Thinking about taking on your own build or reno to save a few grand? Before you do, this one’s worth a listen. In this episode, we sit down with Paul from Independent Building Solutions in Canberra, Shannon from DJH Builders in Tassie, and Hugh from New Realm Homes in Melbourne to talk through the real cost of going owner builder. We share the jobs we’ve been called in to fix, the compliance headaches that catch people out years later when they go to sell, and the classic mistakes we see over and over again, from wrong-sized windows to bathrooms that can’t be patched because the tile range is discontinued.
We also get into the stuff that doesn’t show up on a materials list: the stress, the lost work hours, the mortgage that grows instead of shrinks, and the half-finished houses people end up living in for decades. If you’ve been quoted $35,000 for a bathroom and you’re thinking you can knock it over yourself for $20,000, this is the conversation to hear first. It’s not about talking you out of it, it’s about making sure you know what you’re actually signing up for before you swing the first hammer.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
– Why owner builder work can come back to bite you years later when you go to sell
– The hidden costs that never make it into the “I’ll do it myself” budget
– Why matching bricks, tiles, and window profiles is harder than you think
– What to make of it when three registered builders quote you a similar price
Key Timestamps
01:28 The resale trap: old owner builder work and new compliance rules
02:21 Hugh on Section 32s, warranties, and the seven-year liability window
05:16 Is there any real oversight for owner builders?
07:43 State by state: Vic, Tassie, NSW and Queensland compared
13:38 The viral wrong-sized windows story
15:29 Paul’s aluminium window job and the 40mm reveal that wasn’t there
17:07 Discontinued bricks, tiles and window profiles
22:39 Half-finished houses, blown budgets and the emotional coster
20:43 Where to Turn if You’re Struggling
Listen on
Spotify// https://open.spotify.com/show/0eGpiuFZidHdOcFunXPo4q
Apple Podcast// https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/builders-beyond-borders/id1841312899
Youtube// https://www.youtube.com/@BuildersBeyondBordersPodcast
Follow us on
Facebook// https://www.facebook.com/buildersbeyondborderspodcast/
Instagram// https://www.instagram.com/buildersbeyondborderspodcast_/
Looking for a builder?
Perway Construction Services in Western Australia – https://www.perway.com.au
DJH Builders in Tasmania – https://djhbuilders.com.au
New Realm Homes in Victoria – https://newrealmhomes.com.au
Independent Building Solutions in Canberra – https://www.ibscanberra.com.au
Matt Auld Builder in Victoria – https://mabuilder.com.au
