How to pick the right builder for your heritage renovation

Renovating a heritage home or villa?

Here are 5 tips for choosing the right builder. 

We all know that renovation projects require a significant investment of money and time. Which means picking the right builder to run your project is crucial.

On top of the actual building work, they’ll be responsible for managing electricians, plumbers, painters and other sub-trades. They’ll need to work with architects, engineers and make sure council regulations are ticked off.

And of course, they will need to be in close contact with you. 

Choosing the right builder can be a bit daunting, especially if you haven’t been through the process before. But if you start with these five considerations, you’ll be well on the way to making the right decision. 

1. Specific experience is vital.

Many builders are ‘all-rounders’ who deliver a wide range of construction projects. But renovating a heritage home or villa requires a specific set of skills that can only be developed with time on the job. In short, experience counts! 

A builder who renovates heritage homes and villas year-in year-out will have the ability to foresee the issues that arise with older homes. And they’ll be well-versed in the building techniques, materials and design features that are suited to heritage homes and villas. Plus, they’ll know how to completely modernise a heritage home or villa, while maintaining its original character.

2. Good design sense matters.

Architects can be great at designing a home that fits your brief. But they can often underestimate the cost of building it. Which is why many designs never see the light of the day! 

To get around this issue, it’s important to get your builder involved at the design stage. It’s even better if you can pick a builder who understands the principles of practical design and has the expertise to provide an architect with valuable input around the cost implications of specific design options.

Also keep in mind that the cost of having your builder involved at design stage could save you thousands in architectural redesign fees. (Going back and forth with an architect can add up fast!)

3. An accurate quote is essential.

Most people understand the cost of renovating a heritage home or villa will go above the original quote. And it certainly makes sense to factor in a potential increase. However, budget blowouts can be are minimised if a builder puts the effort into producing a detailed quote upfront.

This time-consuming process involves professional estimators, contracting subcontractors for quotes and creating lengthy and detailed job schedules.

For this reason, many builders will understandably charge a fee for their work.

When a free quote is offered, it can often mean the builder has cut corners - replacing specific pricing with Provisional Sums (PS’s) and Prime Cost Items (PC’s) that are no more than ‘guesstimates’. When these details are missing you run the risk of significant cost increases as the job progresses.

The golden rule – ask your preferred builder how they will quote. When they’ve completed it, ask for the job schedule and check the details yourself.

4. Communication is key.

Having the technical skills to renovate a heritage home or villa is one thing. Being able to communicate with a client, sub-trades, consultants, suppliers and council is another thing altogether. A good builder will be able to listen to their client, ask relevant questions, make suggestions and then translate this vision to all involved.

They will make sure all the sub-trades are getting through their work on-time and to a high standard. They will keep in close contact with architects, engineers and other consultants. And crucially, they will keep an open line of communication with the client – so they know how the project is progressing at all times.

If you have trouble engaging with a prospective builder during initial discussions, it may be best to look elsewhere.

5. Passion counts for a lot.

Quite simply, if you like the job you do, you’ll do a better job. And that goes for anyone! If you pick a builder who enjoys the challenge of renovating heritage homes and villas, you are far more likely to get the outcome you’re hoping for.

They’ll pay more attention to the intricate details. They’ll come up with better solutions when issues arise. Plus they’ll be more engaged throughout the build process.

Remember, a happy builder is a good builder.

Have a renovation project in mind?

The BBM Construction have a proven track record renovating heritages home and villas, and we’d love to bring your dream to life. Simply get in touch by calling Matt on 09 390 4088 .