Knock RebuildDownGuide B u i l d B e t t e r w i t h B e n t l e y
Contents BENTLEY HOMES Message from the Director Our Values Why Bentley Homes? A Fresh Start with Bentley Homes Why Knock Down & Rebuild? Understanding Site Features Tips to Consider when choosing The Right Home Key things you need to know? Your Customer Journey Key Milestones Items that can pop up Why is a Building Surveyor Important? 4 6 8 10 12 16 19 20 24 26 28 30 WELCOME - KNOCK DOWN REBUILD EFFECTIVE 9TH SEPTEMBER 2022
A frommessagetheDirector
The Managing Director of Bentley Homes with his many years of experience, brings a combination of domestic, commercial, and civil construction expertise to every new project. Knowing you’re in the hands of a Registered Builder and Civil Engineer is certainly a comforting thought for what is probably your biggest Combininginvestment.industry leading design with everyday useability, our contemporary homes aim to satisfy your every need. We understand that that not every family has the same needs, so our team are committed to ensuring that you find the home that is a perfect fit for your lifestyle. We are proud of what we build, and we look forward to working with you, so that you can enjoy the reassuring quality & design of your very own Bentley Home. Bentley Homes is a multiple HIA and MBAV award winning new home builder. We carefully control the number of homes we build per year to manage the quality of construction, with enough volume to ensure we have the best buying power and strategic agreements in place with our suppliers. Ashley Sladen Managing Director 3
WELCOME - KNOCK DOWN REBUILD
Innovative floorplans
Integrated in our designs as our standard are features such as included voids and bulkheads to provide a higher looking ceiling, niches to walls to open rooms, 400mm deep breakfast bars to the already very wide and long island benches in the kitchen. We also offer inclusions like microwave towers into the design and to our Double Storey designs provide wider staircases with upgraded hardwood treads and risers with a single step platform and build over the garage to increase the use of backyard space. Upgraded Design Features are Our Standard 5
Outstanding Service Through our innovative technology, we offer you full transparency with Geosite house siting and site analysis software, providing up front information about your block as well as providing accurate and up to date information wherever possible like detailed client & site specific drawings for your Colour, Tender and Contract appointments. Full Transparency
We design and build award winning home designs with the ability to step slabs for moderately sloping blocks as well as adding laundry chutes whilst offering spaces cleverly designed for lifestyle & privacy.
Better Service Better Design
Prioritising the design of the home is one of our main objectives which means our attention to detail distinguishes us. We call these our “Bentleyisims” Unrivalled Designs
Our clients have direct contact with our site managers to ensure open communication throughout the build process, plus a dedicated Customer Service Administrator throughout the entire pre site and onsite journey.
We’ve been building impressive homes for over 16 years and we are widely regarded as one of the highest quality builders in the industry Our reputation of building great quality homes is highlighted by our genuine reviews. This has also provided us with an amazing opportunity to be a part of Building 4 0 CRC Long Established Reliability & Reputation
We also nominate our brands and materials as much as possible in our sales quotes, so you get full transparency Premium Brand Name Fixtures and Fittings
We take fewer risks, using premium materials and accredited engineering for superior build quality, not the cheapest materials. We also provide you with superplasticised (water reduced) concrete, MGP10 pine framing and reduced deflection in our floor joist system
Better Value Better Built
Superior Quality Construction
We only use tested, well known and trusted suppliers for things you can see but also for things you can’t see such as timber framing and structural fixings
These are all available on display and in our Allure colour showroom along with the included upgrades which are part of the floorplan designs. Market Leading Inclusions
Proven Construction Processes
We tailor our business around quality and reduce our site supervisor to home ratio to focus on producing quality not quantity Lower On-site Job Numbers 6
We provide included upgrades as part of our standard inclusions and floorplans, meaning you need to upgrade less as a result of our premium no charge included options
Many of the product choices in our Allure colour showroom have multiple options to choose from that are often paid upgrades with other builders More Product Choices
Our team are experienced and have a lot of expertise. We retain our experienced site supervisors long term, providing you with a team that knows our systems, processes and how to build our homes
Why Bentley Homes?
