Category: Home Improvement

HOMEBUILDER: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Eligibility of the HomeBuilder Grant

The Government has announced a HomeBuilder Grant of $25,000 for all new home buyers, not just first home buyers. Read on to see if you are eligible! Would a $25,000 Grant encourage you to build a new home? That’s what the Government hopes to achieve with the announcement of the HomeBuilder Grant as part of the Treasury Coronavirus Economic Response.

When is it available?

HomeBuilder will be available to eligible owner-occupiers where the contract is entered into between 4 June 2020 and 31 December 2020. This is subject to approval, implementation and administration by the State Revenue Office. We are committed to ensuring every single one of our eligible customers receives the Grant, when it is confirmed.

How do I apply?

Following the announcement by the Federal Government, the Grant will be implemented by respective revenue offices in each of the States. Being the Housing Industry Association’s Most Professional

Jump into spring with Q Collection

The all-new Q Collection is where sought-after unique inclusions are matched with the award-winning industry stamp on innovation, design and customer service, proudly brought to you by Plantation Homes.

Fathers Day at Home

There’s no doubt Father’s Day might look and feel a little different for some of us this year, but there’s still good reason to celebrate the occasion, whether you are with loved ones, or missing them, or just want to have a fun day at home! We share our tips for hosting Fathers Day

 

Expert Guide for Building a Unique Single Storey House

Pre-planning and construction stages are crucial steps when building a unique single storey house

Are you planning to build a unique single storey house and wonder where to start? You have purchased your land and selected your architect. Now comes the important part of planning to build your unique single storey house. It can be an exciting stage of your life, but the process is far from smooth and easy.

Pre-planning

Single storey house plans require that all the necessary legalities are completed before any construction of your modern storey home can commence. This stage can take close to 1 year to complete. At this stage you can commence the formal contracts, the licenses required to build, finance applications are submitted.

Site planning and Construction stage

The size of the land and work required determines how much planning work is put into scheduling all the relevant trades to site. Demolishing of land and Excavation or flattening of the Site are the first bases of construction. After that comes the piers, footings and slab.

Structure

This process involves the installation of termite protection (a must in as per BCA standard) then internal and external bricks, or if the home is of a brick veneer construction, its frames then brickwork. Specialized work is introduced at this stage and expert electricians, Aircon and plumbers are hired to complete the installation of wires, pipes, gas and water.

Roofing

After all the preceding tasks have been completed your house will start to take shape. Your roof is installed, whether it be tiles or colorbond, the process is almost the same. then you can get a clear picture of what your home will look like. Gutters are added just prior to your roof, along with downpipes. The home is now watertight to install the plasterboard.

 

Tips to help you choose the right builder

Choosing the right builder is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. Fortunately, there are some proven ways to speed up the selection process to help make sure you find a quality builder who’s a good fit for you.

Work out what you need

What size, type and price range are you looking for for in new home? Most builders specialise in a specific type of home, price range or style. The building materials, tradespeople and even the building process itself can differ greatly by type and price of home. So look for the right fit for you.

Look for an experienced builder

Experience does matter. Look for a builder with strong experience in the type of home you want. Doing some research upfront will definitely pay off.

Are past customers happy?

Ask for references from past customers. Most builders offer references and referrals. Here are a couple of questions you may like to ask: Would you build again with this builder? Would you recommend them to friends and family? And don’t forget to ask for the reasons why they would or wouldn’t recommend them.

Make sure the builder is licensed and insured

Only choose a licensed builder. Also ask about the relevant insurances required. Make sure you have appropriate insurance cover during the building process, for total peace of mind.

 

A GUIDE TO HIRING HOUSE BUILDERS

Once you decide to build a home, you need to hire professionals who will become critical partners in the house construction process. One of these professionals is an architect and the other one is a home builder. Hiring competent house builders

One of the roles of a house builder is working with a mortgage company to track costs, collect payments and process lien requests. The builder will also act as a liaison with a building inspector, the local jurisdiction and architects for approvals and inspections among other things. Generally, the builder will have vast knowledge of every aspect of home construction and will help you make the right choices. The professional will oversee the project to ensure that you achieve your goals.

If you do not know people in this county, you can check reviews on the internet. Goods builders usually have many positive reviews. It is also wise to ask the builders you speak with to provide you with references from their former clients.

