deb68

Just wondering if it possible to do a self build here in WA?
Back in the UK we did almost all of our extension ourselves, we only had sparkies/water and gas people in (oh and the chippie for roof work and tiler to tile roof (don't like heights)...
We had plans drawn to our specifications,obtained various approvals from local council, had three visits during entire build, one for foundations one for second floor start and joists and the final one for the roof and windows.
All ok and passed off - is it a similar process here, or is everything geared up for trades to come in?
Does the phrase DIY even compute over here?
Really want to do the room extensions ourselves as we been there before and it's not that hard a task, paper chase is usually the hard bit.
Thanks.

newjersey

There were a few, stopped posting me thinks, did you try a search?

HelenTD

It's usually called owner builder here, I've posted about it a few times, eg http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...=owner+builder.

Ozzidoc

Yes, it can be done.

There are some odd rules in some states though. Rules about which trades people can do what, what the home owner is not permitted to do. I don't think that these are adhered to.

Think along the lines of ... "only a qualified electrician is permitted to change a lightbulb in a pub" and "only a licensed plumber is allowed to change a washer on a tap".

Good luck with it, and pls update on here regularly

Wendy66

We are extending both sides, front and back and hubby is doing it all - he was a builder in UK for about 25 years and had to get an owner/builder certificated (short online course) over here for about $80 laughable but hey ho it's how it's done here. Aussies can't believe that he's done all the trades himself so far, levels, foundations, slabs, concreting, trusses, new windows and doors, roof - the only one he won't do is electrics he's not supposed to do plumbing here in NSW but put the drainage in himself and will just get a plumber friend to connect up to comply.

deb68

Yeah, i intend to do all ground work and building myself. Along with all the woodwork and plastering, i to will be employing a good spark (i don't do leccy)
Ours is just a large bedroom to rear side and a garage conversion if only new floor required that side, got to get the man in to check and confirm either way.

deb68

While doing some Google work i found a lot of interesting fact sheets about all sorts of things, this ones very useful - http://asbestosremovalguide.com/322/...nd-hardifence/

eddie007

With the extension we we going to self build... But the insurance angle killed us, here we would have to either stay in the same house for x number of years or provide guarentees ourselves if we sold within x number of years... At the end of the day it was just easier and quicker to get the builders in to do it...

We got owner builder license though the council within weeks of submitting plans, it then took MONTHS to get exactly the same plans through again as non owner builders... Dont know what the heck that was about...?? We only changed our minds about who would do it... Ie NOT us...

We've been stunned by what you ARENT allowed to do yourself here... Stuff HE did at home as a matter of routine.... Electrics and plumming....

But now we have a tame sparky, and we're waiting on brickies and chippies to come back to us with quotes for their bits of our conversion for the grey nomads... Rather than go with a "builder"

KJCherokee

There is nothing to stop you doing your own plumbing and electrical work - as long as you don't connect it to the public utilities (i.e. the water and sewage supply, the gas or the electric mains). You need to get a licenced plumber/gasfitter/electrician to certify the work and connect it for you - the problem is finding one who will certify someone else's work, unless they are very good friends.

Of course you can do it yourself without getting it certified, and many people do - but if anything goes wrong and the insurance company finds out, bang goes your claim for rebuilding your flooded/incinerated property.

eddie007

We have a tame sparky, who was happy to test and pass HIS work... That HE had already done in the house... Lovely chap... Charged us peanuts for putting in extra sockets left right and centre in the new extension and throughout the house... Why do they build houses here with so few sockets? Came up with a really competitive quote, then kept knocking bits off of it....

deb68

Regulations sheet http://www.theownerbuilder.com.au/ar...0Regs%20WA.pdf

It's a no brainer for us as we do not intend on moving any time soon, the one that did make me sit up was the fence erection rule.