Experienced Our length and breadth of work offers our customers extra insight, reliability and confidence. Quality Focused Our homes are designed and built to be practical, appealing and high value, not speed and low costs like others.
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Responsive We aim to reply and assist promptly, always. We only take on what we can and eliminate risks that would affect our reputation. Knowledgeable We know what makes a quality design and build & how to implement our “Bentleyisims”
Transparent Our process, designs and pricing are the most transparent in the industry.
Personal We know and care for our customers individually Presite to Onsite is completed by the same Customer Service Administrator Professional We are experts in residential building, structural engineering, and quality construction. Trustworthy We understand with the highest level of transparency, honestly and integrity
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For more peace of mind, check out our verified reviews from an even spread of pre and post construction customers on Product Review. See why so many are choosing to build with us and refer their friends to us.
Often a homeowner will consider a renovation before deciding to build a new home as interestingly we see many instances where a renovation is less cost effective than a knock down and rebuild solution The possibility of uncovering nasty surprises when you rip up floorboards or knock down walls can turn a simple home reno into a homeowner’s nightmare, and before you know it you are faced with costs way higher than you initially planned A renovation also requires working within the limitations of your current structure with little room to move or compromise As the knockdown rebuild specialists building new homes within the northern, eastern, and western suburbs, as well as south east suburbs of Melbourne, Bentley Homes offer affordable yet premium options and the freedom to choose your dream home with ease.
A Fresh Start with Bentley Homes
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Love your address but feel like your home isn’t quite meeting the demands of your lifestyle? What if there was a way for you to upgrade your home and stay in the same postcode? Your neighbourhood might be perfect, however if your home leaves a lot to be desired, it might be time to consider a Knock Down Rebuild. Not only will you get complete control over the look and feel of your property and won’t have to make compromises with the existing design limitations, you’ll also be able to potentially save big. This is a great option for many homeowners and offers a range of benefits including money, time and savings, allowing you the chance to spend less time in an active construction site and more time in a beautiful home, that’s truly your own.
Why you should consider a Knock Down & Rebuild Home 11
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Fixed building costs so there are no cost blow outs like you potentially face with a home renovation Keeping the equity in your land and avoid paying stamp duty and selling costs. You get to stay close to local shops, amenities, and services you use every day, you are comfortable with, and already love Keeping your children at their current school. Your new home will take advantage of natural light to improve cooling and heating performance, also utilise sustainable materials and energy efficient technologies to minimise your environmental footprint and be energy efficient.
Knock down and rebuilding is a great option for many homeowners and offers a range of benefits including money and time, allowing you the chance to spend less time in an active construction site and more time in a beautiful home that’s truly your own. 13
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Overshadowing & Overlooking These building regulations ensure the surrounds of your home and its effect on neighbours This is often something we can’t advise exactly on until our Sales Design Phase however our process of a Building Surveyor Pre assessment means these impacts to your home are raised in sales stage, not after a contract has been signed. 15
We can explain as much as you need, to assist in understanding what you need to know upfront.
Also, ensure you take your existing driveway position into account when you are choosing a home design as a driveway relocation is not always something your local council will entertain.
Building and Planning Regulations
You can contact your local council to establish if there are any overlays i.e heritage, acoustic or vegetation overlays that affect your parcel of land
Orientation and natural light
All new dwellings must comply with the State Government Building Regulations as well as the local Government Planning Schemes, where minimum front, side and rear setbacks need to be met. In established areas, the council requires the setback of the primary frontage of your home to be the average setback of both of your neighbours
Understanding potential site features that may impact the design of your new Bentley Home
Should you wish to alter your front setback or driveway location, you will require to obtain approval through council. This process can commence post the completion of your tender appointment and the expected time frame of assessment is approximately 12 weeks for report and consent, or approximately 4 months for town planning. If this is knocked back your plans need to be re updated and you will need to start the process from tender stage so we can draw and sign off on your plans that will be approved.