As you speak with builders, you should also seek to know how long they have been in business. The firms that have been in business for 3 or more years are more likely to be more financially stable than newly established firms. You should also consider if a company has a permanent office where you can reach it for reasons like warranty services. If a builder has a permanent business address, this is a sign of having a good reputation with suppliers, subcontractors and lending institutions.

Another factor to consider is whether a home builder is insured. The professionals should have general liability and workers compensation insurance. Responsible builders protect both their workers and their clients from liability.

 

YOUR BUILDING PROCESS

As an award-winning builder, we know that building a new home is easier and more enjoyable when you know what to expect.

DISPLAY INSPIRATION

Homes display centre is your first address for new home inspiration, showcasing the best of what we can do; a reflection of the quality and style we build each and every day. With six display centres, including three World of Homes experience centres located in premium locations

LET’S CHAT ABOUT YOUR NEW HOME PROJECT

Take the opportunity to chat one-on-one with a Homes New Home Consultant. They will assist you with choosing a home design and will take you on a personalised walk through of our display homes to assist with the preparation and presentation of your sales quotation.

SECURE YOUR QUOTE

A refundable deposit is required to secure the current listed base house price and promotional offer (if applicable). The initial deposit for all building projects is $1,000.

BE INSPIRED

Your New Home Consultant will book you in for your Inspiration Session, held in our Design Studio located in our Springwood head office, where you will discover how the colour selection appointment and process works.

CONFIRMING YOUR BUILD

Your New Home Consultant will confirm and review your land information and applicable site requirements, as well as finalise any plan or design changes and pricing queries. Please ensure all structural changes are finalised with your New Home Consultant during this appointment and your façade has been selected.

Start a Successful Home Remodeling Business with This Guide

Today, achieving financial progress is not a big deal and as difficult as it used to be. This is because we now have an ocean of opportunities for making a decent amount of money. For example, one can use the internet to start an online job or create a new startup. In the past few years, people were not good at choosing the right profession; they only looked at earning money, which is where they were wrong.

Did you know that you can earn a substantial income when you choose a profession you are good at? You can uplift your business in less time when compared to those who are not skilled in their jobs.

There are countless options to choose from in creating your dream career. Sometimes in life, you have to make important decisions that will be wonderful for your future. For instance, if you are good at home remodeling and renovation, you can select this route for your business. You may have heard it often that every business requires experience, but you need your skills for this one. And if you are really good at it, then you are going to run a successful business.

Like all other businesses, you need a guide to give your new business a good start. For this, you can visit home remodeling companies’ websites to see what types of services they provide to their clients and what they charge for them. Moreover, you can set one-on-one meetings to learn how they work. Apart from your efforts here, below are a few points that would help you accelerate your new home remodeling business.

 

Make a Solid Business Plan

Since you are sure you are going to use your skills and are planning on starting a home remodeling business, you have to make a solid and reliable plan. Planning beforehand is key to your success and plays a crucial role in uplifting your business. Decide on your budget and determine the time you need to invest in order to establish your business.

Learn Marketing Rules

Like all other businesses, home remodeling also requires contractors or home designers to establish good relations in the market. You’ll always need labor to do the jobs. Moreover, you’ll always need the help of some companies to complete your projects. For instance, if you are dealing with home paint, you need to invest in the right company.

 

People Skills

When starting a house renovation business, customers need to trust you. Your goal is to build a brand with a solid reputation that will have your customers raving about your work to their friends and neighbors. You will need hands-on technical skills to do home renovation, and these can be learned through internships on job sites as well as online courses in home remodeling. But while you build these skills, always remember that remodeling homes is all about working with the people who live in them. Trust and reputation are critical, and we recommend approaching the business from a ‘people-first’ perspective.

At the Beginning

Doing jobs for low-cost at the beginning is an excellent way to sharpen your skills as you ramp up. There is a huge marketing opportunity here, too-you can start building up your customer reviews and feedback to display on your website and social media long before ‘opening day’. Genuine reviews about your service from past customers is the best marketing strategy for dominating today’s home improvement industry. Remember to take (and post) pictures before, during, and after your home renovation work, always with your customer’s permission. For your potential customers, seeing is believing.

