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Owner Builder interview: How Neil the engineer is building a rock solid house
It’s true of Owner Building, like so many things in life, that you may want to build your house quick, build it cheap, and build it good, but, well, you’re probably going to have to pick two out of the three. Neil Gallegos, from Quindanning in the wheatbelt of Western Australia, is definitely building it…
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Thinking about Owner Building?
Most people use a builder to build their house, but if you do it well, Owner Building can be a great path to a better quality house at a lower cost. It’s not an easy path though, saving money requires investing a huuuuuge amount of your own time, and building a house is a very…
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Owner Builder Step 5 – Drawings
So you have completed steps 1-4: And you are ready for Step 5, a set of drawings. What do you want to achieve? Diving into the detail too fast can miss the big picture. If you engage an architect they won’t start by asking whether you want a walk-in robe or what ceiling height you’d…
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Owner Builder Step 6 – Permits
I mean, not necessarily exactly in this order, and hopefully not without good attention to the step I’m convering here – the permits and permissions you will need for your Owner Build. The process I’m going to describe is for Western Australia, be aware that the process does vary a great deal by state. Planning…
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Builder to lockup, then Owner Build
A question which gets asked a lot in Australia’s owner builder forums, is whether to get a builder to build the house to lockup, and then take over to complete the home as an owner builder. On the face of it, this is an appealing option. It doesn’t seem very common in practice though. Why…
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How much will I save if I owner build my house?
If there’s one question that pops up ALL THE TIME on Australia’s owner builder forums, it’s this one: ‘how much will I save if I owner build my house’? And those questions make sense. Building a house is probably the most expensive thing you’ll ever do. It makes sense to want to know the price.…
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Why Paul is building his own house from straw bales
Building a house by hand from straw bales, and how owner builders save money on their builds. Jessica Kennedy interviews Paul Dowling in the Perth hills, Western Australia. Highlights, with photos (YouTube) Full version (audio podcast) Where to learn more Read more at Paul’s build blog, see more work from his architects, and the podcast…