Sloping sites and driveway gradients
In simple terms, to make the most of the sun for warmth and natural light, your homes main living areas (or any rooms you use a lot) ideally should be north facing. The main glazing in the house, such as windows and glass doors, should also face north.
When designing a driveway on a sloping lot it is important to ensure its aesthetically pleasing, functional and safe Regardless of whether your vehicle is a 4WD or a sports car, there are maximum gradients allowed by Australian Standards, however if you do have specific requirements, it’s important that you nominate this in your contract
Easements
Do you intend to put in a new pool? Or keep an old one? Please ensure you discuss this with Bentley Homes upfront as this can have an impact on which home designs you can proceed with and how we plan the site to optimise this area. Any pool whether it be existing or new, can impact how we construct the home, as we need to maintain a safe workplace. Bentley Homes requires a minimum distance between your home and pool, you will also be required to install a hard pool cover to Australian Standards, prior to construction commencing. 16
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An easement is a section of land registered on your property title which gives another party i e your local water authority, the right to use your land for a specific purpose, such access to water mains or sewerage, even though they are not the landowner. Easements can impact which designs will work, as the relevant authority owns the easement and will require access to the easement to make repairs or maintain the pipes. Should you wish to build over an easement, you will require to obtain approval before building permits can be issued. This process can commence post the completion of your tender appointment and the expected time frame of assessment is approximately six weeks. Street access You will need to consider how accessible your lot is for both demolition and construction Size of roads, schools in the area, overhead power lines, double handling of material, fire hydrants, the requirement for traffic management, i.e if you are on a busy road, do you have no standing signs? Or are you in a difficult to access area? All of these things will need to be factored in. Restricted access may incur additional charges due to management of traffic and manual loading/unloading of materials and goods Neighbours Neighbours can play a part in assisting with the approval of your design. Should your proposed build fall outside of the building regulations or council planning requirements, you should gain consent from your neighbours upfront as any objections they may have can affect the design of your home (ceiling heights and windows etc), and this can delay your build time. Neighbours also need to be engaged regarding shared fencing as depending on your build, fencing may need to be removed prior to site start Existing or future pool
Versatility Living in a home that has the flexibility to be used for different purposes and grow as your family grows, is ideal. Your dream home needs to be versatile if it’s going to be your “forever home”
Tips to consider when choosing the right home design for you
Determine how much you can afford to spend on your dream home. Ultimately this will determine what type of lot you can build on, where you can build as well as decide the size of the home and the specification level you want to achieve.
Storage Choosing a floor plan that offers plenty of storage such as cupboards, walk in robes and linen closets will not only make it easy for you to organise your things, but also save space around your home Room for overnight guests? Do you often entertain overnight guests? If your home is frequently used to host family and friends, you might want to think about an extra bathroom and extra living space so visitors can enjoy a bit of time to themselves.
Energy efficiency When building a new home, you should consider building one that takes advantage of our Melbourne climate, that is positioned in the direction of the northerly sunlight and harnesses solar energy through clever building techniques This will not only help you reduce your carbon footprint but could help you save hundreds on your future energy bills.
Resale & Longevity
Some floor plans, for example, have a versatile room that can be used as a study, rumpus room for the kids, teenagers retreat or media room depending on your stage of life. You must ask yourself whether open plan, conventional sectioned off areas for extra privacy, or homes that offer the perfect blend of the two, are the ideal living arrangement for your family.
Quite often people chose what’s needed in their home at the current time and plans, and not their 5 year plan. If you ever resell the home or end up staying longer than originally planned, what options are needed to be floated, like a bedroom downstairs?
