakes people make in controlling projects
The main problem in project control is cost overrun. This is when
owner builders want to put the more expensive items in over the budget version once they are
almost finished. To help eliminate this problem, a ‘Planning Kit’ was designed, which comes
complete with a work schedule.
This not only helps you to plan timing for when to book tradespeople and order materials, but also
includes a budget section, with an “actual vs. budget” graph. This is a visual chart that you can put
up on your wall, which you can see and make changes to every day, to help you stay on top of
your budget.
What options are available for owner builders who are concerned about keeping control of
their project?
If you don’t have time to fully owner build, there is a new program called ‘Buildsafe Building
System’. This will take the project to around the lock up stage, when all of the structural parts are
done, so you can take over and finish off yourself.
It is also possible to register with Buildsafe and take advantage of the buying club, which gives
you access to a card that offers great discounts and deals on select suppliers. Buildsafe also
offers an approved list of tradies with a good track record, to ensure you get the right people in the
first time.
What about Quality Assurance?
The Quality Assurance Checklist is a 20-page checklist that is part of the ‘Planning Kit’. It contains
all of the information that a builder would check for in each stage of your project. If you do not feel
comfortable checking the work yourself, there is a professional you can call on from Buildsafe, for
a ‘Quality Check’ of each important stage.
Hot Tips
Do not assume the work is done satisfactorily. You really need to
check every stage of the project yourself. If you’re not sure, ask
an independent expert. It’s also vital that you remember the old
adage: Time is Money. Every extra day on site will cost you
money, so be sure to stick to your timetable
For more information contact Buildsafe on 1800 019 233 or visit www.buildsafe.com.au