Home extensions.

PLUGGA

Likes Dirt
We're looking at the possibility of extending our home as we have another tin lid on the way, and are out of room. So im looking for any info/feedback on the whole process, whether to go a big company (Extension factory etc) or a smaller builder, and any recommendations on who to use in the North West of Melbourne. Cheers!
 

rangersac

Medically diagnosed OMS
I can recommend some builders in the area who I know personally and trust. Can't vouch for availability though. PM me if you want some details.
 

Zam

Likes Dirt
Whatever you budget and are quoted add an extra 20k at least onto it for extras etc, i just been through this an always factored in extra and lucky i did.
 

Freediver

I can go full Karen
One thing I can say for sure is you don't want me to do it. I started on mine over four years ago and it's still not finished. The whole thing was supposed to take six months.
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
One thing I can say for sure is you don't want me to do it. I started on mine over four years ago and it's still not finished. The whole thing was supposed to take six months.
Bwahahahahahaha......amateur! Building permit approved in 2007, still going. Don't even have the master bathroom plastered yet.

If you're going cookie cutter, basic box, then the big boys will be fine. Once you start getting bespoke, they'll either fuck it, refuse to do it, or charge you through the arse for it. Even basic things like square set corners have them raping you.

Going private is better, you'll have more input during the build, variations won't be such a big deal/sticking point and the attention to detail will be miles above Hillies and their ilk. However finding a good builder is tattslotto, thanks to the property bubble, and there's a lot of fly-by-nighters out there. When we started half the builders we contacted quoted a by square price over the phone, without even looking at a plan.

And for the love of all that is unholy, DO NOT FUCK ING PROJECT MANAGE IT YOURSELF TO TRY AND SAVE A FEW BUCKS! It will cost you, both time and money, not to mention your sanity and relationship.
 

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
^^^ what he said.

I think we even started in the same year. We got our certificate of occupancy in 2011...mainly because the building dude was over it. Still working on it though. Just not as half finished as Knuckles!!
 

Freediver

I can go full Karen
I'm guessing the 15mm of timber they left in that rafter might hold for a while. I don't really want to go up there though.
 

BT180

Max Pfaff
OP - All I can say is lucky you're in Melbourne. Getting plans through for DA in Sydney's Warringah Council has been painful.
 

MARKL

Eats Squid
My advice is work out what you need before you start talking to a builder or designer. Don't worry about the solution, the builder or designer can advise you there but be absolutely clear what you actually need. And ban glossy brochures/magazines until you and your missus know what you need, you see people go nuts with the scope of works and if they kept it simple they would have gotten a much better result. The number of times I have sat down with people doing the 'I want <<points to glossy magazine>>', to which I ask 'budget...no you can't have that'.
 
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BT180

Max Pfaff
^^ Yeah, there's no mention of budget. That will be the deciding factor. Can you do most of it yourself, or can you afford to have an architect who will take care of everything for you?
 

pharmaboy

Eats Squid
My advice is work out what you need before you start talking to a builder or designer. Don't worry about the solution, the builder or designer can advise you there but be absolutely clear what you actually need. And ban glossy brochures/magazines until you and your missus know what you need, you see people go nuts with the scope of works and if they kept it simple they would have gotten a much better result. The number of times I have sat down with people doing the 'I want <<points to glossy magazine>>', to which I ask 'budget...no you can't have that'.
Hahah, ban glossies? Wifeys gone nuts - build estimate is now stratospheric, so NOW she has a panic! Did she believe me when she started on $1500 dunnies and I told her it's not the Taj Mahal? Oh no she didn't....., so builder now thinks we have money printer down stairs.....
 

mitchy_

Llama calmer
is your only goal to add another bedroom?

a cheap option is enclosing a garage to add another room or two, and adding a carport. adding 1/2 bedrooms is never quite as easy as its sounds, more from a logisitics point of view as you generally need to knock something out to gain access to the additions.

if you've got a set of floor/site plans handy, i'd be happy to offer a suggestion or two that will give you a rough idea of how much work is involved.
 

thatsnotme

Likes Dirt
And reading through these replies is why you so often hear people recommend forgetting about renovating, and putting the money you'd have spent extending towards buying another home that already has what you're after! Doesn't help if you love where you are and don't want to move away of course, but it's a legit alternative. It's just a shame that things like stamp duty plus all the other buying and selling fees make that such an expensive exercise. On the other hand though, you can avoid months (or years) of disruption while your home is a building site.
 

boyracer

Likes Dirt
It's brick, and we'd like to go outwards only.
dbl brick or brick veneer? Do you want more space or just more rooms/ efficient use of current space?
BV you can move a few walls around under main roof and create more rooms/ space.
no permits, get someone in to frame up to code, learn to gyprock...
 
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