OUR PROCESS
When should you engage a builder? It's a great question with a simple answer.
As early as possible!
Traditionally, a client would contract a handful of builders, send their plans out for tender and most likely take the lowest price. Whilst nothing is wrong with this, we believe it's not the best way to approach your building; it's an outdated approach to building. But for us it’s all about process.
Our preconstruction process is the full package. This is aimed at working with you and your designer from the concept stage through to construction. We work with you to create a realistic construction cost estimate to determine a budget versus the desired scope of work. Generally, up until this point in time, this is the first point in which a builder has been engaged.
That's why we get involved to work alongside them to discuss five things things!
It's a simple process, and when it's followed, it works extremely well. It’s grown over the years, and is constantly tweaked to take our clients on a fun journey from start to finish. So what does it look like? Well, here’s a quick overview. Architects know how to design homes, but builders know what things cost, how a home performans and how to build a home!
A QUICK PROCESS OVERVIEW
Everyone wants to know what their project will cost, and so do we. Relying on what your architect says it will cost is an outdated approach, and far too often, we see projects fall over because they have not been priced at an early stage. How do you know what it might cost if it has yet to be priced? You can look at other comparable projects or use a square meter rate as a guide, but these numbers should only be used as a qualifying tool.
A builder will spend a fair chunk of their time estimating or looking at prices. They will have up-to-date knowledge on what things cost, and they can link this specifically to your project.
We also have a pretty good idea of how to build stuff. We can cast an eye over the project's buildability and raise any issues we may see that could occur onsite. Over the years, this process has enabled us to catch potential problems before they arise onsite and saved thousands of dollars on a project. This is the area where our fee pays it self off very quickly!
It also makes it easier to get your house high-performing. We can discuss how we will get the home airtight and where the HRV will go, but we can also use tools like PHPP to compare the cost to increase the performance and find where the sweet spot is. We know we are the Melbourne Passive House experts, so why not utilise our deep knowledge in this space?
We like to be involved early! From the moment you are considering renovating, building new or are in the concept stage of drawings, we feel it is important to involve a builder. Investing in a builder is well and truly worth it. We value our time and knowledge, knowing that we will give you confidence in making a huge commitment in the near future.