The Most Comprehensive Owner Builder Checklist

“A goal without a plan is just a wish”

The preparation time you spend before starting an owner builder project can greatly reduce your total build cost and construction time. Achieving the best possible build result at the end will fall down to how well you planned out the construction process. That is why we have invested our time into creating a comprehensive owner-builder checklist.

Why spend the time planning now?

• Eliminate issues that may arise during the build
• Be organised during each step of the build process. Always know what the next step is.
• Line up and book in trades on time to ensure there are no delays
• Have materials on site ready for your tradesmen
• Easy forecasting
• Essentially save time and save money!

How are we going to help you out TODAY …

We have developed an ongoing series of articles that will run you through each stage. Each stage will outline in detail the various things you will need to accomplish. This owner builder checklist will help you complete each item of each stage easily and competently.

This owner builder checklist I used personally for our dream home renovation helped me stay ahead and keep my project running effectively and efficiently.

To Do Before Using Our Checklist

There are a few things we need to set straight first before we start using this checklist. The owner-builder checklist we have created can be used when we are 100% organised and ready to make a start. Luckily for you, I will outline a few things below that I will need you to do first.

Know What You Want

So you know you want to embark on some sort of building project. But exactly what type of project? Build brand new, knockdown, and re-build or extend? Have a sit down with the people that matter and assess the situation you are in and what the best option is for all involved moving forward. Sometimes it is easier to build brand new. However, renovating and extending is an option if you live in a nice suburb already.

For us, we went down the renovating and extension path. We love where we live and our neighbours are great too. With this in mind, we decided to build a future-proof home right where are. So far no regrets ;).

Estimate A Rough Budget

Is this project viable is the next question. Can you afford to complete this project right to the end? The last thing we ever want to do is run short of cash with an unfinished home on our hands. Running some figures first will help you get an understanding of how much you can afford to do. If you are looking to borrow an amount, then going through personal finances to ensure you can afford it at completion doesn’t hurt either.

Once we knew what we wanted to do we asked ourselves what we thought the real cost would be. We came up with a figure and used this to estimate how much our loan would be at completion. We updated our personal finances to check if the repayments were affordable for us week in week out.

Get Organised

There will be countless and countless amounts of paperwork you will need to hang on to. A filing system will need to be in place before we can even think to start. I like to store all my paperwork in clearly labeled folders. I usually store in separate folders plans, permits, quotes/contracts, and invoices/receipts.

Being organised and having all the information ready at your fingertips when you need it can be helpful. Other than being helpful, it will make things less time-consuming and less stressful too.

Sign Up To Get The Checklist

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