karmagirls

Hi,
We are currently in a situation where we're intending to build a home in Coomera whilst in the UK. Does anyone have any must have or must do pieces of advice or has anyone actually done this?
Also, has anyone gone through the process of the FIRB approval? I have PR visa and on the FIRB site it states that PR don't usually require FIRB approval. Does this mean that you've got to have validated it to not require the approval or does it mean you just need the visa?
It's very scary building from here but there are so many reasons why we're doing this. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks again
Tracy

jad n rich

If its the sloping easement site you asked about yesterday? like jane said, you need to see this property first. Lets just be polite and say RE agents here are erm, inventive with their descriptions.

Plus do you understand how costs on building work, no price is determined on any house till the geotechnical reports are back, even on level land the 'easy on the pocket' price quoted by display homes usually shoots upwards by a large amount. On slope, your could be talking big costs. Do you know these costs?, do you understand an australian contract and its fine print that has caught out even those building the most simple concrete box home. Do you trust the builder enough build what you want, most people building are on site daily to check what is going on if you cant do that would you be concerned.

FIRB questions you need to contact them, a very long winded process for may people and best commented on your individual situation by people who know - them.

karmagirls

Thanks for the reply. We're in the very early stages and were just really looking for some advice.
It wasn't the land that I mentioned no, as I said, we're still looking around. I just wondered. There are people who buy homes from the UK as investment homes and many of them haven't been able to be on site every day so therefore I was thinking perhaps that some of them might have some advice.
I have an agent that I trust and who was recommended to me by close friends. He's also been very helpful and has gone to a lot of trouble out with his own area, yes he wants the sale, that's a given, but he is definitely working in conjunction with us and answering all questions.
The homes I am referring to specifically are house and land packages with certain builders. The builders have already got the land prepared for the houses to be built on and they're offering a fixed price deal. So say the house and land package is $380,000 they are saying that includes everything from start to finish. I have an Australian solicitor who would be looking at the fine print as you put it. So hopefully that would remove the problem. Most of these new home estates seem to come with a huge list of do's and don'ts and these are availble beforehand, but as you've pointed out, there may be other worries here.
I have contacted the FIRB already and I'm awaiting a reply. I just thought someone on here may be able to help or may have been through it. Since you've mentioned it's individual thing, I think probably waiting to hear from them is the better option.
Again, yes it would be great to be there whilst the house is being built to check on every thing, but we can't do that due to other commitments and so we're really trying to make the best out of this situation from here.
Thanks again for the comments, appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Pommie Granite

Just 'discovered' THIS site which has forums dedicated to home building/development. You may find it useful if you post questions on there.


PG

karmagirls

You're a legend. Thanks so much. Will go check it out now! xx

NedKelly

We did exactly the same as you are planning. We built an investment house in Coomera Parklands whilst still living in the UK.

You don't need FIRB approval for a new house, only second hand ones.

Are you building to live in or for investment?

karmagirls

Hiya,
We're planning to build to live in. I would love to chat to you more about this? Maybe we could chat via PM and share any info that might help other people out by putting it on here.
So firstly I have to ask, who did you build with and did you buy your own land and then choose a builder to build on it or did you take a home and land package?
Also, did you encounter any specific problems with the build since you were over in the UK whilst it was going on?
How long did it take from start to finish?
Thanks again, really appreciate this!
Tracy

cresta57

You need FIRB approval if you are not a PR visa holder, you'd need to clarify if an unvalidated pr visa was acceptable to them. My folks had to get approval as they were on retirement visas, they built a new house and for the majority of the construction they were in the U.K.
You really need to site the block you intend to build upon and choose the location of the home on the block. My folks bought their block then pegged out a section where they wanted the house to be as the builder had placed the house only a couple of metres away from the boundary on one side. On a small town block it's not really an issue though.
You can appoint an agent to work for you as your representative they make stage payments on you behalf throughout construction that way you still have some quality control.

NedKelly

Yes, quite correct

You can read it all here:-

http://www.firb.gov.au/content/real_...l.asp?NavID=17

NedKelly

We did the House & Land package with Ingles. There were no real problems but at the end of the build we were already over here and paid extra attention to the practical completion. Then you pay over the final amount. If it isn't fixed by then, then it probably won't be!

fraser

I would say don't do it.

We built here and I was only around the corner, the amount of cock ups by the builders were on a daily basis and you really have to watch them like a hawk.

It's a big gamble trusting a builder from 12000 miles away with no means of inspection.

flip

Have you thought about working through a buyers agent? Sorry I keep going on about this in various threads but it sounds like you're opening a can of worms and even friends two doors down can't be expected to know whether you're getting good value for money and to check on the build progress.

Our agent when talking about property out of state said often the new builders in, say, Queensland would offer new properties out of state at inflated prices as non-Queenslanders would only be comparing prices with their own area. This is an example only and hearsay so please don't feel you have to argue.

I'd think seriously of talking to a buyers agent about this, ours was www.australianpropertybuyers.com.au but any of them are paid by you and therefore work for you, not for the vendor. ...And you could send them what you're truly looking for down to the type of vegetation or how near to the local coffee shop and they could send you full photos, not just of the property but of the neighbourhood too. To me it would be worth the money especially when you can't even see the property before you buy.

Good luck with your venture.

annn

Wih Fraser on this, we're building and live around the corner and that aint close enough

Ann

The Corderys

I have to agree with most people on this, it's a huge investment, we didn't even buy until we'd been here for 6 months, which enabled us to get the lie of the land and a feel of where we were living.
We're in the process of buying a part built house now, and I wouldn't be happy doing it from there(admittedly its going to be owner builder(project managed by us) and so will be a lot more complicated). It would have to take a lot of faith in people doing what they've promised when they've promised, and if they didn't, you'd be over the other side of the world.
HOWEVER, doing it as a package may be different. We've never gone through this.

jad n rich

Do what many clients do , arrive at 6 am daily with supply of sandwiches, assorted relatives, poodle, and children to lurch around site just as crane is dropping roof trusses.

Refuse to wear hard hat or read site rules, annoy each and every subcontractor by taking digital snaps of them as they move about job, generally obstuct anybody trying to work and keep whipping out a broom as the carpenters cut timber.

Take photos of toilet pipes, take photos of wife sitting on toilet pipes, take photo of children sitting on toilet pipes, repeat at each stage of installation of every component of house.

Ring builder because you want to change door handle at 11 pm at night, this cannot wait till your 6 am arrival with sandwiches the next day.

Bring along your father in laws mates brothers uncle who knew a builder in 1983, get him to question and photograph each and every stage, make absolutely sure this person does not know current building regs, , only what went on in 1983.

If from overseas, insist your plumbing, electricals, frame are all built to South african or british building codes, do not answer when asked how the furk this will pass australian building codes.

Get your wife to have weekly tears on site because dove grey looks more like sludge grey and assure yourself the painters got the wrong paint not your wife has terrible taste in colour schemes. Repeat tears at every stage of wifes bad taste.

Paint "owner" on a site hard hat, start to give orders to each and every tradesman conflicting with every item in the contract, buy some new boots try to pass youself off as a professional tradesman instead of a baker/hairdresser/pensioner.

Continue for several months till one tradesman finally flips and threatens to bury you under the next concrete pour.