I am looking at the block of land in Hornsby area and wanted to ask for an advice on how to determine block's potential and assess what would be the most beneficial construction.
Should I engage an architect or a builder? The problem that I found is that architects want quite a bit of money (15-20k) and can provide only very generic advice regarding construction costs something like "it should cost between 1500 and 2000 p/sqm to build", which is not very helpful. Most volume builders want you to pay them around $1200 to come up with preliminary design and fixed price quote. To be honest I am at the investigation stage and don't want to be locked to a single builder, I just need someone smart and experienced in both design and construction to look at the block, come up with smart design and rough construction costs so I can determine whether the project makes sense or not.
Would you be able to share your opinion on what I should be doing in this situation. My line of thought is that I probably should simply engage an experienced draftsman who will come up with the plans and can advice on the construction costs. Please note that I am after a cheap build, probably not what most people would like to hear but most buyers would not care what's inside of the walls as long as the house has granite bench tops, nice view, decent size bedrooms and is not too expensive to buy.
Regardless of how cheap you want to build it, you will need to meet BASIX requirements ie energy efficiency. A project home builder is probably the way to go – they will give you a ballpark figure ie list price based on the standard designs. $1,200 isn't ridiculous (needs survey/preliminary design/costings). If you already own the block, get committed, if you are kicking tyres use warm and fuzzy numbers.
Not sure what BASIX has to do with getting idea of how to maximize potential of the block. Any builder will tell you that compliance with BASIX will cost 8k so what next?
I dare say that a block in hornsby would be sitting on a cliff or will be extremely steep. If this is the case – then your biggest issue will be rock excavation. This is going to cost lots. You can start by getting some ideas from an architect and then discussing this with a builder to determine approx cost.
The only variable here is the council. What if they ask you to excavate as part of the DA?
TheFinanceShop | Elite Property Finance
http://www.elitepropertyfinance.com
Email Me | Phone MeResidential and Commercial Brokerage
I would start by going to council and speaking to a town planner – find out what the zoning is – can you build 1, 2 or more houses on the lot – once you do that then you can get an idea of what type of project you can do and start to work some numbers – you will need to do a site assessment and anaylsis – then a contour survey or take levels yourself (if you know how) – Either you gain the experience or pay someone for theirs
Enchanted,
I think you need to understand the differences between what architects, draftspeople and builders actually are and what they offer o the process and completed project!
As an architect myself I can assure you that every dollar you pay is WELL earned and the reason you think it is expensive may be because you don’t understand what you’re getting for your money? I would avoid using a draftsperson as their skills are very limited and the lack of information is generally added into the builders price (eg, you’re paying the draftsperson less but the builder more to resolve vague details. It equals out).
As for builders ‘designing’, this is not part of their training and is generally based on their past experience (weather that be extensive or not). Architects are not builders and builders are not Architects, they are both separate and highly valuable in their own right, and when they work together you will achieve the best result.
My advice, assess your target market before making a decision. Will potential buyers in your area value a highly designed/detailed project? Will it stand out from the rest of the market and sell faster or for a higher figure? Maybe speak to an agent?
I hope this helps :)
Luke Fry | Luke Fry Pty Ltd
http://www.lukefry.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeArchitecture / Interiors / Construction
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