<p>Can't speak from experience but I just went up and visited my Dad who's been building his own place (with help here and there from some old builder friends). Seems like he's really enjoyed it, probably taking a lot longer than it otherwise might have because he's also got full-time work but that hasn't really been a problem.</p><p>I'd love to be an owner-builder someday, but I'm guessing most people who go down this path have a bit of experience / some kind of background in building...</p><p>Did you just dive in Bruno, or have you got a bit of experience with building or as a tradesman?</p>
<p>When my partner and I go into a project now, its always as owner builders.</p><p>We are in the fortunate position that we can put int he time required to ensure that the work is don the way wewant it done. Thi is also helped by using the same tradespeople in each project we work on.</p><p>We are now onto our fourth investment property, and we will flip this one just like the others.</p><p>Our trades partners are amazing, and though we don't always see eye-to-eye, the projects tend to go quite smoothly.</p>
<p><blockquote><p class="quote">10:06 03-06-2014 - Quentin Rose</p>We are in the fortunate position that we can put int he time required to ensure that the work is don the way wewant it done. Thi is also helped by using the same tradespeople in each project we work on.</blockquote></p><p>Nice - we've employed the same team of tradespeople for a couple of renovations too, good to have people you trust and can communicate well with. Imagine that's a big deal if you're flipping houses.</p><p>Do you do this for a living?</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p>Hey Darcy,</p><p>I wish I could do it for a living - the time frames between each project that we work on are long.</p><p>I actually work in a bank, and my partner is a florist. We both just enjoy fixing up places, and flipping them - we then spend time celebrating and using the upside to get ahead.</p>
<p><blockquote><p class="quote">02:06 10-06-2014 - Quentin Rose</p>we then spend time celebrating</blockquote></p><p>I'll bet. ;)</p><p>What's the normal timeframe? Are you heavily involved, or mostly project managing?</p>
<p>Hi Darcy,</p><p>A sparky by trade not having worked in trade for 17 years have done 12 renos and the last one was as an owner builder right from drawings to finish, a good experience and cant wait till I retire from the day to day work I now do to build again.</p><p>It is simply a process and if you are organised and know what you want and dont accept excuses from slack tradies this can be a very rewarding way to save and be involved with your end product. Biggest secret I found is to have a backstop and alternatives if you find a hiccup.</p>
<p>Hi Fred. Nice one - are you doing the design yourself too? Guessing you also have a lot of contacts and know who you should / probably shouldn't work with...</p>
<p><blockquote><p class="quote">11:06 24-06-2014 - Fred Walton</p>It is simply a process and if you are organised and know what you want and dont accept excuses from slack tradies this can be a very rewarding way to save and be involved with your end product. Biggest secret I found is to have a backstop and alternatives if you find a hiccup.</blockquote></p><p>That's exactly right.</p><p>By having the same group of tradies that we use on each project, we have built up a relationship and understand some of the limitations. There also needs to be a degree of trust, because the tradie often knows better and can add considerable value to the process.</p>
<p> </p><p>Hi, my husband and I are thinking about building a house via owner builder. reason - the building quote came in at 30% higher than prelim quotes. we have DA approval and just completing the owner builder course. we have both renovated in the past, however, this home build is located 2 hours from where we live. my husband is able to go down every second week. any tips on how to avoid the mishaps that happen during owner builds?</p>
<p>I am an owner/builder, although we had a lot of help from the real pros. I acted as General Contractor for our house build, and really enjoyed the process. My wife and I also did a lot of the work. For example, I paid my master carpenter by the hour, and usually I would work with him. My wife did all the tile work. Etc., etc.</p><p>Most of my friends who GC'd their house, say that they'd never want to go through that again. I think one advantage that I had, was that I was recently-retired, so could devote all my time and energy to the process.</p>
<p>Can't speak from experience but I just went up and visited my Dad who's been building his own place (with help here and there from some old builder friends). Seems like he's really enjoyed it, probably taking a lot longer than it otherwise might have because he's also got full-time work but that hasn't really been a problem.</p><p>I'd love to be an owner-builder someday, but I'm guessing most people who go down this path have a bit of experience / some kind of background in building...</p><p>Did you just dive in Bruno, or have you got a bit of experience with building or as a tradesman?</p>
<p>When my partner and I go into a project now, its always as owner builders.</p><p>We are in the fortunate position that we can put int he time required to ensure that the work is don the way wewant it done. Thi is also helped by using the same tradespeople in each project we work on.</p><p>We are now onto our fourth investment property, and we will flip this one just like the others.</p><p>Our trades partners are amazing, and though we don't always see eye-to-eye, the projects tend to go quite smoothly.</p>
<p><blockquote><p class="quote">10:06 03-06-2014 - Quentin Rose</p>We are in the fortunate position that we can put int he time required to ensure that the work is don the way wewant it done. Thi is also helped by using the same tradespeople in each project we work on.</blockquote></p><p>Nice - we've employed the same team of tradespeople for a couple of renovations too, good to have people you trust and can communicate well with. Imagine that's a big deal if you're flipping houses.</p><p>Do you do this for a living?</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p>Hey Darcy,</p><p>I wish I could do it for a living - the time frames between each project that we work on are long.</p><p>I actually work in a bank, and my partner is a florist. We both just enjoy fixing up places, and flipping them - we then spend time celebrating and using the upside to get ahead.</p>
<p><blockquote><p class="quote">02:06 10-06-2014 - Quentin Rose</p>we then spend time celebrating</blockquote></p><p>I'll bet. ;)</p><p>What's the normal timeframe? Are you heavily involved, or mostly project managing?</p>
<p>Hi Darcy,</p><p>A sparky by trade not having worked in trade for 17 years have done 12 renos and the last one was as an owner builder right from drawings to finish, a good experience and cant wait till I retire from the day to day work I now do to build again.</p><p>It is simply a process and if you are organised and know what you want and dont accept excuses from slack tradies this can be a very rewarding way to save and be involved with your end product. Biggest secret I found is to have a backstop and alternatives if you find a hiccup.</p>
<p>Hi Fred. Nice one - are you doing the design yourself too? Guessing you also have a lot of contacts and know who you should / probably shouldn't work with...</p>
<p><blockquote><p class="quote">11:06 24-06-2014 - Fred Walton</p>It is simply a process and if you are organised and know what you want and dont accept excuses from slack tradies this can be a very rewarding way to save and be involved with your end product. Biggest secret I found is to have a backstop and alternatives if you find a hiccup.</blockquote></p><p>That's exactly right.</p><p>By having the same group of tradies that we use on each project, we have built up a relationship and understand some of the limitations. There also needs to be a degree of trust, because the tradie often knows better and can add considerable value to the process.</p>
<p> </p><p>Hi, my husband and I are thinking about building a house via owner builder. reason - the building quote came in at 30% higher than prelim quotes. we have DA approval and just completing the owner builder course. we have both renovated in the past, however, this home build is located 2 hours from where we live. my husband is able to go down every second week. any tips on how to avoid the mishaps that happen during owner builds?</p>
<p>I am an owner/builder, although we had a lot of help from the real pros. I acted as General Contractor for our house build, and really enjoyed the process. My wife and I also did a lot of the work. For example, I paid my master carpenter by the hour, and usually I would work with him. My wife did all the tile work. Etc., etc.</p><p>Most of my friends who GC'd their house, say that they'd never want to go through that again. I think one advantage that I had, was that I was recently-retired, so could devote all my time and energy to the process.</p>
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