Author // Shannon Edwards for Place New Farm
Building and renovating your home is both challenging and rewarding.
Making a large investment both financially and emotionally in your home can be a little daunting… and how do you know where to start?
L.A.K Constructions Pty Ltd works with homeowners to help make informed decisions when it comes to renovating or building.
“Our goal is to help our clients achieve a superior renovation or a stylish new build based on their needs and budgets”, said Luke Kruberg, Director of L.A.K. Constructions Pty Ltd.
We sat down with Luke where he shared the best advice for constructing a successful renovation or new build.
Here are some helpful steps to consider when planning your renovation:
Step 1- Develop a clear vision for your home
Firstly, you need to outline your vision for your home and your needs for now and in the future.
Building and renovating to suit your lifestyle is the key to success. Gone are the days of formal lounges and dining rooms. Instead, people are opting for open plan style homes with integrated outdoor living and entertaining areas.
Have a clear vision of your style. Do you like contemporary, modern design, or something more traditional? Will your style be in keeping with the character of your home and the street?
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Step 2 – Define your Budget and Scope
Allocate a budget for your renovation project. It’s important to know how much you can afford to spend upfront.
Prepare a detailed brief for your builder including the number of rooms, types of finishes, appliances and so on. Keep your plans in-line with your budget.
The more you communicate, the more accurate costing estimate you’ll receive.
Remember hidden costs may come up during the process.
These may be unforeseen circumstances such as coming across rock in the ground or asbestos in the building, engineering works, or unspecified costs such as additional plumbing or electricity upgrades.
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Step 3 - Choose a builder that suits you and your style of home
Speak with your builder about all your hopes and plans for the renovation and get an idea whether it’s feasible for the size of the lot and your budget.
Remember that not all builders do the same type of work. L.A.K. Constructions specialise in Queenslanders and have a team of carpenters who are experienced in timber work.
We also think that it’s important to have a good rapport with your builder. Ask heaps of questions about their process, their team and how they’ll keep you informed of progress.
“I’ve had people in the past come to me and say ‘we want you to do our project as we feel you have the right manner and work ethic about you,” says Luke.
Another thing that’s really important when choosing your builder for the job is finding someone who is reliable.
Reliability is a big factor in large scale projects that run over long periods of time – you need to know your builder is going to work hard, turn up when they’re meant to, communicate clearly and get the job done to the highest standard.
Knowing the schedule ahead of time and having a builder you will deliver your project on time and on budget is a huge consideration.
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Step 4 - Obtain quotes and understand how to interpreted these
Once you have a clear vision, work with an architect or drafting service to develop preliminary plans and a clear scope for your project.
Now, you’re ready to obtain builders’ quotes.
Try and obtain at least three quotes from licensed builders who have done similar renovation work. Check out their credentials and ask for references.
If the builders’ quotes vary greatly ask why. Go through each quote with each builder to ensure they have correctly interpreted the work required, and have chosen fittings and fixtures of similar quality.
As they say, the “devil is in the detail”. Often people are caught out by what’s not included in the quote. If you don’t specify the exact finishes you are after, then you may run the risk of receiving inferior quality products.
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Photo Credit: L.A.K Constructions
Step 5 – Approval process and getting started
Once designs are completed, these need to be lodged and approved.
Development approval can take up to a few months through the council, but it’s better to do it at the beginning rather than being in the middle of the construction and have the project delayed.
You’ll also need building approval (BA) for the project. This is generally not completed until the builder has paid insurance costs.
L.A.K Constructions have certifiers and surveyors that they work with on a regular basis to make the approval process as easy and stress-free as possible.
Once plans have been approved, contracts are signed and the work progresses from there.
You should have complete confidence in your builder that the work will be done well and within budget and time allocations.
So remain involved and keep track of progress along the way. However, if something should happen, your home is covered with the Queensland Building & Construction Commission (QBCC) under Home Warranty Insurance.
For more advice on beginning your renovation, Luke will be speaking at the ‘Design, Renovate, Build Like a Pro’ event at Fortitude Valley’s Mitchell Fine Art, 22 August 6.30pm. This is a free community event, so book your spot today.