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| Building Tips |
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Organisation |
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One of the most important building tips, is that you must be highly organised during all stages of the construction process, including preparing to commence construction. Always check that the contractors are licensed for the work and that their licence is current.
Keep records of quotes, contracts, licence details and correspondence relating to the building work. You may choose to keep a folder for written documentation such as quotes, contracts and invoices. Make sure you only enter into contracts with licensed contractors for the work they are carrying out.
If you are to complete your construction on time and on budget you will need to use a building planner or diary to estimate construction stages and time frames. As an owner-builder, one of the most important tools that you will have is the building planner. The owner-builder can use the building planner to estimate the time frames in which certain activities will occur. The recommended method for using our planner is to fill in the dates from when the project will start. Secondly go through the planner with a highlighter or pencil and mark when each stage or event will begin according to your schedule. Finally when construction has commenced you can mark each stage off the planner as it occurs. The building planner will enable you see if construction is going according to schedule or where delays are happening. The building planner will also allow you to see which if any trades overlap and can allow you to reschedule tradespeople and supply of materials if the project is running behind schedule.
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Suggested Construction Sequence Important Notes |
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NOTE: Please note that this is only a guideline, all construction works have differing
levels of complexity and different requirements that may not be covered by this guideline.
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NOTE: If you are not a specialist in the area it is recommended that you do seek specialist advice before commencing any work as this may save you a significant amount of time and expense.
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It is important that you speak to your council about when and at what stages council
inspections have to occur as well as any other specific regulations they may have, such as
hours in which you can work. Talk to your energy suppliers about what certification they
require and if they are required to inspect any of the works being carried out. Contact the
water board and find out about what is required for connection of water services and sewerage.
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NOTE: Call "dial before you dig" to find out where any pipes are before any digging or
excavation commences. This will save you time and any costs in the rectification of the
pipes or lines. If there are pipes / lines, advise your contractors before they carry out
any work.
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Arrange your Contractors and Materials |
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Contact contractors and suppliers and organise a time frame for them to complete the work and for suppliers to deliver materials. Ensure that materials are delivered only as they are required as unnecessary supplies can delay tradespeople from completing work and can cause safety risks. The following table contains contractors and materials that may be required:
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| Contractors |
Materials |
- Demolition
- Excavation
- Electrician
- Plumber & Drainer
- Gasfitter
- Concreter
- Carpenter
- Bricklayer
- Waterproofer
- Plaster (internal linings)
- Roofer
- Tiler (wall and floor)
- Floor Sander
- Painter
- Fencer
- Insulator
- Alarm System
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Contact suppliers with approximate delivery dates. You will need to organise;
- Sand, gravel and filling
- Bricks
- Hardware
- Concrete
- Timber
- Roofing
- Windows, doors and other joinery
- Roller Doors
- Wallboard and Plasterboard
- Kitchens
- Paint
- Light Fittings
- Tiles
- Insulation(wall & ceiling)
- Fire Safety Alarms
- Security Alarm
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NOTE: You will need to speak with your tradespeople and suppliers to ensure that materials are delivered when your contractor is available to do the work.
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Site Preparation and Set Out |
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Before commencing any work, check council regulations if any amenities need to be supplied. Often councils require that a site toilet be provided and necessary footpath crossings. You may also be required to arrange a temporary supply of electricity with your electrician, and amenities for your workers / contractors.
Remove anything from the site that may prevent or slow the building work. Have your surveyor organise the set out of the site for you. You can also discuss the site levels and set-out with the surveyor.
Ensure that a surveyor, concreter or someone with appropriate experience completes the set-out. Check distances to boundaries (commonly called 'clearances') and ensure these are correct, as the building certifier will check them when the footings are inspected, so it is important that the site is set out correctly.
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NOTE: Remember the two most important rules. The set-out must be "Square and Plumb".
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NOTE: It is very important that the set-out is completed accurately. If errors are made it could lead to expensive works to rectify the problem.
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Plumbers & Pipes and Drains |
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As plumbing is a specialist trade, all plumbing works need to be carried out by a licensed plumber. Check with BSA or OFT to ensure that the plumber holds a current licence for the plumbing trade. The plumber needs to install all the pipes that will be under the flooring of the house. Also discuss with the plumber as to when drains should be excavated, laid and backfilled. It is possible he may wish to do this after the floor brickwork or at some other stage.
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NOTE: Council inspections may be required before any plumbing / pipe works are covered.
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Excavations |
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It is important that you employ a specialist excavating company that has a current licence and a Licence issued by Work Cover. Footings and floor slabs should be designed to comply with Australian Standards (see appendix for appropriate standard). Council may also require structural details including engineers reports.
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NOTE: Don't leave excavations open to the elements for any longer than necessary. This is due to the costs associated with rectifying cave ins.
