New Reno Problems - Cant get a builder for a small job.....No one wants to work

[Dirty Doogie]

Hi Mattles - quite a few of the "renovation specialist " builder types I know are cruisy guys who dont like the pressure of a contracted build, production managed trade sessions timed to the hour etc. generally these guys are pretty good at what they do and are often older. Trying to find one of these guys is hard - all the lads I know are also loosely booked out on ongoing work for 12 months also.

[Mattles]

Injured my back in a car accident........hmmmmm ok....well saying they are around is enough to boost the confidence a little but gee this is kinda painful...........would be nice to get some recommendations.....thanks for all the help and advice so far.

I do see your point however about moving around and so on.....not the easiest thing with all the tools.....didnt really think too much about that

[Dirty Doogie]

Hey Mattles - when could you be ready to start this work - I have someone in mind - liscenced who might be interested?

[Mattles]

Hey Mattles - when could you be ready to start this work - I have someone in mind - liscenced who might be interested?

As soon as I have pricing to take to the financiers and the finance comes through so 8 - 12 weeks oh and rubber stamp from the certifier too

[Dirty Doogie]

I'll make a phone call tonight - you dont mind a female builder do you? Yes she does wear shorts and tight tank tops! she lives at Aspley.

[Dirty Doogie]

I'm just looking at your rough plan and pics again - the roof work looks like it is going to be substantial - have you a rough dawing or something showing the finished roof line? Trying to join two gable ends and lose a valley gutter - hmm. Me thinx about at least half of the existing house roof will have to come off. A flat roof over the connecting room would be cheaper I'd guess.

Also is there any reason why the new connecting room's rear wall isn't in line with the rear wall of the garage?

[Mattles]

Hi DD,

Thanks for your offer to help with a referral to your builder friend....sorry for slow replay I had to go pick up the missus and dinner

I will uplaod a more detailed sketch after dinner to sown in a little more detail why the walls are where they are etc.. it is partly to do with the block of land......just sat down for it and Im getting slapped for turning on the laptop at the dinner table........**OUCH**.........that one hurt.....

As for a flat roof I had never ever thought about it. That actually makes sense, where would councils stand on this sort of thing? How would it be done.
I dont think I have even seen it done. But It sounds great.

[manoftalent]

you could try .......going to the pub ....have a beer with the barkeep and tell him you have a reno job if anyone is interested, and you could pay CASH.....rush job ....motherinlaw is moving in .....and I want to keep her happy .....if she is happy then so am I ........ok?.....here's my number ..

[Eli]

I can build anything, anything at all when I'm at the pub, just ask me.

[derekcohen]

I am just about to start the building, per se, of a similar project. I am not sure if this helps, but it may throw a different perspective on matters.

About three years ago we decided to build an office on top of the double garage. This is to be a professional suite so that I can practice from home (and pop down to the workshop below when a patient fails to pitch ... no, I promise I won't!). Essentially it would be a granny flat - well it could be to a future buyer if we sold the home, so it needed to be easily converted, with a main consulting room (bedroom) and waiting room (living room/kitchenette) and toilet (with shower).

Since we have a horror of additions that look like additions, we decided to consult an architect, who put together a great design, one that melded in with the remainder of the house. Prior to this we had met with a "designer" working with a building firm that specialised in add-ons, and he designed a box on top of the house. We said thank you , and moved on.

The original quotation was $75K. This did not include the finishes, such as interior painting, fitting of doors, laying of hardwood floors, bookcases, etc - all of which I figured I would do. The house is double brick, partly rendered, with a clay tile roof and WR Cedar windows and doors. The addition was to be a wooden structure.

Well ... then the architect buggered off overseas for 12 months ... as they do.. and we did not hear from him until he returned. By this stage we had almost lost interest in the project. Building costs had sky rocketed and builders were like hen's teeth ... even the shonky ones. The architect returned and contacted us to enquire if we were still interested. I suggested a new quote, ready to scrap the whole deal and not pay him for his drawings and I was sure his absence had cost us at least $100K (as building costs had doubled in that time). We changed a few things for the quote, this time adding in WR Cedar exterior cladding (this will look great against the existing woodwork), doors, and painting (including redoing all the exterior woodwork at the same time - 12 years in the hot WA sun creates havock with exterior finishes). We got the same builder in to quote (he comes highly recommended by a number of people) ... and then sat back with bated breath ..

The quote for the original specification came in at $85K, and with the additional items the grand total is $100K. This is more than we set out to pay 3 years ago, but in the current climate I reckon this is reasonable for what we are getting. And at least I can get some deductions off tax.

The job is going to take 8 months. I will get my garage/workshop back in 5 weeks. (Today I finished setting up enough tools on the rear veranda under the grape vine. The rest of the stuff went into a container at the roadside). Pictures will follow later.

My advice is that you speak with an architect, one with a good track record and one who can link in with a builder. Otherwise I am fearful that you will struggle to contract workers, and will have little control over whom you employ. You need a proper quotation.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mattles]

I'm just looking at your rough plan and pics again - the roof work looks like it is going to be substantial - have you a rough dawing or something showing the finished roof line? Trying to join two gable ends and lose a valley gutter - hmm. Me thinx about at least half of the existing house roof will have to come off. A flat roof over the connecting room would be cheaper I'd guess.

Also is there any reason why the new connecting room's rear wall isn't in line with the rear wall of the garage?

Hi Dirty Doogie,

The wife nit picked the drawing a little so there are a few minor adjustments that i missed and a few extra details, you right about the rear wall, I made a booboo on the plans.

So I have reattached the hand drawn ones are a little more detailed, but my scanner is playing up and might be a day or so before I can get them on here. I have some minor drafting experience.... But Im no expert

I have also attached the block contours and an arieal view of the house/garage....ignore the grey in the middle was a shade gazebo we had up last summer....for reference the big white rectangle is our patio, this is the rear of the property

[Mattles]

you could try .......going to the pub ....have a beer with the barkeep and tell him you have a reno job if anyone is interested, and you could pay CASH.....rush job ....motherinlaw is moving in .....and I want to keep her happy .....if she is happy then so am I ........ok?.....here's my number ..

Well I just suggested that to the wife..........her response....."great so you are going to go and drink away the money for the render huh?"

My response "ofcourse not honey"

Hers in return "Yeah right, so what is it the colorbond roofing then"

DAMN!!! I cant win here sometimes.......

[Mattles]

Hi Derek,

In your experience how expensive are architechts and drafters etc?

[Dirty Doogie]

I rang Sophie the builder - she is busy until Easter - but she said she wouldn't mind a smaller job in May/June - so she may be interested - but she won't consider anything until the plans are submitted.

Looking at your aerial view of the roof, my initial suggestion of a flat roof over the connecting room still seems the least complicated.

I think you need to very clearly work out what sort of roof line will work and be cost effective and look good as well. Unless you know this, there is little point getting builders around just yet.

I take photos and draw over them with a simple paint programme.

If you can take some pics of the front including house and garage I could maybe do some mock ups .

[derekcohen]

Mattles

A good builder and a good architect can save you money. A poor design will cost you dearly in the long term as it will devalue your assett.

The cost of an architect is a tiny fraction of the cost of the construction. I am not going to enter into a debate as to which is better, an architect or a designer (there was a long thread on this recently) but I come from a family of architects, was initially trained as a quantity surveyor , and I look for a professional who understands building construction as well as one sympathetic to the aesthetics of the total structure. Anyone can design a building. Only a few do this well.

Perth houses now rank second in Oz, very closely behind Sydney. They are still going up ...

Regards from Perth

Derek