You are here: Home / Archives for Nathan Peart

Licenses and Approval

October 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Obtaining Licenses and Approval

Once your plans have been designed and a preliminary list of quantities and costing has been done, it is the time to lodge your plans into the next level of The Building Process, obtaining licenses and approval – - -

from Local Council To cite one, a DA (Development Application) is the first part of the council approval process which is submitted by the developer or owner to the local council for approval of new homes and renovations involving structural changes describing the usage, style, size and location of the intended building and its surrounds including the zoning and any special conditions that may be placed upon the property. Talk to your local council for the complete process as it may vary.

from Department of Health Obtain approval if on site waste treatment is to be installed (As apposed to deep sewerage). You may be asked to make a statement to local council how demolished materials will be disposed of, or recycled, and how waste will be managed during construction and other subject related to.

From Water Corporation Building plans need to be submitted to Local Government and the Water Corporation for approval prior to building any type of structure on your property.  Same agency merits request for water meter and temporary site map.

Organize temporary site power Temporary Power is a very necessary part of the building process.  For instance installing a pole or panel to provide power for the building site until the power at the premises is connected permanently.


If you have any further questions regarding Licenses and approval -  the team at Scope Drafting and Design would be happy to help. Remember Scope Drafting and Design can help with all your owner builder questions, house plans, energy ratings and building design queries.

Please contact Scope Drafting and Design or phone 08 9537 2000

Filed Under: The Building Process Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Site Works

July 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Site Works

At the most basic this may be as simple as leveling the site and ensuring construction complies with the Engineers specification. It may include the following

Clearing site of vegetation the first necessary physical act is to make space for all facets of your project. In some cases that may mean simply moving some things that are in the way. In many situations, however, it involves the often-larger job of moving or removing plants.

Cut and/or fill of site once your building is cleaned up and cleared of vegetation, you’ll be able to get a really good look at the site’s general contours.  Cutting or filling may be necessary to create a flat building site, the clearest way to determine the right dirt-moving strategy is to map your site’s contours by measuring, marking and comparing its elevations at different points. One of the most economical   way is you cut the amount of sand equals the amount you need to fill, as you know, it can be very expensive to take away sand and bring sand.

Construction of retaining walls As soon as you had oriented your building and confirmed that you have enough space for everything, this step follows – build retaining walls as per the Engineer’s specifications. There are restrictions on the height of retaining walls, if it’s too high you have to get an approval.

Construction of Swimming Pools Built as  per the engineers plan or specifications, construct pool first for easier access.

Demolition of Existing Structures is a high risk construction activity and therefore must be planned and controlled according to the regulatory requirements, getting approval from the Council is a must.  Any existing septic has to be abandoned  and also, the asbestos survey must be conducted by a certified Building Inspector and must be  removed by a certified Asbestos abatement contractor before any demolition activities begin and be properly disposed of.

Site preparation is generally not a cost that is included in the initial construction cost, as it is often unknown what lies just below the sites surface. Site work drives the total cost of land up or down depending on the extent of work required.


If you have any further questions regarding Site Works -  the team at Scope Drafting and Design would be happy to help. Remember Scope Drafting and Design can help with all your owner builder questions, house plans, energy ratings and building design queries.

Please contact Scope Drafting and Design or phone 08 9537 2000

Filed Under: The Building Process Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Footings, Plumbing Prelay and Termite Treatment

June 1, 2011 by

 

FOOTING

Footings are important because they are the first part of the building process. Your home structure is going to depend upon the footing for support. This is done by a Concretor but the size is determined by Structural Engineer. Example of Footings include

Strip Footing, a relatively small strip of concrete placed into a trench and reinforced with steel. The footing supports the load of the exterior walls and any interior wall that is load bearing or supports a slab such as for a bathroom. Strip footings can be used for both traditional timber and concrete floors. They are one of the most common footing used in Australia.

Concrete pad footings A concrete pad footing is the simplest and cost effective footing used for the vertical support and the transfer of building loads to the ground. These footings are “isolated” ie there is no connection between them. They are also reinforced.

It is important to note that a separate footing is only installed for double brick construction and other type of construction has combined footing with a slab.

PLUMBING PRE-LAY

Pre-installed by a Plumber prior to building the structure, consisting of the pipes for the disposal of sewage and waste water in the building along with any other plumbing services which may be required below the slab.

 

 

TERMITE TREATMENT

There are many things that can be done to help prevent termites before a home is built, as well as certain methods during the building process that minimize the threat of trouble.

Technicians come through and apply a chemical or physical treatment that is non toxic to humans and animals but lethal to termites.

The best and most effective termite treatment for any structure is to keep the pests from getting there in the first place. Whether by chemical or physical barriers, termite prevention can reduce the risk of a home getting infested.

