What will my new home, renovation or extension cost?
When building or renovating a home costs fall into the following three categories:
What will design and drafting cost?
To have a professional design a standard custom home (in Australia), and submit the plans to council, usually costs less than $10,000, but that does not include council fees and costs associated with getting the plans approved by council.
The more complex your requirements, the higher your design costs will be. Also: depending on who you use the price can vary considerably. Well known popular architects cost the most. Drafts people usually cost the least.
Design fees are usually charged using one of the following three methods:
- A flat hourly rate, billed periodically or after various design stages are completed
- A percentage of the estimated or actual construction cost
- A fixed price, with conditions such as progress payments, limits to the number of changes that can be made at various design stages, etc.
What will council fees cost?
Different councils charge different amounts for the same things and some councils have more red tape than others. However to give a rough idea of what you may be up for here is what Gosford Council in NSW was charging in December 2006:
| Development application | $1,255.00 |
| Planning and reform | $256.00 |
| Compliance levy | $550.00 |
| Advertising | $30.00 |
| Building Construction Certificate | $907.50 |
| Inspection fees | $687.00 |
| Long Service Levy | $1,400.00 |
| Sewer inspection fees | $178.00 |
What will construction cost?
See our construction cost estimation calculator.
Is there a difference between a building designer and an architect?
This is a common question and a very tricky one to explain. I have prepared a table (shown below) that will hopefully make it easy for all people to understand.
| Title | Qualifications | Does Board of Architects allow registration? |
||||
| building designer | architecture degree | no | ||||
| architectural certificate | no | |||||
| architect | architecture degree | yes | ||||
| no degree but accreditation for experience |
yes | |||||
| draftsperson | architecture degree | no | ||||
| architectural certificate | no | |||||
| drafting certificate | no | |||||
Therefore: Even if you hold a degree in Architecture and have previously been registered with the Board of Architects and also possess decades of experience
you can not legally call yourself an Architect unless you are currently registered with the Board of Architects.
Note: Choosing a home designer based on their registration is no guarantee that you will be happy
with what they design for you.
The best way to choose a building designer or architect is to:
- Look at the designers previous work - either built works or a portfolio of their work
- Ask them what their qualifications are and view the document if possible
- Also ask for references from builders and previous clients
- Ascertain from conversations if you feel comfortable communicating with the designer.
Communication is essential to you realising goals. Note: Fees can be a deciding factor for people when choosing a designer. Choosing a designer
because they are cheap is the worst way to choose someone. You need to choose the designer
you think will do the best job at the end of the day. You may save a couple of thousand dollars in design fees
but will spend more fixing design problems during construction and end up with a house that you are not very happy with.
How is the best way to choose a building designer or architect?
- Look at their previous work - either built works or a portfolio of their work
- Ask them what their qualifications are and view the document if possible
- Also ask for references from builders and previous clients
- Ascertain from conversations if you feel comfortable communicating with the designer.
Communication is essential to you realising your goals. Note: Fees can be a deciding factor for people when choosing a designer. Choosing a designer because they are cheap is the worst way to choose someone. You need to choose the designer
you think will do the best job at the end of the day. You may save a couple of thousand dollars in design fees
but will spend more fixing design problems during construction and end up with a house that you are not very happy with.
Can I produce a development application for my new home without help from a design professional?
Yes partly. The Development Application process is very time consuming and requires consultant input eg. designers and engineers. However the following article may help you get started: Council requirements and reports.
What will a building design professional offer me that a project home company will not?
Architects and Building Designers have been educated to specialise in design not drafting and will design a 'one-off' home
that is very site specific - with all your individual needs factored into the design
Project builders start with a home already designed for the mass market and is not site specific - these designs will require some changes before you are totally happy.
One-off homes are generally more cleverly designed and visually more interesting as they are not appealing to the mass housing market. They are
typically more expensive but not always - it depends on the design complexity.
I am looking at becoming an owner builder and have not renovated before. I have no idea where to start. How can I get myself informed and organised?
Try reading some or all of these articles:
- Home design and renovation tips
- Home design and construction process
- Australian residential architecture styles
- Becoming an owner builder
- Council requirements and reports.
- How to read plans
- How to read a quote
- Residential structures - the basics
What is an initial consultation? What does the service involve and how much does it cost?
Initial consultations will vary from designer to designer. Click the following link to read an Article provided by designer Angela Elliss on her web site.
How can I minimise the chances of selecting an incompetent builder?
The best way to choose a builder is to ask people you know well who they have used in the past and if they were happy with their job. Ideally if you ask enough people you will start hearing the same names - these are the builders worth meeting.
Can I afford an architect? What is an average price for getting plans drawn-up for council? And what do I get for my money?
Note: the fee base for drawings varies a great deal and this estimate is only an opinion... but generally (on average) someone who specialises in design and possesses a good portfolio will charge around $12,000 to $15,000 including GST. This should include plans for construction and council approval, Statement of Environmental Effects, BASIX report, Waste management reports and a Site plan. The more complex and larger the design the more the designer will charge.
Other documents like bush fire reports and Fauna and Flora reports may also be required but are not included in the above fees estimate. Note: You can save money if you attempt to under take some of these reports yourself but they can be 'tricky' and time consuming.
When is the best time to build a home?
- Generally winter is the best time to build as there are less delays due to rain
- Generally during a 'building slump' is the best time to build as labour and construction items
become more competitive
I would love to design my own home - properly. Are there any home design courses the average person can undertake? And if so what qualifications do the lectures have? And how much does it cost?
There is an article on this web site called How to design your own home and it describes the design process that is taught to architecture students at university. It is quite involved but provides a great insight into the structured design process - and its free! I don't know of any design classes available out of the formal education system - a web search may find something.
Knock-down & rebuild, or renovate?
On a per-square-metre basis it a lot cheaper to knock-down and rebuild than it is to renovate.
Where can I get an unbiased opinion on a property I am considering as an investment?
This web site can match you with an Building Designer or Architect in your area who can provide you with information about your possible purchase such as the viability of redevelopment prospects, development proposals in your local area and how these may affect the property in question in the future. Consultations are usually done on-site but can be organised via a phone meeting with follow-up documentation. Click this link to find an building designer in your area.