Even if many of them live in cities and in apartments, the Australian dream of living in a detached house with a garden, a house building that resembles them. For many, this project is cumbersome to set up. We must therefore move forward step by step.
Funding
It is the first step in a house building project. Knowing your borrowing capacity will allow you to have a more precise idea of the nature of your project. Make an appointment with your bank advisor: he will define with you the maximum amount that you will be able to borrow, and the monthly repayment installments. Currently low rates allow you to borrow for longer. But the banks are, this year, a little more difficult: you will not be able in any case to exceed the 33% of indebtedness and a personal contribution will be welcome.
House building usually costs more than expected. Have you thought about the fence, the exterior fittings, the kitchen you will want to fit out, the decoration, the furniture that will need to be replaced? If you were previously a tenant, consider incorporating the amount of property tax. And if you move away from the city, to transport, to the possible need for a second car. In short, plan broad.
The location
Once you have determined your budget for house building, look at the location of your future residence. If you are not completely stopped in the town or neighborhood, consider the question from a practical angle: make sure that the commute to work does not become hell. Proximity to shops and services can also be an argument. Once you have chosen the area, go in search of the land. Visit several, this will give you a pretty good idea of the features that are important to you, and the prices. Two choices will be offered to you: diffuse or subdivision. The first have the advantage of being less expensive, but will require servicing. The latter are a little more expensive but already ready to build.
The plan
The first step will be to define the living space you will need, the number of rooms and their respective functions. Do you need a basement, a garage, a workshop or an outbuilding? Do you want a house building plan with possibly convertible or lost attic? Please note that the PLU (Local Urbanization Plan) of the chosen land often defines exterior aesthetic characteristics.
The plan of a house building is divided into 3 zones: a public part (the courtyard, the garden, the parking spaces, gate and fence); a private part (night rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms); and a semi-private part of common life (living room and kitchen). For a single-storey house, which requires more earthworks and foundations, you must first check that the coefficient of footprint (CES) is sufficient to build it.
Administrative formalities
Unless you are using the services of a builder, you will be responsible for taking the necessary steps to obtain a building permit. To do this, you will have to submit a complete file to the town hall including various documents (site plan of the land, ground plan of the buildings to be built, sectional plan of the land and the building, etc.). You will also certainly have to sign a single-family house building contract (CCMI) with the builder (see box). It establishes many guarantees that protect you legally. Insurance is also a safety net: one towards those who build (“liability” insurance); the other towards those who make build (the insurance “damage-work”).
Some question and answer about house building
- Why call on an architect when you have a single house building project?
- Because an architect manages all aspects of an achievement. It is present from conception to finalisation. His job is to start from a blank page and then draw it while checking the feasibility of the project and compliance with standards.
- What type of houses do you do?
- Traditional houses that can be found in Sydney, on the one hand and, on the other hand, modern houses with flat roofs, that is to say with flat roofs. I also do extensions to existing houses, rearrangements of attics to make them real living rooms.
- What is the average time spent on house building a detached house?
- A house project usually takes 8 to 10 months without counting the time for preliminary study. This time is necessary to manage the site and coordinate all the companies that will intervene because an architect works with a whole series of craftsmen.