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NOTE: If you have not contacted dial before you dig or are still unsure where your pipes or telephone lines are get your contractor to contact 'Dial before you dig'. This will minimise the risk of damage to pipes or communication lines that are expensive to repair.
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Footing and/or piers should be poured at this time. Piers often need to be constructed separately to footings. Check with a structural engineer to see if this is necessary.
Where excavation is necessary for your site, it is recommended that you should seek the services of a specialist excavator. Mistakes made during excavation can often lead to additional concrete to fill the excavation and as such, additional costs.
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Drainage |
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Where drainage systems are required, ensure that the proposed drainage system will convey surface water to the appropriate outfall and that any water avoids entry to the building. Check with your local council to ensure that water is discharged to the appropriate point. The drainage system should be constructed in accordance with Australian Standards.
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NOTE: Stormwater drainage diagrams should be generated by a Hydraulic Engineer and need to be approved by council at development application / construction certificate stage.
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Termite Treatment |
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One area that the owner-builder needs to pay particular attention to is ensuring adequate termite treatment is undertaken and continuing maintenance and where necessary, re-treatment is performed. Two types of protection for structural members (i.e. parts of the building) against termite damage;
- Chemical barrier;
- Physical barrier.
The first step is to consider whether the structural framework is to be metal or termite-resistant timber. Even where the structural framework is metal, pest protection measures must be undertaken to protect non-structural elements, i.e. doorframes and other timber components.
Physical barriers for timber floors are mandatory under the Building Code of Australia and can be formed by caps to piers and continuous ant capping to brick walling in the sub floor area. Soil treatment under concrete slabs can either be done by chemical or non-chemical methods or a combination of both.
The owner-builder needs to ensure that the chemical installer must carry a termite treatment licence issued by WorkCover NSW. The installer must show evidence of their licence, professional indemnity insurance (that is current) and the installer must provide a minimum 12 months warranty against termite infestation.
It is important to note that the homeowner must perform regular inspections as part of ongoing maintenance for their home. As part of these examinations, homeowners should look around the home for signs such as crumbling/splitting timber, and around the garden/perimeter and other access areas for dampness. It is recommended that trained building and timber pest inspectors perform regular inspections no more than 1 year apart.
If a chemical treatment is selected, check with the supplier as to the life expectancy of the treatment. Ensure that you plan for periodic re-treatment. For a new house, you may need to install a reticulation system, which is a series of pipes under the concrete slab that allow for chemical re-treatment. Otherwise you would have to drill holes through the concrete slab. Check with the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association ( www.aepma.com.au) for qualified member pest controllers in your areas.
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NOTE: Contact your council to find out what the individual council requirements are before selecting a method of termite protection. Some councils have banned the use of chemicals for termite protection.
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NOTE: The Building Code of Australia requires a durable notice be fixed to the building. The notice should contain the method of termite risk management, the date the system was installed, if chemical is used, its life expectancy and manufacturers recommendations for scope and frequency of pest inspections.
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Concrete Slab |
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In preparation for the pouring of the concrete slab you should ensure that the site is clear so that the concreter has adequate site access. Before pouring of the concrete slab, you may need an engineers report or on site inspection, you may also be required to supply the engineers report to your council before commencing work.
Concrete is commonly used for footings, slabs and for mortar for bricklaying. Concrete should meet the Building Code of Australia standards (see appendix for appropriate standard):
- Have a minimum grade as specified usually 20 Mpa for 'slab-on-ground' type constructions and footing, and 25 Mpa or higher for suspended concrete. (Mpa is an abbreviation for Mega Pascals. Mpa is a metric measure of pressure used to measure the concretes load capacity.);
- Do not have water added on-site to pre-batched deliveries - orders should have required 'slump' (slump is a standard test on wet concrete which give an indication of the 'workability of the concrete).
Allow the concreter to organise his own materials. Keep any dockets or documents related to the supply of the concrete and ask for concrete test results.
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NOTE: Unless you are an expert in the area do not attempt this. You can contact the Cement And Concrete Association of Australia (www.concrete.net.au) for referral to a specialist.
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NOTE: The slab should not be allowed to dry too quickly as this may cause cracking and in some cases structural faults. In hot weather the owner-builder should contact a concreter for specialist advice.
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Plumber |
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It is important that you ensure that your plumber has a valid and current licence for plumbing. Ensure that all floor waste holes, pipes and drains have been installed before progressing and ensure that the relevant authority has inspected the waste pipes before concrete is poured. When work on internal waste pipes has been completed.
Call in your pest controller to treat the ground after your plumbing inspection and the pipe work has been covered and before the vapour barrier is laid.
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NOTE: Ensure all pipes are pressure tested before internal linings are fixed. This will save expensive rectification work at a later date.
