While it might seem boring or unimportant, especially in comparison to the excitement of actually building your dream home, a carefully considered pre-construction process is integral to the success of your project. The pre-construction phase is when you ensure your plans both meet your design criteria and also meet budget, which consequently determines that you can actually afford to build your project.
Pre-construction can take significant time, so it’s best to start planning as early as possible to avoid delays. It’s also imperative that you work closely with your builder throughout this stage to ensure the correct processes are followed and you avoid redesigns and re-lodgement fees, saving yourself time and money.
The Standard Pre-Construction Process
Traditionally, pre-construction includes the following steps:
- Assess project criteria and requirements
- Design architectural plans (includes concept and preliminary plans and working drawings)
- Completion of finishes schedule
- Lodge for Development Approval (DA)
- Completion of engineering plans
- Price supplied by your builder
A common mistake is for clients to wait until the end of this process to approach a builder. Doing things in this order can lead to your plans being way over budget, which means they will need to be redesigned via collaboration between the builder, client and designer. An amended Development Approval may also need to be lodged, all of which will add time and money to your project.
With access to so much architectural inspiration via sites like Pinterest and Instagram these days, it can be very easy to over spec designs without fully understanding the costs involved. This is why it’s best to have your builder engaged from the very beginning of the pre-construction phase to ensure your home is actually achievable and fits your budget.
The process of adjusting plans and scope to fit the budget adds significant time and extra costs to your project. This process includes:
- Investigating cost saving options
- Deciding upon cost saving option of choice
- Amending plans and finishes schedule
- Finalising price of project
- Lodging for amended Development Approval
- Signing contract
- Starting construction
The 1STRUCT Design + Cost Process
After witnessing the heartbreak of so many clients who approach us with stunning plans that are simply far too expensive for them to create, we have created a process we call Design + Cost.
This process means 1STRUCT are involved from the beginning of a project and can cost plans throughout the design stage to ensure they are on track and aren’t overdesigned. This service also ensures you won’t be hit with hefty redesign fees or re-lodgement fees to amend Development Approvals.
Our Design + Cost Process includes the following steps:
- Take time to understand your budget
- Assess project criteria and requirements
- Design architectural concept plans
- Complete initial site investigations
- Client completes request for information with detailed project requirements
- 1STRUCT completes building estimate (includes trades performing a site visit to understand conditions and real-world scope of works)
- Design preliminary architectural plans
- Completion of finishes schedule
- 1STRUCT completes building estimate
- Lodge for Development Approval
- Design architectural working drawings
- Adjustments made to finishes schedule
- Drawing of engineering plans
- 1STRUCT completes final building proposal
- Sign contract
- Start construction
When Should You Start Planning?
The honest answer is now – it’s never really too early to begin planning your home, but the timing of approaching a builder will depend on when you want to begin construction. Let’s say you want to start building in September 2019, you will need to start planning NOW to ensure your home’s build journey is smooth, cost-effective and to your expectations.
Remember, pre-construction takes time so it’s imperative that you enlist your builder of choice as soon as possible so you can work closely together to ensure the correct processes are followed and you avoid unnecessary wastage of time and money.
If you’re nearly ready to launch into the pre-construction process, 1STRUCT can help. We can offer guidance and support in the early stages of your project and assist you through the pre-construction process and into construction.
For more information or to find out more about 1STRUCT’s unique Design + Cost Process, get in touch with us today.