Qualities To Look For When Hiring a Custom Home Builder

Name: 5 Star Builder
Brand: 5 Star Builder
Price: 400000 AUD
Rating: 5 (75 reviews)

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When you are getting a new home built, you want to be sure that every aspect of it is designed and planned to perfection. Aside from this, you also want the best materials and labour to be used in the work so that the final construction is resilient and long-lasting.

While there are numerous home builders in Sydney, not everyone is professional. Many provide shoddy quality work, use substandard materials and are lacking in customer service. They may not complete the project on time and within budget.

This makes it crucial for you to choose professionals with a good reputation and standing in the market like us at 5 Star Builders. There are many different things that we focus on and very strongly feel that when you are choosing a Sydney builder, there are certain qualities you need to keep in view, such as:

The Qualities You Should Be Looking For

Experience and Reputation– Look for a company with a proven reputation in the industry and with a good track record. Check how long they have been in business as one with experience will have handled many similar projects in the past. It is an excellent way to ensure that your project is handled correctly. Read online reviews and testimonials to get a better idea of the types of services that the company provides. See what the previous clients are saying about them and then make your final choice.

Licence and insurance- This is another crucial aspect that you need to take into account while looking for a custom home builder in Sydney. Licensing and insurance are two aspects that indicate a company is credible and professional. These companies will also do their level best to handle your job to industry standards. Comprehensive insurance is crucial so that you do not become liable for any accidents or damages that take place while the project is in progress. Generally, this information would be mentioned on their website. However, if you do not find it there, make it a point to ask them to provide you with this information.

References– Every company that takes its business seriously will always be focused on building a satisfied customer base. You need to be sure that previous clients are pleased with the services the company has provided. While reviews do give you a specific idea, it is also necessary for you to ask for references to prior clients. You can call some of those people to get a better understanding of the quality of service and construction the company provides.

Customisation– When you call the company, determine how their customer service is. Check whether they are proactive with providing information that you need and are open to offering customised solutions. You want to be sure that your custom home has installations and features as you want them to be. When you are having discussions with their designers, you will be able to find out exactly how open they are to your ideas.

For any more information about our custom home building in Sydney, contact 5 Star Builders at 02 9639 3673 to discuss details about your project. You can also send us a message via this Contact Us form.

Things You Need To Know About Council Approvals For Your New Granny Flat

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Several homeowners are now considering building granny flats on their residential properties. This is primarily because it offers them a unique and cost-effective housing solution. These granny flats prove to be an excellent place to stay either for ageing parents or children who are back from school.

Granny flats are essentially secondary structures that are either built adjacent to the main property or have their own building on the same property. These structures are specially designed to house two people.

The flats can be constructed in the outdoor area of a house and can be rented out for additional income as well. Once you’ve made the decision to get a granny flat built, it is crucial to ensure that you hire the services of a reputable and well-established company with a good track record, like us at 5 Star Builders.

Several intricacies come with the construction of another structure. The builders you choose will provide you with all the necessary information you need to know before commencing a project like this. Besides the information on the design of the structure and the materials used, several homeowners have additional questions on whether council approval is required to build these structures.

Approval for Granny Flats

The local council or a licensed certifier has the authority to approve such features as a development that follows local regulations. There’s no need to file for an official development application to receive certification. However, your granny flat must be compliant with the Affordable Rental House Act. There are a few factors that have to be taken into account with building a granny house; this includes:

All local and state rules have to be followed
Whether or not the granny flat will be used as a secondary residence
Whether the structure is compliant with the pre-existing standards for developing a secondary house under the SEPP (State Environmental Planning Policy)

Essential Facts

The council examines several different aspects. Your granny flat has to be:

Constructed adjacent to your existing property.
Has to be built on the same plot as your primary residence

Submission of the Granny Flat Application

There is a specific process to be followed while lodging an application with the council for granny flat construction, such as:

Complying development means Complying Development Certificate (CDC), from an accredited certifier or the local council. It takes approximately 20 days for the approval to go through.
If the council determines that your granny flat construction plan isn’t compliant, you will have to make the necessary changes and lodge another application. This is a standard process with the local council.

We offer the best granny flat design and build solutions at the most cost-effective pricing. Our team works closely with you and provides custom solutions that fit your budget. For any more information, contact 5 Star Builders at 02 9639 3673 to discuss details about your project. You can also send us a message via this Contact Us form.