Land size and location
Budget
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Consider what type of lot you will be building on. If it is an oddly shaped or sloping block, you may have to consider a more unique or customised home design to suit. The good news is that Bentley Homes can work with the lot’s shape or gradient to accommodate lot's of most shapes and sizes. Where your home is being built and whether it fits in with the streetscape is also important when choosing a home design and complementary façade to suit your local area. 18
Key things you need to know before construction can commence
Upon commencement of the demolition, please inform the demolition company of the following details which need to be completed: Cap sewer connection and remove line from house. Cap water meter and tap and remove line from house (water tap and meter to remain on site).
Disconnect power and gas which the demolition company will inform you of, but the utility company will need time to complete. Please ensure the lot is cleared of all excess soil and rubbish before informing your Customer Service Administrator that the 2nd soil and site survey can be undertaken 19
The demolition process It’s always best practice to obtain 2 3 demolition quotes as pricing and inclusions can vary a great deal. Some demolition contractors include service disconnections, tree removal, asbestos removal etc in their scope of works, while others allow for the demolition works only.
When arranging your demolition, you will need to obtain a “Demolition Permit”. The company completing the demolition of your existing home typically will arrange this as part of their service for you. Please obtain a copy of the permit and forward it on to your Customer Service Administrator as we will require to submit this when applying for a building permit.
Client meetings as necessary
Building Regulations “ResCode” assessment Assessment against relevant provisions of both the state framework and the local planning policy framework Water sensitive urban design assessment Storm water report (where required)
Council liaison & meetings with town planning department Detailed design Site analysis plan
Overshadowing diagram
Building Regulations “ResCode” assessment Prepare and lodge town planning application and follow up with council Assist with the town planning process including representing client at council meetings and negotiations with neighbours. 20
Legal point of discharge – Drainage
Overshadowing diagram
Concept Design and town planning
Design response plan
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Asbestos If Asbestos is removed from your existing home to be demolished, then an Asbestos clearance certificate will be issued to you by the demolition company. Bentley Homes will require a copy of this certificate. In the unlikely event that Asbestos is found during our construction process, we may require you to arrange for a professional site clean.
Provisional costs could be added to your quote should you want to change any town planning restrictions.
Streetscape diagram overlooking diagrams
Underground power pit installation: Bentley Homes constructs all new dwellings with underground power As your existing dwelling will likely have overhead power which will be abolished prior to your demolition, you will need to arrange the installation of an underground electricity pit through your provider. This process can be commenced prior to the demolition of your home and can be lengthy. Contact your provider for an application form. Note: This is different to you power retailer, which charges you for your electricity usage. Once application has been submitted and paid, it can take approximately 4 6 weeks for the installation of the underground electricity pit. From there, your electricity pit can take a further 21 days to be energised (made live). Bentley Homes requires a live electricity power pit prior to construction commencing Single/Three phase power If you intend on having refrigerated air conditioning or have an existing or proposed pool, you will require three phase power to be installed, as a single phase power supply will be insufficient.
The legal point of discharge is a point specified by Council where storm water from a property must be discharged. This point is usually Council’s storm water drain, where available, or street kerb and channel. All sites require a legal point of discharge (LPOD) and a sewer tie within the property boundary for drainage prior to site start. Note, in some cases your existing LPOD maybe unsatisfactory for a new dwelling. Council will determine whether your LPOD is satisfactory or not Any additional construction as a result of an unsatisfactory LPOD required will be determined at this point.
Town Planning This could be required, and we will find this information once property information ordered. This could add delays for council to approve plans and any changes to plans will also add further delays as they only approved the final construction plans.
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Site considerations: Please notify us of any trees you wish to retain onsite If the home falls within the perimeter of the tree canopy an arborist report will be needed and the installation of tree root barriers may be required Please also notify us of the condition of all fencing, as all fences must be in good order if they are to be retained. If the garage is to be located on the boundary, a fence may need to be removed. It is your responsibility to organise with your neighbour for the removal and re installation of any fences that may be affected.
