Covered by Builders Insurance - a requirement of contract. If you need to engage a bank to help pay for your build they will want to sight it.

Plan everything & get quotes for all elements, electric, plumbing, insulation, sound proofing... strongly consider solar passive, energy rating, double glassing, water recycling, ongoing maintenance, organic gardens, shrubs, fruit trees, fences (style & cost). Uni Queensland has some young engineers developing Tiny houses plans & fabrication so Google them. Investing in an Owner builders license would be a good insightful investment. Know the costs right down to council fees before you commit.

Oklouise, it is great! I am off work for a couple of weeks after a fall, so it is stopping me going totally insane! Use of rooms: the living near the master bed/ensuite is currently dining, the front lounge is the family room, and the rumpus room I rarely even enter, mostly used by the 20 yr old who has the bedroom at that end of the house. The decking is used casually as the space has a split eleven design meaning table and chairs fit if you don’t want to get in or out of your chair. Whoever designed that was foolish! There are sliding doors from the current dining to the driveway at the front of the garage. MB, not sure of budget, I have no idea really what these things cost, I guess my next step is to settle on some options and meet with a builder or similar and ask them of cost Aprox? I agree on the wasted space in the plans we didn’t use, especially around the bathroom! To move the kitchen up to the master bedroom would be expensive as there is no clearance under the two ends of the u shape, the block slopes a bit up to the back. I think I’ve answered the questions? :)

Yes we did owner build which gives you a lot of cost control however you do need to have the time and interest to do that - I really enjoyed it! The cost after lock up really depends on what kind of fit out you want eg carpet versus floor boards, type of kitchen, appliances, bench top - even skirting boards! It’s all up to you what you choose. Then I highly recommend always getting three quotes for the trades to do the work - there is always one quote that is sky high!