Hi all,
Just wanting to know if there are anyone building at the moment and wahats its costing them a sq? I found a good building company that do everything for you and the cost is from $4600 a square alot better than most places. A few guys in my office at work are building units that are costing 10k a square what are your thoughts??
Matt Hooper
My thoughts are to look at exactly what you are getting for your money. As a builder myself, i see the cost per sq metre (we work in sq metres in WA) double or even triple when people upgrade and add luxury items/appliances etc etc.
Compare advertisements and look at builders specifications ie what they include…. are the basins china or acrylic?, what are the ceiling heights? tapware plastic or chrome? what tiling is included and if any how much?
the list could go on and on…and on..
feel free to ask any questions you wish.
good luck with your new home.
Lyndon
Hi Lyndon.
We are a loooooong way from needing a builder, but we are planning a building project for the next year or so, depending on how long approvals take.
My question is this. When we get plans and approvals, do we give a copy of the plans to, say, three builders to have them quote? If this is the normal procedure, how do we compare apples with apples. We would be looking at a higher spec than “basic” without going over the top so should we price the toilets, sinks etc we would like before we go to a builder and give him our prices, or do we just ask him to quote the job but leave out the particular fittings we want to upgrade?
If we do go ahead with this (and we haven’t even got to the plans stage yet) it will be a huge learning curve for us so your advice will be much appreciated.
Thanks, Wylie.
Hi Lyndon,
I did check what is included this is it..
Floor: Class M Concrete Slab
Bricks: Selection of CSR PGH Bricks from builders Selected Range
Roof Tiles Selection of CSR Monier Roof Tiles
Heating: Gas Ducted (over 145 M2), Gas wall Furnace (under 145m2)
Electrical: Low Voltage Downlights to living, Kitchen and meals with batten holders elsewhere.
Smoke Detectors: As per plan wired direct
Doors: Front: Matching door to standard Facade Options.
Laundry: Half lite with clear Glazing.
Internal: Flush Panel.
Air Cushion Door stopsCellings & insulation: Ceilling height 8″ CSR Gyprock plaster linings
Insulation: CSR Bradford sisalation, R1.5 batts to wall and R3.5 batts to ceilings.Skirting & Architraves: Medium Desity fibre (MDF) 65 X 18 Colonial
Ceramic tile skirting to bathroom, Ensuite, powder room, toilet and laundry.Kitchen:
Fully lined Interior
Mixer tap: Acqua single lever by caroma dorf
Bench top and all cupboard doors laminate by parbury
walk in pantry with 4 shelves and flush panel hinged door
Oven: Kleenmaid underbench T0300
Hotplate: Kleenmaid RH1X
Dishwasher: Kleenmaid DW19.
Sink: Radiant stainless steel 1 3/4 bowl with basket waste by Caaroma dorfBathroom: Basins: Concorde 500 Vitreeous china with overflow by
Ensuite: caroma dorf
Powder room: Vanity: Fully lined interior with laminate exterior by parbury
Bath: Englefield sorrento to acrylic
Polished edge mirror to full width of vanity bench
Semi Framless shower screens pivot door and clear safety glassLaundry: Trough: 45 litre milena contour.
Taps: Irwell Tasman chrome handles and outlets by caroma dorf
Door Furniture: External: Lanes endevour entrance set
Internal : Lanes Bala passage setToilet-WC: Duel Flush windsor vitreous china pan and cistern by caroma dorf
Robes: Single shelf with chrome hanging rail under a flush paner doors to bedroom 2,3 and 4.
Paint: Washable paint to all internal walls
Semi gloss finish to skirting, architraves and doorsTiles: Ceramic wall and floor tiles from builders selected range to kitchen and wet areas
Energy rating: 5 Star energy rating
So that house there is around 24sq at $4600 a sq so price being just over $110,000 to build..
What are your thoughts
Matt Hooper[suave]
Hi Matt,
The ones quoting you 10k a sqaure, do they include all landscaping, driveways, etc…? That may be where some of the additional costs are going.
Regards,
OziOriginally posted by matt_hooper:the cost is FROM $4600 a square
I’m pretty sure this line answers your question I have highlighted the Vital word for you!
Ps: No site allowance? No soil tests? Where is it? What is the wind rating? No rendering or bagging? No external painting?
The ceiling height is only 8″??? I can touch that you need at least 9″ and preferably 10″! Watch the price rise for that one…
What kind of Hot water system do they give you? I didn’t see it noted anywhere? Is this an additional expense?
How much is the Air Conditioning? I noticed Heating but not Cooling? Ceiling fans are how much?
How much are additional GPO’s? I would double them in each room as even then there is normally too few..
How much extra is it if the soil tests show highly reactive soil and you need to change/upspec your slab?
These are the things that you need to now. Believe me they will change the pricing.
And then you get to add the fencing, driveways, clothelines, power rooler doors for the garage(s), letter boxes, turfing, etc I think by now you catch my drift…
Stuart Milne
Non-Conforming Specialist
READY Mortgages
http://www.readymortgages.com.au
[email protected]
Mob: 0404 056 055Matt
Where are you?
Building costs vary considerably from state to state and from town to town. At least one of the insurance companies has a calculator on their site which should help you out. Calculates replacement so it includes clearing the site and I suspect doesn’t include fences but does include landscaping.
Mum
I am guessing you are talking about National Builders based on the info you have provided.
The ‘from’ price doesn’t include a lot of things. They are offering that price on the basis of building you a house that doesn’t have floor finishes other than the wet areas, is on a perfectly flat block with no issues in the soil, has connections that only extend 6m amongst a bunch of other stuff that will go wrong.
For townhouses $10k is about right for a finished product. townhouses are smaller but require the same number of rooms as a bigger place.
I am building with national builders at the moment so if you want to ask anything about them PM me.
Hi
I am also building with National Builders at the moment, and for the record, the hot water service is aquamax at the moment.
They have been outstanding
Good Luck
[suave3]Hi Matt,
I am building through alocal builder in Qld- I’m guessing you are in NSW? so not sure if this is any help.
This is the 2nd house(more to come)he has built for us. We measure in sqm here, the house we are having built is 129sqm + 6×3 patio for $130,000 with FULL inclusions that is also with stainless steel fans in every room
” ” downlights throughout
” ” appliances
carpet to bedrooms
tiles to all living areas
screens
blinds… the list goes on
There is no landscaping included as we love to do that ourselves.
In my experience, unless your building yourself, your better off sticking with local respected builders -not companies as you cut out a lot of commission $$$
Hope this is of interest
scokarI signed a so called fixed contract with National Builders in jan 2005 for $7200/square to build a townhouse.
They did not bother to get a simple council information report and here is the result.
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/vic/VCAT/2006/1309.htmlThe final price would have been $10,000+ per square.
In my case their response was unless I paid the extra $28000 they would simply not build.
They would keep my deposit, enforce the contract penalties and also threatened to sue me for speaking out.At no point would they negotiate, directly, through consumer affairs or in the vcat system.
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