Talkiet:

 

mattwnz:

 

Talkiet:

 

Thanks.... The place I met today was the free option - tomorrow is the one I am paying. Apparently the $3k includes the drawing and SMW with a complete list of itemised costs, down to things like appliances and sinks and light fittings... "Apparently" I can then remove whatever I like if I can supply it, or add extras (like extra lights/powerpoints) at the itemised price.

 

If I accept that and proceed they claim fixed price with no PC sums and if I have no variations that's what I walk through the door paying.

 

I expect they'll do the same thing, I gave them a $325k budget they said "Yeah, shouldn't be a problem" but I fully expect the quote to come back at about $360 as well.

 

Thanks for the idea though.

 

 

 

Cheers - N

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good thought out design is one of the most important things with a house, and it is often overlooked. So I would be worried about a house that was designed for just 3k. Sounds like it will just be an extruded plan with a hipped roof plonked on top. Many people get their builders to design the house, and it shows, as builders aren't usually qualified designers.

 

 

 

 

You're right. I'm under no illusion that this won't be a landmark architectural work of art. It's a modern, warm box for me to live in that has a huge garage for toys. I'm keeping the budget way down so I don't have to sell my current house and I can rent that out.

 

Next time I might do something interesting :-)

 

 

 

Cheers - N

 

 

 

My brother just finished building a 220 sqm new architecturally design home, with a huge kitchen, double garage, 2.7 ceilings and double glazing(thermally broken frames) for about 420ish all up.So above your budget, but not grossly over. But it gives you an idea of what is possible at a particular budget.  However the design was done by me so that would have kept the design cost side down a lot. If they had been paying for it it would have probably added about 40-50k to the price.  I also managed to get the build cost down for them, by making it just two boxes with a kitchen/dining  bridge link, using coloursteel cladding, with cedar as a contrast, and using trusses and a monopitched roof which has only 3 gutters. Complexity and corners add a lot to the build cost. 

Good luck with you build, it does pay to keep it all as simple as possible, and to make sure that you have got everything in writing, and everything is specified and chosen before the build is started.