Welcome to the key 2 owner building
......................................................by owner builders for owner builders.
Having Owner Built myself I have developed this web site to help others to realize their dreams – and create a network of like minded people who can guide each other through the pros and cons that is Owner Building. Take your time to look around our site where we will attempt to guide you in the right direction.
Check out the where to begin and questions and answers sections, this will hopefully save you time and ultimately dollars down the track, let’s face it you would much rather have that money in your own pocket.
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latest news.......latest news.......latest news........latest news........latest news
1/8 Fix the housing problem in NSW, build a granny flat in the backgarden........ 29/7 Buyer for Beechwood...........16/7 Beechwood homes owner could potentially collect a million dollar pay out from the sale of the company leaving contractors and clients still chasing there money..........25/6 Builders bar meddling buyers from construction sites..........24/6 Hunter Valley builder Excellence homes leave 39 stranded...... 23/6 Over 500 Beechwood homes customers not covered by insurance......14/6 Senate enquirery recommend first time owner grant be increased for new homes only.
Check out the links section for further details on these news items.
This site is for you as an Owner Builder to ask and answer questions, read about other peoples problems and solutions, to network with others, swap labour, plant and materials, and also as a member to win prizes and ultimately receive discounts from our suppliers. We may not have the answer for every question here but we have provided link’s section so you can research your questions further.
Most people want to become Owner Builders to save money, it is true there are substantial savings to be made. Savings not only on the planning and construction costs, but also on potentially lower borrowing costs. However we cannot stress enough, planning, planning, and more planning. You will only make those savings having done your homework.
Others like the ability to have total control and make changes without huge penalties. We recently extended our house and spent a couple of days positioning the internal walls for our main bedroom and adjoining rooms, something a builder would not have tolerated. This would have been wasted time for a builder but we now have what we want the way we wanted it.
Others may want to carry out the works at weekends or during annual leave therefore having the freedom to carry out work when it suits you. It is also a good idea to check with your council to see if there are any noise restrictions, you don’t need to upset the neighbours.
Owner Building is however not for everyone. If you haven’t picked up a hammer or a paint brush and have shied away from any form of DIY then perhaps you will be better off with a builder. To be an Owner Builder you certainly don’t have to be a tradesman, financial institutions may prefer you are as it really helps to show you have some knowledge behind you. Trades can be hard to get hold of as they like to keep regular customers happy and know that your project will be a one off. Trades people may also try to cut corners as they know your knowledge may be limited. However, remember the ‘Builder’ is the person organising or ‘project managing’ the job – not necessarily performing the work.
Owner Building is not rocket science, there are professionals out there who can help detail every step of the project for you - leaving you to arrange the trades as you need them. We have many friends who have used major builders; some have had nothing but problems and others that have run smoothly. Builders are also at the mercy of supply and demand. If a builders regular sub-contractors are too busy they will do the same as you and go to the phone book. Some project managers for large builders will at the end of the day organise the trades and will very seldom visit your site if only to drive by. Once the slab has been poured he will phone the framer, once he finishes will ring the plumber/electrician and so on. Unless there is a problem he may never go near the job until he has a site meeting with the customer, after all he may have 50 jobs to supervise and not enough time to visit them all!
There is some red tape, rules and regulations you have to go through but hopefully the information in this site will help guide you through and simplify the process.
In Victoria alone there were 27,500 Owner Builders registered last year - spending approx $1.6 billion dollars.
Owner Builders are the largest group of builders in Australia. That many people can’t be wrong.