When to demolish Don’t swing out the wrecking ball just yet until your planning permit (if such exists) for your new home has been approved. Councils often ask for extra information before they approve new homes, all of which may take up to several months and if neighbours object. Last thing you want is to unnecessarily be paying for a rental property until such time your planning permit is approved. Clear site Prior to commencing construction, Bentley Homes require your site to be clean and clear following the demolition of your home. You will need to ensure your demolition company removes all debris including bricks, tree roots, timber and concrete which can commonly be left just below the surface of soil, which are then exposed when construction of your new home commences. Should any debris be found, additional costs to remove will apply Ensure you check your site once demolition is complete and provide Bentley Homes with a photo confirming your site is ready for construction.
Asset protection Asset protection is required to protect council assets. You will require one for the demolition of your existing home and then a separate one for building your new home Bentley Homes will only arrange the Asset protection for the new build, not the demolition. An additional security bond could be required
Crossover protection
Protection of neighbouring property protection of works notice If your new home building works is close to or adjacent to adjoining property boundary, then you may be required to carry out a protection of works notice relating to the adjoining property. This is to ensure that the adjoining property is not affected or damaged by your building work An adjoining property is considered to be any land at risk of significant damage from the building works. The building surveyor will then determine if protection of works notice is required. 22
This is something we add to your provisional quote to ensure trucks don’t damage your cross over during the completion of your home.
Re-establishment survey An additional item will be included in your provisional quote for a re establishment survey via a registered land surveyor. This is required for all demolitions as it will indicate clear title boundaries. This allows us to accurately locate your home with respect to the official site boundaries. If your fence has been in place for longer than 7 years, these fence boundaries will form the width of the block and not what’s showing on your POS or survey.
Your Site Supervisor is responsible for building your new home, also doing the final presentation of your home before handover. During construction, you are more than welcome to meet with them on site to inspect your home, and we recommend doing this at the key stages of your build. 23
Your customer journey with Bentley Homes
At Bentley Homes, we help you navigate through the journey every step of the way If you know what to expect, the emotional ride becomes easier and more enjoyable Remember, we understand how challenging this phase of the journey can be, which is why as professional builders, we step up our communication about the progress that is being made behind the scenes We find that educated clients can better manage their emotions through the whole process, especially as we get ready to move into the home stretch So, how do you best navigate this emotional journey? How do you enjoy the highs and take the dips in stride?
External Finance Broker
At Bentley Homes, we believe transparency and awareness about the process goes a long way. We recommend you study the journey and know what is going to happen and when. It is important to think of the journey as a story, and the pre and onsite construction schedule as the plot outline. We will fill that outline with details that will help make the journey a great experience from start to end. To assist you along your journey, you will have access to these Key Team Members: New Home Consultant Our New Home Consultant will showcase a selection of homes that best suit your lifestyle. They will take you through your desired plan, advise on the inclusions along with providing you with an initial quotation indicating provisional / indicative costs.
