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The Builder’s Mum
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24.01.2022 Will site conditions be your build nemesis? Starting a building project for your own home can be fraught with lots of unknowns. You are anticipating a new home and the dream future it brings but right now, you don’t know what you don’t know. You are looking for someone that you can really trust to get you through the journey with as few problems as possible. And this can be a challenge. One thing that you may not have heard about but should know about is your land’s Site Con...ditions. I was talking to a client about this very thing just recently. They had decided to have the site assessment done themselves and the report that they received gave them a clearance to put in the foundations they wanted. When site preparation commenced it was discovered that their block was severely under-run by rock. The excavation and preparation for their build became significantly more expensive than budgeted. Getting this assessment done and done properly may be something that you want to do but if you are like me, time is of the essence and if at all possible, outsourcing this to someone competent is the viable solution. Each bore hole costs but to be certain of your ground conditions, opting for the cheaper offer could cost unanticipated tens of thousands more in the build. Site conditions can have a design, a construction and a cost implication all of which are critical to your new home. You must speak to your builder about these issues so that they have been addressed fully before you sign your contract. I hope this has been of some help and that you now understand site conditions. If you want to know more about site conditions and those other ‘unknowns’ come and join me in my fantastic closed group, Mum’s Building Frustrations (MBF) at https://www.facebook.com/groups/271019737016914/?ref=bookmarks. An example of significant excavation with a larger budget that was a nasty surprise for the client can be found below. https://www.facebook.com//a.84970484848/1617830041671815/
24.01.2022 What is your greatest fear about building your new home?
16.01.2022 Does this resonate with you? It's hard to work out what to do with your elderly house. It has lots of things that need to be repaired* but it also has lots of memories**. Like me, it may not be your first home where your children grew up, but it is the home where your first grandchild may have taken his first steps and where all grandchildren now come to visit. It may be where you live with your eldest son, surrounded by years of accumulated memories. It may be getting a bi...t too much for you to manage especially as it is unfortunately not a house built around environmental sustainability or efficient use of energy. You may have so many other things that you want to do with whatever time you have left and so are considering your options. Your budget may be limited so you want to make sure that when you spend it you will be making improvements to the world. My personal love is the California bungalo or Hamptons style with higher ceilings. Double glazing, full insulation, solar and mimi-wind power, grey water, water tanks and lots of green grass, trees and plants will provide your desired environmental improvements. Polished concrete floors with radiant underfloor heating and cooling will allow easy cleaning and comfortable temperatures all year round with minimal energy consumption. A garden that will care for itself and will capture CO2 effectively every day of the year sounds attractive. What about a veggie garden that you can share with family and friends and a proper composting system that provides organic nutrients and supports healthy soil and worms. How would verandahs where you can sit and read with a cup of coffee and views that inspire and calm. And a safe haven as a home base to which you return with joy as you fulfil the many other things you want to do to improve this world of ours. So I have taken advice. I have spoken to my accountant and my bank. I have spoken to my son who will build my new home just as I want it. I have spoken to my son who has the greenest thumb and can create the gardens I want. I have spoken to my friends and colleagues and have already started on a journey of learning that will provide stability and opportunity for me to do what I really want to do to ensure that I persoannly leave a manageable legacy for my grandchildren. If this is something that does resonate with you, like and share this post and if you want to hear more about making the best decisions for your future, join me at Mum's Building Frustrations at https://www.facebook.com/groups/271019737016914/?ref=bookmarks Photos below: *Multiple repairs to roof and ceilings and door jams. **Wonderful recording of my grandson's growth over several years.
