Wednesday, 28 October 2015

Know Here How Stage Construction Inspections Benefits the New Home Owners

Are you worried about your home stage construction inspections? Most probably, you're worried about how they are going to benefit you. Building your own home is a big decision and more than a dream coming true. Therefore, you'll want to acquire your occupational certificate too.

Therefore, since the occupational certificate is somewhat necessary for you to know that your building is in compliance and is in a condition suitable for occupancy, you have to work with a PCA. Now, a Principal Certifying Authority is supposed to be hired much before you start getting your home constructed. Adding, a PCA is also meant to be appointed by the party who is going to get the benefit of the development of the property.


What's the role of the PCA and a Building Inspector?
Apart from the fact that getting associated with a Principal Certifying Authority gets you the occupation certificate, there is this benefit of getting PCA into inspecting the work during the building construction. PCA will make sure that the construction is done in a way that the completed work is in the required quality.

However, PCA will for surely inspect the building work so that it's in accordance with the planning legislation and the codes applied to the building process in your area, but they won't inspect the workmanship.

You, as the beneficiary of the built property, along with the builders, will work toward checking the workmanship. The main goal of both of you will be to look over a series of tasks and responsibilities, which would come across the building of your brand new home. Moreover, you have to make sure that you do not have to fight any legal battle. That's how stage construction inspections help.

By that, we mean that once the work will be finished, you'll be taking the complete ownership of your dream home as well as any major defect associated. Now you might have got a very clear retrospect of what a PCA is all about. Your PCA would surely not oversee a defect or any compromise on finishing quality. So, that's exactly when stage building inspection saves you.

Clearly, you cannot work on rectifying all the defects while your PCA will be pointing them in the end of the construction process. If you want your occupational certificate to be spotless, you have to work with a qualified professional building inspector so that he/she guards your investment and ensures that your dream home is no less than an infinite happiness.

To avoid any legal disputes, tie up with a stage professional building inspection, for your home-building process shall hold the best of your memories!

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Here's What You Need to Do While the Construction of Your Home

Finally, the contract is signed. You are just about to see your dream home turning into reality. All the choices made as the colour of the walls, the design and the space designed, all of it will reflect your thought process. It will depict your choices. The more the research you've done to choose each of the minutest detail of it, the more will be the comfort level that you will be enjoying while it will be finally completed. 

However, while imagining the comfort and the dream coming true, we just forgot how long and laborious the process of getting your home built can turn out to be. Undoubtedly, a long-long process. However, you have to be participative in each of the minutest detail of the plan.


Are you wondering what shall be your 'duty' while the whole of the building process? Well, of course, you are not at all suggested to sit free and idle. It's your home being built. There will be many memories adjoined once you move to stay in that home. Apparently, the building will be transformed into a 'home', your own home.

So, what should you be doing then? Have a look-
  • First, make sure each of the small processes involved in building are going according to the plan suggested by the home builders Melbourne and approved by you.
  • If at all you need any changes, there should be a formal discussion upon it. The plan can always change as per your choice.
  • Make sure you communicate directly with the builder or any of the representatives of them.
  • Record the details. Keep a diary. This way you will miss no detail of the discussions done with the builder as far as the building of the home is concerned. For instance, the building process has been delayed due to the weather disturbance.
  • Another good idea is to click photographs of the building process at regular intervals. This will ensure an evidence that the construction is leading towards your chosen designs. Moreover, this is an overall considerable evidence in any case of disputes after some while of the construction or after the construction gets accomplished.
In conclusion, you may also hire a building consultant to do all this work for you. Maybe, it'd be professional and more efficient. However, above all, you will be saved from many useless expenses if you choose your builder wisely after a diligent and deep research.

Wednesday, 23 September 2015

6 Building Contracts Details You Need to Know

We realize how important is to indulge in every minutest detail while the construction of your new home. After all, it must be a dream come true for you. However, are you sure you are checking out every particular? See, this is the trouble. Many of us decide to get our own new home constructed, but do miss certain crucial points, which otherwise shall not be overlooked.

Ending the suspense, let us just tell you that knowing about the building contract is an altogether task of overriding importance. You should read the building contract in and out and assure that none of the mentioned inside information is against your wish and will, regardless the complexity of the documents.


Have a look at these details you need to know about-
  1. For instance, most of the building contracts mostly include these three main parts-
    • The Building Contract itself, which includes the schedule and the appendix
    • Drawings of the Construction Process of the New Home
    • Other Specifications

  2. For a fact, in case you have signed a building contract that offers a cooling off period, you automatically get an advantage of pulling out the contract without giving any explanation to the building contractor. In general, the cooling off period is five business days.