Important Aspects Of a Custom Home Building Project

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Whether you have decided to construct a standard starter house or a luxurious family house, there are still several aspects that have to be taken into consideration. Many hidden costs can show up during, which can be surprising. However, you ensure that you plan this process efficiently, educating yourself in the field is essential.

Construction of a new home is based on several aspects like the square footage, weather conditions, and availability of workers. It can take anywhere between 3 months to a year to build a home from scratch. The experienced and skilled builders at 5 Star Builders have stated a few things to keep in view while building your new house, such as:

1. Advance Planning

Proper planning is one of the most critical parts of the construction process. Ensure that each and every detail is planned with the utmost efficiency. You must ask yourself questions like, What kind of plumbing will be used? Where will the power points be installed? What type of layout will the rooms have?

See to it that you figure out the kind of design you want to incorporate. Google is an excellent place where you can search for images of rooms for inspiration. You can search for different design ideas for each room, and then save them on a Pinterest board. To ensure that the designers have a clear idea of what you want, you can show them these images.

2. Increase Your Budget

Although you may have factored in all the costs involved, chances are that you will still end up paying more. Many items may not be included in your final estimate. Additional charges of gas and electricity metres, gates, fences, decking, concrete for outdoor landscaping, and letterboxes are rarely ever listed.

The overall budget will likely increase by 15-25%. These last additional costs included are called finishing costs. The site preparation cost is another crucial factor that has to be taken into consideration. This cost is associated with preparing your property for construction. The application fee amount has to be factored in as well.

3. Opt For the Perfect Builder

One of the most important aspects to consider while building a house is opting for the perfect builder. Always choose a well-established and reputed builder for the job. Bear in mind that the builder you opt for will be working with you for months, which makes it crucial that you make a well-informed decision. Here are the things to look out while hiring a builder:

Past works
Price
Personality
Credentials
References
Communication Medium

Besides this, always remember to read the contract carefully and list down the things you don’t fully understand.

Hire Expert Custom Home Builders

The skilled professionals at 5 Star Builders provide clients with high-quality, customised services. We will work with you closely and provide you with an upfront quote with a breakdown of all costs involved. This ensures that you don’t have to deal with surprise expenses later on.

For any more information about our custom home building Sydney and other services, feel free to contact 5 Star Builders at 02 9639 3673 to discuss details about your project. You can also send us a message via this Contact Us form.

Office Fitout Ideas To Improve Staff Productivity

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Many corporate studies show a close connection between work surroundings and staff productivity. Your immediate environment can enthuse you to work energetically or make you feel laid back. Don’t you feel mentally suffocated in a closed place without proper ventilation or air-conditioning? It’s far more comfortable to work in a pleasant and lively place. It lifts your mood and boosts your productivity.

If your workplace dampens your creativity, your productivity, too, will reduce. Less productive staff lowers profits in a business. We at 5 Star Builders are the commercial fit-out experts that handle all manner of retail and office space design and installation projects. Let’s look at some office fit out ideas that will help increase your profitability:

1. Create an Open Floor Layout

Mammoth corporations like Google and Facebook believe in encouraging their employees to be more creative and productive. They have used the concept of open offices to keep their employees engaged. Modern offices don’t have too many barriers like walls. They have open spaces to enable their employees to interact and move around freely, which in turn enhances productivity.

2. Ventilate All the Spaces Well

One of the most critical elements in an office environment is proper ventilation. In a well- ventilated office space, employees get more comfortable spaces to work in and are enthused to work more. You can ventilate your office building effectively by using natural airflow strategies.

3. Add A Pop of Colour to the Indoors

Very few people realise that colours are mood influencers and set an action-reaction in motion. When you renovate your office, you can get your walls painted. Experiment with various colours and textures. Incorporate your corporate colours and use hues that create positive vibes. You will find your employees are inspired to work, which increases their productivity and your business profits.

4. Focus On Functionality

An office space needs to be functional to improve mobility for employees. Naturally, it is not a place where you have lavish or ornamental décor. Higher the embellishments, the higher are fitout costs, and the greater the obstructions. We recommend streamlined office designs focused on providing every feature that is necessary and purposeful. It helps you maximise the use of the available space, and there are no undue distractions for your employees either.

5. Create a Modernistic Vibe

Functional and aesthetically pleasing features are integral to modern office designs. The idea is to make the place expansive where your staff can work comfortably for the entire day. It means creating a pleasant environment by making sure the room has modern art, elegant flooring, and large windows.

While it’s always essential to have a good understanding of office fit-out designs and ideas, you still need professionals like us for the planning and installation. We offer the best solutions at the most cost-effective pricing. For any more information, contact 5 Star Builders at 02 9639 3673 to discuss details about your project. You can also send us a message via this Contact Us form.

