Your builder will probably be a delight to deal with, but if they are like the other 90% then...
You are probably 100% on all the ins and outs of building but just in case....
- Builders (large and small) have adopted (pioneered perhaps) the Microsoft model - that is it is up to you the purchaser to prove something is wrong/not working/built properly and not for the builder to prove it is fine.
- Building is one of the most important times to be a pedant's pedant. Details really matter - such as will doors have two or three hinges, pressed metal or bronze.
- Once you have signed anything the builder operates normally with cost plus builder's margin (often +20 to 25%) covering both materials and labour. So say you change tiles A for Tiles B. The way the magic works is: Tiles A cost $1,000 + 25% margin =$1,250 total cost. Tiles B cost $900 + 25% margin = $1,125 total cost. What the builder does though is only deducts the base cost not the builder's margin (read the fine print VERY carefully). So In this example the end cost for the tiles despite being a cheaper tile (but much more attractive of course) would be $1,375 NOT $1,125.
- Ask every possible question under the sun before signing, preferably putting them in writing and numbering them. Even so it is amazing how certain questions can get missed in the responses.
- What you contract for is not necessarily what turns up on site or stays on site. For example - a common rort is to charge for more materials than required (done by mega builders and 2 man outfits alike unfortunately). So with our build I got an unknown quote for the roof from the tile manufacturer using their pet installer. Turned out the builder (top 5 house builder) had 'mistakenly' over-estimated the number of tiles required by 30%. I discovered this one unfortunately after signing but ruined their plans by turning up on morning roof due to start being put on and stayed for the day to see the approx 600 tiles left over and letting them know where I wanted them placed until they could be put under the house for storage.
- You can often source materials of equal or better quality (door fittings, bathroom/kitchen items) cheaper before the builder's margin comes in to it. Even perhaps get a Bunnings Trade account (6% discount or so) and then use discounted purchased Bunnings GCs to pay for it so earn FF points as well.... For example all our wall/floor tiles came from Bunnings and a tile store at a saving of over 20% compared to what builder was sourcing them using their 'trade' discount (five-fingered discount from us more like).
- NEVER ASSUME - because it always goes against you.
Having always been a details person -I've helped a number of friends/acquaintances of the years with building or renovations (warning them on what to look out for).
For example some companies interchange 'verbally' the words "same" and "similar". Think renting a car when you book it on the screen it says can take 2 large and 2 small bags but the car you get at the airport can only fit one medium and one small bag. So
make sure if you are shown examples of what it will look like that
you specify the SAME finish not similar finish.
If the house is to be built out of brick - you can order them and not pay the builder's margin for example. Get the number of bricks required in writing from the builder together with the number for window surrounds. That way not only do you save some real dollars by not paying the margin, you get the left overs AND you can arrange for the bricks to be delivered earlier.
A common trick is to start work on a project, go flat out for a few days and then blame supplier delays etc for leaving your job hanging for a few days/week while that crew go off and commence another job.
Similarly, one that was tried right towards the end with us was on the insulation. We had decided on wool batts up front but the builder never did tells us in time the quenatity so they ordered them. Guess what (being suspicious) I turned up on the morning of installation to find a truck unloading fibre glass batts. Site foreman strangely absent, call him, "I don't know how that could have happened". Some calls later, "Sorry there's no way we can get the wool batts on-site today, so either you have the fibre glass or we have to wait two to three weeks. So that means there will be no work done over that period as the walls cannot be sheeted, plastered, etc etc. What do you want to do?"
Knowing manslaughter is not recommended I caved to the rort. As it was "my choice" to accept the fibre glass batts (cheaper) we got no refund for the price difference nor an apology. Subsequently ringing the manufacturer who supplied directly I was told that there is no way that fibre glass batts get sent out incorrectly on a wool batts order. The lady looked it up for me (on delivery address) and quoted the date of order and price quoted, as well as which person made the order.
Moral of the story - ask questions, get it in writing with no wiggle room (you can add your own terms btw).
Plan for the worst and get a pleasant surprise!