Marketing and Networking Ideas

Today, there are many easy and affordable marketing options to reach the customers who will be searching for your services online. For low-cost advertising, check out Google and facebook ads- both companies have been ramping up their efforts to serve local businesses.

Networking with other industry professionals, like wood, metal, glass, and paint suppliers, could be a great source of early referrals for your home renovation business. Make sure to invest in those relationships as you would with customers-they are key players to have on your team.

Starting a home improvement business is a big responsibility. Expectations are high, and you may have some competition at the beginning. But with a positive attitude and a professional approach, you can make a career out of doing what you love. Enjoy using your creative skills to improve the space that matters most to your customers-their homes!

 

Start out as a Subcontractor

Although the workload in the housing market is growing, the beginning will be all but simple. If you want to begin your business successfully, get ready for a multi-step process. First, start out as a regular worker in a home renovating business or a bigger (re)construction company. It will help you make connections in the field and gain some precious experience.

Then, learn the tricks of the trade regarding the financial side. As time goes by, start developing an exit strategy. For instance, start doing some less-challenging home renovation projects on your own as an extra job. If you’re good, you’ll get recommendations from your clients. As your workload keeps growing, hire assistants and increase the number of work hours. Finally, when your side job becomes your main source of income, leave your current position and launch a brand-new home renovation business.

Calculate Your Budget in Advance

As opposed to construction businesses, which are usually huge enterprises, home renovating ventures are managed more easily in financial terms. Nevertheless, don’t think it will be smooth sailing. With many entrepreneurs doing the same thing as you, the most important step is to ensure that you have enough budget to cover your initial expenses.

This budget should include your workers’ wages (direct labor), overhead expenses (the total cost of all the means you use to carry out the work) and direct materials (pretty self-explanatory)–read more about it here. When you’ve calculated all those initial expenses, it’s time to see what financing models you can apply for. Make appointments in several banks and check if they can offer you some affordable business loans. Also, do some research on government grants for small businesses. Even if you don’t qualify for one at the moment, it’s good to know what options you can count on in the future.

 

Know Your Numbers

For some time I’ve been giving a seminar aimed at smaller contractors — those under $600,000 — called “Small But Smart.” During the session, I always ask how many people in the room mark up their work 50% or more. Invariably, fewer than one out of 10 will raise his hand. The most common mistake made by newer remodelers is that they have no idea what the markup over cost must be in order to make a profit. As has been stated many times in this column, the minimum markup is 50%, and as a company grows, it is 67% and even higher. In the handyman business, the labor figure is over 100%. The biggest reason for this misunderstanding about markup is that most small company owners have never taken courses or attended seminars that show them how to break down job costs. Job cost is labor, including fringe benefits; materials, including sales tax and delivery; subcontractors; plans and permits; and cleanup. Overhead includes sales costs of 6% to 10%; production supervision of 4% to 6%; advertising; office management; tools and equipment; office equipment; and much more. Small companies have a minimum overhead of 26% to 30%, and larger companies range from 30% to 35%.

Are you thinking of renovating your bathroom?

How to get started

So you want to transform your damp, dilapidated bathroom into a modern masterpiece? Here’s how you get started.

Pull all of your ideas together 

Take a look at the amazing bathrooms and powder rooms in our collections. Like that massive showerhead? Save the image. Want his and her sinks? Find a few examples and save them. In addition to helping you form an idea of what you want your bathroom to look like, a collection of your ideas is an extremely useful to a designer. They can distill your ideas into your dream bathroom

Decide how much you’re willing to spend 

Whether you’re planning a massive renovation or just updating your shower, you’ll need to sit down and think carefully about how much you’re willing to spend. It can help to think of renovations as an investment – regardless of whether or not you’re intending to sell. To start, decide how you’re going to actually pay for the project. Then, review each item going into the renovation and try to find a price for it. This is a good way to eliminate costly, unnecessary extras.

Put a plan in place

With your ideas in hand and a budget mapped out, it’s time to speak to a designer and have a chat about timelines. The key thing here is figuring out what you’ll do while the bathroom is out of commission. If you’ve got another bathroom you’ll be fine, but you may need to pop around to a friend’s house for showers for a while!

 

3 Things Nobody Tells You About Renovating Your Bathroom

How much does a bathroom remodel cost? More than you think.