If you have any further questions regarding Licenses and approval -  the team at Scope Drafting and Design would be happy to help. Remember Scope Drafting and Design can help with all your owner builder questions, house plans, energy ratings and building design queries.

Please contact Scope Drafting and Design or phone 08 9537 2000

Filed Under: The Building Process Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Preliminaries

May 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment

PRELIMINARIES

As we continue with our articles on the building process here is the latest where we talk about the preliminaries required.

This is where we start to make your dream home a reality by bringing together all your ideas, design input while ensuring we capture your individuality and formulate them into solid plans that can be used to build your dream home.

Here are the steps to do that:

  • Site Survey -  Collecting the information that will aid in the development of the completed design and establish boundaries, features and Ground Levels for  your building block.  Site plans should also outline location of utility services, setback requirements, easements, location of driveways and walkways, and sometimes even topographical data that specifies the slope of the terrain.
  • House Plan – is a set of construction or working drawings (sometimes still called blueprints) that define all the construction specifications of a residential house such as dimensions, materials, layouts, installation methods and techniques. To see a full list of plans provided by Scope Drafting and Design CLICK HERE
  • Engineer – A structural Engineer is used to design structural elements of the house and surrounding works such as retaining walls, pools etc. In general, they analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants. Their work takes into account the safety, technical, economic and environmental concerns, but they may also consider aesthetic and social factors.
  • Energy Efficiency Certification – provides a means of rating individual buildings – whether they be residential, commercial or public – (on how efficient or inefficient) they are in relation to the amount of energy needed to provide users with expected degrees of comfort on many factors including: local climate; the design of the building; construction methods and materials; systems installed to provide heating, ventilation, air condition or hot sanitary water and the appliances and equipment needed to support the functions of the building and its users. To obtain a building license all new buildings are required to meet a minimum standard of energy efficiency.

If you have any further questions regarding PRELIMINARIES ,  the team at Scope Drafting and Design would be happy to help.

Remember Scope Drafting and Design can help with all your owner builder questions, house plans, energy ratings and building design queries.

Please contact Scope Drafting and Design or phone 08 9537 2000

Filed Under: The Building Process Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Owner Builder Finance – What You Need To Know.

February 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Preparation is the key to being a successful owner builder. This is a common theme of the information you find here on Scope Drafting and Design.

Nowhere is this more important than when you are planning your finances. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to ensure you have your finances sorted:

Owner Builder Finance

Owner Builder Finance



- Can I afford to build the house I am having designed and drafted on the block I want?

- Have I considered all the costs involved so that I can fully finish the project once I start?

- Can I afford the ongoing costs of this home?

- Will my finance arrangements enable me to commence and complete an owner builder project?

Scope Drafting and Design can help you design your home within your budget and guide you to the resources you need to ensure your budget is correct.

In most cases the major factor in determining a budget is your bank or financial institution. This can be a difficult process for owner builders. Why?

Well,  banks are pessimists and always assume the worst. They assume you will fail as an owner builder and will not complete the house.  How does this affect your loan? If you do not make your repayments and the bank forecloses they want an asset to sell. Remember they have factored in that you will not finish your house – and a half finished house is not easy to sell.

This can be overcome in 3 main ways:

  1. Provide other assets as security to cover the building loan
  2. Provide quotes for the work you will be doing from all the trades involved and then have the bank pay out those trades after the work has been done
  3. Pay for the work yourself in stages and then have your house re-valued and refinanced to reflect the new value.(Warning: This last method can adversely affect your credit rating due to the constant finance applications)

Please remember this is general advice and not intended to be financial advice. Please speak to your financial institution for specific information.

Come talk to Scope Drafting and Design to find out how we can help you owner build, or design and construct your dream home or renovation.

Remember we don’t charge to talk and our advice is free, so pick up the phone or drop us an email.

Till Next Time

Nathan Peart

Filed Under: Owner Builders Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Latest News and Information for Owner Builders

January 9, 2011 by 1 Comment

Scope Drafting and Design specialize in helping you, the Owner Builder, build your dream home. This is the page where you will see all the latest information and posts to help you do that.

For more information on the list of services Scope Drafting and Design can offer you, just click here: For Owner Builders

Scope Drafting and Design look forward to helping you build your dream home.

Filed Under: Owner Builders Tagged With: , , , , ,

Choosing the Right Tradespeople

November 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

So you have your comprehensive plans, you have your owner builder license and you have your building license from council now it time to start building.

Question is how do you make sure you find the right tradespeople for the job?

Here are few tips that we have found helpful when employing trades:

Quality Work- It is important that the tradesman take pride in their work and making sure the customer is happy. Ask around, friends, family, work colleagues and your building designer for people they can recommend

Efficient Work – You want a tradesman that can deliver the job on time and on budget. Of course their are times when circumstances intervene such as bad weather but in general if your tradespeople deliver on time it will make for a smoother building site.