We can recommend a free external brokerage team to you which has many years of experience in financial services specific to the construction industry. Off the plan/Construction finance is different and most brokers, every bank, don’t know to structure the off the plan purchase. Being external, we do not receive any financial benefits, we just want the best and to avoid delays, increased loan amounts and unnecessary issues. They will understand the different loan products available, be able to give you the best deal around and help you find the best product to your needs They have more products and options than a standard bank which will save you time and shopping around Interior Designer
Your Interior Designer is here to assist you with colour combinations and product solutions to bring your theme to life With the continued support from our trusted suppliers, your Interior Designer will also provide you with information on current trends and tips on styling Customer Service Administrator (CSA) Your Customer Service Administrator (CSA) will guide you through every step of the way They will prepare and explain your documentation including your new home contract and obtain all necessary permits and approvals on your behalf They will also explain the building process without using building jargon
Site Supervisor (SS)
Drafting Specialist (D) Our drafting team are skilled in structure, design, building site analysis and design documentation
WELCOME - KNOCK DOWN REBUILD EFFECTIVE 9TH SEPTEMBER 2022
Our team will work with you to: Guide you on a walkthrough of the homes Explain the “Bentleyisims” & included upgrades Show you a preliminary 3D Geositing to help you understand your siting and solar Prepare your initial quote preparation Personalise your home and demonstrate our quality inclusions and upgrade options available to you Home Proposal
SALES Meet and Greet
Preliminary site investigations Preliminary design & pricing Building surveyor pre assessment
You have also now qualified to attend our Allure colour show room to assist with finalising your options. To prepare for your colour information session, research colour themes you like and bring this in to discuss with your Colour Consultant. Sales Sign Off
We will present you with all the information to review and proceed to the next stage
You have chosen your selections and would like to see how everything has come together. We provide you with as much information we can provide to you to assist you in taking the next steps forward.
Journey Begins
You are now familiar with our standard and upgrade options available to you in our Allure showroom, so it’s time to bring your theme to life. At your colour selection appointment, you will choose everything from your external façade and internal colour palette, fixtures, fittings as well as nominate your electrical requirements. 25
Our experienced sales team will discuss suitable design options for your lot, also do a site assessment to ensure we have taken into consideration the potential site features that may impact the design of your new Bentley Home
Once all the documentation has been signed, your file is then submitted to Bentley Homes Head Office. PRE-SITE Intro Call Now that your file has been submitted to Bentley Homes Head Office, a Customer Service Administrator (CSA) will be appointed who will take care of you throughout the pre site and construction journey of building your new home. They will call you to introduce themselves, also book your necessary appointments including your colour information and selection appointment, tender and contract signing appointment. Colour & Electrical Selection
Key Milestones
You have found the perfect new home design and you are ready to progress a step further to building your dream new home. An initial deposit is now payable to secure a KDR site start and our current pricing, also finalise your Design Brief and quotation including any final options and structural variations required. Our team will then prepare your: Soil, Survey and Property Information ordering
CONSTRUCTION
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Congratulations, you are now the proud owner of a Bentley Home Everything you envisaged has become a reality and the construction of your dream home is now complete Enjoy your Bentley Home, a home which will be the foundation that holds the greatest of memories for many years to come. Warranty Inspection Complete works Provide Customer Survey Completion of Warranty 26
Site Start Preparation
Contract Appointments
We are at the final stages of having your home ready for construction. Now that your HIA building contract has been signed, your CSA will start to apply for all the relevant permits, including your Homeowners Warranty Insurance Bentley Homes will order a second soil and survey, also are establishment survey to indicate clear title boundaries Site costs can be confirmed once reports received if not already provided. A couple of things that you will need to provide us include: Final bank approval Demolition & asbestos certificate Electricity pit confirmation
Once you have completed your colour appointment, we can now prepare your tender document and drawings. A further deposit at this point is payable to Bentley Homes, so we can prepare your HIA building contract and contract drawings. A contract signing appointment will follow and is simply a compilation of documents including your signed tender, colour selection, specifications, inclusions, contract drawings and detailed site plan. It will be presented to you in a HIA plain English Building Contract, and once signed, the balance of 5% of your building contract is payable to Bentley Homes. A couple of things that you will need to provide us include: Funding details of your financial institution Solicitor or conveyancer details if not already provided.
On site journey Once construction commences and we are on site, your CSA and/or Site Supervisor will provide you with regular updates and progress of your new home and arrange inspections with you at each stage if required Your CSA will also undertake the administration component whilst on site which includes invoicing of stage claims and obtaining your occupancy permit.
