Why Builders Look After All Trades on a Large Job
Many householders hesitate hiring a skilled builder because they don’t understand the full scope of a builder’s work. In fact, builders don’t simply build – they also oversee all the activities involved in a construction or renovation project to ensure everything is done smoothly and finished on time.
Many builders choose to specialise in particular types of projects, such as custom homes, green homes, patios, housing developments, etc. But in general, builders coordinate the entire construction process.
Typically, work for a master builder starts with checking the blueprints with you, your designer and architect. Before getting any actual building work done, they will help you with securing building permits and consents and sorting out the land survey to make sure nothing goes in the way of drainage, etc.
Depending on the scope of a project, they will need to organise a team of tradespeople including plumbers, electricians, painters and landscapers. As they will oversee all work on site, rest assured that a builder knows a lot about these different fields to know that each job is being done properly according to plan. Builders who have been in the trade for a good amount of years will have connections with reliable tradesmen or have an in-house team. It’s good to have a team of tradies who share the same work ethics in order to avoid clashes in personalities, attitudes or ideas.
To ensure seamless project management, a builder will also be doing these tasks:
- Prepping and cleaning the construction areas
- Laying the foundation or groundwork
- Delivering and distributing supplies
- Assisting workers with equipment
- Helping on small tasks
- Ensuring different jobs are done in the correct order – even a small mistake could easily blow up your costs or cause delays.
That’s a lot of responsibility to entrust to someone, hence the need to be critical in hiring a builder.
Home improvements can be expensive, and you don’t want to waste any dollar on a low quality or half-finished job. If you want to ensure good results, hire a fully qualified and certified master builder. A good builder will tell it to you straight if your budget or time frames are unrealistic and will help you find ways to get the job done without compromising quality.
When selecting a builder, try not to be too price-led. You almost always get what you pay for — insisting on a low budget is where things usually fall apart. It’s always a good idea to talk to a master builder about your project so they can explain to you the full scope of the job and how exactly it will be carried out step by step.
This may include things that you might not have thought about while planning your new home design or renovation. For example, a project may include pipework or reinforcement for existing structures. An experienced builder should also be able to explain complications that may realistically arise with projects like yours. All these will add to your total build costs.
Choose your builder carefully. They are the people who will make (or break) your dream home.