"Architect-designed houses are not accessible to all." This is a myth championed by the building industry. Alternatively, why not focus on the key benefits architects bring to a project. Here are a few for you: • Appoint an architect to your project and you’ll gain a home designed for the way you want to live.The alternative is a builder-designed home that suits what the builder is used to building. Quality builders will ask for plans and specifications to be thoroughly documented so that they can go ahead and do what they do best, which is build. Working out with the owner what you’re going to build and why is the architect’s role. • An architect manages planning approvals. This process is complex, often arbitrarily applied by many Councils, fraught with pitfalls for the novice and is ramped up every year with new hoops to jump. If you want a professional on your side who knows the territory, will go in to bat for you and will forge a way through this minefield, you need an architect. • If you’d prefer to put the works to tender to a number of builders rather than having to accept the quote of the builder you started the process with, you need an architect. • If you’d prefer to protect yourself with a proper, architect-managed ABIC contract that works equally for both parties and is legally enforceable, you need an architect. • An architect will minimise costly changes during construction as he or she will produce a proper level of drawings (expect 20 x A3 pages for a new home, rather than the 1-2 pages you’ll receive from a drafting service.). The reasons for this are that you have on paper exactly what you want to build. Without this, you are entering a contract with a builder with none of the details resolved. You wouldn’t do that if you were buying a house, so why do it when spending an equally significant amount of money? Unfortunately, some builders see this approach as an opportunity to happily accept constant changes from ‘project managing’ owners because it’s just another variation that he can charge for. The longer he is there, the better for his margins, particularly when there’s no contract to speak of. Finally, an architect is a specialist with a professional duty of care, irrespective of financial gain. In other words, they’re there to support and protect you, without benefit to themselves. No one else in the building industry can provide this.

I've been playing around with a pantry location. Originally, I was going to move the pantry into the laundry with some custom shelving and cut the laundry space in half. Now, Im thinking of cutting into the study area and building a wall there, and converting the new space into a long and narrow walk in pantry. Either that or build half a wall and put built in shelving in the study. Building the extra wall will reduce the need to cover in the door way that is currently in place and instead utilising it. Thoughts? p.s. this isnt too scale.

Going in as an owner builder is a false economy. It takes a builder years to develop the relationships with the right subtrades to ensure the project is built to budget and on time. I can fully understand that you are concerned with cost blowouts, so i will let you in on a little secret to help you avoid this trap. Find a builder who charges for quotes. I know this sounds counter intuitive, but here is the upswing. A builder who charges for quotes is legally obliged to give you an accurate quote, will be less likely to lowball you on PS and PC items, and will take the time to audit your plans to ensure there are no issues. Ask in advance to see a sample of their quotes - it should include a full list of inclusions, BoQ Exclusions, and timeline or Gantt chart as min. There are many brilliant builders in Australia offering this service, and i can recommend a number of them in every state in Australia who will give you exemplary service. good luck!

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.