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Vapour barrier and reinforcement |
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The vapour barrier consists of polythene sheets laid over the entire area where the slab is to be laid. All penetrations such as plumber's pipes should be secured through the membrane. The Building Code of Australia requires a vapour barrier to be installed under slab-on-ground construction and that the vapour barrier has a nominal thickness of 0.2 mm. The vapour barrier should be medium impact resistant so that the vapour barrier is not damaged.
The installation of the vapour barrier must not lap less than 200 mm at all joints and the vapour barrier must be taped (duct tape no less then 50mm in width) or sealed with a close fitting sleeve around all service penetrations.
Use of a specialist concreter will ensure the membrane is placed in the correct position and it is not damaged. If the vapour barrier is punctured, ensure that it is repaired with additional polyethylene film and tape before concrete is poured.
Concreter can now install steel mesh placed on bar chairs and any boxing can be placed for sunken lounges or any other recesses. Once finalised you can contact the council to organise an inspection before the concrete is laid.
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NOTE: After steel has been installed and the job is ready to pour, a council inspection is
required before the concrete is poured.
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Framing |
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One of the important decisions that you will have to make as an owner-builder is that of what type of framing method you will use in the construction process. The most common framing methods for construction are:
- Timber framed construction;
- Metal framed construction.
Timber framed construction relies on the use of timber products for the sub-floor frame, floor, wall and roof to support structural loads. Timber is used in conjunction with other products such as fibrous cement, metal or plastic sheeting or brick. Where brick is used for a brick veneer construction, the brick wall is connected to the frame with metal ties.
When using timber for the construction method you should consider the following:
- Light weight;
- Able to be used with all types of floor construction;
- Materials readily available;
- Pest control should be an important consideration particularly termite protection; and
- Less trades are involved then if using other methods.
Steel framed construction relies on the use of metal products for the sub-floor frame, floor, wall and roof. As with timber framing a variety of exterior finishes can be used.
- Light weight;
- Long life;
- Less prone to shrinkage or expansion;
- Resistant to termites (termite protection still required for non-structural timbers such as doors etc; and
- Corrosion caused by the elements, particularly in coastal areas.
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NOTE: Ensure that metal frame is earthed properly for safety reasons.
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Floor Frame |
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Your carpenter will place the bearers then the floor joists. Once this is done, ensure the floor frame is straight and level. If this is not done it could lead to irregularities that may be difficult to fix.
It is easy to insulate beneath your floor at this stage. Simply lay foil over your joists prior to laying your floor.
Before flooring is fixed check that bearers are resting on the piers and no gaps are present. Ensure joists are fixed tightly to the bearers, this will save you from fixing squeaks at a later stage.
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NOTE: Council Inspection may be required prior to the placement of the floor.
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Wall frames and Roof Trusses |
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You should consider the use of prefabricated wall frames, whether timber or metal framing method is used. This will save time and simplify the job. Wall frames need to be constructed in accordance with Australian Standards (check appendix for listing of appropriate standard.)
It is recommended that prefabricated roof trusses be used. They are designed and engineered to suit spans, roof coverings and loadings. The supplier will detail spacing and placement and supply all associated hardware such as bracing and triple grips for fixing.
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Windows and external door frames |
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Fix window frames as soon as possible and ensure that flashings are used. Co-ordinate the installation of windows and doors with your bricklayer.
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Walls & Bricklayer |
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Building the brick walls for the house is one of the largest tasks that will be undertaken in the construction process. It is recommended that you leave this up to a specialist i.e. a licensed bricklayer.
The majority of modern houses built are built using a brick veneer (masonry veneer) construction. If the owner-builder wants to estimate how many bricks are necessary, the average single thickness brick wall needs 60 bricks per square metre. The owner-builder can make the estimate based around whole bricks, allowing 10mm for each mortar joint. Then you will only need to contend with half bricks, which may be purchased.
An area where the owner-builder may be able to help the bricklayer in, is the preparation of the bricks, a common requirement is that bricks may need to be cut in half before laying. To cut a brick, mark the line in chalk, using a brick bolster or chisel and heavy hammer and cut groove around the brick. On a soft base - sand or lawn, a hefty whack will give a clean break in the brick.
The owner-builder needs to ensure that as the bricklayer lays the bricks, that the bricklayer leaves a 25mm (min) cavity between the brick wall (masonry leaf) and the closest portion of the wall frame, for services, insulation or other elements located in the cavity. The owner-builder also needs to ensure appropriate wall ties are used. Australian Standards require wall ties be:
- Spaced correctly 600mm both vertically and horizontally. Or 300mm around openings in the wall such as doors and windows;
- Wall ties should slope downwards towards the external wall (external leaf) and should be embedded a minimum of 50mm into the mortar joint. The other end of the wall tie needs to be secured by an approved system, installed according to manufacturers specification;
- If in corrosion risk area, check wall ties meet appropriate standard.