  3. However, cases are there in which the building contract may not content any cooling off period, so you apparently are not legally allowed to get out of the building contract just because you have changed your mind. In such cases, make sure you read the contract thoroughly before you sign it.

  4. More often than not, there will be some terms and conditions mentioned in the building contract. These terms and conditions may include both the general rights as well as the responsibilities of both the building contractor and you, the homeowner. Make sure you know the spic and span of each term and condition as well as your general rights and responsibilities. If any query, clear that out as soon as possible that too before you sign the contract.

  5. Further, certain building contracts allow calculation of the costs involved as a running tab. Such contracts are known as cost-plus contracts. Most of the experienced individuals would suggest you not to opt for a cost-plus contract. The reason is that it's a trouble to handle and manage a contract with ongoing costs. Therefore, it's better to ask for some advice by an expert.

  6. Another type of the building contract is the one in which the total amount of the costs involved while building the home can be calculated prior to the building process. Contracts like these are known as lump sum contracts.
Lastly, regardless of the limitless Home Buying Options For Bad Credit, it's important to be completely aware of the contract you are signing. In case you are not very much acquainted with the technical terminology involved, you may ask for a qualified consultant who does have the entire knowledge of the matter. Happy buying! 

Thursday, 3 September 2015

Renovation Hacks: 4 Little Known Ways That Can Save You Money

All you have to do is to find creative ways of renovation, which works within your budget. However, first just face it. Here we mean to say that there is no alternative other than admitting that renovations can be expensive and nowadays to be prepared with the amount of money it requires is listed among the tough tasks one needs to accomplish. 


Anyhow, with little tricks anybody can save smartly when renovating their home. Of course, you cannot compromise on the areas that require renovation, but down here, we’ve given a list of four little known ways that can save you money.

#1 Avoid Demolition As Much As You Can
Demolition refers to an entire rebuilding process. It sounds like a big fat bill. You may decide of wrecking a few walls, or maybe decide to make space for the extensions with a maximized demolition. No! Do not attempt it until and unless it is a compulsion that cannot be left unattended. Minimize demolition for the sake of your budget!

#2 Do Not Think About Overbuilding
It’s completely justifiable if your family members are growing in number. Then only you can think of renovating your home in a way that it accommodates additional rooms for the additional members. However, it’s baseless if you want this kind of renovation just for the sake of it. Overbuilding will only cause you an unbalanced budget.

#3 Use Low Maintenance Materials
Renovation can demand demolition, replacement or repair. Well, in case the renovation demands replacement, try to use materials and features that do not demand high maintenance. Focus on designs and the respective budget working in your favour together.

#4 Choose Lightweight Construction
Professional Home Builders Melbourne suggest lightweight construction. If you are interested in building extensions, choose lightweight cladding materials in place of the brick skin. Notably, painting and beautifying the brick veneers can only be proved expensive. However, it’s cost effective only if the surface is left exposed.

Do not forget that bathrooms and wet spaces tend to cost higher than any other renovation area. Try to combine two wet areas. Plumbing and finishing will cost you much lesser this way. Think! Moreover, choose the renovation that you ‘need’ and not the one that you ‘want’.

Thursday, 20 August 2015

Know the Investments that Boost Your Home’s Value

Which home upgrades are likely to yield you the most bang for your buck? There was a time when granite countertops and stainless steel appliances were considered expensive upgrades for years. Now these are standard in most of the newly built homes. A quite large amount of money is spent while building your new home. Eventually, you make choices, and these choices are going to be outdated in a while. This is never ending.

However, if you are making any changes to your home now, those changes should be adding value to your home in the future also. Look at the investments that boost your home’s value and recoup your investments:



Kitchen
Undoubtedly, the kitchen is the heart of the home. A place where the moments are homemade and seasoned with love. Here’s the to-do-list:
  • Go for cupboards and drawers that are tall, as they will help you in adding some more space.
  • While selecting the close mechanisms for the cabinet, soft close mechanisms will help in longer life.
  • Add more bench space. Stone bench-tops do not only look better than others do, but are also hardier than other bench-tops.
Flooring
Possibly, it is quite inviting to opt for flooring which is the most basic one. However, choosing durability and comfort over the basic options would be a better investment. Here’s the to-do-list:
  • Choose the best quality under-flooring. This extends the life of your carpet as well as improve the comfort of your rooms.
  • Wooden floors also can be a more attractive option over the carpet. Although pricier, but durable, easily maintained and redeeming the investment by increasing your home’s value.
Insulation
Home insulation averts the heat inside the home from escaping outside in winter and in summer; it does not let the outdoor heat enter your home. Thereby, it decreases the task at hand of your heating and air conditioning equipment which further is quite beneficial as far as your heating and cooling bills are concerned. Opt for high quality insulation wherever it’s needed.

