OUR NEW HOUSE

27/03/2006 to 31/03/2006

A week of tie down rods (which are 3m lenghts of M12 and M16 threaded bar which pass through the top of the wall frames all the way to through the joists and bearers at the bottom.)

Cyclone straps which are preformed metal straps which hook over the ends of the trusses and wrap around the tops of the wall plate and take lots of nailing.

20/03/2006 to
24/03/2006

Woo Hoo this was another full on week but what a result.

Subfloor bearers and joists 2 days to complete.

External wall frames postitioned and fixed in 1 day.

Internal wall frames positioned and fixed in 2 days.

This was very very very hard work.

H.H If I was to do this again I would invest the extra time and material to set and brace each stump prior to pouring the concrete rather than pouring the concrete and then pushing the stumps into it

1 bob cat, 2 shovels and a bean can screwed to a length of timber. A full on days work and we had 69 holes in the ground,

Footing inspection carried out by the building inspector.

The council approved the house applcation.

Turn around time was just over a week.

$1,000.00

The Council require a report for the slab/footing or in our case the post hole depth and diameter.

$ 350

H.H The structural engineer took 5 weeks to complete the drawings. (They tend to be busy)

The Council require a report from an approved proffesional detailing your waste water managment system.

The report took a couple of weeks to complete and included a couple of options.

$385

You need a soil survey to send to the structual engineer and for the grey/black water system design.

H.H. This took about 6 weeks from request to completetion, and is needed before the grey water design or the structural engineer's report can begin. Get it booked up early. YOU WILL NEED ONE !

$ 400

Yay a big mile milestone for us, very pleased.

Because we're not Australian we had to get the purchase approved by the Foriegn Investment Review Board. but this was no drama.

Solicitors Fee's $ 1,169.00

Stamp duty on land. $1,030.00

H.H, Use a solicitor that's been recomended by someone that has nothing to do with the sale.

Chose the floor and wall tiles, the kitchen colours, got samples for the roof and facia/gutter colours. Got a new price based on the altered ceiling hieghts , the cathedral ceiling and the hardwood floor.

$ 104,426.00 ( to be paid over 3 or 4 installments )

H.H Cyclone Rating. (I'm not sure where the cut off is, around Bundaberg I think ). If your house needs to be cyclone rated be perpared for this to add to the cost of your kit. about $6k in our case.

Make sure you know what you are buying, get an inclusion list and if possible an exclusion list.

Find out to what level the kit is built. Pre-assmbled wall frames, roof trusses etc etc.

You Need to obtain a certificate before you can manage a self build.

I did it by correspondence, you have to fill out a question sheet based on the course material and submit a detailed costing estimate of your project.

$300

Blue Card. You need to be a blue card holder to work on a constrction site (including your own). 4 hours attendance at the local college. Multiple choice questions ( VERY straightforwad )

$80