14.01.2022 I have been paying a lot of attention to the world and how it is tracking right now. What is happening locally, in my state, in Australia and across our planet? I have three beautiful grandchildren and I am worrying about what it is that we, as the baby boomer generation, will be handing over to them to manage. How much have we simply dropped the ball through self-interest, apathy, boredom, and perhaps worst of all a selfish disregard for our fellow humans, the environment, n...ative flora and fauna, and a future of which we can be truly proud? It has made me take stock. I have made a commitment to myself and to the world to do better at a personal level. I will speak out about those things that are important for not just me, but for everyone. I will demand respect, inclusion and genuine care for all in our communities. I will make changes that will contribute positively to our environment and the sustainability of our amazing biodiversity. I will focus on a positive world where bad behavior and discord and bluff and pain are spotlighted and put to bed through better solutions that provide logical, common sense outcomes for good. My plan is to make this happen no matter what the circumstances, what part of my life personal, business, and community. I am inviting you to be part of this journey. To feel better about our world and how we are contributing to it. To grab those thoughts and worries and turn them into something great by taking action, researching thoroughly so that you can make the best decisions, and demanding the best solutions, the best results, not just the expedient ones. You will need to practice this. In all aspects of your life. Be ready to search for the best advice. Make sure that both your heart and your mind are participating in your decisions so that you can be truly satisfied and emotionally captivated by your choices. If we all adopt this philosophy, we could achieve so much. If we shared our solutions, our ideas, our advice and our recommendations with our friends and on social media, and they did the same we could start to inspire change for good in all corners of our world. Let’s not allow negativity to prevent us from doing good things. Start now, today with me. If you would like to hear more about better life choices, better building choices, better choices overall, join me in Mum’s Building Frustrations (MBF) at https://www.facebook.com/groups/271019737016914/?ref=bookmarks See more
14.01.2022 I was asked about site costs in contracts which I mentioned but did not get into last week so look out for a short update next week. I am also wanting to provide a bit more on building contract aspects that may confuse - wont be long just checking out some details. Talk to you soon
13.01.2022 I have been talking a lot about the legacy I want to leave to my children, their children and the generations beyond and for those of you who are thinking about this too, I thought I would share three things with you below. When you plan for your future, are you thinking about what you can do to contribute positively to this looming problem? Have you thought about your new car, your new house and what decisions you will make to reduce your personal contribution to global warm...ing. If you are thinking about this and would like to exchange ideas with other people thinking this way, please join me at my private group Mums Buidling Frustrations where we can start to make real plans for getting it right. and if you have friends that may be intersted in this please do share with them and like my page to keep the conversation going. Join me at https://www.facebook.com/groups/271019737016914/?ref=bookmarks The first is the amazing story of Greta Thunberg at the UN Climate Action Summit; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJsdgTPJpU The second is the report on Scott Morrisons speech to the UN and his interpretation of how we are going wrt to emissions targets and the patronising way he referred to the youth of our world; https://www.abc.net.au//scott-morrison-un-speech-/11549154 and finally the Third is the Four Corners report on climate change and how Australia is tracking towards our Paris Accord targets and the reality of climate change according to Federal Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy https://www.abc.net.au//is-australia-on-track-to-/10920500
12.01.2022 Come join me in my fantastic group Mum’s Building Frustration and get answers to those nagging questions about building your new home. https://www.facebook.com/groups/271019737016914/?ref=bookmarks
12.01.2022 The perfect setting....
11.01.2022 Are you trying to decide whether to build or buy your new home? Are your time constraints one of the key issues in your decision?
08.01.2022 My builder does not get what I want I am part of a closed veterinary group. Two of the members gave me permission to share their posts today - a wonderful example of how we should communicate with others for real understanding. "Feeling pretty stupid again. Looks like I don't deserve to own a car. I've neglected it for too long and wrecked the engine. The mechanic saw that I was a vet, so he decided to explain what was going on to me in medical terms. So the two of us nutted... it out together. Basically there is congealed blood stuck to the bottom of my engine, a bit like the plaque that lines blood vessels. So, my engine has heart disease. At some point, a piece of that blood is likely to break off and block a blood vessel. In other words, it will cause a heart attack. When that happens, I might hear clinking sounds, then my engine might only have a matter of 12-24 hours left to live. Now, we don't know if my engine will have a heart attack at 1 km or at 100 km. There is a procedure that could be done to remove the congealed blood but it is high risk and could result in lots of little emboli all over the body but it might save the engine. Or we could go with a complete heart transplant. He advises a complete heart transplant as soon as possible...." Another member responded with ‘dad's a mechanic and he likes to say our jobs have a lot in common - our patients can't tell us what's wrong.., the owner usually has no bloody idea how to properly look after it and everyone thinks we're trying to rip them off’. Have you ever had a wonderful assistant who knew things in depth and could fix those nagging equipment or computer things that you can’t - because you are an 'end user' and need someone else to 'make it happen'. Cars are a perfect example of this. The building industry is just the same. If you are an ‘end user’ you won’t know what you don’t know and when your builder talks to you, you may still be unclear. Finding a builder that listens to you is critical. Finding a builder that communicates effectively with you in a way that you understand is critical. Having your questions answered in language that you get is critical. As The Builder’s Mum this is critical. Builders don’t mean to be incomprehensible but like every other specialist area their language and acronyms make it so. If you are looking for a way to navigate the building industry better then join my closed group to share in the information that I confirm and translate from ‘the builder’, ask questions, start conversations, make suggestions so that we can all be a little wiser about our own build projects. Come join me in my fantastic group Mum’s Building Frustration at the link below and get answers to those nagging questions about building your new home. https://www.facebook.com/groups/271019737016914/?ref=bookmarks #understandyourbuild #findmybuilder #buildercomms
07.01.2022 #thebuildersmum #introduction #newrealmhomes #firsthomebuild #timeisprecious #dontknowwhatidontknow #homebuildunknowns
07.01.2022 When you visualise your new home what is the feeling you get?
04.01.2022 Are you struggling with the choice to build or buy? Are your time constraints one of the key issues in your decision?
01.01.2022 Another lesson about why you should always listen first to achieve the best outcome and be understood. Join Mum’s Building Frustrations (MBF) at https://www.facebook.com/groups/271019737016914/?ref=bookmarks.