Reliable- Imagine this: The electrician doesn’t turn up on Monday to chase in the wiring in the wall, so the plasterer can’t start on Wednesday as planned. Because the plasterer can’t start on Wednesday he won’t be finished when the ceiling fixer was scheduled and that week was the only time he could fit you in….. Starting to get the picture? Yes Reliability is important

Character - This may seem strange. It is not like you are choosing a BFF. But it is important. You need someone you can communicate with, someone you can trust with your dream home and someone you do not need to constantly monitor.

This may seem daunting but with a little bit of help you can make sure you choose the right tradespeople making your owner builder journey and enjoyable one.

For more help with selecting the right tradespeople contact Scope Drafting and Design……

Filed Under: Projects Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sustainable Design – Passive Solar Design

November 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Sustainable design is the process of designing a house so that it minimises the ongoing impact on the environment. This may include the way the house sits on the block, the way the house uses or reuses water, power use and generation and passive solar design.

It is particularly Passive Solar Design which we are talking about today. The biggest user of power and therefore producer of greenhouse gas emissions in the home is heating and cooling.

It therefore makes sense that if we can reduce the heating and cooling of the home this will result in less impact on the environment. This is where passive solar design comes in.

Passive solar design is when we use the natural elements such as sun and sea breezes to heat and cool our home.

What are the main principles of Passive solar design and how can we utilize them in our house design?

Basically Passive solar design is keeping the summer sun out and letting the winter sun in. Combine this with correct ventilation to capture the cooling summer breezes and you will have a house design utilizing passive solar design principles.

In short the principles of Passive solar design are:

Northerly orientation of daytime living areas

Appropriate Glazing to North and minimal to East and West

Passive shading of glass eg. Eaves

Thermal mass for storing heat

Insulation and Draft proofing

Positioning windows to capture cooling breezes

Correct zoning of areas in the house to maximise comfort for the living and sleeping areas.

For more information of Passive Solar Design please contact Scope Drafting and Design….

Filed Under: Sustainability Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Owner Builders – Would You Do It Again?

November 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

To start a passionate conversation with someone who has owner built there house all you have to do is ask “Would you do it again?”

In return for this question you will either get a look of horror wash over their face and dialogue about the evils of owner building or you will get a smug smile and look of satisfaction followed by a detailed explanation of why everyone should be an owner builder.

How do you make sure you are in the second camp? How do you make sure your owner builder process is an exciting and productive one?

Here are a few tips on making sure your journey will be an enjoyable one:

Buy the right block of land. When buying your block do it with the end in mind, ensuring you can build the house you want. Some questions to ask are:

Are their restrictive covenants on materials I can use and size of house? If so am I happy to work within this?

Does the block need retaining? Has this been factored into the price?

What kind of houses will be surrounding me?

Get the plans Right. A cheap set of plans can start looking very expensive towards the end of the build when you have to start forking out money to rectify mistakes.

The easiest time to get it right is at the planning stage making sure you get a complete set of plans with all the details for trades to do their job quickly and efficiently, so there are no mistakes and no need to make changes on site.

To this end makes sure the building designer you use is approachable and willing to explain the whole building process and if required able to assist you throughout the building process.

ASK ASK ASK. Despite the sometimes dreaded reputation of people in the building industry the trades I deal with regularly are willing to help the owner builder with the questions throughout the building process. The only way to find an answer is to ask the question. As the saying goes the dumbest question is the one that doesn’t gets asked.

Find Support. Find someone you can question and get feedback from throughout the building process. Whether this is a friend or relative with building experience or your building designer it is handy to have someone who you can turn to ask the questions you can’t find the answers to.

For more information please contact Scope Drafting.

Filed Under: Owner Builders Tagged With: , , ,

Sustainability Assessment

November 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Make your house more comfortable. Save money with a Home sustainability Assessment

Sustainability WA provides FREE Home sustainability assessments to assess your existing house looking at 3 main areas:

Thermal Performance: This considers how well your house maintains an ideal temperature. If your house is too hot or too cold we can tell you how to improver the performance through simple cost effective measures.

Power use: We start with each room and the electrical use in those rooms. We also look at your power bills, where you are using the most power and how we can reduce your power bills. We can also advise whether you would be a good candidate for solar energy.

Water Use: We all know how precious our water is. We will show you simple practical ways to reduce your water consumption.

Sustainability WA is part of the Green Loans Scheme. Green Loans is a new Australian Government initiative to help Australians tackle climate change. The Green Loans Program assists Australian families to install solar, water saving, and energy efficient products. The Green Loans Program provides detailed, quality Home Sustainability Assessments


Contact us for a Home Sustainability Assessment.

Filed Under: Sustainability