Your New Home Consultant may ask for some of the following information to assist us in giving you the most accurate information from the start of your journey: Plan of subdivision Neighbouring properties front setback. The setback on our client’s proposed build is to be an average of the Neighbours Do you have an existing pool or planning on putting a future pool in? Any trees that are wanting to be left or removed Does your site have and easements? Whether they are operational easement or decommissioned, these need to be taken into consideration Street accessibility will need to be considered for both demolition and construction works Indication and direction of slope (if any)
There are some things that can arise in the tender appointment that can surprise you. Below is some information to review to give you the best amount of time to understand and prepare any questions
Double handling of material allowance this is required if we are putting a garage on a boundary when there is already an existing garage on the boundary Removal of trees Client responsible for arborist report & tree removal including roots & stumps.
Items that can pop up at a later stage..
What are my site costs? The two questions that come us more often than all other is “what are my site costs” and “what changes can I make to the plans”.
Please read on for more information on this and additional costs which can impact your site works component is as follows: Items which are considered: Tiger tails due to low lining powerlines Crane hire due to site access limitations this will be accessed by our Construction Manager at time of Site Assessment Shade cloth for scaffold to double storey homes Traffic management Are there street restrictions reducing the size of trucks allowed to access the site? Are there bus stops or fire hydrants? Is there a school zone? Spotters and dogman required for deliveries Road closures need to be applied for Signs on footpath Restrictions on parking at the front of the block allowing for deliveries and trade parking
ASKED QUESTIONS
How are my site costs calculated? We provide a Site Costs & Connections provision of $33,500 generally on all KDRB sites on sites of up to 800mm of fall which includes as follows: We feel for sites greater than 800mm of fall that it would be misleading to guesstimate costs as and we suggest taking the next step in the journey to be able to more realistically quantify costs
Note: A Planning consent will be required if any trees need to be removed Hoarding May be required to protect the public 27
On the following pages, we hope to answer these questions as we’re regularly asked about site costs including how we break them down, what’s included and why they’re included Along with this we’ll describe why is better not to modify the house until we get a better understanding of how it sits on your lot. Final site costs cannot be confirmed until completion of demolition and a second soil test, second survey and final engineering have been received in Stage 21 where we can determine whether we have to allow for factors such as tree root excavation, asbestos, removal, standalone sunken rainwater tanks, etc Once received they will be examined and any associated costs will be amended accordingly and we do try to err on the side of conservatism as we’ve seen.
FREQUENTLEY
In Stage 2 of your journey, our Building Surveyor will assess the site for compliance with the local authority’s planning framework and the Building Regulations. There are many factors to consider including overlooking onto your neighbour’s property, overshadowing where a shadow is cast into your neighbour’s open space or their habitable room windows and the requirements for Recreational Private Open Space (RPOS)
Title Released? Does a private covenant exist? Does a Section 173 agreement exist? Does restriction on PS exist? Does a MCP exist?
If we undermine a retaining wall this can affect the stability to the neighbour’s property so we need to ensure that if this is the case, the right steps have been taken to ensure best practice This involves getting a protection works notice If protection works are required where we would be compromising your neighbours building, this can add delays to the project and is based on council and neighbouring processing timeframes. When should I demolish my site? Understandably you are trying to organise moving out of your home, length of time that you will need to stay out for, how long it will take to build and so on. Many people don’t understand how long the planning process can take for this and how much isn’t up to the builder (planning and approval process).
The simple answer is if you want to be in asap, then you demolish your house asap It can take approximately 3 months to prep your house for site start including all the steps required to demolish your house. Those steps are: Done by you: Abolishment of services (4 6 weeks)
Demolish house & Clearance Certificates (2 3 weeks) Electrical underground pit application and installation (4 6 weeks) Done by us: Second soil and survey (2 weeks) Site assessment check (1 week)
Site start If you start this process whilst we prepare your file and have it all done before we get to contracts, we can ensure that we will be able to build on it straight away and also provide more fixed information that may have been held up due to the house on the block This demo can happen during or happen at the end once contracts signed, the decision is up to you and we fully support both options
More customers are deciding to start the demolition process earlier whilst we get you to contract due to the growth in property prices and their comfort knowing that they are building a new home no matter what happens between now and contract stage Our process also allows us to give you so much information upfront excluding the colour options and the site works cost. We still give a very accurate estimate once we return to you with your final information, so that you know very close to what everything will be based on our process being more upfront than others 28
Why is it important to give all my wish list items at the design brief stage?
