If you are Owner Building, kit homes are a great way for you to save money. The range of house designs and floor plans is fantastic and most kit companies will deliver and construct your home to lock up stage in any state in Australia. The majority will ask you to register as an Owner Builder as their core business is the design and prefabrication of Kit homes. They generally don't want to get involved in the fit out and final completion of your home.

Some kit homes can be at lock up in one day!! The frame and trusses are delivered to site followed by a crew of tradesmen who assemble everything to lock up for you. They will  provide you with slab details from which you and your concretor will be responsible to ensure is constructed to the correct dimensions. Make sure you ask the cost involved to errect your frame, it may only add a couple of thousand dollars to the cost, these guys are experts and do this every day, they know where every bit of the jigsaw goes.

They can also provide you with detailed drawings and label every part of the frame and trusses making it easier for you to construct yourself. This option may take you a little longer but at least when you have your mates round for a barbie you can honestly say.............. "We built this house......!!!"

As an Owner Builder you are in a unique position to create something with that wow factor especially if you can afford to engage the services of an architect.

Our favourite show is Grand Designs ( ABC1 Thursday 18.10). We record this show every week and are gob smacked at some of the renovations and new homes that are built, I am still getting to terms with the couple who took 5 years through planning before they got approval to renovate a ruin in Tuscany. I felt for the couple building in Switzerland who's builder was stuffing them around, but after all the stress and effort, the final results were fantastic. I would love to see the tv cameras go back for a final visit some years down the track.

To create that wow factor, to a certain extent, you do need the money, but the returns from your investment will be well worth it especially the joy you get from achieving your dream, and also the property value down the track.

There are design companies that have copyright on plans which they limit the construction of in each state and are available online for you to check out. This will keep the costs down and still give you the feeling of something unique as you know your neighbour won't be building the same home.

When you drive around show houses and new estates these days you notice the columns out the front, porch cover, packed slate and render. They are starting to all look the same! I wonder if in the history books this period of design will be given a name, " The Rendered Look" maybe.

So you have decided to Owner Build. If you are renovating or you’re extending you are already on site, but if your building from scratch and its not out the back of your outlaws you will need somewhere to build..............land.

Not all estates are owner builder friendly. There may be restrictions such as time limits for construction and some land developments may also have a select list of builders that you have to use. Ask to see a copy of the Section 32 before you sign any contracts, this will tell you what the land has been zoned as and what type of construction you can build. It is also recommended that you contact the local council to see what plans there are for the sourounding area. Land is negotiable, there are many new estates out there, all wanting you to choose them, make them an offer. Some housing estates also have a body corporate fee on top of your local rates, you should be made aware of this before you sign your contract. Check the available services and utilites, electricity access 5km down the road can be expensive!

For rural property in Victoria check the following link.

If you have land for private sale or you are a developer and would like to promote your residential sites to owner builders, advertise here so prospective owner builders can contact you directly.    advertising@key2ownerbuilding.com.au

Now then...............................where the hell does this lot go......................oh look......spares!!

ACT

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia