It's always good practice to get quotations from several contractors (preferably at least 3) for your building work. Prices for the same work can vary hugely. A contractor who has lots of work might be too busy for your building project but they'll still submit a price which is then usually very high. They'll reason that they don't really need your work but if you're prepared to pay there enormous price it will be worth their while to squeeze your project into their schedule since they'll make lots of money if you agree to their inflated price. Frequently contractors make errors and their price could be mistakenly higher or lower than it should be. So obtaining at least 3 prices means that you should have a good spread of prices and be able to compare and check them.

All quotations (prices) must be in writing. Once the tenders, or quotations, have been received for your building work they must be carefully adjudicated (checked) ensuring that ‘apples are being compared with apples’, like with like. It’s important not to just look at the total price, but rather consider the whole price submission.
Not all prices or quotations are equal, so it pays to check:

• That the contractor has priced all the items they were asked to price, and that they haven’t excluded anything.
• Their start and completion dates are acceptable. It’s important to note that longer durations could result in additional costs for you if you’re renting alternative accommodation for the project duration. However, shorter durations could strain your cash flow abilities.
• They meet the requirements discussed in my article Read This Before Selecting Your Home Renovation and Building Contractor for advice on selecting a contractor and my article Before employing a building contractor ask these questions.
• That the specifications of the building products they propose using are acceptable.
• The resources they propose to commit to the building project are acceptable and sufficient. It’s useful if the contractor has provided résumés of the senior staff that will manage the construction project so you can assess their qualifications and experience. You don’t want a contractor whose project staff are all new.
• Their proposed construction methodology, in particular how this will impact your family if you continue living in the house while it’s being renovated. If the construction method involves using preformed panels and elements it could be difficult to alter the house in the future. 

Case study: A few years back we had our main bedroom and bathroom renovated as well as a portion of the upstairs living area. We continued to live in the rest of the house while the work was carried out. The builders constructed a temporary timber hoarding (partition) from floor to ceiling to separate their work area from the rest of the house. They accessed the work areas from outside, causing us little disturbance and allowing them to carry out the construction without hindrance from us. The hoarding also limited the noise and kept most of the construction dust from the rest of the house.

• That their payment terms and conditions are acceptable. Some contractors may want earlier, or more frequent payments, upfront payments or they may have added money to items they’ll be undertaking first, which could impact your cash flow.
• That the contractor has evaluated all the applicable drawings (sometimes the contractor provides a list of drawings used for their price and these should be checked to ensure that none issued to them have been omitted) you've provided.
• They’ve included for preparing designs and drawings where necessary.
• The contractor hasn’t included additional requirements which you must supply, such as, cranes, scaffolding, toilets, accommodation or offices. If they have then the additional costs must be factored into your comparison.
• They’ve included all taxes.
• The contractor understands the project requirements.
• They’ve allowed for all testing and quality requirements.
• They haven’t got any contract conditions or exclusions which are unacceptable, or that will make their price more expensive than the other bidders.
• They’ve complied with the site-specific conditions, which may include items such as working hours, types of hoardings and fences.
• They’ve adequate insurance in place. I will discuss insurance in a future article.
• That their warranty periods are acceptable.
• That the equipment to be incorporated into your finished home comes with suitable warranties and that spare parts and servicing will be available locally. For instance, you don’t want an air-conditioning system where the servicing is difficult and parts not readily available.
• The contractor has included for receiving and handling building materials supplied by you.
• Their provisional sums and prime cost items and compare these to other contractors. An important topic for a future article.
• Whether the price is fixed or subject to change. Another topic for a future article.

​This may seem a strange question? Something that’s often not done is to ensure that the price is fair and achievable. Sometimes contractors make a mistake with their price, or the contractor is inexperienced and doesn’t understand the project fully, so they submit a price which is too cheap. Be wary of prices that are much cheaper than other prices. You shouldn’t become focused on a ‘bargain price’ and award the project to a contractor who then loses money. A contractor that’s losing money will try and save costs, possibly using inferior quality building materials and putting too few resources on the project. In addition, they’ll probably do anything to try and recoup their costs, which could include lodging additional variation claims, some of which may be spurious, which will waste your time to argue them, even incurring you additional costs to engage experts to fight the claims through the legal system. Contractors that lose money may become bankrupt or insolvent part way through the project, leaving you with an unfinished house. But, just because a price appears cheap shouldn’t be reason to discard it, rather be cautious and understand why the price is low – for instance, the contractor may propose using innovative construction solutions which will give you the product you’re looking for at a cheaper price.

By carefully checking the prices you receive for your home building project you can ensure there are no hidden traps and pitfalls which might cause you to pay more for the work than you were expecting, or more than you would have paid if you selected another contractor. It's important to know what you'll be getting for your money.
Always remember to never be swayed by price alone. The cheapest price might not be the cheapest price at the end of the day and the cheapest contractor might not deliver your desired home hassle free.

​This is an extract from my new book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' which also contains lots more valuable information to save you money and ensure that your home build or renovation project is a success. Click on the image to read a preview on Amazon. The book is available in paper or ebook form from Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you. For tips on designing your new house as well as renovation ideas read Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

As global summer temperatures rise, more buildings are installing energy-hungry air conditioners – a major contributor to climate change. But are there ways to cool buildings down without turning the AC on?
Read this interesting article from the BBC

For more home design tips and insights read  An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home ​

​Do you require garages for your cars? How many vehicles? What size – length, width and height? Do you need the garage for other purposes – such as hobbies (maybe you’re often working on your cars, or you do woodworking)? Does the garage need to be secure?

​Garages are an added expense. But they can:

• Reduce insurance premiums for your vehicles.
• Protect your vehicles from theft, vandalism, hail, bird droppings, sun and tree debris.
• Provide additional secure storage space.
• Allow space for hobbies.
• Allow you to get into a cooler car in hot summers, rather than one that’s been baking in the sun.
• Add value to your home.
• Keep your car cleaner for longer.

​Considerations for your garage include:

• Local council and estate rules may limit the type of garaging and the distance it must be from the road.
• The position and orientation of your house – you don’t want your garages to block daylight to the rest of your house, or to use the prime piece of garden.
• Access to the road. There have been many cases of garage doors being blocked by existing street infrastructure, such as light poles, electricity pylons, bus-stops, street signs and utility connections. Arranging for the relevant authorities to relocate  these items is a lengthy and often expensive process which isn't always guaranteed success and may leave the owner little choice but to navigate around the obstacle every time they enter or leave the garage.
• Accessible power points in the garage for hobbies and cleaning vehicles.
• Power points to charge electrical vehicles – even if you don’t own an electrical vehicle now these charging points will become a necessity.
• Storage areas.
• The type of garage door – most people want an automated door so you require a power point for this. If you want a double garage, do you want two separate doors or one double door? Garage doors can be decorative and they could be a major focal point for some houses, especially if they’re in the front.
• Lighting – you’ll want additional lights if you’ll be working in the garage or busy with hobbies.
• Floor finish – hard wearing painted floors can make cleaning easier and help reduce dust. But there’re many other innovative floor solutions that could be more suitable for the purpose of your garage.
• The size of the vehicles using the garage. You don’t want a garage that’s too low, or short or narrow. Don’t just consider your current vehicles, but also vehicles you could own in the future, or ones that a prospective buyer may have. Remember to allow room for the garage door to open.
• Whether you want direct access to the house from the garage.
• Fire safety to prevent fires in the garage rapidly spreading to the rest of the house. Usually connecting doors should be fireproof and the ceiling void over the garage should have a fire wall or baffle between the void over the rest of the house. But regulations vary so check those in your area.
• Include windows, possibly high up or in the garage door to let daylight in.

It should be noted that garages can generate lots of additional heat. Petrol and diesel cars are always hot after use, so they make garages hot. In addition garage doors are poorly insulated and have gaps around the edges and top. Consequently garages can be hot places in summer and heat up the adjacent rooms in the house.
Case study: The main bedroom of one house was situated immediately above the double garage. The floor of the bedroom was often warm from the garage below which made the bedroom extra warm in summer. One would think that this would be a bonus in winter, but of course garages usually don’t hold heat for very long in winter. As mentioned above the garage doors are poor insulators so in cool climates the garage can quickly become colder than the rest of the house.
Consideration could be given to using a heavier better insulated door and sealing gaps around the door, especially if you’re planning on working in the garage often. You could install extractor fans to get rid of the warm air in summer, and they are also essential if the work you do in the garage generates fumes and gasses.

Garages can be a valuable addition to your home, but often they're an afterthought and poorly planned and located. It's important to get your garage right, where it won't spoil your home, and so that the garage suites your vehicles and your needs.

​If you’re going to build a new house it’s important to select the best property. Often people buy land for their dream house only to find that they haven’t done their research properly and there are unforeseen costs, or the property isn’t suitable for their needs, or the area’s character is changing, or isn’t as expected and it isn’t such a desirable place to live. Buying land is a major investment. There are often transaction costs and fees to pay, so it isn’t as simple as making the wrong purchase from the shops and being able to take it back for a refund. In this case, selling a property that’s unsuitable will almost certainly lead to large additional wasted costs.

It’s essential not to purchase on impulse, but rather to do your homework and fully investigate various aspects and characteristics of the land before purchasing the property. 

A neighbourhood could be quiet with little traffic on the weekend when you visit, but during the week it could be completely different, with no parking available in the street, busy roads, traffic congestion and noise. In fact, even during the course of a weekday the streets can change, being quiet in the middle of the day and then busy at peak hours.

But properties can even change with the seasons. That brilliant view could be blocked out when the trees are covered in leaves in summer, or your nice sunny piece of ground could be in the shadow of the neighbouring buildings in winter when the sun is lower on the horizon.

​The common saying ‘location, location, location’ means that selecting the right location is the most important part of buying a property. 

So properties located on busy streets, or next to industrial areas, perhaps neighbouring shops and restaurants, maybe overlooked by apartment buildings, those that are in undesirable neighbourhoods, or those that have unpleasant noisy neighbours aren’t going to be desirable locations. If a property appears to be a bargain, understand why it’s a bargain, what does the seller and others know that’s not immediately apparent to you.

Obviously properties that are in leafy, friendly neighbourhoods, with quiet streets, near parks, with easy access to schools, shops, transport networks, recreational facilities and work opportunities are usually desirable locations. These ideal locations are often in short supply, meaning that they’re more expensive. The thing is that in the future they’ll be even harder to find, which will ultimately increase their value.

But, it’s important to understand that a good location shouldn’t be impacted by ‘snob value’. Far too often we allow ourselves to be influenced by what others in our family and community think. Do your own research. Be prepared to look beyond the areas you’re familiar with. Take time to visit different suburbs and towns, get an understanding of what’s available and what the costs are. A location that isn’t seen as the best location right now, because it’s older, or less ‘upmarket’, may be about to change. Often older areas go through a period of regeneration and suddenly property values increase when it’s perceived to be the new desirable location. However, older areas could also go the other way, where they become rundown, dilapidated and even overtaken by crime.

New transport networks, schools and other facilities can quickly turn an area into a desirable location. Buying into these areas before the rush can mean you’re purchasing property that will rapidly increase in value. It’s important to understand what’s happening in areas and what the plans are.

Understand what your priorities are, and those of your family. What lifestyle are you looking for? That desired location that many hanker after might not actually be the right location for you. We are all different, with differing needs and desires. Understand what's important for you and your family when choosing land.

Start with the right location, suburbs and neighbourhoods and work from there. Always be open to other possibilities and areas you aren’t familiar with.

In future articles we will discuss what to look for when looking for your ideal piece of ground to build your new house. Know which aspects of the property could add to your construction costs. Be aware of how the land could influence your new home's design. Understand what's important to you and your family.

​Thinking of buying a property and building your dream home? Don't be a victim of a poor decision. Educate yourself and know what to look for when purchasing a property. Read 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'


​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

Over the last few weeks we've looked at a number of serious building defects which have left home owners distressed, out of pocket, and sometimes without a home. Many home owners face the prospect of lengthy legal battles to recover money spent on fixing building problems. This included the horror story of a major UK builder who delivered hundreds of substandard homes. Another article on an  Australian apartment that cost $1.7 million which isn't fit to live in  a year after completion, and more. In other articles I've discussed how you can ensure you are hiring the right building contractor. These articles include Read this before selecting you home building and renovation contractor and Before employing a building contractor ask these questions. 

To ensure you employ a reputable building contractor it's important to ask your contractors for a list of references of past clients and projects. What building projects have they worked on? Are these similar to the work you are asking them to execute? Were these projects completed successfully - finished on time, without fuss and of good quality? But don't just take the contractor's word for it, rather talk to these past clients and ask them these important questions:

• What was the scope and size of the project that the contractor completed and when was it finished?
• Were you satisfied with the work?
• Was the quality good?
• Did they finish it when they said they would?
• Did they communicate regularly with you?
• Was the contractor's management frequently on the project?
• Were there problems? What were they and how did the contractor handle them? Were the problems sorted promptly? (Remember that almost every building project will encounter problems and there probably will be an error or two along the way - but it's not so much about the problem, rather about the solution and how quickly and efficiently the contractor dealt with the issue.)

• How easy were they to contact? Did they return phone calls and emails? Were they responsive?
• Did they work safely?
• Did they keep the project site tidy?
• Were there extra costs? Why? Did they advise you ahead of time that you would incur these additional costs? Were they fair and reasonable?
• Was the contractor helpful? Did they provide good advice?
• Did the neighbours have any complaints about the contractor?
• What advice would you give me if I was to hire this contractor?

It's vital that you employ the right contractor for your building project. Take the time to thoroughly investigate them to ensure that they will be the right contractor for your project. Knowing some of the issues that previous clients encountered with the contractor will make you more prepared to manage them should you employ them. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses will enable you to quickly deal with problems before they occur, and it will often give you confidence to deal with the contractor.

​This is an extract from my new book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' which also contains lots more valuable information to save you money and ensure that your home build or renovation project is a success. Click on the image to read a preview on Amazon. The book is available in paper or ebook form from Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you. For tips on designing your new house as well as renovation ideas read Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

The air we breathe could have a severe impact on your health and the health of your family. Some homes have poor air quality. This could be caused by a variety of problems including:

• A lack of fresh air - ensure that rooms are well ventilated. Even in winter regularly open rooms to allow fresh air in.
• Air-conditioning filters aren't regularly cleaned. Not only does this reduce the efficiency of the air-conditioner but it also means that the air from the air-conditioner is passing through the dirty filters recirculating the fumes and possible poisons trapped in the filters.
• Mould growing in the house, possibly in bathrooms, in walls and roof spaces. Mould releases spores into the air which will cause illness. Mould grows in damp and poorly ventilated spaces.
• Some building materials, paints and glues release volatile gasses which are dangerous to our health and which could inhibit growing brains in young children. I'm sure we've all experienced walking into a newly painted room, or a room with a newly laid carpet tile - the fumes can be very overpowering and we want to get out as quickly as possible. Know what materials are incorporated into your building.
• Some cooking fumes - particularly from some oils - are poisonous when breathed in regularly.
• Poorly fitted gas appliances could leak dangerous gases.
• Open flames consume oxygen making it harder to breathe and the flames release gases and in particular carbon dioxide. Ensure rooms with open fire places are ventilated.
• Some household cleaning chemicals release fumes and volatile gasses. Use chemicals sparingly and only in ventilated spaces. Know what chemicals are in the products you use.
• Insect sprays and poisons for vermin are often highly toxic. Always ventilate areas well after these products have been used. Stay out of the room until the fumes have dispersed.
• A large build up of bird, rat or bat excrement in roofs can release toxic spores into the air in houses. Always take care when working in roof spaces to ensure you wear a suitable breathing mask.
• Some furniture contains glue, or are covered in synthetic fabrics and coatings, which release toxic fumes.
• Fumes from traffic outside your house could be entering your home. Diesel fumes are responsible for many illnesses and cause brain damage. Living near some factories, and particularly oil refineries, could mean that you and your family are exposed to toxic fumes.

​There are many fumes from everyday building and household products which can cause breathing difficulties, allergies, and even some products that are linked to cancer, learning difficulties, sleep disorders, Alzheimer, and dementia. Your health is important, don't take risks with it. Understand the products you are using and ensure all rooms in your house are well ventilated.
​
For more on the impacts of poor air quality read this BBC article Why Indoor Air Quality Matters to our Bodies and our Brains.

Design your home so that it's safe for you and your family. For more home design tips and insights read  An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.