Where timber frame is used for the framing method, ensure the bricklayer leaves adequate space for timber shrinkage. For single storey construction this is usually 10mm below any window frame sill and door frame sill, and 10mm below roof framing and or eave-linings.
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Roof Guttering & Plumber |
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After frame and fascia are completed, the plumber is required to fix the guttering before the roof is covered. Valley flashing should also be installed. The plumber should make sure that the guttering falls to the position of the downpipes. Plumber should also do a "rough in", which relates to fixing off hot water and cold water services and drainage points in the wall.
Where gas is to be used, it is important to contact your gas provider to discuss the rough-in and your final connection to the main system.
If concealed gutters are used, no fascia is required as the gutter and fascia are combined and are fixed by the plumber.
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Roof Covering |
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Ensure that any roof coverings are fixed according to manufacturers specifications. These should be available from your supplier. Sarking (foil) should also be installed as this prevents entry of dust and also has insulation benefits. Sarking also gives additional security against water penetration.
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External doors & Carpenter |
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Carpenters can fit external doors. Eaves should be lined and the sub floor access door fitted.
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Wiring & Electrician |
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Contact your energy supplier with regard to electricity supply. Contact your Telephone Company for the provision of supply pipes in the slab and a gas supplier for supply of gas services before the pouring of the concrete.
The electrician will place the lighting and power cables. These should be installed according to the initial plan. Electricians also usually install your telephone cables, see below.
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Telephone |
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Contact your Telephone Company and advise them of your requirements so that pre-cabling can be done. If an electrician is installing cabling for telephone or other related systems, ensure they hold the appropriate Austel licence.
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Gas |
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A gasfitter will place the gas pipes to the locations of the appliances.
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Wet area flashing (Bathroom, Laundry and kitchen) |
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Remove all debris and mortar deposits. Ensure that the contractor uses an accredited water-proofing system. Flash all internal angles formed between the floor and the walls and to shower uprights.
With concrete floors, the full shower base should be sealed. On particleboard, the whole bathroom should be sealed. The waterproof membrane that you select should be flexible enough to allow for normal movement in timber framed structures. It should be strong enough to resist any damage during installation of the floor surfacing material and be suitable for bonding with flexible adhesive.
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NOTE: You also need to ensure that a certificate from the waterproofer is obtained. As this will need to be provided to council.
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NOTE: Contact your council to organise inspection of all wet areas prior to internal linings being installed.
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Wall linings |
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If insulation is required it should be done after bricks have been placed but prior to any linings being installed.
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Internal Linings & Plasterer |
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Ensure all tradespeople have completed their work correctly and according to their contracts, as any errors not detected may lead to expensive rectification work.
Ensure all trimmings for fittings have been installed and that walls are straight, power and light points are in the right positions and plumbing points are placed correctly. Ensure that wall cavities, vermin wire and wall ties are clear of mortar.
Your Plasterer can now proceed fixing the linings. Ensure that all joints are backed with either studs or noggings or installed according to manufacturers specifications.
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NOTE: The wall must be straight and cornices straight and even.
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Joinery and fix out & Carpenter |
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The carpenter can install all internal doors, bath, shower, kitchen and mouldings along with
any extra joinery as required.
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Wall and Floor tiling |
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Check that all joints and junctions are watertight in and around the showers. If not
watertight, leakages can cause superficial damage and in some instances structural damage.
Joints must be straight and even. Tilers must use high quality adhesive and it must be used
as specified by the supplier. Grouting to the joints must be finished to a high standard to
prevent any leakages.
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Painter |
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Any imperfections on the surfaces of walls and ceiling should fixed, any nail holes
filled and sanded and mouldings secured before painting. Do not use high gloss paint
on plaster board surfaces as any minor imperfections will be seen.
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NOTE: Make sure the painter uses drop sheets to prevent spillages on expensive fittings
and brickwork.
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Final Fit Out & Plumber |
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The plumber will fit wastes to the Basins, sinks tubs, and showers. Taps will be fitted
and hot water connected.
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NOTE: Ensure down pipes are fitted correctly and sewer connected. The stormwater drains
should be connected and inspected by council.
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Final Fit Out & Electrician |
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Installation and fixing of switches, power points and hot water systems etc,
should be finished.
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NOTE: The electricians work needs to be inspected by the appropriate authority
before the electricity supply is connected.
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Telephone |
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Arrange for installation of phone service.
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Finish up |
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Insulate ceiling cavity after electrician has completed all work.
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NOTE: If down lights are fitted, do not cover transformers with insulation due to fire risk.
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Finalise landscaping and ensure termite barrier is not disturbed. Ensure any paving falls
away from the house and ensure that water drains into stormwater system.
Install any extra fittings such as garage doors, flyscreens and security doors etc.
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