How a Custom Home Can Help You Get Excellent ROI From a Compact Block

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As the density of the population starts to rise in a city like Sydney, the block sizes start shrinking. Naturally, large front and the back yards become history. But there is no need to feel sad about it because it opens an opportunity to spend less on land and yet living in a location you like.

We at 5 Star Builders ask our customers a simple question. Do you want to spend your money to live in a small block near the city and enjoy all the facilities like restaurants, supermarkets, bars, cafes, schools at a walking distance or you want a large block in a new suburb far away from all these conveniences?

We, as a leading custom home builder in Sydney, know that our customers can enjoy the same comfort and luxury in a home built on a smaller block of land. It ultimately boils down to smart design choices to extract the maximum out of the available space.

Benefits of a Custom Designed Home For Compact Blocks

People prefer custom designed homes because of the benefits, such as greater scope for personal style, flexibility to choose designs, energy efficiency, and as a better investment as well. All these advantages are present while constructing a more compact home. You will enjoy many benefits while building on a smaller piece of land. Here are some of them:

1. Design Flexibility

Smart design choices play an important role in getting the most out of a small block of land. When you opt for a custom home, you also gain full control over designing your home space.

We are a leading custom home builder in Sydney and have extensive experience in the industry. We understand our customers’ needs and know their priorities. Our company plans the layout of the house to utilize every centimeter of the available space while focusing on our client’s preferences.

The compactness of a lot does not mean you will have a cramped and uncomfortable. We can extend the home vertically to two or three stories to provide a spacious living area for you and your family.

2. Higher Investment

Real estate prices reach new highs as the years pass. This happens because as the city’s demographics changes to a higher density, the demand-supply gap widens, and housing becomes more expensive. The expectations of a robust economic recovery only strengthen this trend. People who build lovely custom homes on a small block of land now will reap the benefits of fantastic appreciation in the value of their investment in the future. Higher the population growth in a city, the higher will be the ROI on their investment in a custom home.

With our years of experience and proven track record of delivering outstanding projects, our talented team can deliver a custom home that will allow you to make the most out of the space available to you. For any more information, contact 5 Star Builders at 02 9639 3673 to discuss details about your project. You can also send us a message via this Contact Us form.

Questions To Ask Your New Home Builder

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5 Star Builders offers custom designs for residential structures. As a company that has vast experience in this industry, we have the resources to tackle every job expertly. The aim is to delight our clients and make sure they get the home they envisioned.

Once you sign an agreement with the builder, you put a stamp on their project proposal. In the case of a custom-built house, you must ask insightful questions and get answers that clarify even the smallest aspect of the project. We always recommend that clients ask some basic questions before choosing a new home builder. Here are some of them:

1. Are you a licensed and registered builder?

You must never hand over your house building project to an unlicensed builder in Sydney. You can refer to the Department of Commerce website and check the Building Commission section to determine whether the builder has a valid license. You need to enter the builder’s registration number to access the information.

2. How many years have you been operating in this Industry?

The credibility of a builder determines the quality and related aspects of the construction of your dream project. A well-established builder will have many years of experience in the field and a sterling record in following correct building practices. Handing over your project to such a builder is like buying peace of mind knowing that the project is in safe hands.

3. Can you provide references from some of your past clients?

An experienced builder will always be willing to provide you with references to clients for whom they have handled projects and it is the test of their reputation. If they hesitate to give you references, drop their name from your shortlisted builders. Call a few references and gather information about the builder’s honesty in dealings, any problems faced concerning costs and timely completion.

4. Can we also look at some past examples of homes you have built?

You can visit some houses built to get an idea of the soundness of the structures, designs, house painting and craftsmanship.

5. Who will supervise the construction work?

You need to find out whether the Sydney home builder handles the project entirely or outsources/subcontracts some work. Make sure that they have a close tab on the work by way of supervision of every detail as the construction progresses.

Generally, on-site supervisors look after day-to-day construction work. It is essential that they have an expert understanding of the building regulations and principles and closely supervise every aspect of the construction.

You must establish direct communication channels with the builder. Ask the builder whether you can visit the place and how often, to check the progress. Your intention is not to disrupt or create objection to the work, but to ensure that you feel happy about the project’s progress.

For any more information about our custom home construction and other services, feel free to contact 5 Star Builders at 02 9639 3673 to discuss details about your project. You can also send us a message via this Contact Us form.

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