Bathrooms
Undeniably, it’s easier to pick cheap fittings and fixtures. However, if you want to bring some visual appeal and reliability, here’s your to-do-list:
  • If you want to add some visual appeal to the bathroom, go for high quality plumbing fixtures and fittings such as taps, etc.
  • Upgrade the fixtures and fittings to those, which are harder and longer lasting.
The upgrades mentioned are those, which are worth the investment. However, you can also upgrade the skylights, appliances and ceiling fans as well. However, the investments, which we’ve mentioned, are the ones that get you the most bang for your buck.

Wednesday, 5 August 2015

What No One tells you About Fixed-Price & Cost-Plus Contract?

There is something that no one would tell you at the time you will be getting your home built and that is- the difference between the cost-plus and fixed-price contract. The fixed-price contract refers to the contract that accompanies paying the actual cost of building the home, including all the labour and material, while cost-price contract adds a fee for the builder to these costs made. This fee is for the builder’s management and overhead at the time of building your home.

Here, we have further elaborated cost-price contract and how it differs from the fixed-price one in terms of accounting:

What No One tells you About Fixed-Price & Cost-Plus Contract?

Accounting in case of cost-price contract..
Now, that you understood the difference of cost-price and fixed-price contract, you should be aware of its accounting also. The fee of the builder accompanied in the case of cost-price contract can either be a lump sum, i.e. a flat fee that is a single amount of fixed charges for the service the builder will provide or it can be a percentage of the total costs made.

Until the final accounting, it’s next to impossible to know the exact possible expenses to be made while building the home, but a reliable builder will certainly give you an idea of the accurate cost estimate that it will take.

How Cost-plus Contract is More Advantageous…
You must be thinking about which one you should be opting out of the both-- cost-price or fixed-price contract. It is found that cost-price contract is rather beneficial when building larger, custom homes, in case of which there are potential changes while the entire process of home-building since your contractor will have a detailed cost approximation much before the construction of your home will begin.

Further…
In this type of contract you will have a monthly report of the progress of the building of your home and the estimated cost to finish the home-building. Moreover, you will be getting the report of any changes to the total cost and the ongoing estimated total cost and that is highly required in case you don’t want to get surprised of the total cost at the end of the project of home-building.

In case you find your builder to be proficient and capable of accomplishing the task of building your home as well as find yourself comfortable of knowing your end cost on a monthly basis and that too based upon the choices you’ve made,  then trusting a builder for cost-price contract does certainly make sense. Though, both cost-price and fixed-price are favourably used in case of building new custom homes, still, you can opt for the best one as per your own convenience.

Tuesday, 21 July 2015

3 Not-to-be-Missed Tips to Choose the Right Home Unit in Australia

Though, not easy, and most probably one of the biggest expense to list, buying a unit i.e. a detached home is like a dream come true to most of us. We all get delighted at the thought of “we are finally home.” However, you just have to select the one apt to your needs, not only for the present, but also for the future. Another thing to consider is that, it’s not easy to buy a detached home if you have a desire of buying it in the inner-city areas such as Melbourne.

Here are three ways that will help you in knowing which home is right for you while buying a unit -

3 Not-to-be-Missed Tips to Choose the Right Home Unit in Australia


#1 Search for a ‘Good’ Location
Okay, to many people a ‘good’ location for home has been a big question mark over time. There are many aspects to be taken care of while choosing the location for your new home and even more interesting to find one for the detached home you are longing for. Well, find a location with local council regulations comfortable to you. Moreover, a location with nearby good schools, shopping and recreational facilities and a well-managed public transport within walking distance would fetch you an easy-going-fulfilling-all-your-needs-location.

#2 Look for Quality-Construction
Well, not that the home you’re looking for should seem like a palace, but a quality construction is one thing of paramount importance. Looking for quality construction means that if a house is showing some cracks, having dodgy acoustics or poor ventilation then you have to know that there’s some serious building problem. Make sure you don’t miss any hidden damage. You can do that by hiring a building inspector as they can easily analyse problems common with older properties also.

#3 Consider the Orientation
What’s the use of a house where natural light is not able reach? Make sure that if it does not then you at least got options to bring natural-light through sliding glass doors. Air for proper ventilation and chances of minimal noise pollution are factors to be taken care of. You would not want to end up with a dark and smelly apartment for sure

Aussie Builders do it your way. You get best Home & Land Packages and can easily get a bad credit lender as well. Trust us to build a person in the face of your home and be the best house builders in Melbourne.