Hi all,
I'm looking at embarking on my first project.
I've done a bit of research, however was hoping those who have actually done it before can lend their valuable advice.
Basically, what are things I need to look out for if I intend on sub dividing and building? (ideally how many SQM does the block need to be).
What are my areas of concern when dealing with councils, architects, builders.
Appreciate any good links that I can look up.
Cheers
Have you heard of Rookie Developer? It's run by a person known to a lot of people on this forum and is designed to help people such as yourself who are starting off with development projects. A wealth of information there. http://www.rookiedeveloper.com.au
Ian
http://theblockblog.com
Free Property Information, Tools and Resources for Property Investors with a Sense of HumourhI bbasdg,
I have done 3 sub-division myself and about to start on the 4th one. The first starting point is always the council, before you purchase the site you should always ring up the council to tell them what you are thinking about doing. Councils have different local policies e.g. in Hobson Bay municipality, they prohibit you from building any double storey dwellings at the rear of the site whereas in Manningham they don't care. These policies can effect your profit.
In terms of dealing with designers and builders, I always find it easy to have someone that is a one stop shop who takes care of everything from start to finish as it saves a lot of time and hassle. If you are interested I can give you some contacts, the guy takes care of all town planning, architectural, engineering, building permit and arrange for builders for a fixed fee.
hope this helps!
Thanks Saphire101, i'll be sure to look into the link
fda that would be great! please email the details through. i dont mind doing some work myself, however I do have a full time job and time is limited.
whats the law on cbm per bedroom/car spaces… or where can I go to get more info.
I've been advised that I should consider doing cert 4 bldg and construction for some good insight..
bbasdg,
I can probably answer your questions and send you some related websites but can I ask which state are you based in? Every state has their own planning policies. Unfortunately my knowledge is limited to Victoria only.
fda wrote:hI bbasdg,In terms of dealing with designers and builders, I always find it easy to have someone that is a one stop shop who takes care of everything from start to finish as it saves a lot of time and hassle. If you are interested I can give you some contacts, the guy takes care of all town planning, architectural, engineering, building permit and arrange for builders for a fixed fee.
hope this helps!
Hi fda,
I am currenlty finishing off 2 sud-divisions and although should realise a solid equity gain, I feel the project has been delayed because of issues with organising all the different parties (draftsmen, town planners builders etc) and was thinking for my next project i would like to use a company that does everything for me (as I am still working full time and don't really have the time)
My question to you is, does using such a company eat into your final profit? Surely these types or companies charge you a premium for what they do?
Any comments would be great.
CheersFDA,
I am based in Victoria.
Thank you very much.
blairmason17,
For a 2 x double storey townhouses in Donvale on a 690m2 lot, they quoted $25,000 for everything is needed for a town planning permit and building permit, plus arrangement for builders and weekly site inspection by the project manager.
Shoot them an email and let them surprise you! Get them to do a free inspection and quotation and you got nothing to lose right? I will PM you with their details might come handy for you in the future.
bbasdg,
I will PM you with their details and plus some other useful links which can start you off.
cheers
fda wrote:blairmason17,
For a 2 x double storey townhouses in Donvale on a 690m2 lot, they quoted $25,000 for everything is needed for a town planning permit and building permit, plus arrangement for builders and weekly site inspection by the project manager.
Shoot them an email and let them surprise you! Get them to do a free inspection and quotation and you got nothing to lose right? I will PM you with their details might come handy for you in the future.
That actually seems pretty reasonable. Does this include the plans/drawings for the development or just the items you mention (town planning, building permit and site inspections/management of contractors)?
Thanks FDA, looking forward to your email.
So are you from a trade background? or is this something you decided to embark on?
hi bbasdg,
Check your inbox for my private message.
I'm just an ordinary guy who works in an office for 37.5 hours a week, had some spare cash so I started developing dual occ's some years ago. The most important thing is finding the right builder who can deliver on time rather than trying to screw you every way he can for more money.
Hello again, Anyone know where I can determine how many SQM I require to build a 3BR townhouse? Basically I intend on purchasing property to sub-divide, I just want to be sure I accurately calculate the right SQM. Is it something like 200SQM per 3 BR house? What is the go with car park spaces? And lastly what does the law specify about having plants or making it the building eco friendly? My mates have advised me these are things I need to look into and apparently can vary from different councils. Appreciate your assistance J
Hi guys
I’ve joined a long time ago, but I’m really a rookie in this area, and just wanted to say that your insights here had been fantastic! I’ve got a 740sqm block and would really like to start a new project soon. I’ve already spoken to the council, thanks to your advice here, and managed to get some pretty good info, but so far i’m struggling to find a one-stop shop guy (as fda put it). Does anyone have any recommendations or links?
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks guys!!btw, I’m also in Victoria
bbasdg,
the size of the townhouses that you can put on your site is depend on many factors such as size, zoning of your site and which council (even which town planner is invovled with your town planning application).
Base on my experience, on a 700m2 site you can fit avg 2 x 250sm2 3 bedroom + 1 study townhouses (include a 5.5m x 6.0m double garage). You also have the option to build a 3.5m x 6m single garage to increase habitable area.
building eco friendly as in Environmental Sustainable Design is slowly implemented by various metropolitan councils but we don't really have to worry about it at the start. Normally it means use water saving toilet sistern, adding a water tank etc.
Plants are normally be nominated by professionals such as landscape architects to meet council's requirement. Normally all these things are sorted by my architects as I don't have the time nor expertise to get deal with it myself.
If you work full time or if is your first development then it is advisable to enlist the services of an experienced project manager. Almost all projects have its own unique characteristics that can trip you up so you will need to assess each stage carefully. Stay on top of things as delays occur if lapses occur.
As a rough rule of thumb, one dwelling per 300m2 is generally achievable. Higher densities can be achieved closer to town or close to transport and commerce hubs. Lesser densities will be encouraged further from town or in the "leafier" suburbs. Find someone who – as suggested elsewhere in this thread – is able to look after your needs from inception to completion. It has been my experience that continuity is the key in delivering projects. This means that each part of the process needs to be handed on as smoothly as possible and someone needs to ensure that all of the parts are being attended to.
Hi guys,
Still looking at purchasing my first project, it’s taken a lot longer than what I intended, as I’ve found the more you wait, the longer you look, the more picky I get! Which I suppose can be a good thing…
Anyhow, I know we’re all here to make $$$ from property however my situation is $$$ vs TIME, I’ve been having thoughts of getting a larger scale builder (ie Metricon, King, etc etc) and once I sub-divide I just get them to build a basic house for under 180K… another option is getting my permits approved and selling the backyard.
Has anyone had any experience with any of the above?
Regards
Bas
Hi fda,
Would you mind PM me their contact details as well please (and also some of the links you mentioned and sent to bbasdg)? Thanks heaps!!
I'm very new to this so many thanks again in advanced.
widjajav
Hey guys,
I am about to embark on a subdivision/development involving 2 new 2 storey townhouses and am currently unsure whether to go straight to a builder or a project manager. Can anyone give me some good contacts in Perth- I am preferring a smaller size reasonably priced builder that can handle 2 storey deveolpments and provide a competent level of service. Not asking for much I know….fda, can you please send me the PM details as well…
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