10 Steps to Successful Owner Building: A How-to Guide Brought to you by Buildsafe

Buildsafe is championing the responsible owner build movement. We believe that through perseverance and hard work, you can be a successful owner builder, and we offer an entire line of policies dedicated to protecting owner builders across our country.

Being an owner builder is not a flippant decision to make lightly, you may have to give up your job for a while or place less focus on your business but there are some key advantages.

Over the next few months we’ll be covering every step of the owner building process. We’ll talk about the early stages of conceptualisation, financing, and design. Then we’ll move on to the actual building process to cover materials purchase, stages of construction, site supervision, engaging subcontractors and more.

Plus, we’ll cover building codes, government regulations, and insurance recommendations to ensure that your new home is built to compliance and your family is safe and has the appropriate protection into the future.

There are tonnes of reasons why you might want to embark on the journey of an owner build. Here are some of the highlights:

Take hold of the reigns.
As an owner builder you control the quality of the work done on your home. You make the decisions when it comes to materials used. When hiring tradies or shopping around for materials, you will be in control of making the final decision. Ultimately, choosing to be an owner builder puts you in full control of your project. Being in control makes on-the-fly design exciting and time effective.

A penny saved is a penny earned.
It’s no secret that you can save a lot of money by building your own home. It’s the most valuable asset you own, so why not add to your equity for free by managing the project or putting in a little elbow grease? Why pay someone else to complete tasks that you’re capable of on your own?

Even if you prefer to not pick up a tool during the entire project, you can save tens of thousands of dollars acting as your own project manager.

Strap on the tool belt.
The beauty of being an owner builder is that you can opt to jump in and complete some tasks on your own, while leaving complex jobs to the subcontractors of your choice.

Popular aspects of the home build that anyone can quickly master are painting, finish carpentry, tile work, kitchen and bath installations, flooring, wall coverings or being the site gopher. And with the wealth of knowledge available online there’s no limit to the skills you can pick up and employ when building your own home.

You built it, so you can fix it.
Minor repairs down the road become so much simpler when you owner build. You’ll be more familiar with the nuts and bolts that make up your home, removing the element of trepidation or surprise. Having learned all the necessary skills to get the house built in the first place will allow you to grab your tools and make the repairs yourself as opposed to calling in a professional.

Satisfaction with a job well done.
The pride you’ll feel when showing people through your new home and telling them you built it yourself is unparalleled!

Now that we’ve piqued your interest, stay tuned for the first article in the series: Realising that Owner Building is a Real Option.