Think you can remodel your bathroom head to toe for a couple thousand dollars? We hate to tell you: the average cost of a bathroom remodel was $11,364 in 2016, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). A basic, low-grade renovation with less expensive materials or smaller swaps could run from $1,500 to $5,000, while a top-of-the-line, tip-to-toe renovation could run up to $23,000.

NKBA estimates that, broken down, most of this cost comes from fixtures and plumbing (about 29 percent), followed by counters and surfaces (21 percent), labor (20 percent), and cabinetry and hardware (16 percent). Keep in mind: they advise that, all told, your bathroom project should cost no more than 5 to 10 percent of your home’s value.

You may want to rethink that statement-making bathtub.

You may be tempted to upgrade your bathroom with a dramatic freestanding bath. But it might not be the most practical choice going forward, particularly if you’re petite, hate cleaning, have an old rickety house, like to take long baths, or take more showers than baths.

Flattering lighting requires planning.

Don’t think you can install a few lights and call it a day: because bathrooms are sometimes small and/or dark and filled with mirrors (which complicates how light bounces around), lighting requires careful thought and placement. The simplest way to light a bath is a single diffuse light in the center of the ceiling. Have a bathroom that’s already pretty bright? A pair of wall sconces should be sufficient. Thinking about ceiling-inset downlights? Place with care: avoid installing directly over light-colored countertops (since those will reflect the lights), and place close to the wall over a vanity to maximize light when looking in the mirror. And if you spend a lot of time applying makeup, consider vertical fluorescent light fixtures on either side of the mirror.

 

Budget Considerations

1- Evaluate Your Finances

Although you can research the average bathroom remodeling cost for your area, every remodeling project is unique. How much a homeowner actually spends will vary depending on the size of the space, the intensity of the project, and the quality of materials used. Before starting your remodel, examine what you think you can spend and then ask for an estimate from several contractors. Set realistic expectations for yourself.

2- Consider The Essentials

A bathroom remodel price tag will range depending on what you plan to replace and what accessories you plan to include. If you want to design on a dime, cut the extras out of your renovation plan. The little luxuries are nice and really polish a space, but aren’t essential to the room’s functionality.

3- Add A Little More Than You Think You’ll Need

When it comes to plumbing, it often seems that what can go wrong, will go wrong. There’s lots of room for plumbing issues to arise and increase the cost of your bathroom renovation, so it’s smart to leave a cushion in your budget for any surprises.

4-Payment Options

There are many ways to foot the bill for a bathroom remodel. A home equity loan is a popular option because it can be tax deductible. Other options include refinancing, no-equity loans, Federal Housing Administration loans, personal loans, loans from retirement plans, borrowing against life insurance policies, and your personal savings.

5- Stay On Track

Once your budget has been finalized, keep up with remodeling costs in a spreadsheet to make sure you’re staying on track. You can keep yourself and your contractor accountable to the agreed upon budget by tracking actual spending against budgeted amounts.

 

Choose the type of bathroom

Bathrooms come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and layouts. Chances are, you probably won’t change the type of bathroom when you go to remodel. However, it’s a good idea to look at all your options before you set your ideas in stone (or grout!).  An experienced interior designer can help you see possibilities that you might have missed. For instance, a cramped half bath could be transformed into a luxurious master suite just by borrowing some space from a walk-in closet or bedroom.

Standard Bathroom

A standard bathroom or full bath is one that contains a sink, toilet, and a bath, shower, or both. Some older homes were designed with just one full bathroom that the entire family was meant to share.

Master en-suites have the same basic features but are accessed via the master bedroom. Homeowners remodeling or adding a master suite often go for a luxurious spa-like vibe. Think skylights, a soaking tub, and separate steam shower. A properly designed master suite can be a rejuvenating escape at home.

In most cases, a master suite can be added on to a home if one doesn’t already exist. That can free up the existing standard bath for family use and can eliminate long lines at morning shower time.

Half bath

A half bath, or powder room, is a small space that has only a sink and a toilet. If you live in an older Seattle home that has only one full bath, your life could really improve by adding a half bath. If you have guests over for dinner, they can use the powder room and not have to invade your personal bathroom space. Likewise, if you have house guests staying over, it can take some of the pressure off your main bath if you’re all trying to get ready at the same time in the morning.

