Three Practical Construction Tips for Owner-Builders
There are significant advantages of choosing to construct or renovate your house if you are an experienced or trained construction tradesman. In general, you will be able to reduce your total construction expenses because of the reduced labour. Also, you will enjoy flexibility in relation to the timeline for the project. In addition, you can supervise the progress and make changes to match your needs. However, you must be cautious as an owner-builder. If you are careless in following the building codes and regulation, you could be exposed to legal and financial problems. Here are some essential tips to help you complete your building work successfully.
Choose a Qualified Building Surveyor
You should not proceed with your construction work without engaging the services of a qualified building surveyor. This professional will help you understand and manage the building control process throughout the project. As a result, you will avoid code violations and other issues which might compromise your success. Ideally, the surveyor will assess your building plans and ensure that the details are in line with national and local codes and legislation. Also, building surveying will happen after every phase, and the professional provide certification after the inspection. You can choose private building surveyors, or you can consult the municipal authority.
Obtain Relevant Permits
You should check the local council regulation and determine the types of permits which will be required for your building or renovation work. In general, major construction projects will require planning permits before commencing from the local building authority. If you fail to get the right permissions and proceed with the construction, you might be forced to tear down the building or pay significant fines. The types of permits that you will require will depend on the kind and scale of building work. You should also check if you require an owner-builder permit for your project before continuing.
Sign Contracts with Contractors
You will need to hire contractors to help you with some of the building work if you are planning on carrying out a large-scale construction project. Moreover, you might not be able to handle some of the specialty fields such as electrical connection, gas fitting and plumbing. It is important to choose licensed contractors to provide assistance with these special tasks. Also, you might need to hire builders and tradespeople for efficient completion of the work. If you do engage an eternal party, you should make sure that they are insured and sign a contract. This document will protect you in case of unexpected circumstances.