You don't indicate what the payment structure is with your architect and unfortunately, to have a beautiful architect designed building that suits your aesthetic requirements as well as providing a building that does all you want it to do is expensive - personally I'd be talking to the architect and asking for all options and a full detailed breakdown of how/where this $50K is going and ask him/her what could be reduced and made more cost effective without putting in peril "their vision for your home" (like all business deals - it's a negotiation) - I'd also be trying to ensure that anything that wasn't standard was called out ahead of time so you can try to pinpoint potential budget blow-outs early and maybe make changes early so you're not delaying your build or having added financial stress. In terms of builders, ask your architect, friends, neighbours (don't be shy about knocking on the door of a clearly newly built home and asking the residents - they'll be flattered and you might find your builder) for recommendations (Truelocal.com.au is also a resource - that's overlooked but can be helpful). Regardless of how you come across a builder, look for builders that you like as people and with whom can communicate well with and ask them for references and clients that you can physically visit to speak to about: (a) whether they're happy with the work; (b) the scope and style of the work; (c) what out of pocket costs/delays happened plus how problems were dealt with and (d) how the builder interacted with the client on site (you want them to be as gracious, helpful and charming during the build when all of you are under stress as they are now when they want the contract) and regardless of how impressive the recommendations are PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CHECK their licenses, insurances and affiliations (especially HIA) and ask them for their subcontractors information and check that too - most builders are good people - unfortunately there are a few that aren't - so it's important that you protect yourself. A good builder will expect you to do all of these things and won't be offended - they'll understand that you've got a lot invested in this project (not just money). Hope this helps.

My $0.02 - in NSW designers are NOT registered or accredited, beware. All architects are nationally accredited. I suggest that there are a lot of things you can do yourself before you start - get a proper survey of your block, ensure that you get them to provide angles for anything that isn't square....understand if there are utilities like sewer pipes which will affect your setbacks or useable space...... Go online and workout the sun angles for your longitude and latitude helpful for solar and overall layouts. West facing picture windows are not the best. Some of the solar firms have online calculators which help to do this. Read the local council rules and understand them, apply them to your survey and your design ideas....including if you are a corner block and if you want to go two storey...... If it is still a 'go' Get all of the heritage, flood, fire etc checks done by council - around $150 depending on council........ Eliminate or at least understand all the big constraints before you go any further........ Look again at the survey- any contour lines may cost you money, assume a cost of at least $2000 per sqm to start and do some layouts of your ideas on paper, add up all of the spaces, can you actually put them on your block? How much is the total?.......yes garages are slightly cheaper to build but still take up precious footprint space.... Is access likely to cause issues for trades, equipment and deliveries?......... Keep refining and updating the ideas and plans thinking about how you want to use the spaces and move around inside and out.....where are you putting the wheelie bins, clothes dryer etc..... Try the free to use BASIX site forms if you are in NSW, understand how the size, shading and orientation of windows affects your sustainability and adjust, this will also apply many of the local council rules as well..... Do you want a brick house, with render? A pole home, a kit build? A fast build insulated panel build? What type of roof?...... The more you have worked out for yourself the better, look at the kit home options, there are lots and some are very good... Everything is delivered and you just construct with the trades and some may have builders in your area.....The new InsulLiving Code Mark BCA approved options are also worth a look..... Anyway do all of that before you line up for the fleecing floor lol

When undertaking a building or renovation project on your home it’s important to select the right industry professionals to assist you across the board. Whether that’s a building designer, architect, builder, or other trade professionals. One you’ve chosen you professional, how do you make sure you stay on good terms and keep the project running smoothly. Here’s 8 top tips to help you through your project smoothly. A trusting relationship Like any big financial commitment in your life, when building or renovating you need to trust the people on the other end of the deal. You are parting with a large sum of money in return for a home you may plan to spend the best part of your life enjoying. A good relationship between the builder and client is based on good communication, mutual respect and of course trust. That trust needs to cover finances, reliability, security and decision-making ability. Communication Before you put pen to paper with your builder, ask them simply how they intend to communicate with you throughout the job and how often. Will there be an expectation to be onsite daily to get updates, or will email communication suffice? Early on, during the quotation stage, make sure you obtain clear documentation and detailed specifications for your project. Poor documentation can often lead to issues later on. Some builders who are progressive have begun to adopt online project management software, which allows clients to log in and keep updated with the project every step of the way. Get a recommendation Research your builder and ask for client testimonials. Start by asking your building designer or architect for recommendations, as they may have good working relationships with reputable companies. Word of mouth is the best recommendation possible, hearing from a happy client who raves about the quality of work and professionalism certainly helps to make your decisions easier. Remember, don’t just choose the cheapest quote. Sometimes it’s best to just go with your gut instinct when working with a builder. If you don’t click with them from the beginning then they are not the right one for you. Find someone who you trust and communicates well. Make selections in advance Don’t delay on decisions regarding selections. Before you enter the quoting phase, have as many choices for exterior and interior fixtures, fittings and finishes selected as possible. This allows the builder to give the most accurate quote based on your preferred inclusions. It also puts all your quoting builder on a level playing field, quoting on the same products and services. Not only is this helpful for quoting purposes, it help eliminate surprise budget blow-outs and reduces time lost onsite when products are not available or delayed. Be decisive One key quality for a client to have to get the best out of their builder is to be an efficient decision maker. Being able to tackle any tricky questions, small or big with minimal delay will ensure your site continues moving forward on time and budget. When you approach a job without a clear idea or design in mind and constantly make changes on the fly can cause budget nightmares. Once a job has started, small decisions like moving a wall or powerpoint might end up affecting subcontractors and timing and availability of other trades. Any delays for one trade can easily throw out the timing and availability of the next subcontractor which can have a snowball effect and can potentially cause significant increases in the project duration and cost Finances can also play a huge part in a successful client-builder relationship. A good builder will be upfront with their schedule of fee’s and pricing from the beginning and a good client must ensure they pay their invoices on time. If this falls down then so might the schedule. Your builder should be using an approved contract from either the QBCC or Master Builders which clearly outlines the schedule of progress and payments. Withholding money when a stage has been reached can quickly turn the relationship sour. Don’t interfere Don’t second guess or questions your builder’s decision to approach a task or construct something a particular way. Remember, they are the experts in construction, and more often than not, the plans and engineering have most probably dictated the construction method. Too many people looking over your builder’s shoulder, questioning decisions and design will certainly sour the relationship in no time and may cause other issues to occur. For example, conflicting instructions issued from a number of different people (the homeowner, the draftsman or architect) will often lead to errors and results that don’t flow. Look after your trades You may be paying them a hefty sum of money for the time and effort, but a bit of bribery goes a long way. Keeping on good terms with your building team is essential, particularly on larger renovation projects that can last a number of months. It can be a simple as getting all the supplies you’re responsible for onsite early or perhaps a more social approach with a beer on a Friday afternoon or including your site supervisor in your morning coffee run on occasion.

to make the space into a properly lined safe lockable room i would have an electrician and plumber first check that the pipes and wiring are in good order, think about any changes to plumbing or extra power points light fittings (outdoor and underfloor storage area?) or switches you might need, what about drainage and do you plan to tile walls or floors? (the plumber should be able to recommend options and probably knows a waterproofer and tiler).... a plasterer could line the walls and ceilings and finish all the joins ready for painting but you may need extra framing to support the lining and a frame around the opening to hang a new door and add architraves around doors and windows ... a carpenter or handyman could build any extra frame and hang the new doors and maybe add wall lining but you would need to organise all the other trades yourself but a builder would organise everyone else to do their different parts of the work and charge a finders fee for saving you the hassle.