One of the best things about a half bath is that it doesn’t require a big footprint. We’ve fit half baths in the tightest of spots, including closets and unused corners. Adding a half bath can be an easy way to boost the value of your home as well as make your life easier.

Wet bathroom

A wet bath is a type of full bathroom where the shower isn’t in a separate cubicle or behind a curtain. Wet baths  are completely waterproofed, including the floor, cabinets, and walls.

Creating a wet room is one of my favorite approaches to bathroom design. It can look sleek and modern, without any cumbersome shower doors to get in the way. But it is also eminently practical. Because they are fully waterproofed, you don’t have to give a second thought to water splashing on the floor or walls. Wet baths also lend themselves well to universal design principals because there are no curbs or other obstacles that keep someone with limited mobility from passing safely into and out of the shower.

Another advantage of wet baths is that they make efficient use of space. If you are remodeling or adding a bathroom to your home, square footage can be precious, and a wet bath approach lets you fit more into a smaller room because you don’t have to devote space to a shower frame or stall.

Wet baths cost a bit more, but they are an excellent investment and the most durable way to build a bathroom.

 

Toilets, Tubs, Showers

This part of your bathroom remodel is huge.  The shower, or tub, is literally huge!  These items take up a lot of space in your bathroom and require a lot of planning too.  Tubs and showers often come in 1 piece units or units that are multiple pieces and the size of your doorways (and hallways) make a difference in what kind of unit you need when you decide to replace these pieces.  You can also choose freestanding tubs, like the old fashioned claw foot pieces or drop in tubs that sit into beautifully tiled surrounds.  Showers can also be created out of gorgeous tile.  There are endless possibilities!  And toilets…well, not all toilets are created equally.  There are short ones and tall ones, round ones and elongated ones, fancy and plain, insulated tanks, and some with more powerful water capacity.  Some toilets have fancy handles or the flusher is a button on top, some the tanks are sold separate, and most the seats aren’t included.  Many toilets can be bought to match the style of your sinks, tubs, and faucets.  Again, so much to consider!

How to Choose a Contractor for Your Home Remodel

Seek Well Defined Bids

When you’ve found a few contractors you like, it’s time to get bids from them. Have a conversation with each potential home remodeling contractor and define your plans. Show them any blueprints you have. Tell them what you’re willing to spend and ask for a full quote.

Check References and BBB Ratings

When you speak with contractors, get the official name of their registered business. References, such as current customers and subcontractors, can help you learn about the quality of the work. Current customers can share personal experiences and subcontractors can provide red flags, such as not paying on time or cutting corners by using less than stellar materials.

Speak With Multiple Contractors

After you’ve gotten recommendations and checked online, it’s time to call a few contractors. Always get multiple bids on your project. Even if you absolutely love the first plan you get, stopping there means you’ll never know if the quote you received offers a good value. Home remodeling contractors may charge different rates because they may have different specialties, so getting multiple bids is a good idea.

Look for Online Reviews

Online reviews can be very helpful. Look for places where reviews are harder to fake, such as Angie’s List and Yelp, as well as social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter. You’ll get to see a broad range of experiences customers have had with the contractors you’re researching.

Ask Your Friends and Family

Good home remodeling contractors generate a lot of positive recommendations. Ask your friends, family, neighbors and other acquaintances if they have ever worked with a contractor that they liked. Asking not only helps you narrow down your list, but also who to avoid. Knowing who does, and doesn’t, do a good job is an important part of how to choose a contractor for your home remodel.

 

expert renovating tips to remember

BUILDING MATERIALS

“Australia’s harsh climate can wreak havoc on building materials, especially if you’re in a coastal or country location. For coastal, consider materials that will stand up to the elements, like concrete, metal or natural timbers. For the country, select products that are compliant with bushfire regulations, such as steel, glass and brick.”

PAINT COLOURS

“To ensure you choose the right paint colour, always get a sample pot and paint a swatch on your wall at least one square metre.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT

“First impressions count, so improving the streetscape and entry will have a significant impact on how people view your home. A good place to start is by creating a clear, neat and inviting pathway to the door complemented by neat and tidy landscaping.”