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Some of the items our Building Surveyor check are: Is a Planning Permit required as lot < 300sqm or < 500sqm Are there Council Schedule 6 requirements affecting the lot? Are there any overlays affecting the lot? Is the site subject to flooding (Regulation 153 & 154) Is Build Over/Works Near Easement Consent required?
Essentially, we are checking to ensure what you want works within the parameters of what we are able to do Any changes that occur after this means that the benefit of doing this pre assessment are therefore redundant. These changes will potentially affect something later on an surprise you which is exactly this process is trying to eliminate. Why do retaining walls on boundary affect my build & Cost? Are there retaining walls on the boundary? Retaining walls are an important consideration for both your site and the neighbouring allotments. Where we install retaining wall under 600mm in height, we can make very accurate decisions on price, type and sized. Where retaining walls greater than 600mm are needed a full assessment can only be made upon making an application for a Building Permit
There are a few to get through and it’s important to get the all the planning done as accurately as possible up front. Our difference is providing it to you through our pre- assessment checking stage in sales, rather than waiting to have the actual assessment completed once your contracts have been signed. Its more upfront costs for us but we find more customer stability, obtain more referrals from this process and have more customer satisfaction by offering this different process.
Why is a building surveyor pre-assessing the design in sales stage so important? 29 BUILDING REGULATIONS THE IMPORTANT ONES 73 Maximum Street Setback 74 Minimum Street Setback 76 Site Coverage 80 Walls on Boundaries 81 Daylight to Existing Habitable Room Windows 78 Car Parking 86 Private Open Spaces 79 Side & Rear Setbacks 85 Daylight to Habitable Room Windows 3M2 Light Court 84 Overlooking 83 Overshadowing or RP O S 6A Garden Area 75 Building Height 82 Solar Access to Existing North Facing Habitable Room Windows
There are so many areas that make it difficult for a builder to control and provide the information upfront, but our main focus is to give you as much as we can whilst you’re still deciding on a builder in sales stage. You may not like the information we give you but this is based on all the building regulations and every builder will be tied to the same rules.
This is how we offer you a more upfront and transparent process with our experience as being a reputable knockdown builder in Melbourne. Its what can happen later on that we find customers don’t want to know later on, but as soon as possible.
Most properties will not have underground power as they are all still usually running off the overhead powerline, you will need to organize your own underground pit. This is done through the energy provider and is as simple as requesting a quote online. See below to see who the energy provider is.
Property information is a bunch of information that we need to pay to obtain for your property specifically. Its important to get this ordered and the information in ASAP as this is vital in knowing if there are any special drainage requirements which would be stated on the Legal Point of Discharge (LPD) or sewer information. We also obtain the building and planning reports asap as there are a significant percentage of KDRB have planning permits or report and consents required due to overlays or design. We aim to obtain this before contract signing so that any issues can be provided to you upfront.
Generally, quotes can be around $3,000 $6,000 so make sure that you have money put aside for this to not delay your site start.
FOR EXAMPLE COMPANY PowerCor Aus Ausnet Services United Energy Citipower Jemena AREA SERVED West / West Victoria Outer North / East Victoria South East / Mornington City / Inner City North / North West FAULTS 13 24 12 13 17 99 13 20 99 13 12 80 13 16 26 GENERAL ENQUIRIES 13 22 06 1300 360 795 1300 131 689 1300 301 101 1300 131 871 30 EFFECTIVE 9TH SEPTEMBER 2022
EFFECTIVE 9TH SEPTEMBER 2022