Most people end up spending more time deciding on kitchen tiles than on picking the bloke who’ll put them in for them. And that, quietly enough, sets the stage for everything that follows. Picking the right builder is the make-or-break decision when it comes to any renovation project, yet it gets the least thought in some cases.
It’s partly because things need to get done in a hurry. A growing family, some extra space for a home office, or a bathroom that’s just about had it, these pressures pile on the pressure, and people end up rushing into decisions more quickly than the situation quite demands. Here in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, the pool of people you can get in touch with, local builders with plenty of experience, is smaller than in other places, adding to the pressure when that supply of builders feels limited. People get that nagging feeling to commit to a builder before they’re even sure if he’s the right one.
Why Having A Licence Is Just the Beginning?
In Victoria, all builders working on homes need to be registered with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). You can check on a builder’s registration status before you do business with them, and it takes just a couple of minutes at vba.vic.gov.au. What the VBA lets you check is simply whether they’re registered, nothing else. The way they work, how they communicate with clients, their approach to site management, and who they get to do the actual work, none of that shows up on a registration number.
It’s worth checking the licence. But when you treat that as the whole story, that’s when people start to get into trouble.
Beyond that licence, the questions worth asking aren’t always the ones that leap to mind. Like, who actually does the work, the builder’s own team or a bunch of different subcontractors? How many projects is he taking on at once, and who’s actually in charge on site? What happens when the project is finished, are there any wrinkles to iron out, and who sorts them out? A builder who’s evasive about these questions early on, well, that’s a pretty strong warning sign.
Quote Reading Before Signature
A detailed itemised quote and a quote in a lump sum are two different documents. When there is a change during the implementation of the project in a lump sum quote, it makes negotiating difficult since it doesn’t give much information on the cost of the project. An itemised quote gives more transparency and it is easy to compare when all the builders have the same scope.
Provisional sums should receive special attention. It refers to an estimated sum which is included in a contract because the actual cost is unknown for certain works. The works include earthworks that are specific for the site, joinery or fittings that are yet to be selected by the owner of the home. The major domestic building contracts are covered by the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995. Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests that provisional sums should be checked, and it also advises how the variations are recorded before entering into any contract (www.consumer.vic.gov.au). Blowing a provisional sum is not the fault of the builder but a cost the homeowner will pay.
When looking at quotes, it isn’t necessary to pick the cheapest one on the table. Under-priced quotes can get their margins back using variations. One mistake is to compare quotes which are not from the same scope. What may appear to be savings of $20,000 can turn out to be non-existent when site-specific conditions emerge.
Characteristics of A Good Builder Before Demolition
The way in which the renovation builder interacts before signing the agreement is an indication of how the interactions between the parties will occur when the construction has commenced. A prompt response, provision of clear information and a mention of the possible issues before they become a problem speak volumes about the way in which the building process will go for both parties.
A good local builder in Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges is someone who will be involved in the construction process from the first consultation to handover and will keep clients up to date on everything that goes on during the process. Whether it be bathrooms, kitchen or open-plan structures, all construction should adhere to the standards of craftsmanship and good communication.
The quality of renovation is evident only at the end of the construction. However, the builder is already chosen, the agreement is already signed and the difficult decisions are made long before construction commences. Making the correct decisions in regard to registration of the builders, understanding of the contract and listening to the initial communication is what will define the final outcome. All these steps before the beginning of construction will never become useless efforts. Tiles can wait for a bit, but the time spent on making sure the right questions are asked will pay off.
