Custom Builder - Inner Melbourne

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  AustriaBargain on 22/11/2020 - 16:03

  Period house? Is it heritage listed, if it is you may not be able to just pay a bunch of lads to storm it with sledgehammers.

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  foolsgold on 22/11/2020 - 16:22

  Have you thought of using a professional to manage this?

  Renovation's are tricky and complicate to navigate. Without engaging a professional, such as an architect or a project management firm to administer your contract what is there to protect you.
  Thing's to consider

  Build time, Extensions of time, Delays, Damages
  + Contracted build time, but who is determining, and approving what is a reasonable delay, ie. think corona virus shut down, weather disruption, stock availability, latent conditions, late changes or variations. More time, more rent, more interest, more holding costs. An architect can determine damages in a contract to a builder, request for updated programs routinely from builders and is more likely to keep it on track than not using one at all.

  Defects
  + Who is independently verifying that something is a defect, managing the rectification of it, and is legally holding back retention money to make sure the builder comes back

  Insurances
  + Which part of the house insured, the renovation, what about the area not having any works done to it, if the builder causes a flood in the new part and it damages the older who's responsible

  Claims
  + Are you paying the builder in advance? Will you pay the builder in set stages, what's to say that your not over paying the builder and the builder wont return to site to complete works. What happens if a supplier goes insolvent, builder goes insolvent, who is left with the build? Under an architect's contract claims are only paid to builders after the works have been completed. We assess the builder's claim. Alternatively you can pay a Quantity Surveyor or a Project Manager to do this job.

  Specifications
  + Do you have contractually set specifications that the builder must follow

  I'm just listing some of the main advantages of using a professional to administer a building contract. And this is just the standard most likely occurrences that happen on a inner city build.And this is besides the advantages of later realised value of using a professional to design your home.