FLOORING

“You can achieve a huge amount of change with a flooring upgrade. A vinyl plank can be installed as a DIY project if you’re dealing with worn but level flooring. And New tiles, a floating engineered floor or a timber floor replacement can present your home in an entirely new way.”

ROOFING

“It’s important to consider style, aesthetics and long-term performance when selecting your roofing materials. Roof tiles are a low-maintenance option and offer sound reduction and insulation benefits, as well as fire and wind-resistance to properties. They come in ceramic, terracotta and concrete variations.”

 

tips to help plan a home renovation

Don’t underestimate the cost of renovations

From data compiled from over 2 million users’ search behaviour and project posts, TrustedPros.ca, a site that helps homeowners find and rate home reno contractors, found that homeowners consistently set unrealistically low budgets for a few of the most popular renovation projects.

Seriously consider whether or not you are over-renovating

Many homeowners are convinced that they only way to increase the value of their home is to spend a lot of money on high-end finishes and expensive home remodels. But home renovations rarely, if ever, offer a $1 for $1 return. In fact, sometimes the simplest or least expensive updates can give the best returns.

Do the leg-work to set a realistic home reno budget

Still, in order to avoid unnecessary or unexpected costs when it comes to home renovations, you must first start with an accurate, honest budget. Here are four tips to get you there.

Figure out the finances, first

Before a hammer hits a nail you must first decide how you will pay for your home renovation project. Like all consumer spending, paying for a renovation is best done through savings. By saving up the money, you’re more likely to stay on budget because you have more time to research costs and plan the project.

Be patient

The final tip is, wait for it…be patient. Putting your home reno project on hold gives you more time to save up the money needed for this expensive endeavour. It also means not going into debt for an expenditure that may or may not give you a return on the dollar you spend. Finally, it avoids costly mistakes. That’s because a hasty, under-budgeted renovation can actually devalue your home and add little or no value to your home’s fair market value. And nobody wants to pay for a big blunder.

 

The guide to successful home renovations

Why start a home renovation?

Many homeowners and investors renovate their properties to add value and maximize their return, but that doesn’t have to be your reason for renovating. Many people choose to tackle a big renovation when their house is no longer functional. Building to suit your lifestyle or upgrading outdated appliances and fixtures can help make your house feel more like home.

Increase your property value

A well-designed renovation can add significant value to your property. The return on your investment will largely depend on your location and renovation itself. However, more complex renovation that costs thousands of dollars may not yield a 100% return on investment. You should speak with local real estate agents to understand how much value your renovation could potentially add to your property.

Maximize the sale price or rental income

A carefully planned renovation can help boost the property sales price. If you’re renovating to sell, undertake projects that appeal to a wide pool of potential buyers. In some markets, this may be creating a luxury bathroom for the master bedroom. In others, it may be repairing the roof and replacing the furnace.

Improve a space’s functionality

Needs change constantly, and renovations can be done to reflect an important moment in your life. A new addition to the family might require converting a home office to a nursery, or an older couple may want to change a den into a large bedroom space to avoid climbing stairs. Whatever causes your renovation, you can rest assured knowing that there are ways to make a house fit your lifestyle.

Avoid the cost of relocating

The costs involved in selling your old property and purchasing a new one can quickly add up. Between paying a realtor, moving or buying furniture and dealing with the stresses of changing homes, it’s often easier to renovate than to buy new. You can get exactly what you want, and you won’t have to worry about what problems a new house might have. Often, upgrading your current property is a less expensive alternative.

 

Three steps to finding the best home remodeler

Whether you are doing a pull-and-replace update to your bathroom or adding a three-story addition, renovating your home is a monumental task.

Thankfully, when you have the right support team, anything is possible — including surviving a home remodel project. The key is to find the good contractors, which can be a daunting task when everyone promises you your dreams for “less than the last guy.”

There are only three steps to finding the right team to take on your home renovation project. The first step is simple: Ask the people you know for referrals. Neighbors, friends, family, co-workers — odds are, you know somebody who has recently done work to their home and can tell you about their experience.

While it is important to ask about their job as a whole and the end product, be sure to also inquire about other aspects: the design and the construction. Was everyone on their project professional and courteous? Was there a reasonable explanation for any delays? Would they hire the same company again? I also like to ask my clients, in retrospect, about their favorite and least favorite parts of the entire process.